Headphones vs Speakers

[gonnagetyou]

So do you use headphones or not?

I've tried playing with and without headphones and I can honestly say that headphones are the way to go. With headphones I can hear enemy footsteps, implants being turned on, REKs being used, equipment being armed and all sorts of others sounds that give away enemy positions, equipment and numbers. Most of these sounds can be heard even if the enemy is out of sight and possibly below or above you in a base.

I can't tell you how many times a cloaker has given himself away by switching out weapons when I was near by. As soon as I hear certain sounds I flick darklight on and nail them. Without the sound I would have never known they were there. I've even found cloakers while driving a Lightning, simply because they made a noise as I was driving by.

When I'm at an AMS I know instantly if someone is trying to jack it. Not because I saw something, but because I can hear the REK.

Some people like to sneak up and plant boomers. As a CE I know instantly what a deployed ACE sounds like and that has saved my butt lots of times. I can usually move out of the blast zone before they have time to depress the trigger.

AS a CE on base defense I use spitefires and mines not only as defensive equipment, but primarily as enemy locaters. The moment I hear a mine go off or a spitefire open up even for a second and I'm running there as fast as I can go. This usually allows me to come up from behind someone and rain plasma all over them while they are crouch walking or busy trying to eleminate my deployables. A very handy tool if you don't have an Interlink connection. Just be sure to replace anything that gets destroyed.

Sound recognition of each type of weapon and action is probably the best skill you can practice. It certainly helps me and a lot of these things just aren't as noticeable without headphones.

[I Hate Pants]

Im considering buying those zalman 5.1 surround sound headphones. But apparently the quality isn't that great.

[gonnagetyou]

I use some inexpensive Sony headphones. They have the large pads that cover your ears completely and they're quite comfortable. I do have surround sound speakers, but they are just collecting dust now. The detail and clarity of the sound and where it is coming from is simply way better with headphones.

[JakeLogan]

Well if its to loud in my house I use headphones. if I'm alone or its late I use my surround sound speakers I can tell where an enemy is from which speaker the sound comes from. very useful

[Jagd]

I can hear just fine with my speakers, and the sweet bass rumble I get from blowing up vehicles makes it all worthwhile.

[Rayder]

My speakers own all of yours. I can instant'y identify cloakers, vehicles, everything! They rock so much! I rarely have a cloaker sneak up on me they own so much.

[WritheNC]

Did you know the amount of bacteria in your inner ear multiplies by 700 after wearing headphones for just an hour? :D

Another useless science fact! Unless you're a hypochondriac. ;)

[SecondRaven]

THen wash your ears and problem fixed...

[Jagd]

Mmmm, anti-bacterial soap. It burns so good.

[Neon Apocalypse]

both, sometimes the quality of headphones can be really good

[FlakMan]

Can anybody link me to a pretty solid headphone/mic combo?

[Incompetent]

Headset, always.

[321]

Headphones or headphone/mic combo one of the two.

[Furluge]

I use this headset, or atleast an earlier version of this headset. It's the best one I've ever used, easily adjustable, very good sound quality and recording, easily adjustable boom, and very comfortable on the ears. If you can't tell it's got the "side padding" that they use on heavier/more expensive headsets which helps stop other people from hearing what you're playing so easily, however the headset is lighter then those headphone sets usually are and you don't have the problem those ones do with sweat.

Here's a link.

http://www.plantronics.com/north_america/en_US/catalog/display_product_detail.jhtml?rootId=cat640035&prodId=prod440020&productTypeId=cat1430032

Yeah I know you didn't want a product endorsement, but well, I figured you might find it intresting. Also if anyone looks at USB Headsets.. I wouldn't recommend them myself. It's a hassle to use them IMHO and the sound is choppy.

[MuNsTeR]

headphones

[Doppler]

I have a really good set of headphones that I use religiously, the problem is i havnt been able to find a headset of similar quality for using teamspeak so I ust use the crappy 10 dollar pair, that barely fits my big head.

