Headset or Mic?
Filed under: Opinion

There comes a time in every MMORPGer’s life where they have realized that typing is not the best way to communicate. Whether it’s leading a raid or trying to get a heal before you die, typing is just too slow. I myself have always used a desktop mic while playing, but am contemplating getting a headset instead. I mean just look at the two people in this pic, they look like there having a blast! I wonder who there talking to? Image courtesy of webreaders.de.
Anway, I wanted to see what you guys use. Are you a typer or do you use a mic or headset? Got any suggestions for a good headset?
January 27th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
If you’re going to use a mic with headphones, just buy a headset! The only reason I can think of to buy a mic is if you have an awesomely expensive pair of headphones that you just can’t game without.
I recently started playing WoW with my brother-in-law (he *really* wanted to play, so I was like, what the hell). I guess I can afford both LoTRO and WoW, although I wish he would just switch to LoTRO since he can get $9.99/month and LoTRO is a better game anyway.
Where was I? Oh yah, I had to berate him for about two weeks for him to get a headset, and about five minutes after we started playing after he got it, he was like “Damn, how do people play without voice??”
Of course, there are circumstances where voice makes it much worse. That will be solved, however,when someone makes an instantaneous voice modification program to simulate race voices.
January 27th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I use a Logitech headset I bought from Best Buy about a year ago for around $50. It works fine. I would recommend you take your favorite hat with you to the store when you try on the headset. I happen to have a larger than normal grape and when I started wearing a hat to keep the headset from rubbing, it didn’t fit as well. But still in the 90%+ range.
January 28th, 2008 at 4:36 am
I hate not using voice chat. But at the same time, i hate listening to random people I dont know.
For quite a while i used to hate my headphone/mic so much i would never plug it in, just listen to ventrillo. But then i relized that the 360 wireless headset works for windows as well. Not to sound like a microsoft fanboy, but I have gone through a few, and tried friends headsets. Nothing has ever compared to the 360 wireless headset. Especially since its cheap (i already had one to begin with). All I needed was the wireless receiver ($20).
Even though it comes with 2 sizes, it seems to be hit or miss on the fit though, Some people hate it. So i would suggest trying it out first or buying it somewhere that you can return it. Also a lot of people seem to say the Halo 3 version of it is much better (Amazon reviews).
If you still looking for a one though, i always use newegg.com and amazon.com for their customer reviews to get a feel for something and how good the product is.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I come from the side of the road that cannot use the headset. As a married man, I have to be able to listen for the wife, the dog, the phone, the door, etc. When I wear the headset, I just get into trouble. I usually just put Vent on through my speakers so I can hear what everyone is saying. It has run me into trouble before with guilds, but they usually understand as long as I can hear what is going on.
January 28th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Microphone for sure.
With a headset you have this thing hanging on your ear/head.
January 28th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Re: Robert: If you use a microphone because you don’t like having something on your ear/head, I assume you use speakers for sound. How can you have the sound at a decent volume and not feed back into the mic? Do you use push-to-talk?
Re: Andrew: I am in the same boat as you, but I do it a little different. Since using speakers has the potential to bother our two-year-old when she is in bed at night or during nap, it is better for me to use the headset, but also most of the time I need to be able to hear. So in order to hear, I just push one earpiece back a little bit (the side towards the door), and that solves that problem. I’m sure the acoustics of each house is different, but that’s how I deal with that.
Re: Eric: Put me in the group that could never wear a hat while gaming, especially with a headset.
Generally though I got very used to headphones/headsets back when I used to go to LAN Parties and that was/is what you use(d). I can understand though how it could bother some people. There are definitely days when I wish I could have a nice, isolated environment where I could hook up a 5.1 or 7.1.
January 29th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I’m not a fan of having a headset on my head either. I tried the over the ear type (where the band is around the back of my head) but it just makes my ears sore after a while.
Teamspeak has a setting where it turns off the speakers if you’re talking using push-to-talk so there’s no feedback. I’ve never had anyone complain of feedback .. just that I need to move the mic closer
January 30th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
MIC + HEADPHONES > ALL HEADSETS : P
U know u love it : )