<span style="color: white;">The left speaker is quieter than it used to be, and buzzes when there's moderate bass (like when shooting just about any gun in CS:S). It's the speaker I had to tape back in after it broke out of it's little housing, after I dropped them off my desk and caught them by the cord a few months ago. I opened it up today and couldn't see any reason why it would be buzzing or quiet, so I guess it's just worn out.

So now I'm searching for a good headset (note headSET, I want one with a microphone). I just want to know if anyone has first-hand recommendations (or anti-recommendations) before I buy anything. I don't really want to spend more than $40-50 USD, since I already need (well, tbh, want) more money than I have, but I want high quality. After reading about 5.1 headsets I've decided I'd rather have a pair of quality stereo headphones than 4 tiny speakers crammed into an area so small it barely makes a difference from stereo.

So far I'm looking at this Altec Lansing AHS602

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o

My headphones, well, you may say 80% dead, im buying a new one once i move my butt to the store...anywayz Altec Lansing 3-D Audio Gaming Headset is good, but kinda expensive...lol good luck buying one anyway :biggrin:

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.::Dark|Masta::. - One name. One legend.

I use a pair of Zalman 5.1 headphones and I have to say that they work a treat for games. Sure, the positional audio isn't as accurate as a full 5.1 speaker system (which I also have), but the fact is you can't really crank out loud sound effects at all times through speakers and these puppies haven't done me wrong. Reviews of them were almost entirely good, hence why I picked them up, though as many say, they tend to be better for gaming and movies than music. If you need a headset with a microphone, the Zalman one is a pretty lame little attachment to the wire which doesn't really impress, but that isn't a big issue for me personally.

If I were going to buy a replacement, I'd probably go with the Speedlink Medusa 5.1 heaphones. The Tom's Hardware review ( http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/07/14/headsets_gamers_can_love/page2.html ) seemed to sing their praises, and I've read quite a few forum posts and shop comments about them doing well. Much better microphone than the Zalmans and by the comments and reviews I've seen, better sound quality too. Seems too good to be true from the price of the things, but nobody seems to have a bad word to say about them.

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[img]http://card.mygamercard.net/sig/Default/reno84.png[/img]
Designer @ Haiku Interactive | ReNo-vation.net

As soon as I can get the time, I am going to try to hook up my 5.1 surround to my PC and see how/if it works.

I was told it would but I never tried. Not headphones, but I figured this was as good a thread as any to post my wants. Considering its about sound reproduction :smile:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I ended up going with the Altec Lansing AHS502i. Don't get them if you wear glasses. Period. The sound quality is good, the microphone quality is excellent, but it hurts to wear them because they press the tops of my ears against my glasses. I can wear them without glasses, but with glasses they hurt after only about 20 minutes. I'm giving these to my little brother, who does not wear glasses, and I think I'm going to get a Koss SB40 headset.

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o