As others have said, almost machine will do. however seeing as a desktop PC usually becomes more than just a programming machine, and is often used for general content consumption as well as gaming. I tried to build a fairly decent machine while putting emphasis on sound. So it should be fairly quiet along with being fairly powerful.

CPU: Pretty much anything will do, I'd go for the i5-4570 or the i5-4670k, depending on if you're interested in overclocking. The price/performance ratio is pretty good, and if you want any better you're gonna have to go for the i7-4770 or something like that.

Heatsink: The stock is fine for general purpose stuff, but if you want something better and are willing to invest. Noctua NH-D14 is an excellent heatsink that keeps everything cool and is very quiet as well.

Case: The Fractal Design Define R4 is a great and a common choice, another alternative with similar features is the NZXT H440. They are both great in terms of looks and performance, and are both very quiet as well. They both have some included case fans and filters.

Fans/Filters: Additional case fans provide additional cooling and help in keeping the system fairly quiet. Noctua NF-P12 is a great all around case fan and again, very quiet. In general I'd recommend keeping your rig on a desk or something so that it doesn't colelct as much dust. But you almost always want some dust filters. Pretty much any filters will do but you generally want magnetic filters. Magnetic filters require no tools and attach on pretty much any case. They're easy to take off for cleaning and keep the innards of your rig clean. DEMCI makes some excellent magnetic filters if you need a place to start looking.

Motherboard: ASUS has excellent fan control software on their boards and almost any higher end ASUS board is gonna be great. Personally I'd recommend Asus Z97-Pro which is one of the best mobos I know and has everything you could ever want.

PSU: I almost always recommend Corsair for power supplies, their RM Series PSU's are fantastic and with a zero RPM fan mode are very quiet under normal load. the 550 watt PSU should be enough, maybe even the 450 one.

GPU: You don't need much if it's a pure programming rig, but in general the programming rig becomes "the everyday driver" so it's used for most things including gaming if your brother is into that. If you just want something to plug a monitor into the XFX R7-250A is a good passively cooled card that'll do that. For more performance I'd go for the ASUS GTX 970 StrIx. The GTX 970 provides excellent performance and ASUS' cooler makes it very quiet even under load

RAM: Pretty much anything will do. For a desktop PC that's used for general purpose stuff, I'd say at least 8GB, you can go for more too.

HDD: For general purpose get an SSD. It's much faster and makes less noise thanks no moving parts. Samsung 840 EVO is a good option, and the 250GB drive isn't that xpensive. For mass storage the 2TB Seagate Barracude is a great an affordable option. With a good case that has rubber standings for the HD it shouldn't make much noise either.

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Now the peripherals are where you can make programming a lot easier and more comfortable.

Keyboard: A good mechanical keyboard is going to make typing a lot faster and more comfortable. They are a bit loud, but some people like the noise. Now there are three main switch types you'll find:

Blue switches: These have an actuation point, basically you can feel a "click" when the button activates and you hear it as well. These are the loudest switches around.

Brown switches: Almost exactly like blues except a bit quieter

Red switches: These are linear switches, they have no real "point" of actuation that you can feel and rather go linearly all the way to the bottom.

There are other switch types as well, clears, blacks, greens, and some more. They mainly differ in the amount of force required to press the button. Black switches for example are extremely heavy to press. For more info you can head out to /r/MechanicalKeyboards another good things about mechanical switches is that they're very very durable.

Another option would be to go for ergonomic keyboards like the Microsoft Sculpt. Keyboards are a lot about personal preference so ask your brother before getting one.

Another thing would be two monitors. As others have said a dual monitor setup is great for programming and good for general purpose as well. Dell Ultrasharp mmonitors provide pretty much everything you could want. There are a lot of Ultrasharp models but the one I linked is great for it's price. It's 1920x1200 so it offers a bit more than your standard full HD monitor, IPS panel, has a vesa mount and the regular stand has all ergonomic adjustments you could want. most important being pivot, basically the ability to turn your monitor sideways to gain more vertical space which is great for coding.

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With the monitors the whole thing is gonna run you for about 1900$

With some changes you can cut out a 1000$ from the pricetag http://pcpartpicker.com/p/yLjnNG

And if you ditch the 2TB Hard drive you're looking at about 825$ for the whole setup.

None of the stuff I listed above is really required at all, you could get him a 3 year old machine fro 300$ and it'd be fine for regular coding and nonsense like that. But if he wants to do something else on the machine as well, then he might need some more horsepower.

Another option for a dedicated programming machine is a good ultrabook. Like say, Thinkpad x240, slap an i5 there, 8GB of ram and a 256/512 GB SSD, use a HDMI cable to connect it to a larger external monitor and you're golden. Or the Thinkpad X1 carbon, with 8GB of RAM and a good sized SSD. The advantage is that the laptop is much more portable, but on the other hand lacks the raw horsepower of a desktop.

If you want to have a popular youtube channel, you have to work hard at it my man. I can tell by watching a few of your videos that you are relatively young and I have to tell you by being young and posting here desperately looking for attention or views it will rub people the wrong way. Because to some, It just seems like from an outsiders perspective you're just looking for an easy way to get subscribers or views. Being young doesn't help either because there are many people who will be pretty mean to you because of your age or your voice.

As far as tips go however? There is a lot that can be said.

Point one: Increase the quality of your videos. Download a better recording program and learn how to use it.

I watched a few of your videos and I just have to be frank the video quality isn't very good but don't fret! There are programs that can help with this.


There are many to chose from but these are the main three:

http://www.fraps.com/

http://exkode.com/home-en.html

https://obsproject.com/

two of these are not free however. OBS is a free alternative that many use and it is pretty good!

If you do not like the fact that fraps or dxtory are not free, you can torrent or pirate those programs however, some people might think negatively of you claiming it is stealing. (But that doesn't matter anyways because pretty much everyone torrents or illegally downloads these two programs but don't tell people they do)

Anyways, to learn how to use these recording programs there are tons of tutorials on youtube to help you learn how to use any of those three, so good luck finding one that works for you.

Point two Now that you've downloaded an recording program, you should learn how to use an editing program to edit and compile the videos you recorded!

There are many editing programs but the main two I see being used are:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro

http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html

Like before, these programs are not free and are more on the pricey side so if you don't think spending a lot of money is worth it (and I do not blame you) Just download them for free like everyone else who makes youtube videos basically does but they don't tell people that they do.

learning these programs will take some time and effort and it might be a little challenging especially in after effects for a beginner but if you really care about improving your youtube channel you should practice using these programs, how will you do that though?

Well like I said before there are a number of youtube channels that have tutorials to help you with learning about those two programs. Just find a program that suits your needs.

Sony vegas is a little more easy to understand and pretty much can suit the basic needs of creating videos.

But after effects has a lot more to offer on the effects and editing side but is a little less easy to understand.

Point Three Buy some new equipment to be able to record your videos at a good quality.

You could make an entire thread out of the best microphones or the best audio equipment or the best PC setup.

All I'm going to say about this though is, invest in a computer set up that you can record comfortably with.

Today, you can actually purchase a desktop computer for about 500 dollars that can record videos surprisingly well!

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Slash687/saved/ZhkFf7

for example, this build is 520$ and can handle recording videos amazingly well!

as for recording equipment? if you want to sound professional when recording videos, I highly recommend getting a studio quality microphone because I watched a few of your videos and your microphone and audio quality is kind of, subpar. So here are a few beginner microphones that are cheap and can make your audio quality sound better!

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK


http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-C-1-BEHRINGER/dp/B000CZ0RLK/ref=pd_pgd_B0006H92QK_B000CZ0RLK?pf_rd_p=2435182122&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0006H92QK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0RYH88NBCZGCPQBVY0MK


http://www.amazon.com/MXL-770-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0007NQH98/ref=pd_pgd_B0006H92QK_B0007NQH98?pf_rd_p=2435182122&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0006H92QK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0RYH88NBCZGCPQBVY0MK


These microphones are relatively cheap and offer amazing sound quality for their price.

Now you need a pair of headphones to compliment your microphone because why would you buy a gaming headset if you purchased a microphone already. so here are a few I suggest, a few of these are more on the pricey side but I highly recommend them.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1463810110&sr=1-4&keywords=audio-technica+ath-m50x


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E/ref=pd_pgd_B00HVLUR86_B000AJIF4E?pf_rd_p=2435184362&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00HVLUR86&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0GDVMZJNTK63SMPGS8TT


http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1463810155&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Senhessier+HD+280


It's all about fitting your price range and preference.

Find a set up that works for you.

Point four don't forget to be yourself, have fun and keep making content!

Having a personality an audience can relate too is great and all but you should just stay true to yourself and remain genuine when creating content.

There are many people trying create and make TF2 content like you. So having too many copy cats of the same content creator or personality can just seem boring. Why go to someone who creates virtually the same content of someone else? That's redundant and doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

And you should also try to always make content. Never stop making content, making content is the way you get your name out there. Just keep creating content and be dedicated, never give up making stuff.

So, try to have fun with it and think of creative ways to attract an audience to your content. What new fresh idea and creative content can you offer that nobody else does?

If you can do that while remaining true and genuine to yourself your audience and you don't give up. I feel like you would be able to grow as a creator.



That is all the tips I can give you, I'm not much of a content creator myself but from an outsiders perspective I hope this helped you in anyway.

Good luck and have fun with it man.

Yeah it's crazy the little details we think are super important when getting into a hobby that seem to be pretty unimportant later on. I had a Lamy Safari as my first pen, but going into it I thought that the snap cap would be a huge issue. I thought it would be super loud or annoying to put on and off or something like that. Turns out it's not even a problem now that I've got the pen lol.

That pentel looks awesome! I really like the simple and classy look of it. That's a big reason I like the Lamy 2000. It looks like a black pen at first, but is much cooler once you really look at it.

Honestly with speakers, cheap stuff is a lot more fun that expensive stuff to me. I've got a pair of Quad Z-3 towers. Yeah, of course they sound good. If they cost that much and don't, there's a big problem. The thing I like about cheaper speakers is how they all have a very fun character. Once you're spending a lot of money, every speaker out there just tries to sound exactly the same. Cheaper speakers do different stuff though. There are some speakers that focus on midrange, so vocals sound really sweet and warm. There are some that focus on the top end, so you get every little detail up top. There are some that focus on dynamics, so you get that "front row of a concert" sorta feel. I like experimenting with all that stuff. It's just fun. And you don't have to spend a ton of money and get those KEFs to really get into it.

Just for fun, I'll build a cheap setup for you, so you'll know what to get in the future if you ever feel inclined haha.

The Micca MB42X are really the "go-to" starter speaker. They're one of the cheapest that sound decent. And, honestly, they sound really good.

SMSL SA50 to power them. That's on sale for the same price as the SA36 right now. They're the same thing, just this has more power. You don't need it, but you might as well have it haha.

Some speaker cable. You need to cut it and strip it to put it into the speakers. There are quite a few tutorials out there on it. It's pretty easy.

Cable to plug it in.

Boom, just like that you've got a sweet stereo speaker setup that will blow any single speaker out of the water, and easily impress anyone! It comes to around $150 with everything.

I'm not trying to talk you into anything, but I'm basically pointing out that you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to get a respectable system.

While we're on this, another thing I like about hobbies is that anyone can be in it at any price range, and that's super cool to me. If someone only has money for a $15 Pilot fountain pen, who cares? That's awesome that they like fountain pens! They don't need to have a $200 fountain pen to be cool. Just anything is sweet. Same with speakers. You don't need a multi thousand dollar system to be "into audio" or whatever you'd call it. If you've got a setup that you like, at whatever price, that's sweet! I'm glad we both enjoy music.

A real Avid employee?!?! Tell me your secrets, oh wise one. Can I pray to you to make PT HD stop crashing once a month? And no worries about endorsements, I'm not sponsored or endorsed by any brand. I was briefly for Sennheiser, but that's just because I love their headphones. That ship has long sailed.

Consumer grade, products made for the general market? Almost nothing out there, with one exception. Blue's Yeti and Yeti Pro. They are really the only Blue mics I've been impressed with thus far, and offer a capsule with what I look for, namely a decent frequency response, sensitivity, and max SPL.

I usually steer people to the same setup for home recording, and that's affordable pro-grade gear. It's really become a large market with the explosion of musicians and artists looking to record their own sounds.

Microphones

Shure. I LOVE Shure microphones. They have a familiar sound to them, rugged design, affordable price point, and are versatile.

Vocals: I can't get enough of their SM7B, Beta 58, and SM87.

I usually go case-by-case for instrument microphones, but I own a mix of their SM instrument and drum mics and a few of the Beta instrument mics, and use my discretion.

Interfaces

Focusrite wins here. They have plenty of options for the average consumer, and their Scarlett series couldn't be easier or better. I personally own two 2i2's and one 8i8 for my portable recording setups, and their Clarett 8Pre for my home setup. But you can get a 2i2 for $150, and it's certainly pro-grade at that price point. Nothing else beats it at that kind of coin.

Headphones

My absolute favorite headphones are the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro's. I listed my full headphone and amp collection here, but these are by far my favorite for sound, construction, and ease of use. Plus, for $100, it hits that sweet spot for me. I don't think you have to spend thousands of dollars when tens of dollars gets you 90% of the way there. And I abuse my gear, take it on flights, get it wet. I need stuff that I don't have to worry about. I personally own 4 pairs of 280's.

For earbuds, I can't recommend Sennheiser's IE 60's and IE 80's enough. For custom molds at an affordable price, Alclair Reference IEM's are the way to go. And they come in wood trim, which is pretty neat.

Software

For top dollar, nothing beats ProTools HD. I can't get enough, and at home, it's my favored program. It's also so ubiquitous that, barring plug-ins, you can usually share mix session files and transfer them between computers.

For a cheaper DAW, I tell people to go for Logic Pro X on the mac. Also, get a mac.

It's very streamlined inside of the Mac OS, doesn't crash for me EVER, and has all the features and customizations that are needed in a pro DAW without a lot of fluff or clutter. It isn't as versatile as PT HD, but most of the time is more than good enough.

For FREE, I tell people to get Reaper. As someone who worked in pro audio, go check this thing out. It's on every platform, open source, pro level, has the best MIDI interface I've used so far, works with all pro plug-ins, comes with a huge bank of VST's and other plug-ins, is versatile enough for pro use, and has the best interface for cutting audio I've ever used. It's not resource-intensive, doesn't ever stutter for me, and is a small program relative to what it does.

It comes with a long (read: technically unlimited) trial period, and a personal license is $60.

Free, then $60? Nothing else beats it, and it blows Audacity out of the water as far as the free option goes.

Free Version of ProTools worth it?

The free version of ProTools is great for one thing: learning to use ProTools. It's just limited enough that a user will run into a wall at some point, and for something that is free, Reaper beats it as a free/cheap option, since even the trial has no limitations.

However, for someone looking to see if Pro Audio is what they want to do, the free version of ProTools is great. A teaching tool it is. A decent audio editor it is not. It loses to other free or affordable options. It's not useless by any means, but those limits it has are pretty gnarly. Especially the export limits.

Let me first say I'm not interested in IEM's! And so far I'm considering the Koss PortaPros, but I'm not sure I'm in love with them.

Budget: <$100, but flexible if bluetooth/wireless

Source: Samsung Galaxy S4 cable or bluetooth

Isolation: Would be nice if not much noise leaked out. I'll be using these in a gym environment but would also like to use them on a quiet train.

Type: prefer closed back, on-ear; though I'm willing to try over-ear as long as they don't look clunky and imposing.

Tonal balance: I'd like a medium bump in bass with punctual highs. I really do enjoy a neutral sound, but the HD600's I use at home already achieve that pretty well. I'd like something more hedonistic for use at the gym and out in the real world.

Past headphones: Jaybird Bluebud X (I like the neutral sound but these are too painful on my ear canals and slip out too easily, even after using the recommended replacement ear tips); Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear (first generation, fabric was too nice and I was worred too much sweat from a workout would ruin them. otherwise, I loved the look, loved the bassier tone, and the comfort; these are the closest I've tried when it comes to my IDEAL TONAL BALANCE), Sennheiser HD 600 (my neutral at-home / in-studio headphones), Sennheiser HD555 (most comfortable headphones I ever owned. Big soundstage. Ears felt like they were in their own perfect environment. The reason why I've been buying Sennheiser ever since.)

Preferred music: Must play well with electronic music without bloating/muddying the low-mids. Also, I'd like if music involving microsamples was clear and punctual in the high/midrange, so much so that I can hear the difference between several different sounds playing in quick succession. Hope that came out right. I've heard Sennheisers aren't particularly good at pronouncing the highs. Prog House music, bass music, glitch-hop, industrial, future garage, tech house, dark techno, spoken word audiobooks. If the soundstage of Weird Fishes Arpeggi by Radiohead is wide and clear, I'll fall in love.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up: Headphones that won't get ruined from sweat. More than anything, if I can enjoy the music and wear them for 8 hours with zero discomfort, I'll buy you a beer. I suppose owning a set of Non-Sennheiser cans would be nice, as long as I enjoy them.

Thanks for your suggestions!

There will probably be a lot of different answers, but I just can't recommend Steelseries Syberia V2 enough.

There are several reason why I love them - they have great surround sonud, fantastic sound quality for music, a good microphone...

But most importantly - they feel like heaven on your head. I have never in my life found a more comfortable headset than Syberia V2.

That band on the top... Dude, I have no fucking clue why more companies don't use them. I kid you not - go to a store that has them, and as to try them on. They feel soooo comfortable. They sit perfectly on your head. It doesn't press too hard anywhere. You don't get tired of wearing them. They stay comfortable for years. They look fantastic, if I may say so myself.

I just can't sing enough praises. A fantastic headset. And better than any other headset with just a plain softened plastic band, like the Razer and Logitech stuff.

Seriously, just try them on. You'll instantly understand what I'm talking about.

Razer also make good headsets. In fact, they also make great computers, laptops and other peripherals. But they are overpriced. Razer is the Apple of the gaming scene - no doubt about it. You'll be getting a good product, but you'll pay 30% of the price for the little logo on the side.

Logitech bring good stuff, but they aren't exactly long lasting and they aren't very comfortable all the time.

I suggest staying away from Roccat stuff. It looks really pretty, but the ergonomics and especially the durability sucks shit. I once bought a mouse from them (Roccat Kova) - broke down a month later. Not a good experience at all.

Finally... As a complete sidenote, and not exactly fits your requirement, but if you care for great, clear sound, good quality and a fantastic company (which includes a lifetime guarantee) - I just can't stop talking abotu Koss PortaPro. They are in the cheap category of headphones, but the sound quality is just unparalleled. They are comfortable. They have great sound. Great and crystal clear highs, nice and rumbly lows (VERY surprising for an open-ear headphone). And I tried gaming with them. I switched to them as my main driver. I kid you not. The games just sound so crystal when in them, because they are actually open-ear. This really lets the sounds of some louder games get on another level.

Might not be the best choice if you're playing competitive CSGO, though.

Personally I think it is worth it, especially if you do what I did. I bought mine off ebay from bestbuy as an open box, cost me 850ish dollars plus tax and an upgrade to next day shipping, which brought the total up to about $950.

At that price, for me its unarguable. If it had been like 1200 or so, i might of had to think about it. But at that price, it seems like one of the best choices out there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Open-Box-Excellent-Dell-G7-15-6-Laptop-Intel-Core-i7-8GB-Memory-NVI/323328281085?hash=item4b47de09fd:g:RQYAAOSwx3dblLBx:rk:2:pf:1&frcectupt=true

It was indeed open box but mine came in perfect condition. You might not like this option, but it is a way to get it much cheaper. The sale price seems to change every so often

But despite the open box, I was able to get the full premium plus warranty from dell for it for roughly 4 years (3 years 7 months or so, due to the fact it was open box I believe.)

​

I think the ram should be upgraded however at least if you get into ram intensive tasks. And they do offer a 16gb ram openbox and new option from the bestbuy ebay store, and I am sure if you hunt around you will find an openbox at a physical bestbuy location if you look.

If anything my ram was the only down side to this buy. But I intended to upgrade this anyhow and will be using crucial's compatibility guarantee program to make my purchase of 32gb of ram. This ram issue might not be a problem for you, however I run VM's for work and genuinely need the extra ram for things to actually run or the VM's have a high likelihood of not running or crashing.

I also dropped a 2 TB seagate firecuda hard-drive (SSHD) in my laptop with no problem ( I disabled UEFI secure boot and made sure the bios was up to date, and it worked perfectly on the first try). 96$ from amazon. I got probably 1tb worth of games on it already :P.

Going with an 8gb model gave me a few advantages as well, for example this laptop seems to come with dual sticks of ram no matter if you buy the 16gb or 8gb model. IF you want to upgrade to 32gb of ram, expect to throw away the old ram. Also the 8gb version came with a 256gb ssd, which is not a bad size and one less thing I have to worry about upgrading. Consider that I have used 98gb on my installation already...

So overall for my particular case, if I went with the 16gb version, in the matter of a month or two the following things would of happened.

I would of thrown out the ram, as I need the 32gb of ram and cannot reuse the old sticks in this particular latptop after an upgrade.

I would of thrown out the SSD, because just my base install I have done now would of ate all of the storage space. For reference I am using 98gb of ssd space, and have only 1 game installed on the ssd (csgo)

And I would of thrown out the HDD, because my base install has already used the entire storage space that drive would of provided. For reference I used about 1tb of storage already but I do have like most of my games installed (something like 47 games). I did that because I can lol, The other 1tb is dedicated to VM's and production related stuff.

Your end result might not be the same, if you are not intending to use it for the type of work like I do, you might have an advantage going with the 16GB model instead. Each person's usage and goals will differ.

​

There are some things to consider however

This thing does not have the ultimate battery life of like 10 hours you can find on other laptops.

I find that it lasts anywhere from 3~4 or so.

You cannot play games while on battery, at least not on anything close to high or medium settings without huge frame rate drops. And expect gaming to eat battery life much quicker.

I am saying this because, if you have never had a gaming laptop, you should be informed to expect this. My alienware had the same issue on both performance and battery life.

I did find a way to cheat this, by buying one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0713XJBG2

it gave me at least an hour maybe hour and a half of gaming time, and I suspect it will give 4~8 more hours of normal web browsing usage but I haven't tried it fully yet. It can be very useful if you are mobile and need to use your laptop for production. However I don't think you can bring it on carry-on at an airport due to the restrictions of battery sizes by TSA, you should be able to put it in checked luggage however.

Other than the battery life, I personally cannot find too many cons about this laptop. It seems to be a solid performer overall, and has all the modern features you need like the fancy new thunderbolt connection (40Gbps), and support for NVME high speed drives as well as a regular 2.5" drive (as long as its 7mm or less in thickness) . And the build quality seems very good.

Its not very flashy and the cost to performance ratio is way up there. It has the amazing 10 series nvidia graphics card and ddr4 ram and the latest generation intel processor with an insane 12 cores and even turbo boosts on 6 cores up to something like 3.9 ghz which is pretty fast.

