Gaming: A new pair of headphones for a better gaming experience

I recently purchased a new pair of headphones in order to use TeamSpeak for mining and combat operations in EVE Online. Until then I had been using an old mike that came with my previous PC, an IBM 360 tower.

To that I had added some good quality Altec Lansing speakers, model VS4121 pictured below on the right. Suffice to say it was getting rather difficult to using that set-up, since I play almost all the time late at night, when Stephanie, my wife, if asleep. And with the office on the same floor as our bedroom, I couldn't really talk it over on TeamSpeak.

So after some quick research on a few forums and review sites, I decided to purchase the AHS515 headphones, also from Altec Lansing (pictured above on the left) - eh, I was and still am satisfied with the speakers, so I thought I'd stick with them for the headphones. And boy was I happy to have both these headphones, both for the price and the audio quality.

Honestly, EVE has been a better gaming experience since I've used those headphones. I can hear things creeping in from the left, or the right, I can 'see' the sound as if it was 3D. It's really amazing. I did a pair of Sony headphones before, but this is nothing like the AHS515. Really glad I purchased them.

Here's an part of the conversation I had after using them for the first time:

[ 2006.06.02 01:28:40 ] Muralto > hello!
[ 2006.06.02 01:28:42 ] Malindah > Hiyas Tree!
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:04 ] Treenara Mazouk > wow, am listening to EVE using my new headphones
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:09 ] Treenara Mazouk > SCARY SHIT!!!
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:19 ] Treenara Mazouk > never heard EVE like this before!
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:33 ] Malindah > haahaa!
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:41 ] Treenara Mazouk > seriously very cool
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:43 ] Muralto > hehe i've played mainly with headphones
[ 2006.06.02 01:29:52 ] Treenara Mazouk > i had some
[ 2006.06.02 01:30:03 ] Treenara Mazouk > but it NEVER sounded like this before
[ 2006.06.02 01:30:26 ] Treenara Mazouk > it's as if I had wax in my ears
[ 2006.06.02 01:30:33 ] Treenara Mazouk > and just had them cleaned
[ 2006.06.02 01:30:41 ] Malindah > good headphones really make all the difference :)
[ 2006.06.02 01:30:45 ] Treenara Mazouk > not that that's what I did...
[ 2006.06.02 01:30:49 ] Treenara Mazouk > sure do!
[ 2006.06.02 01:33:51 ] Treenara Mazouk > .....man, this music is SCARY stufff.....
[ 2006.06.02 01:34:00 ] Treenara Mazouk > oO
[ 2006.06.02 01:34:28 ] Muralto > what were you listening with before?
[ 2006.06.02 01:34:57 ] Treenara Mazouk > Altec Lansing speakers w/ sub
[ 2006.06.02 01:35:28 ] Treenara Mazouk > now its still Altec but their AHS-515 headphones with mic
[ 2006.06.02 01:35:30 ] Muralto > that doesnt sound that bad..i thought you were using tin cans from the way you described the headphones 8)
[ 2006.06.02 01:36:02 ] Treenara Mazouk > no, but i did use Sony headphones once in a while
[ 2006.06.02 01:36:24 ] Treenara Mazouk > and diff between the 2 h/p is quite dramatic
[ 2006.06.02 01:36:54 ] Muralto > hmm..i'm using an old pair of sony's myself...big honking ones tho, the older full size ones
[ 2006.06.02 01:37:21 ] Treenara Mazouk > oh, I'm being summoned by the better-half, brb

If you're looking for a good pair of headphones, with great audio quality, then I recommend getting the AHS515 form Altec Lansing.