This is a follow-up to my search for budget gaming/movie/music headphones earlier this month. I ended up buying both the Koss KSC75 and Creative Aurvana Live!, and I’ve been pretty happy with them.
The Koss KSC75 arrived first and I used them for a few days. The clip headphones aren’t easy to get on at first, but it is after you get use to its nuances. I find them a little loose, so the sound escapes a lot. I also didn’t realize that their impedance was much higher at 60 &Ohm;, so they generally are quieter until I crank the volume up.
They do sound pretty good, although I haven’t done much testing with games. For music, all the ranges sounded good to me. So, they are a good deal for $16.50.
The Creative Aurvana Live! are fun. I’ve switched back and forth between it and the Plantronic .Audio 355. I honestly can’t tell a huge difference in sound quality in gaming. I’ve enjoyed surround sound in games like Battlefield 3 where the sound positioning is spatial. Especially after configuring my Asus Xonar DG correctly.
But music feels “full” and the bass is present but not overpowering. The sound reminds me of my speakers, so the soundstage is pretty good. They are very comfortable and fun.