Overall its not a bad piece of kit, and I don't think you can build a desktop for much cheaper than this with very similar specs. That is to say, I don't think its way over priced. Unlike the alienware 15 with almost the same specs for 1800

I will say however,

One of the other options is the Acer predator

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Predator-Overclockable-Aeroblade-PH315-51-78NP/dp/B07CTHLX8C

I might of made your decision harder, but there are videos comparing these two and some others at the same time. It might be worth the look at them, overall your going to have to decide what you like more. They basically come down to preference. There are a few laptops with these specs at this price range. For me, the dell has the understated look that can pass for professional, the capability I needed, and a brand I really trust, so it was a no brainier.

​

But at the end, they are all going to be great bang for your buck, the pricing on this and the other direct competitors to this laptop are solid imo.

I don't know about the reliability of the others, I don't remember having to replace lots of parts in the other brands. Only HP has really had some serious bunks that I can remember, I changed way more HP motherboards than any other laptop. But I have owned Dell's and they never failed me so I stick by what I know is usually solid..

No matter what you get, if you intend to keep it many years. You need to get the warranty and max it out if you can. If you intend to keep it as long as you say, you will want accident protection and everything, and make sure you read reviews on the warranties. You don't want to find out after you break it that the warranty you got is bulls#$%. Dell has a lot of business contracts, and they have solid warranties there, and as a result those solid warranties trickle down to consumers as well. I know I've had nothing but the best warranty support from them.

​

On a side note, here are a few few recommended accessories to protect your laptop no matter what you buy, its not a bad idea to get something like the following

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071HBDDW8

Hardened glass screen protector

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DA2OMKS

Water and dust Resistant keyboard cover to give an extra step against a drop of water penetrating the keyboard and ruining the motherboard underneath.

​

It should be noted that I do not get paid for any of these items, you'll notice none of them are links to a compensated account somewhere.

I just like dell products and have had good experiences with them. This is just another case of a product that I think is great and worth the money.

If you want, I can copy-paste the response I usually give to people asking about gaming headset. Hope it will help you.

Wall of text ahead. Please, read only if you are really interested...


What I usually recommend when someone ask for advice about gaming headsets is: Gaming headset are crap 99% of the time. They provide very poor sound quality, and any good headphone (literally, even 40$ ones) will sound far better than expensive 300$ headsets. The question is not if headphones are better than headset (the answer is “Hell, YEAH”). The question is, are they better for you?


What are you planning to use your headphones for? Just for gaming, or for gaming and music listening?


If the answer is “just for gaming”, then ask yourself if a Hifi headphone is what you need. Usually games don’t really need high quality headphones, since they provide low quality sound, and you will be more concentrated gaming than listening. In that scenario, everything will serve you, and gaming headsets have the advantage of the integrated microphone.


So, if you want something good for gaming, and just for gaming, with integrated microphone, then the only two headsets with good enough quality sound (aka don’t suck) are:


HyperX Cloud (70$)


Sennheiser G4me One (170$)


Both are good choices. Or go with any fancy RGB headset you find (Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Steelseries, etc), you will most probably don’t notice the difference while gaming.


BUT, if you plan to use them for music listening besides gaming, then keep reading.


About the microphone problem


Hifi headphones for gaming have the disadvantage of having to deal with the micro thing. None of them have microphone incorporated, and you must find a workaround to the problem. Options available are:


1- Use a desk microphone like this


2- Some headphones have detachable cable. If the connector is a 3.5mm jack, you can substitute the cable with this V-Moda micro. That way you can have a microphone attached and still use a single cable. Main problem is that you must use this cable, no matter what, and if you end buying an amplifier, you can no longer use this microphone, as amplifiers don’t have micro input. Also, not all headphones are compatible, as not all use 3.5mm jack connections (Audio-technica and Sennheiser headphones are NOT compatible with V-moda Boom micro, cause they use 2.5mm jack)


3- use a modmic like this one or if your budget is tight, something like this.


The first option requires desk space and it’s expensive. The second one is not compatible with every headphone, and forces you to use this cable. The third one are detachable micro, with an extra cable you’ll have to deal with. Any of them are a nuisance. Any solution is annoying. All of them are an extra expense that must be accounted. If micro is a must and you are not willing to bother with this solutions, please, go back to HyperX Cloud or G4me One.


Ok, so, you really want some damn good headphones, that also can be used for gaming! Keep reading, please (are you bored yet?).


You can choose Closed back headphones (the classic ones you have already used. Closed back models offer good isolation and do not leak sound. This is your choice when there are people around you, or you want isolation from noisy a environment.) or Open Back headphones (Open back models offer next to no isolation and will leak sound -and allow you to hear what happens around you-, but they are the best sounding models). Open headphones achieve the best sound, soundstage (feeling that sound is coming from around you) and imaging (ability to locate the source of one sound).


If you are here because you want to get a replacement for a gaming headset, I would recommend you Open back, but since they don’t isolate, you must choose. If isolation is required, get closed back, if that’s not a concern, go open.


Some closed back cans:


Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 100$. Balanced headphones, very good feedback from lots of people. Typical entry level headphones to the rabbit hole.


Sennheiser HD 598Cs. 125$. Balanced, very very detailed, great instrumental separation. Comfortable as hell, very recommended.


Beyerdynamic DT770. 160$. V-shaped signature (lots of bass and lots of treble). Amazing soundstage (for a closed headphone). Great for explosions, movies, and rock. Treble can be harsh if you are sensible. Get the 32 ohm version, as the 80 (may) and 250 (do) need an amplifier to work properly.


Those are some examples of entry-mid level of closed cans. There are lots more, depending of your budget!


As for open cans:


Superlux HD668b. 40$. Those are THE CANS. The best quality for low budget you can get. Hands down. Great soundstage, Bass light. They are not too comfortable, but pads can be changed for a deluxe comfort (extra expense). You are not getting anything better at this price. For gaming in a budget, this are the headphones you were looking for.


Philips SHP9500. 80$. Mid-forward signature. Good soundstage, great comfort. Very detailed. Another amazing quality for the budget headphone. Due its popularity, they’re getting harder and harder to get.


Sennheiser HD 598 SR. 170$. Very similar to the HD 598Cs, but with open back. Wider soundstage, a little less bass. Very balanced headphones. Super-duper comfortable. Great for long gaming sessions.


Philips Fidelio X2. 250$. V-shaped signature. Those are in another league. Build quality is just.. OMG. Extreme soundstage and imaging. More comfortable than the HD 598. Bass is BOOOOOM!!!. A little pricey, and can be somewhat fatiguing to listen if you are treble sensible, due to high treble.


Well, that’s all. I have selected only headphones that don’t need an amplifier. Now is your turn to research, watch some Youtube videos, read some reviews, and give them a try.


All this headphones are GOOD. No trash here, and all them will make you open your eyes when listening your music if you are coming from standard headsets. You will notice sounds, instruments, that you never realized they were there, even if you had listened this song a thousand times before. Try them, and be amazed.


Welcome to the rabbit hole.

I actually don’t see the need for surround sound. That’s more of a marketing gimmick really, as the usb 7.1 dongles suck. If you really need surround sound, get Dobly Atmos on your computer.

But I don’t think you really need either. Most games have really good audio, and some games like rainbow six siege literally say don’t use surround sound because it’s broken. You need a headset with good soundstage.

What’s soundstage? Well it’s being not only able to tell the direction of your enemy, but also the distance. That’s why I recommend open back headsets for gaming, though they do leak sound and your mic may pick that sound up. Don’t worry about it though, because what I recommend is omni directional and will basically only pick up your voice.

I recommend the Philips SHP9500/SHP9500s. They are to same thing but the s has a little bit more bass. You also might have trouble getting the 9500 because it is discontinued and not many are left. I recommend these because:

Great soundstage

Very comfortable

Has a lot of treble which is good for hearing footsteps.

Has a detachable cable Incase the wire breaks and so you can use a mic

It is extremely well priced at 80USD. It’s probably the best for gaming under 150 USD. And most importantly it will definitely fit you.

For mic, I recommend the Vmoda BoomPro. You just unplug the cable from the headphones and replace it with the BoomPro which is just a 3.5 mm cable with a mic attached. This is a super good mic.

I also highly recommend an amp both for gaming and music. The one I recommend has a switch with T D and B. T is treble boost (for gaming), d is flat, meaning it won’t change anything, and B is bass boost. Which you want if you listen to music because the 9500 has little bass.
I recommend the Syba Sonic DAC/AMP. Link at the bottom. This will definitely help sound quality as it bypasses your pc soundcard.
IMPORTANT: DON’T use the included usb cord in it as it will cause a short in your computer. You’ll need a different mini usb cable as the provide a really bad one.

To use the amp: This is a usb amp, so plug the usb into your computer and the mini USB port into the DAC/amp. The will power it so it will drain laptop battery with a laptop. Then all you do is is plug your headphone jack into the big 3.5mm headphone jack. Don’t use the one for a split cable because your headset isn’t a split cable.

That’s it! The total is about 150 bucks and will surpass anything for the price.

Don’t get a gaming headset. They just use cheap divers and RGB and day gaming to trick you, as they are way overpriced.

Z Reviews on YT (total audiophile geek) recommends this as well. I invite you to spend more time researching on his channel and other places to understand the mic and amp better. He has a best gaming gaming headsets video from a year ago. This setup is at the very front and one of the first things he talks about. Also goes very in depth on the whole subject of sound for gaming at the beginning. Here are the links:

9500s-https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500S-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW

Vmoda BoomPro Mic - https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK

Syba Soni DAC/amp - https://www.amazon.com/Syba-Digital-Headphone-Amplifier-Coaxial/dp/B009WN7QT4

Remember you need a different mini usb cable. I’d throw the one it came with away because it’s garbage and possibly a fire hazard.

Please watch Z Reviews Gaming Headphone guise from a year ago. The first 25 minutes are all you really need to hear. They explain audio in-depth and talk about the headphones and this combo. Good luck!

Feel free to reach out to me as I can help with the setup or usage, but r/ZReviews is probably a better option. You’ll get help ASAP from a whole hutch of audiophiles who know their stuff.

Not OP, but I very much enjoy the sound of the HD600's. super easy to listen to and not harsh at all. Kind of expensive, since you need an aplifier to get the best sound of them, which just adds to the price. I have a few recommendations for under 150 dollar headphones.

If you're looking for some great open back headphones, I recommend the AD-700X. Very open, with an airy sound. I enjoy them the most for vocals. not much bass, however. I also really enjoy these for gaming. the design of them is a odd for headphones so they might not be the best fit for your head.

Another option is the SHP9500. also open and similar to the HD600's in that they handle almost all music well. Can't really complain on how they handle most things, except for maybe bass heavy music. All around good headphones. Super comfortable to wear too.

If you want some closed headphones, I recommend the DT-770's 80 Ohm. not as easy to drive as the 32 Ohm version, but still should be fine with almost anything. If you plan on getting an amp, get the 250 Ohm version. I love these because the bass response is absolutely fantastic. If you enjoy EDM, hiphop, or any genre that is bass heavy, these are a no brianer. these have fantastic sub bass that doesn't muddy up the vocals. Maybe not the best for all genre types, as the higher frequencies can be fatiguing for some people.

If you're looking for a AMP to start off with, I recommend the FiiO E10K. cheap, and powerful enough to drive most headphones, unless they're very power demanding like the HD600's. If you want to go all out, getting a Schiit Stack like OP, or an ODAC combo works too. that's gonna be like 200+ though, so I recommend starting with something smaller.

Also, be sure to use Amazon's warehouse deals to get a "used" pair of any of these if you can. save some money on it, and if they're broken or damaged, amazon will gladly refund you. really is a money saver.

The discounts are not huge, but both laptops already offered great value for money so the small discounts is just a big added bonus, I will add them as they come if more deals come around

300~400 range Acer Aspire E 15.

• Intel HD Graphics 620 is the best iGPU you can find for this budget which makes the laptop the best option for light gaming on a very tight budget.
  
  
• Full HD (TN) 15.6 screen, which is very rare for this budget range and great for watching movies/videos.
  
  
• Good upgrades available, can go to 16 GB of ram, and with a little more work than usual you can even fit a SSD on it.
  
  
• USB type C which is another rare thing to find on this budget.
  
  I thought I would give you a little more in depth review, so here it goes.
  
  
• Battery life is from 7 to 10 hours of normal non gaming usage.
  
• Backlit keyboard only comes on when you touch the buttons to save battery, it is quite.
  
• Easily upgradeable, we recommend you add 4GB stick and a SSD if you have the budget for it and it would turn into a perfect laptop (more so than it already was).
  
• Minimal bloat-ware, speakers are above average like what you would expect from a laptop, Trackpad doesn't have separate buttons, but they work well, the outer body has a matte finish to it which makes it feel really good even though it is all plastic and doesn't attract fingerprints easily).
  
  500~550 The Acer Aspire E 15 Not the same model.
  
  
• NVIDIA 940MX which is one of the best for this range but still not great for newer games Benchmark(use the same website to check the benchmarks of the other GPU from the right hand list).
  
  
• 8GB DDR4, 256GB SSD both are somewhat standards in 600 range so finding them on 500~ range is somewhat a catch.
  
  
• Advertised battery life of up to 12-hours, Backlit Keyboard.
  
  Here is a little in depth review of it :
  
  
• Same with the cheaper Acer, it is made from plastic, but it feels sturdy, screen comes with anti glare finish so it will work well outside.
  
  
• Battery life is great about 5-8 hours of general usage.
  
• Backlit keyboard, quite and comfortable, Trackpad have been getting some mixed reviews, I think it is a software issue, or maybe it is because some people are not used to trackpads.
  
  
• Speakers are good, above average for laptops in this range, the gaming performance is also above average since it is only 940MX but it the best for the budget.
  
  
• Very thin, very quiet (can barely hear the fans), It has room for more ram as well as more SSD, Fingerprint magnet.
  

Many people consider Sennheiser to be one of the the best right now. Some even believe it's THE best at the moment. They are definitely a superb choice for headphones.

That being said, there are a lot of variables in headphones that cater to different people. For one, there are 3 sort of blanket headphone types: In-ear, On-ear, and Over-ear. In-ear are basically ear buds, On-ear are headphones with small cups that sit on your ears. Over-ear have larger cups that surround your ear. Personally, I'm a fan of Over-ear, as they are the most comfortable to me and tend to have higher quality headphones (Over-ear don't make headphones sound better, but companies tend to make more Over-ear than On-ear of various price ranges).


On top of that, there are two kinds of cups: open back and closed back. For some background, headphones play sound both towards you an away from you. Closed back means the back of the headphone cup is closed (duh), blocking the sound going away from you. Basically, it's you and whatever you're listening to. A band in your head. Open back means that the cups are open to an extent. These headphones often look like they have a grate on the cups. This means sound goes out, and also sound goes in. These headphones make it so the music sounds more lively. Instead of the band being in your head, think of you at a concert for that band. Open back headphones make it so the music blends with the environment around you. Be wary, because people around you can hear what you're listening to pretty clearly. If you're using headphones for every day use, I'd recommend closed back for yours and everyone else's sake. You get to listen to what you want without distractions, and everyone around you won't be disturbed by you either.

Not sure which headphones you have, but these are the Sennheiser HD 280s. Over-ear, closed back, $100 dollars. Pretty good sound for the price, not so stylish. As far as audio quality, they're definitely worth the price.

If you're willing to go a little higher, I'd recommend the Audio Technica M50x. These bad boys are some of the best headphones I've used. They are the complete package to me. Sound quality is great, the build is good, the ear cups are comfortable, and you can replace the aux cord if it breaks, all for $150. I've heard better sound from headphones, but for $150, these are a steal. You really won't find better anywhere in this price range. Once again, over-ear, closed back.

If you're a guy that likes in-ears, I can't really help much. Almost every in-ear I've listened to are low end (less than $50), the exceptions being Beats in-ears ($100, meh), and Shure SE425 ($300, pretty damn good, mostly used for monitoring during music performances). If you're an on-ear guy, you're the first I've met. Regardless of your preference, I think it's worth taking the leap to over-ear and trying them out.

Either of these options are good. If you want to look for yourself, I'd highly recommend Amazon. You can find a lot of headphones here for cheaper than retail. The brands I'd recommend are Sennheiser, Audio Technica, and Beyerdynamic in that order. Keep in mind the different types of headphones and open back vs. closed back if you do decide to look around.

Sorry for the long read, best of luck!

Mic or headset?

🔊 MICROPHONES

• Antlion ModMic 4
  
  Attaches to headphones using a clasp system and is easy to attach and remove. Is compatible with all headphones. Comes with and without a mute switch.
  
  
• Massdrop Minimic
  
  Attaches to headphones using a clasp system and is easy to attach and remove. Is compatible with all headphones. Has a mute switch and is modular. Is only available via drops on Massdrop.com. I recommend requesting it if you want to wait for it.
  
  
• V-MODA BoomPro
  
  Connects to the headphone's jack, replacing the headphone cable. Is compatible with Philips SHP9500 and Status Audio CB-1. Has a mute switch and a volume control.
  
  
• Neewer 3.5mm Clip on Mini Lapel Microphone
  
  Clips onto your clothing. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Sony ECMCS3
  
  
• Clips onto your clothing. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Zalman ZM-Mic1
  
  Clips onto your clothing. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Blue Snowball
  
  Has various placement options. Has no in-line controls.
  
  
• Samson Go
  
  Has various placement options. Has no in-line controls.
  
  

  
  

  
  You can use various audio controllers for volume control and mute toggle:
  
  

• Fosmon
  
• Insignia
  
• Lucid Sound AdjustR
  
  

  
  

  
  To connect the ModMic, Minimic, clip-on mics and other 3.5mm mics to DS4 or an audio controller, you need a TRRS / 4-pole Y-splitter (three black rings on the connector). The BoomPro doesn't require a Y-splitter. USB mics are plug-and-play.
  
   
  
  🎧 HEADPHONES
  
  

  
  

  
  

• AKG K52
  
  Sound: Has a wide and deep soundstage, good imaging, clarity and detail retrieval and decent separation. It doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble. The bass can sound a little muddy in e.g. blasts and explosions.
  
  Build: Is closed-back and over-ear. Durable and very lightweight. The cups tilt and pivot, so they should adjust to the shape of your head nicely. The earpads have decent quality and are soft and removable, but they're shallow.
  
  
  
• Philips SHP9500
  
  Sound: Has a soundstage with medium width and depth. It has good imaging, separation and detail retrieval and very good clarity. It doesn't over- or under-emphasize the bass or treble.
  
  Build: Is open-back and over-ear. Durable and lightweight. The cups tilt and pivot and the cable detaches. The earpads have good quality and they're soft and removable, but they're very shallow. Replacing them requires modification or buying/making 3D printed rings that the new earpads attach to. Modifying is very easy and quick to do and doesn't require special tools or extra parts. I've made a tutorial. 3D printed parts can be bought from Mod House Audio and Thingiverse. The clamping force is very light, so I don't recommend the headphone for children or if you frequently move your head down and have an average sized head. For aftermarket earpads, I recommend Shure HPAEC1840. These tighten the clamping force for a little, and personally, I love the comfort and fit with these.
  
  
• Superlux HD668B
  
  Sound: Has a wide and deep soundstage, I'd say 50% bigger than SHP9500. It has very good imaging, separation, clarity and detail retrieval. It has emphasized treble and a small boost in the mid-bass.
  
  Build: Is semi-open-back and over-ear. Sturdy and lightweight. The cups tilt and pivot. The cable and earpads are detachable. The earpads have bad quality and are shallow, so I recommend replacing them with earpads from HiFiMAN.
  
  
• Superlux HD681 EVO
  
  Sound: Has the same soundstage as HD668B. It has very good clarity and good detail retrieval, but has poor imaging and separation. It's warm sounding with deep bass.
  
  Build: Is semi-open-back and over-ear. The cups tilt and pivot. The cable and earpads are detachable. The earpads have decent quality and are soft and detachable, but they're shallow and the drivers stick out quite a bit, so I recommend taking out the loose felt inside the cups, unless you're sensitive to treble, and replacing the earpads with earpads from HiFiMAN, or earpads from Brainwavz if you want much more depth. These are expensive, but they have great quality, they are made of memory foam and are very soft and roomy, and the sound quality is absolutely worth it.
  
  

  
  

  
  I also compare to AKG Q701, Audio-Technica ATH-AD700x, Beyerdynamic DT990 (600 ohms), HiFiMAN HE400i, HyperX Cloud, Philips Fidelio X2 and Sennheiser HD700, which I got for gaming, except for HE400i, but it's great for gaming. I don't recommend HyperX Cloud / Cloud II / CloudX. I strongly advise against them if you don't need closed-back. My evaluations derive mostly if not only from gaming (so take it with a grain of salt for music entertainment listening). I can't emphasize enough that perceived performance in headphones is relative.
  
   
  
  Glossary | ℹ️
  ---|---
  Closed-back x | Cups with solid shells that largely isolate sound from passing in and out.
  Open-back / semi-open-back | Cups with perforations/grills that allow outside sound to freely pass in and sound from the drivers to freely pass out. How loud you hear outside sound and how loud people around you hear the sound from the headphones depend on the volume, of course. The sonic benefit to open-back is generally a big soundstage.
  Soundstage | Perceived space and environment of sound. It can be compared to virtual surround sound; both attempt to produce the same spacious, three-dimensional effect. VSS can sound more ambient and immersive, which depends on the processor you use (CMSS-3D, Dolby, SBX, etc.), but it degrades the sound quality and diminishes detailing due to compression from digital processing. You might also experience less accurate imaging and separation if the headphone already has good imaging and separation. Note that a deep soundstage is equally important as a wide soundstage.
  Imaging | Accuracy of sounds/objects positioned across the soundstage. And I mean where they are positioned -- not merely what direction they come from. This distinction is important because being able to tell only what direction objects come from isn't good enough to me when playing against people. Imaging is inherent to the audio content, so if the game is recorded or mixed poorly, a headphone with good imaging won’t improve the positional audio, so don't judge the headphone before using it in games you're very familiar with. I test mine mostly in Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
  Separation | Separating individual sounds from a range of sounds. Good separation makes it easier to filter out or discern overlapping sounds from other sounds and track them.

Spend BIG on your tripod, lighting and audio if you're looking at narrative work. ESPECIALLY tripod. I have the Sachtler Ace M and it's excellent, especially for a lighter setup. IMO avoid manfrotto "fluid" heads. Most of them within your price range are not fluid. Their legs are excellent though! Also look at a used Miller or Sachtler kit. For narrative work, chances are that 80-90% of your shots are going to be locked down, tripod shots or pan/tilt shots. The G7 is NOT a camera that you want to be using for the "handheld" look. (I also have a horrible bias against unnecessary camera movement, especially handheld or shoulder rig shots in narrative work). As a rule, NEVER take your camera off the tripod unless you have very good reason to do so.


I put a good $300 into my G7 kit so it's hard to say what $1500 will get you, but you should be able to get a good start, especially since you already have some lenses.

