Headphones or speakers??

[dream431ca]

My brother just bought these awesome $200 headphones. I was just wondering if you guys prefer headphones or speakers for Half-life 2??

What gives you a better experience??

 

[Wildhound]

My brother just bought these awesome $200 headphones. I was just wondering if you guys prefer headphones or speakers for Half-life 2??

What gives you a better experience??

There's a thread about this in general discussion.

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24519

 

[Kirkburn]

Speakers, IMO. Well, i have a 5.1 setup, so it's not too surprising
I get uncomfortable with headphones anyway - I know they're good in loud environments tho ... I like my peaceful life

[EDIT: True, this needs moving, or something ...]

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Speakers for single player.
Headphones for multiplayer.

 

[KurtCobain]

Depends on alot of things realy....

I use a bit of both every now and again.

If im listening to music while playing ill use speakers

 

[Wildhound]

Speakers for single player.
Headphones for multiplayer.

Seriously? I need my speakers more for multiplayer... Surround sound tbh.

 

[Farfege]

Headphones

Headphones but christ $200? For the love of god buy like $80 with 3 channels and buy a game with the rest or donate it if you can spend that much money on headphones. I have $40 headphones just because my parents got sick of hearing "Fire in the hole!" on CS every 10 seconds. But now I like them. I can't believe I've spent all this time on this post. I'm done. Going to get a sub sandwich now...

 

[KurtCobain]

EDIT: I got a good surround sound few days ago, so probly speakers

EDIT #2: OPS! 4got to put that 1 in edit

 

[Majestic XII]

Its not closed silly

 

[Rocketman9mm]

well If I won't be bothering anyone, speakers. but if I have to keep quiet, headphones. They both sound good to me, but the headphones annoy me after a long time on my head.

 

[PatPwnt]

head phones so I can hear all those quiet sounds and not be interupted by the real world...

 

[DjBourgeoisie]

Seriously? I need my speakers more for multiplayer... Surround sound tbh.

Actually you can get better surround sound effects with headphones because unless you perfectly place your speakers, you wont be getting true surround sound. In headphones however (so long as you calibrate them via sb audigy utility) you can simulate surround sound just as well. Most hardcore gamers who play in tournaments for money (team 3d etc) use headphones for this reason, that and you can block everything else out. :cheers:

 

[Tarkus]

testing avatar

EDIT- ah, there it is

 

[Totalkrusher]

Actually you can get better surround sound effects with headphones because unless you perfectly place your speakers, you wont be getting true surround sound. In headphones however (so long as you calibrate them via sb audigy utility) you can simulate surround sound just as well. Most hardcore gamers who play in tournaments for money (team 3d etc) use headphones for this reason, that and you can block everything else out. :cheers:

Exactly! For all the above reasons, I use headphones (more accurate in online play, and it cuts out noise). In most multiplayer games, I can hear exactly what direction a sound came from, and how far away it was. Ahh... the wonders of EAX and Creative...

The only downside to headphones is they often hurt your ears or head after a good long while (read: hours and hours).

 

[riTuaL]

Definitely headphones, you can hear everything so much better. And at night, when your parents are sleeping (I'm only 17) you can put the volume as loud as you want

 

[ferd]

Headphones, i just like it better, it blocks external sounds

 

[EVIL]

Headphones! Better sound levels so you can hear the tyniest detail because it blocks the area noise, like your mother calling you to mow the lawn

 

[Ownzed]

Yeah I would probably you my headphones but you know they SOME how I have no clue just stop working... :frown: :angry: :flame:

 

[DeltaBlast]

Well, I have an Audigy 2 ZS and the Inspire T7700 (7.1) so I guess I'll be playing on my speakers

untill about 23:00, then I'll switch to headset

 

[RFarmer]

There is a kick ass guide on surround sound placement (5.1 speaker rig), with 4 common subject rooms and very detailed drawings in Maximum PC's Winter 2004 How-To guide. My surround sound sounds freaking awesome once I followed that guide. I mean, it tells you everything! I am so glad I followed it. My surround sound sounded like garbage, but now it sounds like a movie theater. If anyone is interested, I will scan all 4 pages and post them.

