Which Sennheiser Headphones?

[jeremyofmany]

Which Sennheiser headphones should I get for PC games/media/music?
I'm currently using Razer Barracuda headphones.
These are the ones I was looking at:
NCIX.com - Buy Sennheiser PC350 Gaming Stereo Headset 10-26000HZ 150OHM 10FT Black Noise Cancel Mic - PC350 In Canada.

[Lamb]

I use a pair of PC350 with an Asus Xonar Essence STX, pure joy

Great for music.

Mic is great for games.

You can't hear any surrounding sounds when you have them on ( well it might depends whats surrounding you ^^)

Best gamer headphones you can get imo!

[JMCD]

If you do go for those, they go on sale frequently for $150 at FS/BB and a few other places.

[BT!]

on sale now at futureshop, i dont have these but the 555's i have are great.
Future Shop: Computer Add-Ons: Gaming Gear & Computer Upgrades: SennheiserPC350 Gaming Headset

[Spikemaul]

I personally like the HD555 or the HD595's. The only thing I don't like about these is the ten foot cord. They should have made the cord shorter and gave you an extension. Personally I love the 595's for music but they are pricey.

[Writer]

I've had a set of Sennheiser HD-580s for years. They're the most comfortable cans I've ever used, and they sound orders of magnitude better than any of the cheaper headphones I've heard.

(I've heard 600/650's as well, and to my ears they were even better.)

We had a bunch of different Sennheiser's at work over the years but they don't even come close, some were even outright shitty (e.g. 49x series).

Some people think the 580/600/650 look a bit weird (my wife calls them my "Princess Leia headphones") but comfort and sound trump fashion IMO.

I originally got mine used on eBay, so they have seen a lot of use; the left cable connector sometimes cuts out unless I jiggle it a bit. Aside from that they're still going strong. Brand new they're very expensive cans, but let me put it this way: if my 580's ever go, I will replace them immediately with a set of 600s or 650s, whatever the cost.

The HD-580s were one of the best things I ever purchased for my PC.

[MpG]

The PC350's are great gaming headphones, but I don't think I'd say that they're +$200-good. $150 or less, sure. Very good isolation from the rest of the world, comfortable, and the mic is one of the better one's that I've used. They also don't need a full-blown amplifier to perform at their best, so that sound card should be just fine. The sound character is a little more aggressive and forward than other Senn's that I've tried, but still pretty middle-of the road compared to some others. They're a little weak in the bass department, which isn't an issue for games, but some music can suffer a little for it. There's a bass-mod you can do if you don't mind drilling a couple holes in the headphones, but that's another story altogether.

[llama_egg]

Remember, there are other brands of headphones out there, so keep your eyes out. A good pair of stereo headphones + clip on mic could quite possibly give you the sound (aggressive, airy, bassy etc.) your looking for at a cheaper price.

the left cable connector sometimes cuts out unless I jiggle it a bit

It's probably a loose wire, if your feeling daring you could completely re-wire them.

[jeremyofmany]

Originally Posted by llama_egg

Remember, there are other brands of headphones out there, so keep your eyes out. A good pair of stereo headphones + clip on mic could quite possibly give you the sound (aggressive, airy, bassy etc.) your looking for at a cheaper price.

I'm aware of that. :)
The Sennheiser PC350 have already been ordered from NCIX.
They are my mother's X-Mas gift to me.
I'm looking forward to hearing how Mass Effect sounds with the new gear.

[Writer]

Originally Posted by llama_egg

It's probably a loose wire, if your feeling daring you could completely re-wire them.

Nope, it's the connector. If I swap the L and R wires, the jiggliness doesn't follow the wires, it stays on the left side.

It's a common problem with the HD580s. I can usually get it to go away just by unplugging the left wire and plugging it back in, then wiggling it a bit until it works. I've had it remain working for weeks at a time, and then have bouts of fussiness, but overall it isn't too annoying yet. If it becomes too annoying it's possible to bypass the connector by soldering the wires directly.

* I had actual wire short on the right side last summer, but I bought replacement cables from Sennheiser in Montreal. I actually got HD650 cables, which are tougher and yet somehow less expensive.