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AUDIO - Audio is arguably more important than video quality for low budget work. Audiences will forgive slightly out of focus/unsteady and grainy footage, but poor audio will IMMEDIATELY make your work seem amateurish,The boom mic is king for narrative audio, and truth be told, mic placement is often far more important than the hardware. I'd take a boom op who knows how to mic, with a $400 setup, over a guy with $$$$ of equipment who doesnt know how to mic talent. A solid entry audio kit can be put together for under $450. Pick up a decent shotgun (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/495302-REG/Audio_Technica_AT875R_AT875_Short_Condenser_Shotgun.html) and a recorder. A boom pole and shock mount are necessary. If you're on a real tight budget, a painter's pole with a shockmount can be used. Shop monoprice for any audio cables. I recommend the following on a budget: Mic Kit ($200) https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/563843-REG/Audio_Technica_AT875_Short_Condenser_Shotgun.html, Tascam Recorder ($150) https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821259-REG/Tascam_DR_40_DR_40_4_Track_Handheld_Digital.html, Used Sony MDR-V6 ($40) https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00001WRSJ/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all, Painter's pole ($20-30)

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LIGHTING - LED panels are cheap, portable, and convenient. The Yongnuo YN-300III is excellent for the money. Pick up two of those and a reflector (as well as a couple $30 light stands), and as long as you have some daylight or even practicals, you have a very decent light setup as long as you're not trying to light an entire room or scene super bright. Very portable as well. Eventually you'll want to save up for heavier stuff like maybe Arri Fresnels or Kino Flos. LEDs are pretty viable these days also...you can pick up 2-3 nice Aputure panels for under $500. If you're very cheap and need more light, shop lights can be useful if you dont care about modifying the light. Clamp lights or Halogen work lights can help.

------------

LENSES... there's a couple routes you can go. You've already got a decent start. The vintage lenses are great but you wont be able to get fast, wide legacy glass for the G7. Wide focal lengths are VERY important for narrative work, as they're used almost any time the camera moves and for wide/establishing shots. Your canon 17mm will be roughly 40mm at the widest without a speedbooster, which IMO isn't wide enough for narrative. As far as i'm concerned a Metabones Speedbooster is required kit if you want to shoot with Panasonic mirrorless, IF you're planning to stick to one system. For example, i have a Nikon one, and thus i can use my Sigma 18-35 as well as my old manual Nikon glass. If you only have one Canon i don't know if the price tag is worth it quite yet. Maybe just get a couple of dumb adapters for around $20 for the time being. You can also pick up something like a Rokinon 12mm f2.0 for around $300, which will be around a 27mm on the sensor of the G7 at 4k.

--------------

SUPPORT - Dont worry about cage, rail system, mattebox, follow focus, dolly for now. Dont worry about external recorder or monitor. That is stuff that you should invest in and spend big to get good stuff. If you can fashion a DIY dolly., by all means do that. If you want to be taken seriously, a great tripod is number one priority. How can you expect to shoot great video if your gear isn't even capable of smooth pans and tilts? A $3000 camera body is essentially useless on a cheap tripod. A $500 G7 on an $800 tripod will result in much better movement than an a7sii on a cheap one. And no, a $200-300 tripod will NOT get you smooth movement. Keep in mind that a dolly is pretty useless without proper lights and a fast wide lens. Any dolly movement (especially a push) typically involves a wide lens and you need to throw plenty of light at the scene to ensure you can stop down enough to keep the subject in focus while you're pushing into them. And for $23, there's no reason why you shouldnt pick up one of these: https://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Shoulder-Support-Camcorder-Camera/dp/B0036NMQ7S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479589459&sr=8-1&keywords=shoulder+rig+cowboy

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BAGS: The Canon "Gadget" bags are excellent. I have the Canon 200DG https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/351537-REG/Canon_9320A003_200DG_Deluxe_Gadget_Bag.html. Picked it up in B&H used section for like $23. It should hold your camera, all your lenses and have room for additional things. Ebay is also a good place for bags.

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I would look at a glidecam type stabilizer or slider as a first upgrade past your initial purchases. You can get very decent ones for around the $200 mark. I've heard very decent things about the "off-brand" glidecams. Or find a used one. A slider can do more than you'd think. Especially for narrative work, usually all you need is just a tiny bit of smooth camera movement, which a decent sized slider can allow. Truth be told, you can spend YEARS studying cinematography just using well composed tripod shots with proper lighting, blocking, and staging. There's really no reason to be moving to camera movements until you have shot quite a bit on sticks.

--------

Here is what i would suggest for a little over $1.5k:

-----

Tripod - $800


Audio - $400


Lighting - $200 (two cheap panels, two stands, and reflector)


Remaining ~$200: Bag, Batteries, SD cards, slate, cables

Okay. What I am going to recommend is two sets of headphones. One for nice, comfy, multi-hour home listening in front of the computer, and another set for when you're on the go. All of these sound good without any amplification.

Full-Size, Home Listening

• Audio Technica ATH-AD700 - nice, mid-level offering. Wonderful, open sound and definitely the #1 most comfortable headphones I have ever owned. These are fairly large, this is what they look like on me. They are reasonably light, and the design is completely open. You will hear sounds around you and if someone is sitting next to you, they will hear some of your music (or all of it, if you have the volume cranked). The pads are fuzzy and comfortable. Highly recommended for electronic music, chamber pieces, acoustic guitar and piano... well, just about everything. (~$100)
  
  
• Sennheiser HD-280 Pro - These are the heavyweight champions of the $50-$100 price range. Headfi (a major audiophile community) loves these things. So do I. Comfortable, with fantastic bass response and great isolation. Built like a tank - I DJ'd for quite awhile and my set is still going strong despite being dropped, stepped on, thrown in road cases, etc. The ear cups also rotate reasonably freely to allow them to fold "flat" and be tossed in a backpack. The pads on these are that pleather material which could cause a little bit of sweat, but nothing to really complain about. Excellent sound, overall, but particularly suited to drum n bass, dubstep, industrial, goa and other genres of trance and electronic dance music. My pair is actually in my lab at work, at the moment, so no photo of them, sorry! (~$90)
  
  
• Audio Technica M50S - Foldable, easy to toss in a bag. These are what I moved to after using the 280 Pro's for several years. Very smooth sound with a pretty surprising bass range. Definitely out-performed the 280's in some pieces of music when it came to the low range. Again, smooth, balanced sound overall. Great isolation on par with the 280's. The soundstage isn't as good as the AD700's, since these are closed headphones, otherwise I'd totally recommend these, flat out. These beat the Monster Beats Studio, hands down, for a third of the price. <3 Bass (~$120)
  
  Portables
  
  
• Koss Portapro - These things are classics for a reason. Very, very highly recommended by a ton of people. Comfortable, portable, built well, and excellent sound for the price bracket they are in. Unique styling. Those temple pads you see keep the pressure from the earpieces from becoming fatiguing on your ears. I've forgotton that I was wearing them on several occasions and tried to put on my hat over them. If you're cool with the style, I really recommend these. (~$40)
  
  
• Grado SR60i - I love Grados. They have a really classic look, they are very comfortable, and they have solid sound. More suited to articulate, dynamic music. Not a ton of bass. Would recommend these for home use as well, actually. If you want, you can step up to the SR80i, but I don't feel like you will hear too great a difference, out of an iPod or an onboard soundcard. (~$70-$100)
  
  
  Note: the Amazon links above are using my affiliate ID. What this means is that if you purchase a set through those links, Amazon gives me 4-6% of the purchase price as a commission. The price you pay is not affected in any way - that commission comes out of their end. You don't have to use those links, you can search Amazon for any of the models above. And by all means, you don't have to buy through Amazon.

I may be of some help. I was in the same position as you a couple months ago.

First you have to decide, wired or wireless.

Wireless: A lot people suggest the ps gold headset ($100). As a gaming headset, they're decent but from what I've read, the sound quality is not great. If all you do is plan to play games with it and you don't care all that much about sound quality then this may be your best wireless option. A better wireless option would be the Astro A50. Reviews seem to say that the sound quality on the A50 is pretty good but this comes at a much higher price ($300 new, $200 refurbished). SteelSeries also makes a good wireless option at the same price point of the Astro.

Wired: If you go on head-fi, everyone will say the best option would be to buy a decent dedicated full-size headphones(price here depends on budget), a separate mic, and something like this to connect to your controller. This is true but I didn't like this option. Having two cables going my controller to my head seemed like a bit of a hassle and I wanted as few wires as possible. I wanted a quality wireless setup, but I couldn't justify spending $300 for a setup I'd only use to game.

I did find the V-Moda boom pro which would replace the cord on their headphone's with an in-line boom mic thus eliminating one more wire. Paired it up with the V-Moda M80(You should be able to use it with anything form the vmoda line, but don't hold me to that, you should be able to find out yourself easily), which to my surprise got great reviews on head-fi. I bought them for around 80 on an amazon lightning deal. They're pretty good, especially considering the whole setup cost ~$100. Build quality is very high, sound quality is good, a little bass heavy IMO but that is perfect for gaming. I also wouldn't mind taking these out with me on the colder months as they're not too bulky. They also come with a pretty cool carrying case.

I'm very happy with this setup now and I think the next step up from here would be to get a wireless setup.

Hope this helps.

Source: I do have quite an extensive headphone collection so I do appreciate a good set of cans.

I have this same laptop and it's working perfectly well after upgrading both the RAM and the SSD. Upgrading to an SSD will greatly decrease the boot time of the laptop and adding more RAM will help to make the laptop snappier overall. The first step I would take would be to put an SSD in the laptop, especially considering the horribly long boot times you're experiencing, but both will

Adding RAM will be the easiest change for your laptop, as it doesn't require any transferring of files. I personally have 16 GB of ram in my laptop (2 x 8GB) but in the interest of saving money, you may want to get one 8GB stick of RAM and upgrade again down the line if you desire. When shopping for RAM, you want to make sure that you have a SODIMM sized stick, and that it's running at 1600 MHz speed. Here is an option from Amazon, but you may be able to find other options for cheaper (this was just the first thing I found). You just want to ensure that the RAM you buy is a SODIMM module and is running at 1600 MHz. Assuming the 4GB is in the form of 2 x 2GB sticks, you will have 10 GB of RAM total after installing the new module.

You can easily find videos on how to install RAM on the internet, but as a quick explanation:

• Turn your computer off
  
• Remove all the screws from the bottom of the MacBook, there should be 10 and they're all Phillips.
  
• Pull off the back of the laptop
  
• You should see RAM modules above the battery at the bottom of the laptop
  
• There are two tabs that you can pull on to release the RAM from its socket, it should pop up at an angle and you can pull it out. There will most likely be another stick of RAM under it, you should leave it be.
  
• You want to put the new stick of RAM in at the same angle that the old one came out at, aligning the notch of the slot to the notched hole in the RAM stick, and then push it down so it's sitting as the original RAM stick was.
  
• Put the back cover on and rescrew the screws. Note that the 3 long screws go in the part of the back nearest to the screen hinge.
  
  You should now be able to go to "About the Mac" then to Memory, and see a 2GB and 8GB (if you get an 8GB stick) module show up.
  
  
  As for the SSD, it can be a bit more complicated depending on how you want to go about doing it. If you care about all of the data on your old drive, you can clone it using a cloning software. If not, you can copy important files onto a flash drive or external hard drive to paste back into the new installation of macOS.
  
  But first, you need to get the SSD itself. The Samsung 850 Evo is very well liked across the internet and the drive that I personally used. You can get it in whatever capacity you need. That being said, there are other options of SSDs that will be less expensive while still being a massive upgrade over the spinning disk drive that you likely already have. If you do searching around the internet, the only thing you need to be careful of is that the SSD has a SATA connector and isn't a m.2 drive. You'll also need a SATA to USB cable like This
  
  The way I would recommend replacing the drive would be to do a fresh install of macOS, keeping a backup of your important files.
  
  You want to start by plugging the SSD into the SATA to USB cable and the cable into your laptop. Then, open Disk Utility (either by using a spotlight search or finding it in the "Other" folder of the application display (hit the F4 function key)) Once you have disk utility open, you want to find the SSD on the left drop-down menu and erase it. This will format it to be usable as a boot disk for macOS. Note: it's possible that it will work without doing this but I am unsure and think it would be good to be safe here to save the time of having to change it.
  
  As with the RAM, you can probably easily find a video showing how to do it, but I will also list the rest of the steps as I remember them.
  
• Turn the laptop off
  
• Unscrew the screws of the back cover
  
• Take off the back cover. The hard drive should be beside the battery at the bottom and held in by black brackets on the top and bottom. To unscrew them, you just need a small Phillips screwdriver.
  
• Once you've unscrewed them, you can pull off the top of both black brackets and pull out the drive. Be careful not to damage the ribbon cables!
  
• Disconnect the SATA power and SATA data connectors at the end of the ribbon cable on the drive.
  
• Unscrew the four screws holding the drive in the bracket.
  
• Pull the drive out and put the new drive in and screw it back in like the old one was
  
• Do the steps taken to remove the old drive in reverse to secure the new drive into place.
  
  Once the new drive is in, you can reboot the laptop and hit the Option key to bring up a boot menu. You should see something that says "Choose a Network" and you can sign into your WiFi to continue. From there you will able to use network recovery to reinstall macOS.
  
  
  I hope this is helpful and good luck! I'm glad I'm not the only one still using a 2012 MBP :)
  
  edit: formatting, a word
  

I'll recommend the three pairs of headphones that I use on a regular basis. I know you asked for over-ear, but even as an over-ear guy myself I've still gotten a lot of utility from all three of them, so they're all certainly worth considering.

--

MEE Audio Sport-fi M6P- These are my daily workhorse earbuds. I wear them a good 6 hours a day, and they stay fairly comfortable throughout; they wrap around the ear and fit quite nicely. Includes an on-cord volume adjustment, microphone, and pause/play button, if that matters to you. They run around $19, and they're far and away the best headphones I've ever used in this price range.

--

Sony MDR-V6- These were my first step into the world of "real" headphones. They've been industry standard studio monitors since the 80s, and for good reason. Sound is clean and crisp, with a fairly balanced sound signature and particularly good mids (seeing as classical music isn't particularly "bass heavy" having mids as a strong point is ideal; you definitely wouldn't want a bass-head pair of cans). They're foldable, and so I find them rather portable. They're over-ear and closed-back so they're not going to bleed sound all over the place, but they don't have the best isolation so if your daily traffic is particularly noisy (e.g.: downtown of large city or louder) that might be a bit of an issue for you, but if you're in areas a bit more quiet (e.g.: office, cafe, smaller city) they'll do you fine. They're not the most fashionable things and they also have a coiled cable, neither of which bother me but could be an issue for some. They run about $80, and if you're coming from cheap gas station quality headphones these will probably knock your socks off.

Sennheiser HD 598- Of the three, these are the best. Amazingly warm and rounded, with a spacious, open, and detailed sound. They have really good instrument separation as well, which obviously lend themselves quite well to listening to classical music. Extraordinarily comfy for an indefinite period of time. However, these are my "home" headphones, as they are open back and provide absolutely no isolation whatsoever- I can hold a conversation perfectly well with someone with these on and my volume at 70%, so they'd be utterly useless in any public space. The open back provides an excellent soundstage, but that's the price you pay. Speaking of price, they run at around $150, but they go on sale with some frequency for $99.

--

I personally would recommend getting the earbuds and the 598s, with one being an out and about pair and one for being a home pair. That's what I usually roll about with, and between the two of them I don't really use the V6s anymore as a consequence. That being said, if you're only going to buy one pair as your be all end all, the V6 is a great purchase- I used them exclusively for 4 years and was never disappointed. If these don't float your boat though, I'd recommend hopping over to /r/headphones or www.head-fi.org and see what they have to say- they're both extraordinarily helpful communities with huge and knowledgeable user bases.

You sound like a female version of me.

I've got a few little solutions. These are things I try to do when I want to be in a better mood. They work best if you build habits around them - well, some of them - you'll see what I mean as you're reading. Also, most of them can be mixed, and work well together! :-)

1. Music, music, music! Put on a good tune. Build a playlist with all your favorite, happy, upbeat songs. Listen to the songs that make you feel good, no matter what other people say about the songs or the people who sing them. If Friday by Rebecca Black gets you pumped, then listen to that shit! I myself tend to go through phases when I get bored with the music I've got... Right now I'm on a Coheed and Cambria kick. If you drive a lot, buy or make CDs and listen to them when you drive - the radio just doesn't cut it anymore, not for me. Maybe consider investing in a decent pair of headphones or other gear - I bought some Sony studio monitor headphones like these, and I swear by them. They sound amazing, but I also hate earbuds which is another reason that I really like them. People say they look tacky because they're so big, but fuck 'em. And I'm not a sound buff by any means, but they're leaps and bounds better than just listening through computer speakers. Be careful, though, because it works both ways - you can use music to accentuation your negative emotions as well as the positive ones, so you want to try not to do that... Not too much, at least. There's nothing wrong with a good soul searching song now and then, but every so often I find that I have a tendency to listen to sad songs just because I'm feeling sad. If that happens and you recognize it, try to snap out of it and go back to happy songs.
   
   
2. Exercise and general wellbeing. This is something I really need to work on myself. Try to do things that get your heart going, and try to do them outside when you can. A good jog on a nice day can do wonders. You can even do this while you listen to music if you like... but sometimes soaking in the atmosphere can be helpful, too. Oftentimes I find that I just need to go outside the house and get some fresh air, and it's always nice. I like to drive with the windows down at every chance I get. If you find that you're often couped up, in your house or at work or whatever, make it a point to get some fresh air at some point in your day. Just five minutes will help. Sometimes a walk around the neighborhood can calm your nerves. Any time I find myself annoyed or angry, I almost always go outside to think, or go driving or something. Fresh air is your friend! Also, as others have already mentioned, make some changes in your diet. Eliminating caffeine is a great idea, and something I need to implement, as well. Try to cut down on fast food, and take your vitamins if you don't already.
   
   
3. Do things. That probably sounds vague, but it's pretty straightforward. People tend to be crabby when they're bored out of their minds. My job is boring, and then I come home and be even more bored, and all that boredom piles up until you just want to explode. Try to make plans, even if they're plans with yourself. Set goals to be accomplished, maybe chores around the house or something like that... Go shopping for things you need. And of coarse, making plans with other people is always great. You mentioned a boyfriend... Make it a point to do something with him as often as you can, even if it's just watching a movie. Basically this boils down to keeping yourself busy, but not to the point of stress. Try to have something to put your mind to. If you have a hobby, try to practice it as often as you can. If you don't, consider finding one. Read. Do homework... keep yourself busy!
   
   
4. Alcohol and other drugs. Before I say another word, keep in mind: all things with moderation! And this one's totally up to you, if you don't feel comfortable, but for me it's simply true - but it affects different people in different ways. First, a nice buzz can always be relaxing. I don't like to get drunk much anymore, but having a few drinks or one particularly strong drink does a number on my nerves. I find it easier to interact with people after a drink or two. Alcohol eliminates a lot of those annoying thought processes that cause you to over-analyze everything, like what you say to people and what they say to you. It's a +1 to charisma, if you'll excuse my nerdy video game reference. Again, this is a little alcohol, not shitfaced drunk. Don't look to alcohol as a means to drink your problems away... That's when you run into problems. This is just a method for calming your nerves and culminating your thoughts a little. Also, this might help with your sleeping problem for that very reason... Just a thought. Secondly, there's a certain plant that, when smoked or otherwise ingested, may help you become a more calm individual. Sadly, this plant is not legal in most of the world. So... Just gonna leave that there. And let me be frank - you can't ever rely on drugs or alcohol to fix you. They're simply there to help, should you decide to utilize them, but you ultimately have to initiate the change yourself. Be responsible and everything should work out fine.
   
   Well, that's all I got. Hope there are some helpful nuggets in there for you.

for $250 this would probably work great for you. its a little over your $200 budget but TEAC makes great amps & dacs (i have the big brother ud 501 DAC/Headphone amp and absolutely love it), and this deal is great as it would be both an amp and would also work as a DAC that should sound much better than from the motherboard.
https://smile.amazon.com/Teac-HR-S101-BB-High-Resolution-Micro-System/dp/B00UVTO5V0/ref=sr_1_11

there is even a subout on that so you could add a sub easily if you wanted. Plus it has a headphone amp that is wayyyy better than whats on the motherboard, so you would get improved sound from both speakers and headphones.


another option could be a little amp like this one for $74
https://smile.amazon.com/SMSL-SA-60-black-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B00PA3ECGK/ref=sr_1_4

and some speakers like these on sale for $90 (sales over in a few hours though). i have the tower version of these and they are amazingly good for the price. these speakers are way better than the ones that come with the TEAC above, but the smsl amp is nothing compared to the TEAC. the smsl will sound just fine, but its not in the same field as the teac.
https://smile.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/ref=sr_1_1


or if you are trying to keep it more simple, these would probably work just fine too. i had the z623's (just older version of these) for a long time and they actually sound pretty damn good for their size and price. plus you get the little sub, while it isnt going to impress all that much it helps add a little bass to the smaller speakers. should get plenty loud if needed though, and sound pretty good doing so.
https://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-Powerful-Speaker-Consoles-Computers/dp/B01JPOLLKE/ref=sr_1_2



tons of options really, if it were me i would go with the TEAC as the base amp is also a great DAC and headphone amp so it will do far more and do it better too. i love spending money on stereo stuff though so i may be a bit biased.

These have been getting some good user reviews lately and a nice price too, and a pretty small cabinet for a 6.5 inch woofer, 79.99 / pair: 2 Pack 6.5" Bookshelf Home Theater Speakers 100W RMS TP160S-CH DCM by MTX Audio

As for amp's I have two of these (on two different computer systems), Dayton Audio APA 150. This is a serious Class A/B design topology, but no frills, just a well built, serious, "old school" heavy amp. No remote, no DAC, no Bluetooth, but WOW, a really nice, serious, amp! Lots of good user reviews and recommendations all over the net.

A often recommended smaller digital amp S.M.S.L AD18. This one DOES have it all, remote, DAC, bluetooth, relatively small, great reviews all over the net.

If you are really on a budget, try something similar to Lepai LP-2020TI Digital Hi-Fi Audio Mini Class D Stereo Amplifier. Do some searches for tweaking this amp, a very simple way to improve this amp, is to buy a more powerful power brick. There are many versions of this type of amp, amazon, ebay, parts-express, look around.

The other two, often recommended, "great value" speakers that work well with a computer (but you will need an amp), are the Sony SSCS5 3-Way 3-Driver Bookshelf Speaker System (Pair). I have seen these on sale for well under 100/pair, from memory, in the 60's and 70's.

Another great value is the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed Bookshelf Loudspeakers(7-1/8” x 12-9/16” x 8-7/16” & weighs 9 lbs 2 oz). Again, search around, these do go on sale for well under 100.00.

I have both the Pioneer and the Sony, and I currently am using the Sony SSCS5 with the Dayton Audio Amp. Was temped to buy the DCM, but I have to stop buying "great value" speakers. If I ever want to upgrade my computer speakers, I should save up and buy the Ascend Audio Luna Reference Ribbon Mini-Monitor.

Good luck, have fun, and Enjoy!

