I opted for stereo headphones and a handmic (put on a floor stand) instead of the more logical headset w/mic solution. Main reason for going with sep headphones and mic was I couldn't find a headset with the characteristics I wanted in a price range I felt comfortable with. And once you see the specs you might understand why I had issues finding headsets
Requirements headphones:
1. Fully enclosed headphones. (or bells or whatever nicknames they get) to block world noise.
2. As low frequency range as possible, pref 100hz or lower (subwoofer/lfe is 150Hz and lower)
3. At least 22050Hz or higher range. (22050Hz headphones can replicate the full 44100Hz cd range)
4. Good quality
5. Long cord
I ended up with the KOSS PRO - 4AAT Home Stereophone
http://www.koss.com/koss/kossweb.nsf/02 ... ereophones^PRO4AAT
If the direct link fail go to http://www.koss.com click products and Home Stereophones and PRO4AAT
To save you the trip here's the info:
PRO - 4AAT Home Stereophone
SRP: $99.99
* Frequency Response: 10-25,000 Hz
* Titanium coated high polymer diaphragm for accurate sound reproduction
* Closed ear cushions for maximum bass and isolation
* Built for maximum durability for studio and broadcast use
* Oxygen free copper voice coils for signal clarity
* Coiled, single entry 8 foot cord
* 3.5 mm plug and 6.3 mm adapter
Frequency Response: 10-25,000 Hz
Impedance: 250 ohms
Weight: 21.0 oz.
Sensitivity: 95dB SPL/1mW
Distortion: <0.1%
Ear Cushions:
Cord: Straight, Dual Entry, 8ft
Plug: 3.5 mm/6.4 mm
Check out that frequency range, per the Nyquist frequency replication theory, these babies are able to replicate sounds ranging from 5Hz-50000Hz, which is good since I got a Audigy2ZS hehe. And the quality is obviously top notch, at the time of buying them they where the top model at KOSS and prolly still are among the top models.
Only downside is they are damn heavy, and if like me you got a big head and a bit pointy on the top, they can get uncomfortable after several hours of nonstop use. (if you are smarter than me and take work pauses you won't have this issue heh) That is the only minus of these, the plus side is everything. when you put these on they block out just about all "world" sounds. So get used to saying "huh? what? sorry? what did you say?" while wearing these hehehe!
The long cord is a dream, the weight makes them the most solid of any headphones I've ever had. Gold plating on the jacks etc, the 3.5 mm/6.4 mm adapter is actually a "screw on", meaning you will never end up with the adaptor stuck in the jack socket, plus the connection between the plug and adaptor is perfect, actually with the adaptor screwed on it looks just like a 6.4 jack.
Brilliant design, awesome sound, you will really notice how crappy mp3's are with these. (provided you got a good sound card, together with Audigy2ZS or equivalent you got a audiophile setup)
Ok thats the headphones, for the microphone I looked for similar features.
Requirements microphone:
1. A "real" mic, not some gimpy kid thing.
2. As low frequency range as possible.
3. At least 22050Hz or higher range.
4. Good quality
5. Long cord
Unfortunately I've lost the box it came in, so I don't have the specs.
Nor can I find it on the net so this is loosely from memory.
It's a pretty basic Dynamic microphone, 3.5 jack with 6.4 adaptor. Damn long cord, longer than my headphones. It has a mute switch on the mic. A rubber band/ring around the metal grating head for extra grip if used "free hand". It is made in metal, good weight and a solid feel/build. it's nowhere as pro as my headphones, it's just a "good" karaoke type mic really.
I got no clue what the SNR (sound to noise ratio) was, but it was around the typical 100'ish values. it is a mono microphone, it came with a mic clip with the standard floorstand attachment. (fitting perfectly when screwed on to my floor stand boom arm)
It's frequency range is 10-24000Hz I think, I'm pretty sure the max range was 24000Hz, but I'm a bit unsure if the low range was 10Hz or not, I do recall it was insanely low tough. The reason I recall that it is 24000Hz in top range is that I on purpose looked for a all-round mic able to handle CD range audio. All-round since I knew I'd be using it for more than just speaking into, with a range 10-24000Hz it's able to handle vocal ranges, pretty much any instrument or other misc sounds. (a lot of mics has a upper range of only 18000Hz or 20000Hz which is fine for voice)
I also remember that it had a insanely lower range, it's sad I can't remember, but it could be possible it's lower than 10Hz too. A range of 10-24000Hz per Nyquist theory is able to record 5-48000Hz sounds, which meets my odd (hehe) requirement of at least 100-24000Hz. (in computer terms, 50Hz-48000Hz) The mic also has a standard XLR connector, meaning any standard microphone XLR cable can be used, or it can be hooked up to a pro mixing rig or gear.
In addition to that wide range, and extremely low range ability. (that is basically sub woofer area) And a apparent affection to recording very rich/wide or bassy if you will sound, it actually (compared to my old el cheapo dynamic mic) sounds a bit too much on the bassy side. Then again, I like to talk low and soft, so that in itself is bassy in nature, I'm yet to try full vocal power singing and how that sounds through this mic, it should sound pretty darn good tough as that is what the mic is truly made for.
And again, thanks to my Audigy2ZS (gold plated connectors, sadly my mic don't have that tough) and it's ability to playback sound at rates of up to 24bit/192000Hz, and record at up to 24bit/96000Hz, which by far exceed even the huge ranges my headphones and mic can handle. (192000Hz playback would in Nyquist theory reproduce up to 96000Hz) (and 96000Hz recording would be able to capture 48000Hz audio)
Sadly (or thankfully for my wallet maybe?) there really isn't that much microphones nor headphones out there able to go much higher than 24000Hz (48000Hz Nyquist). Which let's me end on the thought, if my ears really up to all this frequency range and quality? Most likely my mic and headphones and soundcard actually surpasses my own ears, heh...
And that's pretty much it as far as my "sound gear" goes, I do have a really cheap 4 channel PC surround thing with a sub tough, but it's range, particularly the bass leaves a lot to be desired, at really low frequency sounds it tends to distort while my KOSS headphones handles anything I throw at them. (which is why I love them, they never distort, even if I crank the volume to absolute maximum, just watch your eardrums tough
