Do I need an amp or soundcard for the Sennheiser G4ME ZERO Gaming Headset ?

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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Apparently they require alot of power and im not sure if my old gigabyte b85m-d3h motherboard can handle these. Thanks
 
Solution
first, he has alc892 onboard not 1150. while true that high end boards with good onboard audio should handle his headphones fine it seems like he has rather cheap onboard sound which may not have a very good amplifier.

second, an amplifier is not for improving the sound but increasing it in power so that it may move harder to power drivers. while a good quality amplifier can certainly sound better than a lower quality one thats a different thing entirely.

the zero is rated at 150ohm impedence yet has fairly high sensitivity. if they were low sensitivity then i'd say an amp would be required although since they are high sensitivity its a harder call. given the low quality soundcard onboard and the fact that the zeros are fairly decent...

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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When watching reviews on youtube, the 'popular' reviewers claim that they sound much better with an amp.
I will wait for someone using the headphones for their opinion
 
first, he has alc892 onboard not 1150. while true that high end boards with good onboard audio should handle his headphones fine it seems like he has rather cheap onboard sound which may not have a very good amplifier.

second, an amplifier is not for improving the sound but increasing it in power so that it may move harder to power drivers. while a good quality amplifier can certainly sound better than a lower quality one thats a different thing entirely.

the zero is rated at 150ohm impedence yet has fairly high sensitivity. if they were low sensitivity then i'd say an amp would be required although since they are high sensitivity its a harder call. given the low quality soundcard onboard and the fact that the zeros are fairly decent i'd say its quite worth getting a soundcard.

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vx, i'd say it would be worth testing them on the onboard on your pc before making any decisions however i think you could certainly benefit from a soundcard.

the xonar dg would be a cheap option and has a strong amplifier. or, you could run the xonar dx which gives you a better dac and just run an external amp if you need one (though i think the dx should be capable of powering them even though it has a weak amp). the creative z is also a good choice and has a strong amplifier (although perhaps a bit too strong, expect to run volume settings at very low with it). as for externals there are things like the u7, omni, etc which work.

if all you wanted to do is boost volume levels (and didnt care about increasing quality with a better digital analog converter (dac)) then they do make external amplifiers only (such as ones by fiio) which work. even one of their cheaper products would work.
 
Solution

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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I wish I could, but there is no store here where I can try out the headphones and hence why I decided to try my luck getting advice here
 

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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I'm just looking for a pretty good 'budget' headphone that will be good for CS:GO and music. I live in AUS btw. Will it be worth getting the G4ME ZERO's for $200 and then the DG for $33, totalling for just over $230 OR is it better to get another headset.

At the moment I can get Cloud2's for $150, m50x for $200 or the open back ATH-ADG1 for about $175 (there isn't much ambient noise in my room).
 
if you havent bought the game zero yet... i'd take a look at getting a sennheiser headphone like the hd518, hd558 or hd598 which are better than the game zero, and pairing it up with a microphone like a modmic/moovmic/other clip on or desk mic. you would still want a soundcard likely

the hxc2 has a significant issue with its soundcard (dont use it!) where you get horrible static and other distortion issues. you can use it without the soundcard (but then why not use the hxc1 instead then). the hxc1 &2 arent in the same class as things like the game zero or hd-series of headphones
 
well, the zalman zm1 mic picks up EVERYTHING since it has poor cancellation and is an omni so i'd get something a bit better than that. the moovmic is a little better, the modmic perfect, there are some better clip ons that the zm1 you can look at as well. if you're after quality you can pick up a cheap desk mic like the snowball, c01u or similar. not saying the zm1 wouldnt work (many people use it) but there are better options available. if you're in an area where you wont have much background noise though you could try it and just upgrade later if you dont like it.
 

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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Would you recommend the m50x or the ATH-ADG1, I can get either for $150.
I dont mind much about the mic, so I'll probably get a zalman if i get the m50x. The adg1 comes with a mic, a VERY good sounding one.
Apparently the adg1's have a great soundstage being open back and this is good for gaming because of spacial awareness.
They use the same drivers as the AD700x, which was a popular gaming headset during its early release.

The ATH-ADG1's seem like a steal for $150, its a little cheaper then what I would have to pay for the 518s and a decent mic.
 

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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Thanks, this was useful.
Since the ADG1's (aswell as the hd558) are open back, would the zalman pick it up?
 

VX35

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Mar 20, 2014
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Can't go wrong with the m50x's ;)
Very good all around headphone, but they lack the soundstage needed to hear footsteps, and the main use of my headphones will be gaming
 
the m50x's are overpriced. considering they are closed cans with very poor soundstage.. not good for gaming. while i have an m50s myself and love it for what it DOES do well i also realize its shortcomings. yes you can use it for gaming but the hd-series is better off. what they do best is good bass without sacrificing treble too much.

the ad700x is a good can for gaming. if the adg1 is based on it then i'd say its going to have a wide soundstage and good crisp sound. the one thing it will not have however is any real bass impact. the 700x is well known to be very bass light.

depends on how much you like bass.. if you really like bass the dt770 is going to be better for gaming than the m50x (although also more expensive unfortunately). if you just want a little more bass than neutral the hd518 does this. if you dont care about bass at all, the 700x/adg1 would work great. likewise, if you dont give a hoot about bass then the game zero's would also work great.