Gaming headphones are a pretty weird market. None of them are actually that good for anything but games, and other headphones can usually do games better. Instead of buying a gaming headset, It's better to buy a less expensive pair of headphones that preform better and add a mic. Gaming headsets may have all sorts of cool features, but you'll find that you don't really need them once you don't have them. The most important thing for gaming headphones isn't preset EQs or bass response, it's all about having a positively massive soundstage. That's how you can get your system sounding something like a surround sound setup (although headphones just can't do the same things that speakers can at any price range). Depening on your price range, you could get the Sennheiser HD558, the Audio Techinca AD700X, the AKG Q701, or the Philips Fildelio X1. As for mics, you can get the Zalman ZM1 clip on mic, or the Antlion Modmic, if you're a fan of boom mics and quality. On top of being able to play games with them, you'll also be able to listen to your music collection rather comfortably, which is the main place where gaming headsets fall short, as they're equalized and tuned specifically for games.

I'm sorry to do a huge info dump on you, but getting a nice sounding pair of headphones doesn't just improve your games and music, it improves your life :) Eventually, you'll be more comfortable wearing them than not.

Whichever way you go, though, I hope you enjoy whatever you buy to the fullest, and most importantly, enjoy Destiny's phenominal sound design with your headphones! And if you need more suggestions, I'd be happy to help!

yeah definitely! tons of online videos. i wouldn't consider myself an expert in computer knowledge, but i've built a couple of basic rigs and done work on my macbook. hardest part about replacing the hard drive is making sure you either

a.) have the necessary files to complete a full reinstall or


b.) can work a program like disk utility or carbon copy cloner to make an exact clone of your HDD (this is super simple either way)



I put a kingston SSDnow v300 120gb in my early 2011 macbook pro. it has a 2.7 i7, 16gb of ram (another easy and huge upgrade, technically overkill but i do graphic design and photography for a living) my mbp is great now.

I've read some trouble about the negotiated link speed on older gen MacBooks getting locked at 1.5gb/s instead of the 3 gb/s SATA II standard. This isn't really a problem, you can fix it i believe with a firmware patch, basically it means instead of getting ~200-210mb/s read and write, you'll get more like 128 mb/s and 170 mb/s ish. still A LOT faster than your standard hard drive. boot up time is dramatically reduced, and opening programs becomes a split second ordeal.


Here is the SSD i just installed | $69.99 (very good price for decent 120gb drive)

here is the connector to mount the SSD outside of the macbook to format it and clone your HDD to it. technically this isn't necessary, but its 8 bucks that might save you from pulling the computer apart again when you can't boot from the SSD.

-----------------------------------------------

Here's a good video that shows how straightforward replacing the HDD is in the older macbooks


Helpful video on how to clone an HDD with Carbon Copy Cloner


Great comparison on how drastically this improves your machine

Here's a few useful links:

Crucial.com | Sells RAM and SSD's, high quality and Mac compatible. Another alternative if you want to explore options


Carbon Copy Cloner download site. I used this to copy my HDD, had no issues

Samsun 840 EVO 120gb | Good price for a great SSD

OCZ Vertex 460 | Another great SSD

I'd recommend doing a RAM upgrade if you only have 1gb, that wouldn't run you much either. SSD is more bang-for-your-buck than RAM upgrade is IMO. Hope this helps! Feel free to pm me with any more questions!

Not sure what your budget is but you can run Fallout 4 on the Acer Predator Helios 300. I did a review on it a few days ago so it might be helpful to you

​

The Acer Predator Helios 300 was always known to be one of the best budget gaming laptops and now that the 2018 model has dropped in price it might be worth getting now in 2019.

Who is this laptop for?

The design is not professional by any means as it has a black metal lid (plastic body) with the predator logo in the middle and two red stripes running vertically. As for students, it is not ideal as it weighs about 6 pounds which is not ideal for bringing around and its limited battery life adds to its lack of portability. But for gamers and creators, Acer Predator Helios 300 finds its home.

Ports

• Full size Ethernet jack

• USB type-c

• Full-sized HDMI

• USB 3.0

• Full size SD card

• Two USB 2.0 ports

• Audio jack

Upgrades & Maintenance

Just like all other versions of the Helios 300 upgrading is easy. There is a slot for a 2.5 inch hard drive which and the RAM is easily accessible by taking off 2 screws if you want to get. The m.2 nvme SSD can also be upgraded but you have to do a little more work. There are a lot of screws to remove in order to get to the CPU & GPU if you want to repaste.

Battery Life

The battery is 48 watt hours which is quite small for a laptop this powerful so don't expect to get a lot of gaming out of this when it's off the charger. Even when you are just browsing or watching a few videos you will be limited to around three hours of use so if you are gaming it is best you to keep it plugged in the entire time.

Display

The display in this model has an 98% srgb rating which is ideal for people who want to edit photos and are videos. With over 300 nits of brightness this laptop is able to game outdoors reasonably well. The 144 Hz screen will give a nice and smooth gameplay but unfortunately, it doesn't have G sync.

Others

· The 720p webcam is placed at the top of the device and it is not of the best quality, it is grainy and not ideal for conference calls.

· The speakers are placed at the bottom and they are bang average. Nothing special but not terrible either

· The keyboard has a nice rubber feel which makes it nice to game and type on

Performance

This version of the Helios comes with Intel's 8th gen coffee-like processor, which has six cores that means you can game comfortably at 1080p with settings at high and stream at the same time without any bottlenecking its GPU. This laptop will comfortably run new titles or any modern titles and will be able to do so with its settings set to high.

Gaming performance is only bottlenecked by thermal throttling. The Helios falls short in the heating department. The keyboard reaches around 53 degrees Celsius, which is a few degrees higher than what is acceptable. Additionally, after extended gaming periods there is noticeable thermal throttling. The CPU temperatures start spiking and there are frame drops while you are playing.

There are methods that will help with the throttling if you don't want any frames to drop and you want a good experience.

Firstly, don't let the system determine the fan rotations, set it to max and leave it on max all the time with cool boost enabled. This will keep the CPU temps around 80 degrees. If you want to get the laptop even cooler you can undervolt the CPU and GPU and also repaste

Conclusion:

The Acer Predator Helios 300 still offers a lot of value for the money especially that is on sale. The display is great for gaming and most importantly it is color accurate for creators who want a gaming laptop

Most gaming laptops do not have a good battery life so that’s no big deal. The only real downside of this laptop is its heat management but that can be handled with a few tweaks.

As a rule of thumb, you should dump your money into the end points of the audio chain - in other words, have quality speakers and quality source material. The stuff in the middle of the chain - amplifier, CD player, cables, etc. - doesn't have as much of an effect on the audio quality, but you certainly don't want to cheap out.

Source material isn't as much of a concern as it was in years past, since so much of our music is delivered digitally - provided you stay away from low-bitrate MP3s and such. We don't have to deal with scratched records and worn-out cassette tapes anymore. I kind of feel like people sometimes mis-apply this guideline and sink crazy money into DACs, when they would of been better served with a speaker upgrade. You speakers, provided you're starting with high-fidelity music to begin with, have the most profound effect on audio quality.

I'd recommend a set of Pioneer BSR-22s for speakers and a decent Sony receiver.

I have the Pioneer speakers and love them. I bought them as a temporary solution while I was renting for a while, but enjoyed them so much that I never replaced them. They're wonderful, accurate yet kind of warm-sounding speakers. If you have the opportunity, listen to a variety of speaker and choose the ones that sound best to you. Sadly, this can be a bit of a chore since online shopping has shut down many hi fi shops. People really like those Micca and Dayton speakers, too, but I only have experience with these Pioneers.

I have the 7.1 version of that Sony in my home theater. Personally, I prefer Yamaha receivers that have a Burr-Brown DAC in them, but I needed a 4K switching receiver on a budget and ended up with the Sony. The one I linked to is a 5.1 receiver, so if you ever wanted to upgrade to surround sound, the possibility is there. Also it will do 4K video switching. A good stereo setup is fine for movies, however. If you know that stereo is all you'll ever need, you could find a good stereo receiver for a few bucks less.

Grab whatever budget Blu-ray player that suits your aesthetic.

Most importantly, have fun and don't stress out about your choices. Part of the fun of this hobby is enjoying the music while knob-dicking around with the equipment. You'll enjoy whatever you end up with.

In my opinion, the best option is to buy a regular pair of great headphones, then buy a mic to go with them. No gaming headset will sound as good as a pair of headphones for the same price. Get a pair of headphones in your price range, then a mic and the audio splitter will be an extra $18.
I currently use a pair of Audio Technica M50x's, which I bought to listen to music with and wound up using them for gaming. They are very comfortable and sound fantastic, although I personally wish they had a bit more bass, for gaming. For a microphone, I prefer the Pyle-Pro PMEM1 Headworn Mic, because it sounds far better than any other microphone I’ve used. Some people like the Zalman Clip mic, but in my experience it didn’t capture my voice clearly and picked up a ton of ambient noise. I just wear the mic underneath the headphones, which is perfectly comfortable. MAKE SURE YOU BUY A SPLITTER! The mic won’t work on the PS4 without one. I use this one. Overall, it’s ~$180 for a great gaming setup, and you get an amazing pair of headphones that you can listen to music with and wear out of the house.
If you want to look into a different pair of headphones, The Wirecutter has some phenomenal advice on headphones. They also have a list for gaming headsets, and I would take their advice on those if you have your heart set on a headset.

Consider getting a cheaper pair of headphones The Wirecutter recommends if you won’t use the M50x’s for anything else other than gaming, but they are among the best headphones for listening to music, and work great for gaming.

Headphones:
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PMEM1-Headworn-Omni-Directional-Microphone/dp/B003D2S7HA/ref=pd_ybh_a_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8HYQKPP2BHCSX3M8WW8N

Mic:
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PMEM1-Headworn-Omni-Directional-Microphone/dp/B003D2S7HA/ref=pd_ybh_a_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8HYQKPP2BHCSX3M8WW8N

Splitter:
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-headsets-separate-headphone-microphone/dp/B004SP0WAQ/ref=pd_ybh_a_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=05264WVDYHC2FG0SSX1W

Other Headphones:
http://thewirecutter.com/leaderboard/headphones/

That is a pretty solid build, congrats. These are my feedbacks:

The only thing that stands out negatively is the USB WiFi adapter. There's no need for a USB card when you can have a PCI-E card. I suggest this one:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007GMPZ0A

You may not need the dual band but trust me, it's handy and the difference in price makes it worthy, since with that card you'll be future proof even if you get Google Fiber.

I'd personally get a better case. The 200R is a good case, don't get me wrong, but with a budget like that I'd get something better: the Cooler Master 690 III for example, which is pretty much the best mid tower case available on the market:

http://pcpartpicker.com/mr/ncixus/cooler-master-case-cms693kkn1

I also have no experience with EVGA PSUs. However I know that the best PSU manufacter on the market is SeaSonic. Some PSU manufacters buy SeaSonic parts and use them for their PSUs. I don't know if EVGA does it, but XFX is one of them, and I'd get this PSU:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I5HF0KU/?tag=pcpapi-20

650W, Fully Modular, Gold Certified, same price as yours.

This depends on your habit but you could save on the Optical Drive (who uses DVDs anymore?), and if you don't want to you could get a OD from an old build/an old PC since as long as it's a SATA drive it'll be fine.

I'd also recommend Windows 8 instead of Windows 7 since it's SSD optimized and it boots a lot faster. You don't have to use the Start Menu if you don't want to, or you can use it to store your desktop applications like I do.

The rest of the build is fine to me, congrats on your rig man.

So the good news is that WoW is not very demanding when it comes to computer specs, but I assume you want to get use out of this laptop in the future as well, so let's look at the recommended specs because those are usually at least still better than the minimum for the next expansion or two. Basically we just want to go down this list and match them to the specs on a laptop, and usually a higher number on something like a CPU, GPU, or RAM is better.

The Recommended Specs
> OS: Windows 10 64-bit with latest service pack

> CPU: Intel Core i5-3330, AMD FX-6300, or better

> GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti or AMD Radeon R7 260X or better

> RAM: 4 GB

OK- Good news is that most every laptop you can get now runs windows 10 64-bit, so that's a really hard one to miss.

As for CPU, how fast your PC can process the information, we're looking at an i5-3330, it isn't super important that you know what that means, just that you want an i5-xxxx where that number is at least 3330 with intel or you'll have to look a bit more for comparisons with ADM just because of how they name their parts.

GPU is easy again, you generally just want something with a 750 Ti (note that this is slightly more powerful than a 750, but anything above 750 should still be fine) or higher with Nvidia, or 260X or higher with AMD.

Then RAM is easy again, just 4GB or more.

I don't know what your price range is, but here are some laptops that fit this build:

MSI GL62M - $800

Acer Aspire E15 - $580

Dell Inspiration 5000 Gaming - $639

Asus P-Series - $499


All of these should do fine, but if you don't need a laptop I would suggest building a desktop. It is much easier to upgrade over time and lets you adapt to what you need it to do instead of having to upgrade the entire laptop.

Here's a link to a build that you could use It's from PC part picker so all of the items here are compatible and will fit together, you can mix and match things to fit what you want. It pulls the lowest prices and shows you where to get parts from with links - $826

Video on building your own PC Part 1

Part 2

I used these videos to build my PC with no prior experience. You can also try r/buildapc

Hopefully this is helpful.

As a lot of people have mentioned, you don't need a lot of fancy gear. I would suggest a small midi keyboard and a decent pair of headphones. Those two things are the only thing I use every day. Once you get familiar with production and decide it's something to really invest your time/money in, then you can branch out with more gear.

After you decide to get more gear, I would suggest the Komplete 9 Bundle which will have pretty much everything you'll ever need forever.

Aside from the Syntorial you mentioned on learning sound design, I would look into doing Hooktheory's daily challenge for ear training. I highly suggest doing this every day until you can 100% the beginner one and do pretty good on intermediate. Learning how chords and intervals sound in relation to a melody is absolutely invaluable when composing quickly.

Additional learning can be found on Coursera for free. I highly recommend you take these courses when they are available.

Introduction to Music Production - Discusses the signal chain, how to work in a DAW, and the basics of synths and effects.

Developing your Musicianship - I am doing this one right now. It's basic music theory and ear training, very informative! It's super light on coursework and the videos aren't long so I recommend jumping in and catching up if you can.

Songwriting - This might not be in your wheelhouse, but it focuses on writing lyrics and creating a song holistically: making sure every part means something and reinforces the main thoughts of the song.

Fundamentals of Music Theory - I haven't taken this one yet, but it's coming up in a few weeks. I'm very excited about it.

Seriously, if you have any questions about anything I would be happy to help. I've been writing music for over 15 years now and I love teaching. Feel free to PM me with anything, whether it be related to gear, theory, composition, arrangement, finding creativity. It's always fun to help a newbie along :)

Best of luck!

I'm finally ready to take the plunge.... I am going to buying a portable DAC/Amp and new headphones.


Budget - $200 total with DAC/Amp and headphones. I will also be selling my gen 1 Dre Beats Studio's (B+ condition) in case anyone is interested.

Source - These will be daily drivers. I will be wearing them at work, plugging the DAC/Amp into my work computer, as well as on transportation to/from work using a DAC/Amp plugged into my android phone.


Requirements for Isolation - Not that necessary. I currently listen to music at work at a decent volume without issues and my walk home won't bother anyone. I don't fly or ride the bus very often, but I'm sure I may regret open headphones when I eventually do haha


Preferred Type of Headphone - Full sized. At this point, I don't care how big they are, I just want them to sound amazing. I'm not a huge fan of "on-ear" headphones, as I've had issues with long term listening because they tend to clamp on my head.


Preferred tonal balance - I love bass, don't get me wrong, but I don't listen to much Hip-hop or EDM. I would say mids but honestly, I'm not 100% sure.


Past headphones - I have only ever had Dre Beats studios (first gen), and a shitty $15 pair of Sennheisers.


Preferred Music - I like to listen to a pretty wide range of music. Anywhere from classic rock, electronic, progressive metal, world fusion, to trance.


Some of my favorite artists:

• Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer
  
• Opeth
  
• Nine Inch Nails
  
• Beats Antique
  
• Mastodon
  
• Pink Floyd
  
• Gramatik
  
  
  What would you like to improve on from your set-up - For years now, I've just been rocking my Dre Beats studio's and they've served their purpose. I am now finally getting into downloading and listening to higher quality audio. I want to be able to listen to these high quality songs that Trent Reznor and others put out and hear the little details that I know they spent the time on. I want to listen to Pink Floyd flac files and be blown away. I have also been doing some home recording as of late with a Presonus Audio box and various pedals. It would be an added bonus to have better headphones for that as well.
  
  CONSIDERATIONS:
  
  So far, I've been leaning towards the Fiio Q1 portale DAC/Amp and either Audio Technica ATH-M50 headphones or maybe Sennheiser HD 558's. I will also be selling my current gen 1 Dre Beats Studio headphones so if anyone wants those for a quick sale let me know before I post them on ebay then I will have more money for even BETTER headphones. Special reddit discount.
  
  EDIT - Holy crap I just found AudioTechnica's what appears to be ATHM50X's with extra interchangable ear cups on Massdrop for $124! They look like ATHM50's and the description says that it comes with three interchangable cables so wouldn't this be the ATHM50X's? If so, these are my top contender atm.

I'm in the same situation as you. My WD My Book crapped the bed. It still spins up but the computer sees no writable partitions. The I/O light doesn't even blink anymore. Just stays solid. Although, I got the cable just right once and I was able to slowly copy a few files over before the problem started repeating again. So this leads me to believe it is a port/cable issue. It was even still under warranty. But you have to ship it back to them and they ship you a NEW one. If you want your data recovered you have to send to to a third party first. WD says they destroy your data but I don't trust it.

The WD My Books are just HDDs with a shell so you should be able to swap the HD with another working WD Mybook

You can also take the case off and it has an adapter on the HDD to change it from 2.5SATA to USB 3.0 micro b that you can slide off and make it a normal HDD. So if you have an extra PC or trust yourself installing a second HDD in your current PC you could try that. I attempted this and failed. But I contributed it to trying to install a 4TB hd on an old dell with 2GHz processor and 2gbs ram. Even when I set my bios to boot to the Dells original Seagate HDD, the dell still tries to boot from the 4tb WD drive that never had an OS on it. And plugging it into an already booted computer failed too (risky move but I was desperate).

I've got three more solutions I'm gonna try. Gonna email WD an ask istead of replacing my drive if they will send me a new SATA to SS adapter and a new cable that comes with it. If not, Hopefully a USB 3.0 to 2.5 SATA cable does the trick.

And if all else fails. An HDD dock seems like my favorite and an all round better solution than external WD my books.

You shouldn't have to solder anything. But I haven't been successful at recovering the data so what do I know hahaha

Good luck.

Let me go over my picks for you.

Number 1 best value: Acer 240HY. 23.8", IPS, and almost no bezels. 60hz, so pretty great for the price, with HDMI.

Number 1 best 144hz gaming monitor: Viewsonic XG2401/2701. It has freesync, the best color of all sub $300 monitors, and can rotate into portrait mode if needed. This monitor is fantastic if you have an AMD graphics card. If you do not, however, you'll either want a G-sync monitor (Much pricier) or go for a Benq and save money, since those lack freesync (Which doesn't benefit Nvidia cards anyway) but still have fantastic ratings.

Speaking of which, this is the best 144hz monitor without Freesync or Gsync. BenQ XL2411Z

Want a fantastic cheap Freesync monitor? Look no further than any size of these Viewsonics. Viewsonic VX series. All are 60hz but overclockable to 75hz (Nice!) and they all have freesync. I'd still recommend the #1 monitor I listed first, since IPS will probably be a lot better on your eyes, but these are great alternatives if you want a cheap gaming monitor and have an AMD card.

Want 144hz gaming but you're a cheapskate? No problem. Either buy the AOC G2460PF (Freesync!) which doesn't look quite as good as the Viewsonic I mentioned second but is $60 cheaper, or go for the Atron Vision AVF24 for an alternate, highly rated but lacking Freesync monitor. You can even get them used off Amazon for $150ish too!

Personally, I think for you, the first monitor I listed is your #1 best bet, BUT you can, if you really want to pinch pennies, go for the Acer H236L 23" monitor and buy it refurbished for almost exactly $100. It's also a bezel-less monitor, looks okay, and has high ratings. Personally, based on my research though, if you're going to buy this one new, go instead for the Acer I listed at the top, since it's IPS and this one is LCD. It still seems the better deal.

Happy shopping!

Your room is really functional, and you're trading off style for function. Honestly, if you really want to make your room look nicer, take the Computer and Musical instruments out, replace the space with some seating, and a small table (maybe with a TV), leave some open space in your room.

As far as what you can do with what you have... Most students are in the same position you are, not a lot of space for our stuff and everything we have is there because it functions well. For instance, that chair that you have is an eyesore, but I'm sure it's comfy and you spend a lot of time in it (I have pretty much the same thing in my room, crappy looking chair, but I love to sit on it; in fact I actually have the same Chassis and speakers as you as well...).

Here's what you can do... Pick a Color Scheme, lose the blinds, and move your desk in front of the window if you're going to keep it. It would be best if you could kind of center it at the window, but I don't see anywhere else you can put your bed.

Your computer is the only thing which can't change color, so go with sometimes like White/Orange, stay away from dull colors and grays, take a chance, paint the walls with orange and white stripes or something(I like orange and white if you didn't notice).

Next, make sure everything is organized. Your room isn't dirty or really messy, but it's cluttered, it looks like everything was just thrown in there. Grab a couple of storage cabinets, shove them in your closet, and throw everything in there that you can bare to not have at arms reach (take some chances, you can always keep something out if you find that you need it too often). Do your best to clear up as much desk space as possible. A desk is not a storage space, it's a workspace, it looks best when it's cleared off.

Thus musical stuff will always look poorly in your room; it has too many wires. If you can find a place to put it elsewhere in the house, that would be best, otherwise, grab these and use them on every cord. Take a second to wind everything up when you're done using it and keep all of the cords out of sight when you're not using them.

Putting some stuff on your walls would be cool too, I like that everything you have up is framed. In my opinion, A few framed items or a lot of unframed items look great on a wall, but I think having a couple of loose posters looks tacky. A few more framed items would be cool (band posters/artwork/movie posters, whatever you're into).

Finally, never understood the rug on carpet thing, especially if it's just another solid color, and especially if that other solid color is black. I would ditch it, if you want a rug, get something colorful and contemporary (this is really the key word for you). The rug is an opportunity to have a centerpiece/focal point/glue that holds the room together, so keep that in mind if you go shopping for another one.

And of course, pick up the chair, clean your closet, put away your vacuum, fix your light bulbs, and pick all that shit up off the floor you lazy son of a bitch...

• Budget
  
  $100-$300 flexible
  
  
• Source
  
  3.5mm jack on a laptop
  
  
• Where you mainly will use your headphones
  
  At work and perhaps occasional flights. Office doesn't have much chatter but has very annoying drone sounds from HVAC and buzzy fluorescent lights
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation
  
  The sweet spot would block out droning sounds but not people trying to get my attention without raising their voice
  
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public?
  
  Just at work and perhaps occasional flights. It's important to me that sound doesn't leak out to others.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone
  
  I think full-sized, but on-ear may be OK too if comfortable for all-day use
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance
  
  Overall balanced
  
  
• Past headphones
  
  At home I've used in the past Sennheiser 280 pro (too busted up now and were never comfortable to wear for more than a couple hours) and currently Sennheiser HD 598SE. The latter in particular I love, very happy with the sound and they're terrifically comfortable to wear for hours on end. I'd probably just buy a second pair of these for work if I had some reason to believe they'd block/cancel the drone sounds well and they weren't open-back.
  