[UncleDynamite]

I'm partial to my surround sound speakers, since I went out of my way to get a good set and thus the sound quality is great. I can hear the same crucial sounds while getting an excellent sense of direction from where they're coming from. And, as Jagd said, the subwoofer is very sweet for explosions and tanks firing.

As for headsets, I personally avoid USB headsets as well, since the sound quality of those that plug directly into your soundcard or speakers seem to be far better. I recommend the Altec Lansing AHS-502 headset, which are over-the-head, have an inline sound/mic volume control, and have the nice paddings on the ears. Altec used to have crappy headsets for a while, but these are wonderful and, at $30 at Best Buy, reasonably priced. There's a cheaper, behind-the-head variation of it as well.

[shadow58]

I have a 6.1 speaker system set up and the bass from the subwoofer is lovely but I've got a Plantronics headset for when I'm using TeamSpeak - no one likes background noise coming through the mic.

[Chaaos]

Always use headphones.

[Ait'al]

Is it possible to use the speakers for background noises and things you dont need for detection and use the headphones for the other noises. Seinheiser i think has new mics on there headphones that wont pick up the noise at all from what i hear.

[Veteran]

Headphone for Teamspeak, surround sound with subwoofer for setting off earthquake sensors.

As for ear bacteria, eyedropper + tabasco sauce.

[DeadTeddy]

so that's why my ears always itch?

I prefer using my speakers, but when my mom or sisters start yelling at me to turn them down I switch to a headset.

I'm gonna get one of those mics that you can put a meter from you and talk and people still hear you. I honestly think that if I'm asking for reinforcements and you hear heavy shooting comming through the mic it's much more realistic and fun. if you hear music though, it's less realistic :D

[dscytherulez]

Meh, I heard headphones work pretty good but I'd never give up my 7.1 surround.

1) It's better for other things, not just planetside. (ex: movies, music, etc.)
2) Good "showoff to friends factor".
3) The bass kicks all headphones ass.

But as in most things, it's all preference.

[Kikinchikin]

I started using headphones bout a month ago. The sound quality is much better, and people have even said my speakers are ownage. Last night i smoked an infil becuz i heard him toggling his CUD. That's not so great, cept i was on like the other side of the tower when i heard it.

[martyr]

plantronics .audio 90:

(yes, through the PSU store amazon link!)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000665P5/qid=1074448733//ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i0_xgl147/002-4825422-9248000?v=glance&s=pc&n=507846

[Spee]

I never use headphones, but my degree of aural awareness varies.


If im on TS, I turn down all SFX, and flat-out turn the music off so I can hear voice comm better.

When soloing, I turn it all back up to max, and its CRAZY. I can hear bullets coming from about a Km away.

[WritheNC]

As for ear bacteria, eyedropper + tabasco sauce.

Uh, your inner ear. The part where if you jammed a q-tip that far, you'd go deaf.

But tabasco sauce? That's a new one lol.

[Morrik]

Hello,

I love to use headphones for everything. I have yet to try out the voice communication through the game, but I am sure that something is going to happen with that soon since I used to play Team Fortress Classic constantly with voice. Be that as it may, headphones is the way to go since sounds in the game are very important in locating a hindering enemy trying to hack the console or perhaps a cloaked enemey. Any serious gamer would agree. Hehe.

Thank you.

[apachepilotpat]

i have great wireless headphones but the downside is they're heavy and get annoying after a while i can here great though

[BUGGER]

headphones only for its microphone, I always have the speakers running.

[infinite loop]

I've currently got my setup where I use my 4.1 speakers and a headset for a mic, for TS. I tore the earbud off my headset so that it doesn't cover my ear, but it fits akwardly on my head now, and isn't comfortable. I prefer my surround speakers to headphones. For those of you who also use speakers, have you found a headset mic that comes w/o headphones, so basically, just a mic? Or otherwise, is there a good desktop mic that will work and not pickup my speaker noise?