 

[Ownzed]

Well I guess mine still work but they use to work when they were hooked up to my sound card, now i have to unplug my speakers from the sound card and put the headphones in the speakers spot.

 

[Wildhound]

My speakers are perfectly placed and it works like a charm.

I honestly don't see how you can replicate surround sound on headphones - which contain only 2 speakers.

I'd argue that professionals use headphones because they have no choice. How could everyone possible use surround sound speakers at the same time? You wouldn't be able to hear a thing.

 

[DeltaBlast]

I honestly don't see how you can replicate surround sound on headphones - which contain only 2 speakers.

I honestly don't see how you can hear surround sound with your ears - which you only have two of.

 

[RFarmer]

I honestly don't see how you can hear surround sound with your ears - which you only have two of.

I seriously hope that was a sarcastic remark. :upstare: :upstare:

 

[Wildhound]

I seriously hope that was a sarcastic remark. :upstare: :upstare:

As do I.

Athough around here it just wouldn't surprise me

 

[Subz]

headphones if you wanna hear things better , like quiet things become more high.

but if you want realistic and theater like, and insane base and loud yet super clear..get high-end 5.1

Headphones dont top high-end 5.1


and if you wanna go 6.1 and 7.1 its even better. With headphones that realistic surround is too fake.

 

[Sideswiped]

My speakers are perfectly placed and it works like a charm.

I honestly don't see how you can replicate surround sound on headphones - which contain only 2 speakers.

I'd argue that professionals use headphones because they have no choice. How could everyone possible use surround sound speakers at the same time? You wouldn't be able to hear a thing.

if the source is Binaural the headphones will have "surround" sound( I believe this is what Creative's head phone setting trys to mimic). if the source is just plain stereo or 5.1 surround then the sound stage will be screwy as it was ment to be played on speakers.

 

[Sideswiped]

loud yet super clear

I take it you don't have a very high quality headphone setup?

 

[DeltaBlast]

I seriously hope that was a sarcastic remark. :upstare: :upstare:

duh... werent the 6 rolleyes enough?

 

[deathryuu]

i prefer headphones as i use Zalman Theatre 6 5.1 headphones. im also planning on getting a zalman clip on mic thats made for my headphones so i can use it as a headset as well

 

[Mountain Man]

No way a pair of headphones can compete with my Klipsch ProMedia 2.1's. I only use headphones if I have to (baby's sleeping; wife is in a pissy mood). Otherwise, I like to shake the plaster off the walls.

 

[KagePrototype]

Can someone please explain to me the logistics of keeping this thread alive?

 

[OCybrManO]

I was thinking about buying some Shure E5c Earbuds a while back but then I remembered... they're $500!!!

 

[Alec_85]

Most likely speakers. If I can hook up my PC with my home cinema system in some way (anyone know how to do that?) then I'll try to use that. But it's the living room so playing might be a little hard...

 

[Kerberos]

Headphones are better... and keep the parents happy.

 

[Subz]

I take it you don't have a very high quality headphone setup?

"headphone setup" lmao, you mean 1 headphone.

yes i have 1 great set of headphones. They allow me to hear better things than speakers. yet i like my speakers better. feels more realistic. the 5.1 vibration and such. just awesome and theater like.

different strokes for different folkes. only advantage i see in headphones is doing better in games like CS were knowing exactly were your opponents are is key.

 

[m00gie]

hmm, this is a hard one

my audigy2 zs platinum pro with s750 gigaworks or my crappy headphone

no really, hard to choose

 

[DjBourgeoisie]

only advantage i see in headphones is doing better in games like CS were knowing exactly were your opponents are is key.

Isnt that the point of this thread? People arguing how speakers are better for surround sound? Headphones allow you to really pinpoint where a sound is coming from, which is why I said pro gamers use them over speakers.

 

[Subz]

but speakres seem more realistic. Headpohones feels hollow and surreal.

i like a deep theater type feel over highly accoustic synthetic feel.

Dts surround sound with a 5.1-7.1 setup is way better than headphones for surround sound.

 

[blahblahblah]

What's funny is that everybody is talking about their $200 speakers. Somebody give me a $200 set of headphones and then we will talk.

I prefer headphones. IMO a quality set of headphones is a lot more immersive then having speakers all around you.