  
• Preferred Music
  
  Electronic, classical, jazz, talk radio
  
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up
  
  Currently I'm using cheapo in-ear buds at work and it's awful. While they're fairly comfortable for extended use, even at louder volumes they don't mask the drone sounds very well. Probably what I would value most in a set of headphones for this office would be noise-cancelling, comfortable for all-day use, and no leakage (closed-back). An attached microphone would not be a deal-breaker but doesn't matter either way.
  
  
• Things I don't know
  
  I've never owned a pair of active noise cancelling headphones. Is it a gimmick? Are they effective for something like this? Can I get a quality pair at this budget that meets my needs and has this feature? Or is it better to forget it and instead focus on something that (without too much bulk!) "muffles" well?
  
  Thank you!

Just keep in mind that the Scarlett 2i2 - while overall a great interface has no -10db pad. A -10db pad is for use when you have a really loud (hot) instrument. Typically electric guitar.

With acoustic it's not nearly as important but you are a bit pigeon holed on what you can record in the future.

The 2i4 version has a -10db pad.

> I've been considering getting a Scarlet 2i2 (she will only ever use mic and a quarter inch jack at the same time), an MXL 770, and a Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 ohm. It would all total to $350, which is what I want the budget to stick around. Are there better options for my needs?

Overall this is pretty good 'best bang for the buck' beginner gear. Just a few notes on it:

For recording guitar AND vocals at the same time you really should be using 2 mics. The MXL 770 is fine as one of them (another good option in that price range that I prefer over the 770 is the AT2020, the AT2020 handles 'overly loud' sounds better than the MXL 770).

So if she's singing and playing at the same time plan on either buying 2 mics up front or keep in the back of your mind that this needs to be your 1st upgrade.

The 2i2 has great preamps and is widely regarded in the industry. As I said earlier only the lack of -10db pad is the somewhat of a gotcha. It doesn't have legacy MIDI DIN in/out but if you don't have or plan to buy legacy MIDI gear this is no big deal.

The Beyerdynamic DT770 are great headphones but keep in mind the 250ohm version won't work on 'consumer' equipment very well. It probably won't work on an MP3 player or Smartphone. The 250ohm means it needs a high power headphone amplifier to run properly. The Scarlett 2i2 (or any professional audio interface) is fine, but the onboard soundcard may not work well with these headphones. Anything that is running off a battery (like smartphone, tablet, or MP3 player) won't work with these headphones.

Personally I think the headphones are a bit expensive and not where I'd spend my money early on. There are other 'best bang for the buck' headphones you can buy. The other two items on your list are 'best bang for the buck' but the DT770s are kind of like 'beginner premium' headphones.

I think you are better off with buying $99 Sennheiser HD280 pros or $79 Sony MDR 7506 headphones and using the extra money on buying a second mic like a $99 Shure SM58

Honestly, I wouldn't buy either of those. I don't know what your particular monetary situation is, but I made the mistake of buying a cheaper set of cans when I set out to DJ which broke in less than 5 months going to gigs once or twice a month. I then bought a pair of ATH-M50's and haven't looked back. I strongly suggest that you save up to buy a pair of these as there is a good reason that they're touted as one of the best value entry-level DJ headphones. The fact is, if you pay less, you're likely gonna end up with another pair that will break, and even if they don't break, most of the headphones in the <$60 range will not offer isolation good enough for anything but really small gigs. To be fair though, I recently played a show with my ATH-M50s where, even blasting them full volume, I had to strain to hear them over the speakers we were using. Regardless, the sound quality is impeccable for that price and they're pretty durable. That said, if you absolutely cannot put up the money for them, I can give you a few other options:

These are supposedly pretty good and only a little out of your price range. They're the better version of your MDR-v55s, and while I haven't used them myself, I've personally seen several really good DJ's use them on pretty big sound systems to great effect.

You might also try these Sennheisers which are still a little out of your range but evidently not too bad.

I definitely would not buy either the Pioneer HDJ-500 or HDJ-1000 which are both notorious for breaking.

Ultimately, you get what you pay for. If you're just a bedroom DJ, you can probably get away with either of the choices you've listed, but if you plan on ever doing anything outside of your bedroom, you're going to eventually NEED a better set of headphones. If I could go back in time with the knowledge that I have now, I would definitely pony up the extra cash for the ATH-M50's (you might even look into getting a used pair if you have to) as they really do sound leagues better than the $100 headphones I had before them and are far more comfortable and durable.

For gaming at this price range I would advise you to check one of those laptops

laptop name | OMEN X HP 17 | PROSTAR Clevo P955ER | Acer Predator Helios 300 2018
--- |---- |---- |----
CPU | Quad core 7th Gen I7-7850HK | Hexa core 8th Gen I7-8750h | Hexa core 8th Gen I7-8750H
GPU | GTX 1080 | GTX 1070 Max Q | GTX 1060
Screen "| 120Hz 17.3"" FHD IPS" "| 15.6"" FHD 120Hz 3ms" "| 144Hz 15.6"" FHD IPS"
Ram | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB
SSD | 256 GB | 250 GB | 256 GB
HDD | 1 TB | 1 TB | 0
Weight | 10.7 Lbs. | 4.73 Lbs. | 5.5 Lbs.
Battery life | 3 Hrs. | 3 Hrs. | 3.5 Hrs.
Price | 1950~2150$ | 1550~1650$ | 1150~1250$
Pros | One of the best bang for the money in the market. | A great screen with 120hz perfect for photo and video editing and a nice game play . | One of the best bang for the money in the market.
Pros | A full GTX 1080 for a great gaming exprince | The GTX 1070 Max Q should be enough for CAD work and a great gaming exprince . | A great screen with 144hz perfect for photo and video editing and a nice game play .
Pros "| A great 17.3"" screen with 120hz perfect for photo and video editing and a nice game play ." | Very light . | The GTX 1060 should be enough for CAD work and good gaming exprince .

You could check my post about Each GPU performance to help you decide what to go for .

My main headphones recently stopped working properly so I'm looking for a replacement. I would use them for gaming with a priority on immersion, and as I already have a modmic I don't need a headset. I do watch a lot of videos and sometimes films, so them being good for that would be nice as well, but it isn't strictly the priority.

Budget - I'd like to spend no more than £100 but if necessary I'm willing to go a little over.

Source - My computer, a DAC/AMP would be nice but that would likely be outside of my budget.

Requirements for Isolation - Only going to be used at home, I can use some other headphones when quietness is needed.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Full-sized

Preferred tonal balance - I think I'd want balanced?

Past headphones - Well my headphones that just broke were the Creative Aurvana Live! and I'm currently using Koss Porta Pros until I get a replacement. I can't really say what I like about them.

Preferred Music - Lately I've been listening to classical, and I would say it's my favourite, but I do also listen to Rock and occasionally Electronic.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - Can't honestly say I know, I felt like something was lacking with my old headphones but I don't have the technical knowledge to pinpoint it.

Location - UK, mainly use Amazon Prime for purchases but if I can get it somewhere else for cheaper then I will.

Other - So I spent a fair bit of last night researching this and the headphones that got mentioned a lot were the SHP9500, the Audio Technica AD series, HD558/598 and sometimes the DT770/990.

The annoying thing is, while the SHP9500 are fantastic value over in the US, like $50-70, they're equivalent to $155 here, at least on Amazon. Now, I could get the 990 for about the same price (£109 for 9500, £104 for DT990) but I would have to get a DAC/AMP to power them, which would put it way over my budget, and the SHP9500's have a detachable cable, which sounds fantastic right now. However, I don't want to be spending money on headphones that are worse than others I could get for the same price.

I've seen the 559's but I don't know what the difference between those and the 558's is, but if they're the same, then I could get them for £89.99 from Amazon.

I've heard mixed things about the AD series and the cheapest ones are still expensive for my budget at £119, again on Amazon.

Trying to decide between these is honestly difficult considering that most of the reviewers and resources are from the US and so they're basing the "bang-for-your-buck" value on the prices of the items over there, where they're a lot cheaper. I'm not saying I'd only pick from these, just that they're the headphones that are mentioned the most when trying to find good open-back headphones for gaming on a small budget. If any of you guys can suggest headphones that are just as good, if not better, but at a better price for my region then I'd happily consider them. Thanks.

----------------

Next up is the high quality solution - with a price point that reflects its equipment:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-4770K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $279.99 @ Microcenter
Motherboard | Asus GRYPHON Z87 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $161.99 @ SuperBiiz
Memory | Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $124.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk | $219.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Samsung 840 Pro Series 256GB 2.5" Solid State Disk | $219.99 @ Amazon
Storage | Seagate Barracuda 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $85.98 @ Outlet PC
Video Card | PowerColor Radeon HD 7970 3GB Video Card | $314.99 @ Newegg
Case | Rosewill BlackHawk ATX Mid Tower Case | $73.50 @ Amazon
Power Supply | Corsair Professional 750W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply | $89.99 @ Newegg
Optical Drive | Asus BW-12B1ST/BLK/G/AS Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer | $58.98 @ Outlet PC
Monitor | Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor | $129.99 @ NCIX US
Monitor | Asus VH238H 23.0" Monitor | $129.99 @ NCIX US
Keyboard | Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard | $64.99 @ Microcenter
Mouse | Logitech G500 Wired Laser Mouse | $44.09 @ Amazon
| | Total
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available. | $1999.45
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-08-08 21:37 EDT-0400 |

We're going with an i7. It's pretty much top of the line, as long as we're not taking into account an infinite budget. Let me put it this way - with this CPU, you're not going to need an upgrade for a long time. Once again we're going with the stock cooler, you shouldn't need to overclock it and it will increase build simplicity which is important for your first build. I also went with the improved architecture here with the new Z87 chipset.

The RAM chosen is low latency, has a low voltage requirement, and can overclock quite nicely. Overclocking may seem daunting but it won't be too difficult, especially with the high-quality motherboard we've chosen which comes with easy to manage BIOS software. Crucial is also a well-regarded company and their customer support is pretty good, so if you do get a unit that's DOA it won't be a huge problem to get it taken care of. See here for more information on overclocking memory or ask your friendly fellow BaPC-ers. Also take a look at the user feedback on Newegg for speed and timing guidelines of other users. 9-9-9-24 seems popular. Even if you don't want to overclock, at least double-check the BIOS to make sure it isn't defaulting to 1333 MHZ, which it has been reported to do, as that seemingly minor difference is going to lose you 2.1 GB/s in memory bandwidth, possibly causing bottlenecking in this otherwise beastly rig.

For storage, I've got you 2TB of backup/media storage and 2 256 GB SSDs. Some people will tell you to put the SSDs into RAID 0 and that is one solution to use, but I prefer to have one C:/ drive that holds my apps and is my boot drive and then the other drive as a game drive that holds my Steam library and other games. That way you get the performance increase of the SSD for your games but don't risk data loss because of the RAID striping. It's up to you though, is the almost negligible speed increase (noticeably-wise, not on paper; on paper it will show higher speeds) of RAID 0? If so, just mount it as a second drive and store your games on it separately. These are Samsung 840s - an extremely reliable and relatively fast SSD from a reputable company.

For graphics I've chosen an Asus 7970 - since this rig has 2 monitors the two DVI ports this card is sporting will come in handy, it also is a common model which will make buying a second to Crossfire later much easier on you.

The increased power of your components requires an increase in your PSU as well - I picked another Corsair, this one with more wattage and a Gold rating which will mean it runs more efficiently so your components are in less danger. The amperage on the +12V rail is also really high so this is a great choice for this build.

I added a Blu-Ray drive and an extra monitor for you, but kept the same peripherals as that's a more personal decision that is based on personal preference and feel.

An often overlooked peripheral device is also a nice set of headphones. I've enjoyed my set of Sony MDR-V6s for a long time, I would recommend them to anyone - regardless of music tastes. They're responsively flat, so it doesn't mud up the sound with too much bass, and accurately represents all frequencies. They're also not too expensive, a great set of entry-level cans. I bought mine at ~$60, so keep your eyes open for a sale.

• You barely list Kodi because of 3rd party pirate addons, despite it having most of of your requests for Roku already implemented. DTS-passthru, Passworded tv and addons and able to program remotes. The library is extremely robust and can handle searching your media in a bunch of different ways including by network. The Bluetooth headphones is reliant on you STB but kodi can deal with it. As a bonus with the yatse app you can cast youtube and other online services to the Kodi install as long as there is a Kodi addon for that service.
  
  
• Complaining about the Firestick you knew it was WiFi at time of purchase so you can't knock it for that. Also it sounds like you have some networking gear issues if it is truly 3ft away.
  
  
• You can build a HTPC and a few tools on the back end to get your all in one DVR box(https://tvheadend.org/).
  
  
• You can build a HTPC or buy something like the Wetek play for OTA and DVR
  
  
• Volume control is trickier but if you get a CEC enabled HTPC or Set top box you can just use your TV remote. The simpler choice would be just turn the TV all the way up and use the STB remote for volume. There are other Devices like flirc or Harmony remotes that can also solve this.
  
  
• CEC can handle turning the TV on and off. Harmony remotes can also handle this easily.
  
  
• Kodi again can solve your file type problems(http://kodi.wiki/view/Features_and_supported_formats).
  
  
• KODI, Just because 3rd parties have enabled streaming pirated content shouldn't be held against a solid Home Theater software.
  
  
• Keyboards Logitech makes the K400 usb keyboard that will work with HTPCs and some STBs. Also voice search on the Shield TV is pretty solid.
  
  
• Wifi based remotes are nice, if you like them just find a STB that supports them.
  
  In short a solidly built HTPC can fix almost all of your gripes. Also you should really look at kodi again.
  
  >Ok, so you mention my lack of paragraph and sentence structure (although I am hesitant to admit that you are very right) and also not mentioning a universal remote (which I don't want to buy [I wanna say the cheapest harmony is around 80$], rather I want a all in one solution) what are areas you find me to be confused or ill informed?
  
  There are plenty of perfectly capable remotes for much less the $80.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/LYNEC-Wireless-Keyboard-Infrared-Learning/dp/B00U78EKM4/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459302520&sr=1-3&keywords=HTPC+remote
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wireless-Keyboard-Multi-Touch-Touchpad/dp/B005DKZTMG/ref=sr_1_6?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459302520&sr=1-6&keywords=HTPC+remote
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Aerb-Wireless-Keyboard-Multifunctional-3-Gsensor/dp/B00K768DHY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1459302520&sr=1-2&keywords=HTPC+remote
  

It's not pretty lol. We tried to zip tie everything together to make it at least understandable haha

EDIT: Hijacking this post since there are a LOT of common questions. Oh and /u/smilenataliew is the wife :)

FAQ:

>How did you connect everything to the TV/What adapters did you use?

NES through Gamecube (bottom 4): We have a 4-input composite switcher (those Yellow/Red/White cables) between the N64 and Gamecube, connected to our TV's 3.5mm composite port (which looks like a headphone jack), which we convert with cables like these. We do not recommend a composite to HDMI converter, as the output (might) look garbled from older systems (it did for us).

Wii: Component cables to HDMI converter, then into a remote controlled HDMI switcher (switcher and controller can both be seen to the left of Kirby Amiibo/the Wii)

WiiU & Switch: HDMI to the same HDMI switcher

>Don't the controllers just fall out when you open the case? How are they secured?

The NES controller is resting on a WiiU controller stand, oddly enough!
The SNES controller is the most finnicky. It's slightly leaning back on its own cords, but it's hard to get it to stay put.
The N64 controller is leaned against a stack of N64 games--it's definitely the system my wife and I have the most games for already!
The Gamecube controller is leaning against two other stacked gamecube controllers.
The Wii controller is just just leaning up against a thick piece of cardboard (more cardboard is also holding up the NES and SNES systems since the bottom of their doors would block view of the systems otherwise. My wife intends to wrap all cardboard with contact paper to make it all more decorative, she's very crafty!)
The WiiU has the same controllers as the Wii, except for the screen one, which is on a stand that actually charges the unit while it sits on top of the WiiU system!
The Switch controller actually stands on its own with the joy cons connected to them, but I've decided to actually show the charging station we bought with the joy cons connected to it so that they'll always be charged and ready to go!

>Where are the games?

Behind the controllers! In fact the N64 controller is leaning on a stack of them.

>Cable management? Do you have controller extenders?

Lots of zip ties in the back, and as for controller cables, we bought ~100 of those velcro straps for cords so we can wrap them up for neat display storage without wrapping the cords around the controllers. We also have extension cords for all corded controllers since the consoles don't exactly come out of the unit!

>Where can I get the display case?

It's a piece of furniture so it's a bit expensive, but it's definitely what we wanted after searching for a couple weeks! It's on Amazon

>You could have just emulated it all!

I love having and playing on the original consoles, but emulation is also awesome!

>Where's the Virtual Boy?

It doesn't connect to the TV so I didn't feel the need to get it for this project, but I DO want it for my collection! (Also kids should wait a bit before they play with a 3D device, even the 3DS)

>Where's Nintendo's even older console, the Color TV-Game?/Where's the 64DD?

Those were released Japan only, but I might still want to get them! I believe the controller and the console for Color TV-Game are both one unit, and space is limited, so it might be tough to integrate it if I want to get it!

>Where's the TV? CRT??

Mounted on the wall above the mantle. Sorry, no CRT...yet.

>PHOTOSHOPPED!/I swear I saw this before!

lol why would anyone photoshop this? Definitely real. I'll provide a few more images if I can. And definitely my setup! Though I'm sure I'm not the first to do something similar.

>lol fake niece

The niece and story are real, but if I'm being perfectly honest this is more for me than her haha

Hi /u/codyhart - I am a GH4 shooter. It is a great camera, but with a $3000 camera budget, I would buy a camcorder.

As you say, by the time you buy ND filters, a Speedbooster to compensate for the GH4's sensor size, an XLR audio solution with decent preamps and rigging (e.g., a top handle) to compensate for its ergonomics - you might as well buy a real video camera.

In your price range, I recommend a [$2499 like new Super 35 4K JVC LS300 from a JVC authorized dealer] (https://www.amazon.com/JVC-GY-LS300CHU-Ultra-Camcorder-Handle/dp/B00USBVISE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A2G9URD6L8MGV6&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1487606994&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [$238 Canon to micro 4/3 autofocusing adapter] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=351515840152&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) and something like a [used $264.93 Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 lens with a 30 day warranty from Cellular Stream via Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Sigma-17-50mm-Aperture-Standard-Digital/dp/B003A6H27K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?m=A3GMNP3CXMIPDP&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1487606647&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20).

The LS300 has these features the GH4 lacks:

• 1080/120p slow motion (the GH4 is limited to 1080/96p)
  
• built-in ND filters
  
• built-in pro XLR inputs with phantom
  
• dual card slots (the GH4 has one)
  
• top handle
  
• LOG profile (the GH4's LOG profile costs $100 extra)
  
• built-in IP encoder for [live streaming] (https://youtu.be/Y3oYNy47yYo) with a [$9 wi-fi dongle] (https://www.amazon.com/Edimax-EW-7811Un-150Mbps-Raspberry-Supports/dp/B003MTTJOY//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
• SDI out
  
• full size HDMI out
  
• power zoom rocker with [prime zoom] (https://youtu.be/0Eq4_hPzQPc), which gives you a 2.5x lossless zoom with prime lenses
  
  I have shot with this camera, it is a solid pro camcorder with the ability to produce high quality 4K video at a reasonable price.
  
  Here are a few examples of the image quality this camera can produce:
  
  Narrative
  
  
• [UrbEx by Filippo Chiesa] (https://vimeo.com/200431612) (4K)
  
  
• [Даниил Хармс стихотворение Страх |Тест камеры JVC GY-LS300 by Александр Носовский] (https://youtu.be/xyO_-T7BhdM) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Test Footage by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/qQoDt62DNak) (1080p)
  
  Music Video
  
  
• [JVC GY-Ls300 Test 001 by Dario Viola] (https://youtu.be/LRWuOhLSAi8) (1080p)
  
  Corporate/Commercial/Interview
  
  
• [Halloween AM Skit by Robert Grant] (https://youtu.be/knzu5ZLgYMc) (1080p - Local TV promo - LS300 used on some shots)
  
  
• [KW Realty Group Experience, Anniston, Alabama by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/5fSgXSCEg9M) (1080p - [Azden SGM250 pro XLR microphone] (https://www.amazon.com/Azden-SGM-250-Professional-Powered-Microphone/dp/B00XWG2YBW//ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) plugged directly into the camcorder)
  
  
• [Indian Oaks Event Center Community Golf Course by Barrett House Productions] (https://youtu.be/CLBbyXualSs) (1080p)
  
  Live Event
  
  
• [Supersonic Lips - House of Blues - Mas Musica Festival by Juan Flores] (https://vimeo.com/185562492) (1080p)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Sample low light Footage (The Pocket Band) by Lonzos Studios] (https://youtu.be/VXEWARTJhv8) (2160p)
  
  Wedding
  
  
• [4K Ultra HD Wedding Film - Kassandra & Ralph's Photo Shoot by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/d4pILlMyFEM) (2160p - shot with manual Rokinon cine lenses)
  
  
• [Kristin & Doug's Wedding at Glen Magna Farms 4K Ultra-HD Wedding by Jim Merchant] (https://youtu.be/GdKBKd5_e2Q) (2160p - shot with the LS300 and a Sony AX100 consumer camcorder)
  
  
• [Wedding with a jvc gy-ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/154440004) (1080p - shot with the LS300 and Panasonic auto lenses)
  
  J-LOG on Vimeo (please watch at 4K and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [Japanese garden with the JVC gy ls300 by NOA NOA] (https://vimeo.com/162712903)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K J-Log Vision] (https://vimeo.com/138523082)
  
  
• [Palm Springs Photo Festival 2016 - JVC LS300 footage by Zachary Andrews] (https://vimeo.com/164723392) (4K J-LOG)
  
  1080p on Vimeo
  
  
• [Breathing in New Life] (http://vimeo.com/120445118)
  
  
• [“Honmonji Temple” in GY-LS300 by moribun] (https://vimeo.com/139214323) (downscaled from UHD to 1080p, downloadable if you're a Vimeo Plus or Pro member [if you're not, you can sign up [here] (http://vimeo.com/pro/new?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=prosubscribe-cj-vimeo-bizlander-300x250-20130424&utm_campaign=7696)])
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 Camera Test] (http://vimeo.com/122736335)
  
  
• [A Snowy Day in Ann Arbor, Shot with the JVC GY-LS300 by Chase Stanton] (https://vimeo.com/158042771)
  
  J-LOG on YouTube (please watch at 2160p and your monitor's highest resolution)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 4K J-Log1 "KYOTO New Year's Day" by GAIPROMOTION] (https://youtu.be/efJrfawjVw0)
  
  Non-LOG Gammas on YouTube (2160p)
  
  
• [GY-LS300 UHD 4K w/ Canon 70-200 and 85mm lenses by JVCProfessional] (https://youtu.be/QYCdxMrvAoA)
  
  
• [JVC LS300 Clips by Hamilton Video & Sound Limited] (https://youtu.be/OzgGwCUdZV0)
  
  
• [EVS’s test footage for the JVC GY-LS300 4K super 35 Cinema camera] (https://youtu.be/S47dceBcuJI)
  
  
• [TOKYO“I”land KOWA PROMINAR w/JVC KENWOOD GY-LS300 by Satoshi Watanabe] (https://youtu.be/WO8DW5d0isE)
  
  
• [JVC GY-LS300 4K Footage by elton chong] (https://youtu.be/0pYEFhE3xLE)
  
  This camera is not perfect. It has a tiny viewfinder and LCD, so you'll probably need to buy an EVF - and, although it has 4:2:2 chroma subsampling, it is still an 8-bit camera.
  
  But for less than $3000, it is the most flexible large sensor, interchangeable lens 4K Super 35 camcorder on the market.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with finding the right camera for your needs!

I'm looking to move up from my HD 428s.

My budget is set at about $200, but I've seen many recommendations fall well short of that.

My source will be either my S3 or iPod Touch, but the main use will come from my 2010 13" MacBook Pro.

I am looking for closed cans and I'm hoping for a reasonable amount of isolation. While most of my time spent will be at home on a desk studying, I will be venturing out to the library for hours at a time and I'd like music or audio from lecture videos to stay close to me and not interrupt others.

I would like them to be on-ear headphones, much like the 428s I'm moving up from.

My past headphones have been iPod/iPhone earbuds and now the Samsung ones with my phone. And then the HD 428s, of course.

I listen to hip hop, classic rock, and trance. Some of the hip hop I listen to is with a focus on lyrics and some hip hop I listen to is solely for the beats. I love bass, but I also prefer the bass to not be exaggerated and stay true to original. I'm not sure if that contradicts myself, but I want deep bass, but as natural as possible. I feel the same goes for my preference on trance.

As for the classic rock, I just like it loud and clear. I have no preference on bass.

I have been suggested a few pairs by friends and some reading around here.

The cult-favorite ATH-M50s. I was hoping these would drop to $100 or less after the M50x came out, but looks like balking on that MassDrop deal was a mistake. Prices are still $140-160, and I am hesitant to spend that much when many people have suggested that there cans were cheaper before they became big. I think they said anything over $100 was overpaying for them.

The other pairs I've looked at were the two Sony MDRs. The V6 came highly suggested but sites like Wirecutter suggested the 7506. The difference between these two, for me, seems to just be the price. I am not sure what rHeadphones verdict on these two is, other than both are good.

The ones that I am most enamored with are the aesthetically-pleasing AKG 550/1. I think they look fantastic but the reviews on these are also 4+*. Right at $200, it would be pushing it, but I wanted to know if the value was still there at $200. MSRP seems to be $320+ elsewhere, other than Amazon.

I've done most of my research on the above sets of headphones. I have been recommended the VModas. Both the LPs and the M-100s. I have no aversion to them, but I just haven't done much research on them.

Which one will fit my needs the best? I should also mention that I do not wish to amp these, and I don't feel like my MacBook Pro will have trouble powering them.

I mentioned the music I listen to, but it would only be 3 hours of it, max, on a daily basis. Because of obvious reasons, movies and TV shows would be even longer. So I would like something that does well with TV/movies too.

Here's a few options. Depending on where you are in the world some might be more feasible than others. I'm talking from a UK perspective, YMMV.

• Sennheiser HD598 + Antlion ModMic. Can't speak for the quality of the modmic but I own the HD598's and adore them, they're almost unbeatable. The ModMic is essentially a headset mic with velcro pads included so that you can stick it onto pretty much any set of headphones that has space for it.
  
  
• Phillips Fidelio X2 + V-Moda Boompro mic. This is a good option because the Fidelio X2's have a standard 3.5mm port meaning you can plug any 3.5mm mic into it, including the V-Moda Boompro which is essentially a headset mic that can be unplugged (though of much better quality imo). Again, can personally attest to quality as I own both. The X2's are £130 on Amazon rn which is a goddamn goddamn steal in my opinion, but they're better for music than gaming (again, my opinion, it's slightly subjective). They'll still thrash any headset but they don't quite compare to the HD598's for competitive gaming.
  
  
• Speaking of Phillips and 3.5mm ports, a cheaper option than the X2's would be the Philips SHP9500/00. Same benefits as the X2's, but in this case they + the V-Moda Boompro will run you about as much as the X2's alone would. Can't speak for sound quality, haven't tried them, but I hear they're very good.
  
  
• Another option would be the Audio Technica AD700x; from what I have heard this is pretty much the end game for gaming cans. They're legendary, beating out the HD598's by a small margin; small enough that really it's personal preference as to whether you go for these or the Sennheisers. Both will do you proud. Again, an Antlion ModMic would be your best option here, you won't be able to fit a V-Moda Boompro as like with Sennheiser, the AD700x uses a proprietary port.
  
  
• Finally, if you got the cash, you could go for the Audio Technica ATH-ADG1X; essentially Audio Technica have cut out the need for a third party mic by adding their own; it's a headset. The downside to this is that it's expensive for what it is, and you probably leave yourself open to the kinds of issues you'd have with standard headsets (more likely to fail, harder/more expensive to fix if they do). Not really sure how much you'd have to worry about this since it's genuine quality; not the £15 of components stuffed into a £100 headset that passes for "gaming headsets" these days. TimTheTatMan uses one of these on Twitch if I'm not mistaken.
  
  So that's what I recommend. Any option you pick here will theoretically last you a great many years, if not a lifetime, and will outperform any gaming headset. This is because manufacturers of these headsets will spend a tiny amount of cash on the components and a large amount of cash on marketing them, meaning when you buy a gaming headset you're really paying for them to sell it to you. Stuff like I've listed above is all word of mouth; passes the savings onto the consumer who gets a quality product at a good price.
  They're all open backed, meaning they leak sound out and allow outside sound in; the benefit of this is that you get a wider soundstage, which in regard to gaming essentially means better 3D positioning. You can pick out things like footsteps and locate where they're coming from with a great degree of ease.
  
  HD598: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-HD-598SR-Over-Ear-Headphone-Black/dp/B06WLGRYSF/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521973971&sr=1-1&keywords=HD+598
  
  Fidelio X2: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-X2-Headphones-Over-Ear-Cushions-Black/dp/B00MRUPSHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974003&sr=8-1&keywords=Fidelio+x2
  
  Phillips SHP9500/00: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-SHP9500-00-Headphone/dp/B00ENMK1DW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974021&sr=8-1&keywords=shp9500
  
  Audio Technica AD700X: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-AD700X-backed-Hi-Fi-headphones/dp/B009S332TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1521974053&sr=8-1&keywords=ad700x
  
  Audio Technica ADG1X: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-Technica-ATH-ADG1X-High-Fidelity-Open-Air-Headset/dp/B01AYZZP5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521973470&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+headset
  
  V-Moda Boompro: https://www.amazon.co.uk/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974126&sr=8-1&keywords=v-moda+boompro
  
  Antlion ModMic: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone-Uni-Directional-Muteless/dp/B00R98O6R4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521974091&sr=8-2&keywords=antlion+modmic

250?! Okay then, this will be fun :)

Just remember though, that higher number in headphones series does not always mean better. eg DT880 > DT770 is not always true. Yours focus more on bass and treble, while the middle ground is left out, Also called V shaped headphone. While the 880's are neutral on most areas, while emphasizing mostly on the treble. Two completely different things, all comes down to taste :)


*****

• Audio Technica ATH-AD500X Open Back [$79.95] Permanent cable.
  
  *****
  
  
• Audio Technica ATH-AD700X Open-Back [$94 on sale.] Permanent cable.
  
  *****
  
  
• Audio Technica ATH-AD900X Open-Back [$138.94] Permanent cable.
  
  *****
  
  
• Audio Technica ATH-AD1000X Open-Back [$293.99] Permanent cable.
  Over budget I know, but this is also where we reach a new level. You can look at the Z-Reviews of the AD series headphones. He's missing the 700x's, but has most others :)
  
  
  All AD headphones are fantastic, they do get increasingly better up untill 900x. Where the 2000x, 1000x and 900x can come down to taste. I prefer the 1000's over the rest as they contain a bit of midbass, while the 2000's are super clear and analytical, where those who listen to classical music will absolutely orgasm over them.
  I've specifically bought AD velour earpads over the standard leather pads on my own headphones, because of the amazing comfort.
  
  
  
• Beydynamic DT990 Semi-Open-Back [32 Ohm] [$146.97] Permanent cable.
  
  
  *****
  
• Philips X2/27 Fidelio Premium [$254.18] Detachable cable. Replaceable earpads.
  Often compared with Sennheiser HD600 [$400]. People have complained that the sound of the X2's has been bad, but it turns out the headphones are actually exposing poorly mastered/rendered music. It also has a massive soundstage, this is a winner for games where listening matters. You can see impressions over at Head-Fi, these are people who own multiple headphones in the $1000 zone, so don't be afraid of a mediocre rating.
  30ohm, so even a phone can power them fine.
  
  *****
  
• Philips SHP9500 Open-Back [$75.95] Detachable cable.
  Said to be among the most comfortable objects one can place on the head. Also a very good soundstage, not in the X2's category, but still good.
  
  *****
  
  
• Z-Reviews: What makes Good Gaming Headphones? He also debunks surround headsets' marketing. It's not better.
  
  *****
  
  I know there is a boatload of things here to pick from, but promise me to research into these things and maybe find something else I haven't mentioned. Headphones or headsets for that matter are an investment and should last +5 years.
  
  Happy listening! :)

I'm not saying your Edifiers aren't fine, but that it's not what they were designed for so you'll need to be a bit unorthodox when adding a subwoofer. I'll give you 4 options:

1. Keep the Edifiers and pick up a Pioneer SW-8MK2. This will cost the same as the Yamaha sub you were looking at. Connect your current RCA cable to a volume knob like this one. Split your signal coming out of there with RCA to Dual RCA cables and You're good to go.
   
   
2. Spend your money on a great pair of speakers and forget a sub for now. This will offer the best sound by far and you can always add a sub down the line. Maybe you find a subwoofer for sale locally. A pair of JBL LSR305 speakers would fit the bill here. You can add a cheap mixer if you wanted more sources and convenient volume control.
   
   
3. Purchase a pair of powered speakers with a sub output like the Kanto YU4. These are super convenient since you just connect a sub through an RCA cable and you're good to go. You can still fit in a cheap sub within your budget like the cheapo monoprice or the Acoustic Audio RWSUB-10. If you wanted to spend the extra bit for the pioneer subwoofer, that's great too.
   
   
4. Purchase a passive system with a separate amplifier. Assuming you don't have infinite space on a desk or something then pick up an SMSL Q5. Pick up passive speakers like the Pioneer BS22 or Micca MB42X. Choose any of the aforementioned subs that fit in your budget. Pick up cheap speaker wire to connect your speakers to your amp, and use an RCA cable to have your amp send signal to your sub.

I recommend making sure you have several items:

• Hamper (foldable or collapsible is best for college students.)
  
• Laundry bag (Just in case you don't want to carry your hamper to your laundry facility, or your hamper isn't carry friendly.)
  
• Desk lamp (any kind should be fine, so that way if your room mate is sleeping you don't have to have the entire room lit up)
  
• Power strips (you never know when you're going to need to plug something in, and you might run out of wall plugs)
  
• Change jar (spare change is always useful especially when ordering food, so you can give exact change. Don't forget to tip! You can make one of these yourself for basically free minus the cost of a bottle)
  
• Desk organizer (To keep your class syllabi in, as well as any returned papers. It's very easy to lose all of that stuff, and you never know if you might need it again during the semester.)
  
• Flip flops/shower shoes (keep them cheap because they're only for the bathroom, chances are that bathroom will be shared by you and several others, and most likely won't be the cleanest place)
  
• Healthy (ish) snack foods (whatever foods appeal to you really, but that's a start for some ideas, trust me healthy food is good, you don't want that freshman 15 to catch up to you too quick now!)
  
• Alarm clock (or you can use your phone which is what I ended up doing last year, but make sure it doesn't die!)
  
• Headphones (so you don't annoy your roommate with your choice of tv/music/movies/etc.) Here's three more headphones for variety, all of which are great for the price range. Klipsch, Vsonic, Sony(these Sony MDR-V6 go on sale every so often, they were literally just on sale for $54 and are absolutely fantastic for the price range)
  
  That's basically everything I either wish I had brought, or found very useful. Oh yeah, don't forget your cell phone, cell phone charger, laptop/desktop and appropriate cables. Also don't forget to do your laundry somewhat regularly, and that includes your sheets!
  
  Would you like a falafel with that?

What to expect from Black Friday...

Deals on:
Motherboards
Power Supply
RAM
Storage (SSD,HDD)
Case
Monitors

Don't expect any deals on CPU or GPU beyond some free games they might include. If anything a lot of these brands will run out of stock quickly, pricing will go up, and don't jump on those products just because "limited inventory" because they'll restock in a week or two.

I just built this PC with all parts showing up by next Tuesday and It's my first build! I've been on this Laptop since 2016 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PYZ0J6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It served me well for 2 years, but does not do well with Lightroom, Photoshop and definitely not Premier or GoPro studio....

I just did my homework, lean on me for any questions you have as deals come up and I can help you navigate!

Invest in a good PowerSupply... has "850W" on it's label does not mean it's good quality... Look at redditors comments on each one you're exploring. Spend a lot of time on reddit.com/r/buildpcsales and sort by the category you're looking for.

Invest in a good Monitor... Just because it says things like HDR/1ms/155hz/1440p does not mean it's a great monitor. Perhaps it's good enough for you, but some people here have said "Had to return 'x' monitor in a week because the glare was too awful" So don't run into that.

Each category and each topic deserves your time. I think the easiest decisions I made were the AMD Ryzen 7 3700 OC+ and my GPU (although I sort of wish I went for a 2080 like you did here! Or even the 2080ti... That thing is a beast), that was easy, Motherboard a redditor found for me and I fact checked it to be a great one... Storage was easy... go for PCI SSD... can't go too too wrong... Opt for a HDD too if you do have lots of photos... Just grab a 2TB or something to put that stuff on... Don't skimp on RAM... https://pcpartpicker.com/product/QDhKHx/corsair-vengeance-rgb-pro-16gb-2-x-8gb-ddr4-3200-memory-cmw16gx4m2c3200c16 I got these and they were highly recommended... I got them for $56 though! So I had my eye on them for 3 weeks and jumped on a deal when I saw it..

If you're looking for good youtubers... Bitwitz, Jayztwocents, MY FAVORITE Monitor youtuber... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9M8-Fo7m7edE8-H7GLtz3A he's a german guy and does amazing reviews... He's good for you too because he's always looking at monitors that are G-sync capable and not Free sync... if you don't know what that is, let me know!

Let me see if I can't point you in the right direction.

1. I would get passive speakers. I'm a big fan of that route and have admitted my bias many times. I like being able to change out the speakers or use them with another system. So that's what I'll go for.
   
   
2. You want smaller speakers and that's cool but just realize the smaller the speaker the more work the sub has to do. This also make the sub more localized and putting a sub (that's worth your time/money) on a desk may not be the best idea.
   
   
3. Since space is an issue it sounds like you're going to need a mini amp. While they make some that are good I still like going for either a receiver or an AVR. That's just my preference.
   
   Here is a sample system I would consider.
   
   Amp - PICK ONE
   
   

• SMSL Q5 $140 - Remote, sub out and digital inputs.
  
  
• ORB Booster $160 - Like the above these both have digital and analog inputs so you can use them with a variety of sources and they will allow you to plug in a TV at some point if you wanted a 2.1 for a living space down the road.
  
  
• SMSL SA50 $70 - Basic analog amplifier so you won't get any digital inputs but you do get to save money.
  
  Speakers - Pick one there are a bunch you could choose I picked a few that might work.
  
  
• Cambridge Audio SX50 $140 - currently on sale. These are smaller bookshelf speakers that I would seriously consider.
  
  
• Micca MB42X $90 - The old go to cheap and small speakers. These do sound good on a desk and with sub to boost the low end you should be in good shape.
  
  
• BIC DV32 $55 - Super small two way speakers. These don't sound bad they just need a sub to take care of the low stuff. If you need small speakers these should be what you need.
  
  Sub - I'm going smaller on the sub for space reasons
  
  
• Polk PSW111 $180 - Small but high powered this guy is compact but should do nicely for a music setup.
  
  
• Pioneer SW-8Mk2 $160 - small downfiring sub that was on sale for $99 not long ago so if you can wait and watch it you could save some money.
  
  
• BIC V80 $135 - Another down firing offering that is affordable.
  
  
• Dayton Sub 800 $100 - A normal go to smaller sub it's out of stock but if you can wait this is also a very good option.
  
  Notes and thoughts
  
  
• I've given you some stuff to chew on. There are some different combinations you can do. Pick one that fits your budget and size requirements. Particularly the speaker size. If you can fit the Cambridge those would be my choice.
  
  
• To hook up the computer you'll need a simple 3.5mm to rca or 3.5mm cable depending the amp you choose. If you get the ones with digital inputs you can use an optical cable if you have that as an option on your computer.
  
  
• Most of the subs can have speaker level inputs and outputs. To hook them up simply come out of the amp into the terminals labeled input. Then run a second set of speaker wires to the speakers using the output terminal.
  
  
• If you go with the Orb or Q5 you can use the sub output on the amp to go to the sub with a sub cable. Most will be able to use a subwoofer y cable $10 but I think the BIC need just a single sub cable $10.
  

Juk Astro A50s! Juk cable mess! Juk tiny mousepad!
I am only slightly joking! How-ever I want to give a few points.

---

I had Atro A40s myself. I got them because marketing, first I saw these at MLG. After a while my favourite team EG, got sponsored by them so I got more interested and checked the pricing. I bought the A40s for $250 (mixamp with it) + shippig to the EU, wich made it about $280.

At first I tought they were pretty awesome. I have to give them credit to build quality, they dropped a good amount and they never broke! They are as well fairly comfortable. But in terms of sound quality. They are just bad. While in games they perform reasonable. But for anything else, they are not the best sounding headsets out there. I would argue that that Kingston HyperX Clouds probably perform better compared to the A40s. I can't judge the A50s. But in a review from one of my favourite reviewers/unboxers. He noticeably is not impressed by the sound either. He does state that $200 wired "audiophile" headphones will blow the door out of these. WIch I do very much believe. As I upgraded to headphones in that price range. But As I said above, you very likely don't even need to spend $100 to get the same if not better sound quality. So if you really want wireless, then fine. But if you can live with a wired headphone, don't buy wireless and don't buy "gaming" branded stuff. If you do, do some research on it. Almost all "gaming" headsets/phones are terrible.

---

Ow them wires. I am a freak when it comes to this, I don't go to crazy when a few wires are crossing, etc. But you should consider a pack of these amazing velcro strips! I personally use them a lot as I work in the HVAC section, so I deal with cables fairly often. They are awesome to get your cables clean as well and if you have to add a cable later, it's very easy as it is velcro!

---

Mousepad seems very small, meaning you likely use a relatively high mouse sensitivity. I recommend this mousepad for most builders. As it is a great size for most users and of great quality and not expensive. Here is a very short and great unboxing + smart little trick! This would mean that you likely could lower your mouse sens, meaning better accuracy / aim.

---

I will as well create a build for you, how-ever the one provided is pretty good.

Funny you mention, I have a pair.

They are very accurate and relatively flat monitoring headphones. They have a slight bump in the midrange that accentuates vocals a little harshly, which I had to get used to (great for recording, a little annoying for listening). Otherwise they are a joy to listen to.

One thing I'd recommend is a good source. These will let you discern the difference in DACs pretty easily, though the amp is less important since they're fairly easy to drive. I enjoyed mine far more after I got a USB DAC.

My verdict: they're good for the price, more emphasized toward studio listening, but if you like really accurate sound, so much that it accentuates any flaws in the music, then they're great. If you prefer a smoother sound and more enjoyable musical sound, then there are better alternatives. Simply put, they're not a $50 replacement for the ATH-M50's. The M50's are better.

If I had to buy another set over again in the same range, I'd probably get the Sony MDR-V6 instead. The sound signature on the AT's, while good, is just a little off for listening and the Sony's are better as well while still being a great value.

Anyway, here's my review on Amazon for more info.

I would strongly recommend focusing on refurbished laptops. Separately, you're either going to be looking at "gaming laptops"
or "professional mobile workstations." You want at least 4 cores (8 total threads aka virtual cores) for the CPU. Almost all current CPUs have 2xcores = threads/virtual cores, at the moment. It's nice. (Edit for clarity-- the # of cores advertised is usually recognized as 2x as many cores by the operating system and related software. This is "cores" vs "threads" in advertising and formal specs) You'll probably want Intel gen 8 or 9 or ryzen 5. If your applications are heavy on CPU, the more cores/virtual cores, the better. More cores can cut rendering time down significantly.

Regarding CPUs: there is a base clock value, and a boost clock value.

Example for Intel here

Example for AMD here

Google the specific processor. They boost automatically, on demand. They are advertised, however, with base clock (unless it specifically mentions "boost"/"turbo" next to the number). Boost is generally and reliably consistent, so it's safe to choose a CPU if the boost frequency meets the softwares' suggested/recommended CPU specs/speed. I pretty much guarantee your focus will be on core count, not speed, as the machines you're looking at have ample CPU speed across the board.

Regarding GPUs, this is what will likely break your budget. A quick search for "best laptop for Oculus Rift 2019" (strong emphasis on quick) came up with this one as the only under $1k before tax. That's a decent little machine. I'd be worried that it'd overheat, and that's something you should consider-- either cooling options (raise it off the desk/surface, fan blowing under, or similar) or getting an actual PC with better fans. Gaming laptops slow down due to heat when they're doing things [read:VR], and in my experience, their overall life/viability is reduced on the whole.

Further, re:GPUs:

You do not want "embedded" or "on board" graphics. You need a dedicated GPU (with the physical connections needed for the VR headset).

depending on what you're rendering, the GB value on the GPU itself matters. If your virtualized and/or rendered scene has high detail textures (think about an actual 4k image repeated 16x to cover a large wall in your VR scene), those 4/6/8GB of memory on the GPU itself will be needed to store that texture data. Higher the GB value on the dedicated card, the more texture detail your VR space will be able to handle.

If you have questions about certain CPUs or GPUs as you're looking at these things, just go to youtube and check for that component and how they work with VR. Shoot-- check for reviews for that specific component for any ofd the specific applications you're using. There's tons of reviews/content on that sort of things across the board. Separately, newegg, frys, microcenter, amazon-- focusing on refurbished, I believe, is your best bet. GL Last edit-- you'll be fine with 16GB RAM on any of the related machines.

Hey guys, before I start I just want to thank you for taking the time.

Budget: $200 (whatever cheaper than this for same quality does the trick

Source: Desktop, laptop, phone, ipod

Isolation: None required. Comfort is more important

Type: Anything but IEMs and buds. I have cheap ones.

Tonal Balance: I honestly don't know what I want here as I'm new to this concept. But some booms and bass without losing mid and highs would be nice

Past Experience: Skullcandy {Skullcrushers, Hesh, Lowriders, Smoking Buds, Jackets, cheap buds} Bose { 1 closed over ear active noise isolation} Steelseries {Siberia V3 and some neckband model I can't remember} and I borrowed some gaming headsets.


Music: I listen to everything but I'm going to be mostly focused on EDM, DnB, Trance, Indie/Altern, R&B, Jazz and Hip Hop. So something like the bass on this
I'm going to be listening to stuff like this:

Roosevelt

Arctic Monkeys

Cruz

Miike Snow

Diplo

Subformat

Improvements: The comfort of the Siberia V3 but hopefully with a less mediocre sound and something better than my Skullcandy experiences. Though I must say my cheap $20 dollar Skullcandy IEMs sound better than the V3.

Location: Northern Virginia, US.

I've read the guides (that are 4 month old) and I came with these options:

Sennheiser HD 558

Audio-Technica ATH-M50

Sennheiser HD 598
I'm more inclined to this because of looks

AKG Q 701

Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro Headphones (250 Ohm)

Grado Prestige Series SR225e

If anybody has any recommendations on which one I should pick out of this or even recommend something else that'd be nice, since the guides are 4 month old and lots of things come out in 4 months. I also noticed nobody mentioned Shure.
In a future I'd love to learn more about DACs and buy stuff to build my setup.

I'm going to assume you're talking about electric guitar, and you want to record on to your computer.

We'll go with the simplest/cheapest way (Note, you won't want to run an electric guitar directly into a computer, it'll generally sound like crap)

First off, you'll need a microphone. The Shure SM57 is an industry standard for recording many things, from guitar cabs to snare drums, and more. It's only $100, too! There's a knockoff of that mic, for half the price, that's supposed to be just as good (some people even prefer the sound), the GLS-57. Both of these mics are "dynamic" mics, and either of these mics will work.

You'll need to get a mic stand to place the mic in the proper position on the amp, which is a separate lesson in and of itself.

Next, you need a way to get the mic signal into your computer. The quickest, cheapest, but least featured way to do so would be something like the Blue Icicle. You would plug it into your computer, plug an XLR cable into it, and plug the mic into that cable.

For software, the most basic, and free software is Audacity. It really is pretty basic, but you can plug your stuff in, hit record, and it'll record. If you want something more powerful, check out Reaper. It's really good, and pretty cheap (and has a more or less unlimited trial period if you're that kind of person). It is somewhat complex though, and it'll take a decent amount of time to get comfortable with. If you have a Mac, Garage Band is just peachy.

inally, the last important part is hearing what you're recording. At the low-end, you're probably better off with headphones. I recommend either the Sennheiser HD280s or the less expensive Sony MDR-V6s (mostly identical to their professional MDR-7506s). If you want to get some actual monitors, check out the Behringer MS16s.

Unsurprisingly, you can spend a hell of a lot more money on any of these things. Feel free to ask any questions!

Bonus advice! If you want to record an acoustic guitar, instead of the SM57, you'd want to get a small diaphragm condenser (SDC) mic, like the MXL 603S.

As a long-time audio tinkerer who just got into video the past few years, seeing someone giving solid advice about audio makes me happy. I'd like to add two recommendations of my own:

There's no sale on it right now, but for $100, I'd personally put my money onto the Audio Technica AT2020. It has a very nice, neutral frequency response that doesn't get too extreme anywhere, and I can verify from personal experience with its big brother the AT2035(Basically the same mic, same diaphragm, same polar pattern, etc., etc., but with a few options that are useful for recording music, not as much for recording audio for video), that it's a great little mic for spoken voice. Even used it outside on a windy day with a lawnmower going in the background during an interview, and neither one gave it much trouble.

If you're willing to spend a little more money on your headphones, I can't recommend a set of Sennheiser HD280 Pros strongly enough. Very responsive and articulate for the price, very even, neutral EQ to let you figure out how to get the best sound from your audio track, great sound isolation to keep outside noise from bleeding in, comfy, breathing, don't squish your ears, durable and reliable as hell, I've used mine on professional recording sessions and mixes to great effect. They're a little more expensive than a lot of people will probably want to spend, but they're well worth a hundred bucks.

Also, please please please learn how EQs and compressors work. They can look intimidating when you're unfamiliar with them, but they're really simple tools at their core, and those two alone give you amazing control to manipulate your audio tracks, as well as clean up and save a less-than-stellar recording. If you can, also learn about how to use reverb, matching your voiceovers and audio tracks to the room they're supposed to be in can give them a really nice touch.

> isn't much more latency than what you get over a cable

If my ears can't notice a latency, its good enough right ?

> Do you answer phone calls on the toilet too?

Yeah I speak to my friend while I'm in the bathroom, I make sure to mute the mic when I flush :)

> I doubt your headset works when you're microwaving your hot pockets.

I don't eat hot pockets but just went downstairs to check, and yes pc is on the 3rd floor, and microwave is on, headphones still playing music no issues. Went down to basement and they still worked, very impressed.

> you must look very professional in your gamer headset while receiving pizza

These headphones look great, whenever anyone comes over they always ask "what are those , they look cool "

> at this point you're not gaming, you're doing something else and talking

Your right, sometimes I get a work related email and have to head downstairs to send a email reply or finish a report, it's nice that I can still talk to my party of friends while I do this .

> so realistically only inside your room

Just tested the range and was amazed, got all the way to the basement and it still worked. Went outside and it lost connection.

These headphones meet my needs and sounds great. I own a pair of Sony MDR-V6/7506 from my college days for when I want to listen to some music but use my g930 more because of the freedom.

For some of us out there we prefer wireless over wired :)

This unit scored 4.5 out of 5 on Amazon. Please note that this model is discontinued and there are many refurbished units available. This looks like a refurbished unit. I would check warranty. Pass if 180 days or less. You can get a 1 year warranty on a refurbished unit if bought from the Dell Outlet. I paid $360 new from Amazon in December right as these were being discounted/discontinued. You will also need a keyboard & a mouse ($25-50), a headset with mic ($10-100+) and possibly a monitor ($100-150).

You are not going to get an unbiased opinion on a pre-built PC in a sub-reddit called buildapc. These are a great buy at ~$360 for new(er) units. These can be use for low to middle desktop gaming but are designed as an affordable set-top PC console. For the listed games, this unit will do okay to very good (not great to mind blowing fabulous) graphics.


Things to know:

• These are made to hook up to a HDTV and only have a single HDMI port for graphics. There is no VGA port. Thus, you will need a monitor (or TV) that takes HDMI or DVI (DVI requires a HDMI to DVI cable or adapter).
  
  
• The default interface is called HiveMind and built on top of XBMC/Kodi and will launch Steam in Big Picture Mode. This computer interface is designed to be controlled with a controller. Many PC games support a controller. However, 3 of 4 games you listed are best played with a mouse and keyboard.
  
  
• For audio output, these only have HDMI and S/PDIF ports. Because your son wants to play online with friends, he will need a headset with mic. You can use a [Xbox 360 headset ] (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=xbox+360+headset&sprefix=xbox+360+headset%2Caps%2C169) that plugs into the game controller ($10-25). - OR - Get a USB audio adapter ($6) and use a standard wired headset ($10-100). I recommend the USB audio adapter if desktop gaming. My unit had a problem that when the game controller shut off the PC audio would have problems. If you hook to a TV, look into getting a wireless headset ($50-100+) or again a headset that hooks into the controller.
  
  
• The game controller for this unit is wireless and requires 2 AA batteries. I recommend getting rechargeable batteries and a charge base ($25) because the controllers eat batteries and need a place to live when not in use.
  
  
• Plan to get an extra wireless xbox 360 controller for when his friends come over or he needs a quick controller swap.
  
  
• Plan to upgrade to Windows 10.
  
  
• For this unit a SSD swap down the road is recommended and an extra 4GB of memory while you are at it.
  
  
• There are 5 USB ports. 2 in the front, 2 in the back, and 1 hidden on the bottom. I found it's actually pretty easy to run out of USB ports. My configuration: one for the wireless game controller dongle, two for the keyboard & mouse, one for the USB audio adapter.
  

Oh god, don't start shopping for a DAC. They're a waste of money for almost everyone, but /r/audiophile talks about them like they're the most important part of the system. A DAC is the device built into your smartphone or computer's sound card that converts the digital file to an analog signal for the amplifier to boost. People who have been misled by hype or have run out of things to spend money on start shopping for external DACs.

Most devices have perfectly fine DACs. You probably won't ever hear a difference between the one built into your iPhone and a $300 standalone unit.

What you want is an amplifier with a few different inputs, which is typically a receiver. There's a host of inexpensive new stereo and 5.1 home theater receivers that will do the job, but most will be the same width as your old receiver. Another issue with modern receivers is that most of them don't have a PHONO input, which means either you need an external PHONO preamp like this one or a turntable with a built-in preamp. Good news-- that Pyle I linked is dirt-cheap, and works great.

Alternatively, you could buy a little 50-watt amp like this one and pair it with a manual A/V switch like this. You'll still need the phono preamp, of course.

The cheap and simple solution is to learn to live with a full-sized receiver and go hunting for a good-quality early 90's home-theatre receiver with 80 or more watts/channel. People don't want old Dolby Surround receivers because they don't have all of the modern A/V doohickies, however they'll have at least 4 RCA inputs and a built-in PHONO input, and provide plenty of clean power. I love my Yamaha RX-V850 for this reason.

I hope this helps!

Yeah sure, the Samsung ones are really great. Price wise they go for more than a hard drive but are definitely worth it. This one here is going for around £88 new for 250GB ($130) but will be cheaper if you are buying in a already built PC.

The sales pitch is that SSDs are around 10x faster than regular hard drives. The reason this is useful is because DayZ has a lot of landscape and objects that are read directly off your drive every time they come into view. The faster the drive, the faster your game. It will also increase your FPS by a healthy amount. My game looks fantastic after upgrading and I was even able to run the game in full 1080 HD which was uncomfortable before (the FPS was too low for me to enjoy it).

Also DayZ is currently really processor heavy and doesn't necessarily rely on a graphics card as much as other games. This may change in the future however. I would suggest getting an Intel processor definitely with at least 3.0Ghz power or more if possible.

Since this is a laptop you are buying, I would suggest looking for one with an Intel processor (i5 if you can) with an SSD and a graphics card if you want. The Intel chip has an inbuilt graphics card which will run the game fine if you have an SSD but the game may rely on a graphics card more in the future so getting one could be a good idea in the long run.

This may cost slightly more but will run the game 10x better than the laptop you posted and you will be so much happier I promise. The Intel chip will also help you do everything else you need to do on the PC brilliantly and will last you a long time. Hope I've helped and see you Chernarus!

I would give it a try, just make sure you have a reasonable return option if it fails. This issue plagued us around November of 2014. (Plus or minus a month.) I would hope Vizio got their stuff in order and this was clearly a Vizio issue, not Sonos.

I just Googled the issue and found numerous references to the issue.

Oh and now that I am racking my brain about it, it only occurred when the AV source was external to the TV (via HDMI and in our case an AppleTV or Roku). If you watch Netflix or Amazon Prime via the internal app, there wasn't an issue. This made the whole thing a bit more obscure.

The issue was horribly obvious and would have affected Vizio sounds bars and any other device that connected via optical so I am sure it eventually got some attention.

If your TV is still affected you don't have many options since it will affect any sound bar / system connected via optical. My fall back was to go with a Marantz surround sound system. We were looking at the Marantz because they offered shallow system and we were bookshelf constrained. There are certainly other options out there.

And all of these will sit ahead of your TV and do the HDMI switching eliminating the audio delay. You can use the TV's HDMI ARC to supply the surround sound tuner when using internal apps on the TV.

http://www.us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=AVReceivers&ProductId=NR1403

or

http://www.us.marantz.com/us/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=AVReceivers&ProductId=NR1506

and some low-end but well reviewed Andrew Jones Pioneer speakers:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG

I would have saved over the Sonos but we already had Sonos in the house and I didn't want to deal with running speaker wires to the rear surrounds.

I figured it would have cost about $1000 to go with this (or similar) non-Sonos solution and run cabling. In the end, we returned the Vizio for a full refund of about $900 and purchased a 1080 Sony for about twice the amount. Both 65" TVs. The Sony did not exhibit any audio delays out of the optical and had a superior image but nothing wrong with the Vizio and I would have never noticed the difference (and I realize returning the TV is not an option in your case).

And if by chance you do look at a different TV, be careful as many of them won't transcribe 5.1 surround from an external HDMI to the optical out. This is an entirely different issue. There is a 2014/15 CNET article on which TVs support transcribing in this case. I know Sony and Vizio are 2 of the 3 or 4 manufacturers that do. Samsung is the major exception and if you look at their sound bars and surround sound systems, none of them support 5.1 out of the optical because their TVs don't support it or at least didn't a year ago when we were looking.

Ultimately optical audio is really a dated technology and you will find lots of criticism of Sonos for going with this but I got it to work and will continue to buy Sonos equipment. What Sonos really needs is to either support ARC or a switching box that accepts HDMI sources and then feeds their various speakers, eliminating the optical and working more like other surround sound tuners. Guessing the ARC solution is ideal but ARC is relatively new and didn't see widespread implementation until around 2013 / 2014 (my guess). As more TVs support ARC, the need to support optical will decrease. And I would think your TV supports ARC. Mine did and they seem to be of similar vintage and specs.

Good luck. Let me know how it works out.

-Andy

Great job on taking the first steps!

---

Regarding FreeNAS (my preference). There are a ton of guides out there about how to set things up and what to do. My personal setup and favorite guide is 6 raw disks in mirrored zdevs. After running raidz3 for a year, then backing up, then trying out a raidz2, then reading to NEVER do raidz1, I decided to do a final backup, and rebuild into mirrored zdevs, and I've settled in and been running it now for about 4 years with 0 issues. I cant espouse all the benefits of this setup because the article I'm linking below will do a MUCH better job than I can in this post.

Read more about mirrored vdevs and why to use them here.

TLDR: instead of raidz1, raidz2, or some other structure, use mirrored vdevs to create your storage pool.

DISK0 & DISK1 = VDEV_A
DISK2 & DISK3 = VDEV_B
DISK4 & DISK5 = VDEV_C

...

DISKn & DISKn+1 = VDEV_n


last step:
storage_pool = VDEV_A & VDEV_B & VDEV_C & VDEV_n

---

Now if you are still reading, then great! Let me share a few things about operational uses for your home server.

1. Buy and use a Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
   

• These cheap to medium expensive items are a godsend for cleaning up power from an outlet, protecting against surges, and to help aide in proper shutdown of critical (homelab) systems. These are important for the longevity of anything you plug into them.
  
• Smart UPS's have a Network Management Controller (NMC) of some sort like this one
  
• Regular UPS's don't have an NMC, but are just as capable like this one
  
• Consider a Power Distribution Unit (PDU) as well. Think of this like a large power strip.
  
• Real Life Example: Use a APC 650 UPS for your entertainment center and plugin your TV, Gaming Systems, Set-Top Cable Box, Lights, and anything else. Can hit one button, or for more advanced UPS's schedule a full power down during vacations, or time away from home, etc.
  
  

2. In regards to a Rack or Cabinet; go Square Holes!
   

• Round holes are ancient
  
• Round holes strip easily
  
• Square Holes are more "modular" / configurable
  
• Invest in cage nuts like these for the best results
  
  

3. Try to build micro or mini-atx for a FreeNAS system because of Power Savings and Quietness
   
   
4. Accessories
   

• Budget for things like VGA-to-HDMI, DVI-to-HDMI, HDMI-to-MiniDP, and a whole sort of other dongles.
  
• Budget for 12" power cord extenders to turn large power bricks into standard sized power cords to fit a power strip
  
• Speaking of power strips, budget for a nice PDU, or several high quality power strips that can be mounted with screws on wood and/or zip-ties.
  
  

5. Cable Management
   

• Cut and crimp your own Cat5/6 Cables, or buy lengths that make sense (1', 3', 6', 10')
  
• Velcro - seriously will need these
  
  
  I missed a few things I'm sure, but this is probably too large of a post to keep going. Happy building!

All shipping accounted for, and it comes out to be $981. I'd probably buy extra guitar strings with the leftover cash.


$125 Onxy Blackjack interface - Best preamps in an interface in its class. Simple coreaudio drivers.

$30 GLS ES-57 - Compares incredibly closely to the sm57, I've heard several mic shootouts online and was impressed.

$6 xlr cable

$229 Rode NT1A kit mic, filter, mount, cable - This is just a steal considering everything it comes with. I once heard a shootout between this and a u87 in a multi-million dollar studio, and I could definitely tell the difference, but I would not hesitate to buy this mic.

$38 two mic stands

$0 garageband - Incredibly powerful for what it is. Great plugins, takes au plugins, automation, limitless tracks, great instruments. I don't use it anymore, but when I knew every keyboard command and every feature, it was actually a dream to work with. Keep in mind that is it better than nearly any reording setup from 20+ years ago.

$98 sennheiser hd-280 pro - While these might not be the best to mix on, they are the best to track on no doubt. That said, I have been listening to music through these almost exclusively for years now, so I know them incredibly well.

$130 m-audio oxygen 49 - Never owned this keyboard, I have a dinosaur of a 90's yamaha workstation I got off craigslist, but those midi controls look so tempting, and I'm not that good at keyboard anyway.

$120 squier strat - I play a squier now that I got for free from a friend, and I am sure that I haven't pushed it as far as it can go. With a little setup, tlc, and eventually new electronics, they are great tools.

$200 project reflexion filter - I plan on getting the pro version which is $100 more, but in this scenario I would settle for the project version. This and using headphones to mix are my way of sidestepping acoustics and room treatment. Not ideal, but pretty effective.

$5 Guitar cable

The positive I see here is that there are many awesome integrated amps, amps and pre-amps that are quite minimalistic in terms of aesthetics and are also very small and great space savers. I too am a minimalist but have created a set up that is aesthetically and mentally pleasing to me, and in my opinion, have not compromised sound.

One thing you could do to save space would be to get some good powered speakers and a good, small, minimalistic pre-amp, thus eliminating the need for a separate receiver. Some people may find passive speakers better, but in your situation, it could be a good compromise. You could also opt for no speakers and invest in a good headphone amp, which would also save space. The Orbit is already pretty minimalistic in design and is quite pleasing on the eyes.

I am not sure about selling what you have other than Craigslist.

Edit: Grammar

Not sure I would suggest the Lenovo. It's a good device but if you're planning on playing games like Witcher 3/ Dark Souls you may want a GPU that's a bit more powerful than a 1050Ti.

If you're able to get student discounts from Best Buy then the Dell G3 can be purchased for $800 after the $100 student discount. It has a pretty similar build quality but a much more powerful GPU with a GTX 1660Ti. You may want to look into upgrading the RAM and adding another 8GB stick though.

If you can't get student deals then the Helios 300 from Amazon is still a better deal (if you can get the $100 off for Amazon prime).

If you want more options to compare check out my recommendation guide. Also feel free to comment if you have any questions, best of luck!

Seeing your comment about keeping things under $1,000 I believe I can recommend some decent options.

First and foremost: do most of your shopping pre-owned if you roll that way. You can nab some really good prices for things if you look in the right places. eBay, local Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace is a haven for full-on desktops but sometimes have laptops too. LetGo sometimes has them. Basically, make sure you're thorough.

Second: For a under $1k price range, Sager/Clevo seems a good option. Good specs at lower costs. Just make sure to also invest in a heating pad, as it's not uncommon for gaming laptops to get a little spicy under duress. You can actually custom build a Sager on their official website (through presets they provide, but it still allows for customization) if you're curious about tooling the specs.

Third: Consider the brands you select. Do research on the best brands and be open-minded to your options. I myself have used HP Omen laptops and have found them suitable and a pleasant experience, but I know some people would avoid them like the plague.

899$ option packs a 1050 3GB. Not fantastic, but you should be able to run most things on low-medium or maybe high depending on what you play.

This Predator Helios 300 sports 144hz refresh rate and a full-size 1060, which should handle things pretty well at 1080p (I had a 1060 in a desktop and it kicked ass.)

Finally, this one sports a 1650 4GB with a Ryzen 7 CPU.


My recommendation is to search Amazon for the graphics card you want in a laptop as that will usually determine pricing.
Another recommendation is to search the graphics card you want and find benchmarks for various games (I prefer Technical.City benchmarks as they do LOTS of games and provide a visual to show it's performance compared to minimum and recommended specs.)

Good hunting friend!

One hell of a response!!

Your setup sounds scrappy but awesome! Reaper is super cool. You should check out Splice for a great database of cheap/free/indie/not-Waves plugins. Rough Rider has become one of my favorites. If you ever want a second perspective on mixing I'd love to try my hand on some of your tracks.

Also, if you find yourself in the market for new headphones, these were recommended to me by a producer/mixer that I've always looked up to. I couldn't believe it, because they've never been part of the recording conversations I've had/read online, but they're inexpensive and work amazingly well (provided you don't need the over-ear bit).

Anyways, great job on the album. I'm excited to dig back into it again tomorrow.

First step: have you read noaudiophile's reviews? He does very thorough reviews on a lot of budget speakers, and has corrections for many of the popular options. His corrections for the Infinity P163s that I'm currently using made them sound like completely different speakers.

First let's start with powered options:

The Micca PB42X would be a good option. They are basically a powered version of the MB42X so you don't need to purchase a separate amp. Also in the similar realm that get recommended here a lot would be the Swans D1010 and the Edifier R1280T.

Personally I'm a bigger fan of passive speakers, as you get a lot more options to expand your system.

Pioneer BS22 bookshelf speakers are great and have gone on sale quite a bit lately for $70-80/pair.

Dayton B652 I am currently using as my surround speakers, but people rave about them as a budget desktop option

Micca MB42X also get great reviews.

You could also go used for your speakers, but sometimes it can be hard to parse through all the junk out there if you don't know what you're looking for.

Take any of those passive options and pair them up with an inexpensive amp like this SMSL or Lepai for a good budget setup.

I would also recommend checking your local Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for a used receiver, you could pick up a very decent one for just a few bucks and have a great starting setup. This will give you a lot more powerful amp, and the ability later to easily add a subwoofer or expand to surround sound. Personally I'm using an older Sony home theater receiver at my desk, it's old enough that it doesn't have HDMI or optical inputs, someone was just giving it away so I snagged it.

Currently running ICS on my A500, really loving it. It'd be nice if there were a keyboard dock like the W500. The dock connector is a complete and utter waste without something like that. No idea what Acer was thinking. I got a case which can stand up the tablet and a wireless keyboard/touchpad, and it works, but it doesn't even come close to the convenience of a Transformer-like dock/charger.

Other than that, I'm enjoying my Iconia. I got it from a Woot sale at the end of January (IIRC) for $300. I do wish I had just waited and gotten a premium tablet, but you get what you pay for, and I'm very satisfied with what I've got, especially considering how little I paid.

I came from an iPad 2 to an A500. I love having an easily accessible dev community, and I love being able to actually do stuff with my tablet. Even jailbroken, the iPad was unbearably locked down. I couldn't stand it. The main downside would be the loss of the App Store's abundance of tablet apps, but that's a problem all Android tablets have and I'm sure a problem which will be remedied as tablets and Android tablets in particular become more popular.

The OS itself is just gorgeous. iOS looks fine on phones, but it just doesn't fit on a tablet... you're missing out on so much functionality without widgets and the like. Even Honeycomb looks a ton better than iOS, and ICS simply blows it out of the water. Here's my desktop right now. Everything's so smooth and well designed, as it should be. iOS, on the other hand... it feels "chunky" or childish on a tablet. It doesn't work well in my opinion.

So that's my whole opinion. The tablet itself is great for the price. There aren't any glaring flaws (well, the GPS thing can be problematic, but that's patchable.) Android itself is a great OS, albeit one with a lacking selection of tablet apps. That selection is growing, though. I love my Iconia and, right now, there's really no reason to upgrade to anything different.

Turntable:

U-turn Orbit is $40 more for the cue lever and lacks adjustable anti-skate. Less importantly, it lacks a removable head shell and the counter weight is slide with set screw instead of a dial.

Fluance RT85 is a much better value than the RT84 for only $50 more for a $100 better cartridge. However both are out of stock. The RT82 $299 is available in black and has the same optical sensor speed controlled motor with auto stop as the RT85 for lower wow and flutter and speed variation specs than the Orbit and many other new turntables under $500. The RT83 is not worth $50 more for the same quality level but newer cartridge. Fluance plans to sell the acrylic platter as an upgrade for around $99 when they can make enough to keep the RT85 in stock.

Phono stage:

Schiit Mani sounds great with my RT82.

Some Phono preamps also have a built in headphone amp. Bellari VP130 $275. Cambridge Duo $299.

Receiver/Amp:

Make room for the Onkyo AVR-3803 with class A/B amplification if you can for whole room listening. You already have it, costs nothing, and it is better than the SMSL AD18 class T digital amp. If it already has a phono input, you can upgrade to the Schiit Mani later. For wireless streaming audio add a Dayton Audio WBA31 Wireless Wi-Fi, Airplay and Bluetooth Receiver for $35 for better streaming over WiFi or optionally Bluetooth. Or an Alexa Echo Dot or Input for streaming music via voice control as well as Bluetooth. If also using the Onkyo with a TV you can add a center speaker for better movie and TV dialog and side speaker for movie and TV surround sound.

If you want something slimmer, Stereo PIONEER SX-S30 Elite $499.99 $329.99 or Cambridge Audio Topaz SR10 $299 or AV MARANTZ NR1509 Slim 5.2 $549.99 $299.00.

For something more compact, Emotiva A-100 $249 and it does have good headphone output so you may not need a separate headphone amp for around $100. Add an A/B switch if adding a second input such as a wireless audio receiver.

Or for a similar price of the AD18, the Dayton Audio APA150 150W Power Amplifier $135. It is a clone of the discontinued Emotiva BPA-1 that the A-100 replaced. Add a headphone amp. Add an A/B switch if adding a second input such as a wireless audio receiver.

AD18 does not have TRS inputs. It has RCA, USB and 3.5mm inputs.

If you have to go with a digital mini amp, Topping MX3 is a bit better, however the headphone output on it and the AD18 are only basic and not that great.

Speakers:

C-Notes are much better than the Edifiers.

The Mirage Omnisats 1PB-1 may be ok to start with. They seem to be small satellite surround speakers. Or add a subwoofer if keeping them.

Speakers on sale for under $200:

• 4" Pioneer SP-BS22 $93.
  
• 5.25" Infinity Reference 152 $139 factory refurbished $349 MSRP new.
  
• 6.5" Infinity Reference 162 $175 factory refurbished $449 MSRP new.
  
• 5.25" Wavecrest Audio HVL-1, and order on sale at Ascend $80 each + shipping, "budget/baby Ascends" from the same speaker designer. Neutral sound with a linear frequency response. To me, comparable to KEF Q100s. Great mids which many speakers in the price range lack.
  
  Subwoofer on sale: 12" Infinity Reference R12 $499 $199.
  
  Speaker Wire: Pure Copper Oxygen Free 16 Gauge Speaker Wire 50 ft, with self adjusting wire strippers or 4 Ways to Strip Wire - wikiHow. Optionally add banana plugs. Sets with banana plugs, Crutchfield or custom DFWCableConnection and Blue Jeans Cable.
  
  Speaker Stands: Size to get speaker center or tweeter at ear height from your seated listening position. Affordable Dayton Audio SSMB24 or Monoprice Glass. Sturdy Monolith by Monoprice can be filled with lead shot, sand or kitty litter. Also Audio Advisor where most are also available at Amazon.

You can have a killer setup for under $500.

Mic: Audio Technica AT2005 - A great mic that a lot of let's players use (draax, zueljin, kingdaddydmac, etc.). It also accepts xlr or usb inputs (more on that at the end). I use the atr2100, which is the same mic, just different color and warranty. The at2005 is cheaper by about $25 right now, so buying today, that's the one I'd get. It's a dynamic mic, so it blocks out sound that's not in front of it. Much better for noisy environments. Condenser mics like the blue yeti will pick up a lot more background noise. Other mics I've used are the V-Moda Boompro, which works with most headphones that have detachable cables (in my case the M100s) and sounds good, but changing the cable for when I didn't want to use the mic became old pretty fast. You can leave it attached, but then the boom mic is there all the time. I've also used the antlion modmic 4.0 and can't recommend it. It has white noise unless you use a usb soundcard, the cable is stiff and it's kind of expensive compared to full fledged mics. $56

Stand: Pyle PMKSH01 Suspension Boom Scissor Microphone Stand - A decent cheap stand. Nothing special, but it comes with an integrated xlr cable. I use this one, but may upgrade to the Rode PSA1 ($100) later on. The shock mount will not fit the at2005 however. $21

Shock Mount: On-Stage MY420 - A great shock mount that fits the at2005/atr2100. Shock mounts reduce noises from bumping your desk or tapping on your keyboard; things that may reverberate to your mic. It might not even be necessary if you're not a heavy handed gamer or if your desk is made of a thick, dense material. $25

Wind Filter: On-Stage Foam Ball Windscreen - Reduces wind/breathing noises as well as minimizing plosives. Not a complete necessity, but extremely cheap and it does help, so why not? $3

Cable management: Velcro One-Wrap Cable Wraps - I use these for keeping the usb cable for the mic attached to the stand. Extremely useful and cheap. $6

Headphones: Very subjective to user preference. I prefer closed vs open for noise isolation. Here's what I've used:

Audio Technica ATH M50: Good (not great) headphones for ~$100. Considered the standard by many, but to me they're just good. $155

V-Moda M100: Excellent sound with very potent bass. They make the M50s sound muddy in comparison. HOWEVER, the M100s have a design flaw where the "wings" (the parts above where you adjust the headphones) will crack over time. It happened to two pairs of my M100s. Unacceptable for the price of these headphones, regardless of how good they sound. $222

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm: Amazing. Potent bass like the M100s, but even a bit clearer. Very wide soundstage for closed headphones. I paid $219 for mine and don't regret it a single bit. I might grab another pair at the price they're currently at. $150

All that adds up to around $261 + tax choosing the DT770s, and will be a killer setup for gaming. Far better than any "gaming" headset, and it even opens the option of streaming or let's play videos (the reason I got my setup). There is one more thing I'd add though, given the budget if you're serious about mic quality, and that's the $99 Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen. It's a usb audio interface that accepts xlr mics. It gives you a bit more control over the audio coming out of your mic and cleans up the signal so you get less "noise" from the usb interface. Quality is good without it, but with it, it's noticeably better.

Hope this helps some! I spent quite a while researching things when I put my own setup together. :)

Look for the original ATH-M50 for around $80 USD refurbished, or a new M40x. The newer models are awesome but rise above your budget by a bit, with not too huge of a performance difference. The Sennheiser HD419's are a great deal right now, and are nice, sexy, and comfy, albeit with a fragile headband. 439's and 449's are also good budget options, especially on sale like they are now. Sony's MDR-7506 is a phenomenal industry-standard pair but might be a little more clinical than she'd like, as they have a mid-range boost for monitoring pro audio. MDR-V6 is a tad warmer and more musical, but just as detailed. Also good to note that the sony's are pretty much indestructible, and fold and bend nicely while the sennheisers can't bend much at all.

Headsets almost always sound like absolute crap and you're better off just buying a good pair of stereo headphones and adding a mic to it, but, if you really want a headset the only two options you should consider as of now are:

The Hyper X Cloud I and II - These weren't made by Kingston. They are rebranded Takstar Pro 80s which are one of the best budget closed headphones you can buy. They are really good.

The Sennheiser's - They are based on non-gaming Sennheiser's and generally sound pretty decent.

All in all if you really want the best sounding experience, a good and cheap solution would be some type of open back headphones (better soundstage, makes it easier to pin point the enemy's location in game).

Superlux makes some criminally inexpensive sets of open cans, but the pads suck, so if you buy one of these make sure you buy good pads, like the Brainwavz HM5 pads from Amazon.

The one I use is the Philips SHP9500, it's a 300$ sounding headphone for 60-100$ depending on where you live.

Just wanted to give you my opinion since I happen to like headphones very much.

The LP-60 is considered the very bottom of entry-level turntables. It's not murder on vinyl like the BSR tables (though some here might disagree), but it isn't a "hi-fi" turntable by any means. But if you do decide to go that route, you will need speakers and a way for the sound to be amplified to those speakers.

There are generally two types of speakers: passive and powered. Passive speakers will need an amplifier (in the form of a receiver, integrated amplifier or separate pre-amp/amplifier) to send sound out to the speakers. Powered speakers will have their own built in amplifier.

In addition to speakers and amplifier, turntables need a specialized phono preamp. The phono preamp converts the signal from the turntable into a line-level signal that most audio equipment can handle. It also add equalization called the RIAA Curve to compensate for some of the limitations of the vinyl medium.

The LP-60 has a built-in phono preamp, so that part is taken care of. What you will need next is to decide on what type of speakers you want. There are good powered speakers, like Audio Engine, but they can be fairly spendy. Some people use powered monitors designed for mixing music, but I find that they aren't "musical" and can be fatiguing over long listens. You can also get a cheap 2.1 system, but the sound quality will be lacking.

I would recommend going the passive speaker route. If you have a local craigslist, your best bet is to find a decent '90s era receiver. Equipment from the '90s, especially older home-theater units, are the best value in audio gear right now. They aren't desired by collectors because of their plain look, but they were manufactured at a time when quality and power output standards were high.

If you get one of those receivers, I would then recommend getting a pair of these Pioneer BS-22-LR speakers:

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Speakers/Home+Theater+Speakers/SP-BS22-LR

http://www.stereophile.com/content/pioneer-sp-bs22-lr-loudspeaker

http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/a-great-bookshelf-speaker/

http://www.budgetphile.com/2013/10/budget-speaker-review-pioneer-sp-bs22-lr.html

They routinely go on sale for $99 (and sometimes $89). Keep an eye out at the big retailers and usually within a month one of them will have them on sale and the other will follow suite suit.

If you don't want to go used, then I would recommend the Sherwood RX-4105. It's inexpensive and proven:

http://www.amazon.com/RX-4105-2-Channel-Remote-Controlled-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B0002EPWC0

Both the speakers and receiver are available at most big box and online retailers (Walmart, Best Buy, New Egg, Amazon, Target, etc.).

If you thin you are fairly serious about vinyl as a hobby, I would step up the turntable to a U-Turn Orbit and get the Sherwood RX-4109 receiver (with built-in phono preamp) instead:

http://uturnaudio.com

http://www.amazon.com/Sherwood-RX-4109-Stereo-Receiver-Black/dp/B000MBUSD6/

The ones I listed are grade A.

Edit. Sennheiser may make some subjectively cheap quality shit, but it is going to be better than anything produced as a fashion piece, no debate or argument will change that.

That said, yes sound quality is subjective to the listener. Sennheiser has very many sound signatures depending on what you are looking for. Getting a pair of headphones that are designed for mastering audio will always be your best choice for the most versatile headphones for all types of audio.

How they feel when you wear them will always be the biggest issue with these types of headphones. Do you like leather, velour, leather substitutes or fabrics. Do you like a metal head band or plastic. Are the headphones secure or too tight? Those are the questions you need to go in to a store to find out.

Audio quality though.... If you are moving from a fashion brand or a regular mainstream brand like samsung, phillips, koss, or entry level "street wear" sony headphones then audio quality isn't a concern for you and anything I listed will blow the shit out of what ever it is you had been using previously. If you happen to be an audiophile then you are going to need to sit down and make sure that the sound signature is what you are expecting.

To be clear... Sony studio headphones are all fucking amazing and until the new models that recently came out, their studio headphones had remained largely untouched for something around 25 years. Those can be found on amazon for $99 Check em out if you are new to the audio community. These are honestly top notch and best in class at that price point.

Okay, you're not getting much good here. You're not going to get less bass or any kind of deficiency in sound, first of all. Good headphones don't not have bass or not have good bass, it's just different from the artificial stuff you'll hear on typical gaming headsets or beats. And the advantage with buying real, good, headphones, is that they can be used for anything. Music, movies, gaming, etc, they'll be better at all of it than anything you have right now.

You definitely want something open for fps gaming, but if it'll be a problem for sound leaking in or out, you don't necessarily need those. They'd be better, but they're not absolutely necessary.

I use HD598s. They're perfect for gaming, with a wide soundstage you won't find out of many headphones at all in this price range. Anything more expensive than this, and you're getting into diminishing returns for gaming imho.

If these are too expensive, they have a little brother called the HD 558s. These are nearly identical in sound according to most people, as they use the same drivers and thus the difference in sound is from materials, and a simple mod that removes the foam in the cups supposedly makes them nearly indistinguishable.

Now, for something closed, I would maybe suggest something along the lines of V-moda Crossfadess or the very famous ATH-M50x.

I'm not a huge fan of ATH-M50s, they're pretty overrated nowadays, but lots of people use them for gaming, and since you're starting off, they're likely better than anything you have right now.

If you need a mic, may I recommend a Modmic. They attach to your headphones, they're pretty good value. If they're too expensive along with a pair of headphones, you'd really be fine with any old cheap mic. Even a $10 one would probably be comparable to some expensive "gaming headsets", believe it or not.

Since this has already gotten really long, PM me for any IEM recs. And check out /r/headphones for much more information, probably better than anything I have here.

Good luck!

• Budget - ~$150 USD
  
  
• Source - Desktop, Laptop, Phone, MP3 Player - Also, I'll be using a V-Moda BoomPro Mic on the computers, so the headphones need to be compatible. (It seems like any 3.5mm detachable cable will do.)
  
  
• Requirements for Isolation- Open.
  
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No.
  
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone Around-Ear.
  
  
• Preferred tonal balance - Warm bass to neutral. The treble spikes on the DT 990's scared me away though I've never actually tried them out in person.
  
  
• Past headphones - V-Moda Crossfade LP (had these for 5 years; still using them to this day, but I want to get some open cans to go along with them), AKG K240 (I ordered these on a whim, and had to return them because they weren't compatible with my mic. Nice sound signature though), Turtle Beach Earforce X12 headset (These sound and feel fine. The mic works well, but the build quality was terrible. The plastic extenders snapped on both sides within a year of use).
  
  
• Preferred Music - Hip Hop, Rock, Indie, Instrumental, Classical
  
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up -
  
  

1. Open headphones (since I already own a good pair of closed)
   
   
2. Felt/velvet/velour earpads for extended use
   
   
3. Compatible with a V-Moda BoomPro Mic
   
   
4. I really liked the AKG K240's style and feel when I was wearing them. They felt very lite weight, like they were almost floating over my head. And using only one cup at a time felt very natural and secure. The individual arms felt very flexible. I liked that a lot, but this isn't a make or break requirement as I've been using Crossfade LPs for years and still love them.
   
   From my own (limited) research, I've got my eye on Sennheiser's HD 598 and HD 558, but I would have to buy an aftermarket 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter. I don't mind the price of an adapter, but I don't want it to be cumbersome. And are the HD598's better by $40? They seem to nearly be the same exact headphone.

• Budget - $100 max, but looking for great bang-for-the-buck mostly
  
• Source - Galaxy S3, desktop, laptop. Mostly 320 kbps mp3's
  
• Isolation - would prefer a pretty good amount, I'd like to use these for travel and walking about, as well as at home
  
• Preferred Type - closed
  
• Tonal Balance - balanced with a bias toward bass, especially sub-bass
  
• Past Headphones - nothing special, JVC marshmallow in-ear for music, Turtlebeach X-12 for gaming. Whatever I end up getting will be the best headphones I've owned so far
  
• Preferred Music - electronic, mostly dubstep (deep UK type, tons of consistent low frequency sub-bass, ex: Breakage - Rain) and hip-hop, some house and trance, but also metal, rock, indie, anything really
  
  The three cans I've been looking at, but I'm open to more recommendations:
  
  
• The Monoprice 8323 seem to be a great value, and I love the idea of a detachable/replaceable chord for travel, but I've heard these cans are insanely uncomfortable. I know I can replace the pads with velour pads, but I'm not looking to spend half the price of the cans or more on new pads, and I've heard you lose some bass from these when you do that.
  
  
• The ATH-M30 look like a great value, but I've heard they're a bit dull and may be lacking in bass.
  
  
• The Sony MDRV6 look like the most promising, but the massive chord length seems bad for traveling. Any home solutions to keep most of it wrapped up? Also, how is the bass on these?
  
  Basically looking for affordable, balanced but with good bass, isolated, comfortable for hour+ listening, and decent for travel.

*Please read before giving advice

I am currently trying to decide between Sennheiser PXC 250 sound-cancelling headphones, and Sennheiser 280 Pros. The both are on sale for $79.99 (250: http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-1-sennheiser-pxc-250-ii-collapsible-noise-canceling-headphones / 280: http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB) and I am curious as to whether or not the difference in $100 of standard price is considerable enough to get the 250s. I initially was looking for quality over sound-cancelling capabilities so I'm not sure if there is a sacrifice in quality between the two? Preferably I would like to get one of these two models but if you can suggest a pair of better quality for the price it would be seriously welcomed!

Budget -I am looking to spend $80

Source - Computer and Ipod

Requirements for Isolation -I will mostly be using these headphones in my dorm or in public so moderate isolation is nice

Preferred Type of Headphone - On-ear or full size preferably

Preferred tonal balance - Overall balance would be nice but a slight emphasis on bass would be welcomed (this may also be in part due to the fact that all previous headphones have been really weak with bass so any bass seems like a great amount)

Past headphones - I've used skullcandy IEMs (wires always got a short so I stopped buying them), on ears, which I am still using (sadly my best pair presently) and other cheap IEMs. I realize my past headphones have been...bad, to say the least so I'm looking to step it up a bit.

Preferred Music** - I listen to everything from groups like Disclosure (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ASUImTedo), to Cake, to Justin Timberlake, to Macklemore, to Of Monsters and Men, and the like so a balanced pair will probably be best.

Thanks in advance!

I've had a Dell XPS from Dell's Outlet site for 4 years and it's top notch. I would have bought an XPS 15 over the Razer Blade if it had a comparable GPU, because that laptop is superb, and it keeps winning the awards to back it up.

I think you get what you pay for. I wouldn't buy a cheap-o Dell, HP, Acer, etc. because they're all crap.

But if you do any sort of research on the Inspiron 7559 or the 7567 you'll see lots of favorable reviews, both personal owners and professional reviewers.

Think of it like this: Toyota makes the Yaris - a piece of crap, bottom dollar commuter car with no power amenities at all. They also make the Lexus GS series - the most popular full sized luxury sedans on the market.

Two very different vehicles from the same company. The difference is the cost, which gets put into the engineering and materials.

Similarly, there is a difference between a Dell XPS and the $200 Dell Inspiron bottom line laptop, and the whole experience is completely different. The Inspiron 7559/7567 would be like a loaded Toyota Camry in this analogy - a very reliable, very popular model with many perks and features but not as expensive as the Lexus GS/Dell XPS.

I've also personally played with the Dell 7559 and it's solid. It's got a nice soft touch coating and it feels very solid to the touch - no wobble or flex when dealing with it like you get on other laptops.

The Inspiron 7559 has a 4 star rating from nearly 1700 reviews on Amazon.

It was named "Best Budget Gaming Laptop" by The Wirecutter.

Linus from LTT gave it a very positive review.

So it has a great reputation.

The 7567 should continue that. The only issue that people have noted is that it has a TN display (common for this price range) instead of IPS, and for some people the viewing angles were not wide enough for their liking. I would say, give it a shot and if you find it works, fantastic! If not, return it without issue.

idk what your price range is but ill name a list of headsets iive know are good.ive tried a couple and i personally own the astro a40 tr https://www.amazon.com/ASTRO-Gaming-A40-TR-PC-Headset/dp/B014LH5LH4/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1468999233&sr=1-2&keywords=astro+a40+tr

Razer man o war te edition Very comfortable and has a good bass response
http://gear.blizzard.com/overwatch-razer-manowar-headset

Logitech g633 amazing sound ive tried these i absoultely loved them but i was able to buy keep these at the time i had them
https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Artemis-Spectrum-Surround-Headset/dp/B013P0K8OE/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1468999270&sr=1-1&keywords=logitech+g633

Hyper x cloud ii/revolvers basically an audiophile headset called takstar something idk remember the numbers with a mic
https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-PS4/dp/B00SAYCXWG/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1468999356&sr=1-2&keywords=hyper+x+cloud

https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Revolver-Headset-HX-HSCR-BK-NA/dp/B01CIEBU54/ref=sr_1_3?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1468999397&sr=1-3&keywords=hyper+x+cloud

If you want an audiophile grade open back headphones you can get the phillips shp9500 with a vmoda boom pro(replaces the 3.5mm cable from the phillips with a 3.5mm cable with a mic attached to it that actually works really good ive personally have used the vmoda boom pro, and these also dont have much bass since they are open back but will give you a good soundstage and a more flat overall sound which is great)
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-SHP9500-Precision-Over-ear-Headphones/dp/B00ENMK1DW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468999443&sr=8-1&keywords=phillips+shp9500

https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Gaming-Headset-Headphone/dp/B00BJ17WKK/ref=pd_bxgy_23_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RMHT9CZPCNN63DNKGWBC

Turtle beach elite pro pretty new but looks amazing
https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Beach-Tournament-ComforTec-TruSpeak-Technology/dp/B01EM9PLVC

Senheisser game one/zero one is a closed back and one is a open dont remember which one is which
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-GAME-ZERO-Gaming-Headphone/dp/B00KNPYAEY/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1468999133&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=senheisseer+game+one

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWU8FTK/ref=twister_B00OZP5HG8?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Plantronics rig 500/500hd/500e(just little variations in between still the exact same headset one is just stereo,one is surround sound, and one issurround and comes with different sets of earcups closed and open. ive also personally used these they are fantastic but i wouldnt recommend if you have big ears normal to small ears fit inside the cups well)
http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/rig-500hc

http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/rig-500hd

http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/rig-500e

If anything is out of your price range i can probably recommend some other ones but these are the ones i can think of on the top of my head feel free to ask any questions