I'd like to hear from experts. Talking to real audiophiles (not being one myself) I heard repeatedly that "surround sound" headphones are snake oil. That is, even w/ multiple speakers inside the cans, headphones cannot deliver positional audio , they are stereo. Without the physical separation brought by speakers placed a properly measured distance from the listener, headphones do not provide real surround sound. The difference heard when listening to Zalman headphones or the like is just an artificial effect, little different than SRS or simulated surround.

Talking to real HT and audio folks they all say the same thing: buy the best stereo headphones you can afford. "Surround Headphones" is just a marketing gimmic. Still, reading reviews, FPS folks seem to report that zalman headphones or other multi-speaker headphones DO provide a measurable positioning advantage in game.

I don't have enough expertise to tell who is right, but I believe the audiophile folks, just based on their knowledge of all things sound. Like you, I'm curious what the hive mind reports. Any real benefits to surround headphones? Also, does Creative's position headphone sound they are marketing w/ the X-fi deliver? I tend to think not, but then again, I haven't bought an X-fi yet. (based on not-believing the hype and the way Microsoft seems to be killing EAX).

This article, does some explaining. Apparently games or sound cards do some headphone calculations that appear to work, multi-driver headphones don't do as good a job and tend not to sound as good. So good sound card + good cans = best way to go (well, good sound card + good cans + headphone amp = best way to go, but I can't afford that ATM)

Here is another article (from 2003) that provides more data. I have not read its entirety, but the beginning seems to support the good sound card + good stereo headphones approach.

Yea, it's so much better cranked up, but obviously not always practical!

I'm a fan of the boys over at HeadRoom. You can browse away and get some good advice as to what's worth your money.

Generally speaking, wireless are going to sound poor compared with similarly priced wired.

I've no idea what budget you have in mind, but the gaming collective on AVS seems to be a fan of the JVC 5.1 Adapter combined with a solid set of stereo headphones.

I've had a pair of Sennheiser HD600s for years and years and love em. They're paired up with a nice headphone amp and a silly expensive CD player in my office. Guitar Hero gets played on the big rig in the Dungeon though.

As a word of caution, good headphones are a gateway drug to spending ridiculous amounts of money on audio gear.

I's suggest the Steelseries Headset.

As someone who's got quite a bit of money in various pairs of headphones over the last couple years.. I'm going to go along with the 5.1 phones are an advertising gimmick group. If you ordered all of my sets from Headroom right now you'd spend well over $600, if that gives you an idea. On to the specifics.

The Zalman 5.1 set might be the worst pair of headphones I've ever owned. The sound they put out is worse than the earbuds that came with my mp3 player. You will find people who like them. Those people will argue for them. Those people have never listened to a good set of headphones.

I'm currently on a set of Beyerdynamic DT-880's for gaming and a set of Sennheiser HD595's for movies and music. I have two other sets from Sennheiser, those being the HD280 Pro's and the PX100's, both of which travel everywhere with my mp3 player and laptop. The 280's are the best set of cans I've ever listened to when it comes to blocking outside noise. I can put them on at work if I'm doing a particular job where nobody needs to contact me and they block out almost all the constant mechanical noise.

For gaming I still find the best all around set to be the Beyerdynamics. They're bassy, which is a description I was afraid of until I lost all willpower, broke down, and just bought a set. The one time I'd used someone else's set the bass was completely overbearing and I hated them. Then I talked to some people on Head-Fi (don't go there if you lack willpower.. just don't) and went on to hunt down a used set for $140. The general discovery was that the guy whose set I used had to have some crazy equalizer settings to make them sound like they did. I never thought to ask.

Browse around on headphone.com. It's where I started, and the whole headphone thing has developed into a bit of an obsession. Not nearly to the point of some of those people on Head-Fi (who are, to put it politely, f*cking crazies), but still a fairly expensive obsession.

I've got a budget headphone amp, but I'm looking into moving up to a Gilmore Lite. I've been debating it for a while, and I keep almost pulling the trigger on it, I just never quite do. One of these days.

Ahhh, and set the voice to come out of your speakers... makes sense.

Well the pair I'll recommend is wired and isn't 5.1 but they're the best headphones I've ever owned and I buy a new expensive pair every year or so. They don't do a single fancy thing, they're just really good.

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro

MikeMac is so very right. I Bought a pair of Audio FX 5.1's didn't like em too much and then bought a pair of Razer Barracuda headphones. I love the Razer's they are my headphones of choice. The AF 5.1's now sit on my desk at work for MP3's.

P.S The Barracuda have an inline amp so it sounds sweet. Keep checking www.woot.com they have em on there for like 60 bucks now and then.

P.P.S Holy crap I didn't notice that I wuz summoned. Um you can use an adapter I would assume, Logitech makes em. I'll have to try it out when I get home and post what I find.

Apparently if you're brave and handy with a soldering gun you can mod a Zalman microphone into a good set of stereo cans for XBL use. I saw reference to it over on AVS, but my Google-Fu is failing to find better info...

Good! No crying about $500 cans then, right?!

Doooo eeeeet!!! I've a Headroom Home amp sitting beside me at the moment. Nothing quite like adding a decent amp to your rig. Does using a pair of Nordost Valhalla interconnects put me in the crazy camp? Oh how I laugh at myself when I think about that. /dirty enabler.

I wouldn't say that puts you in with the crazies yet. I was thinking more of the people who have sets of Omegas sitting right next to the insane $3500 pair of audiotechnicas, whatever those are called. You know the ones. The kind of people that have Darth Beyers as their "beater" phones. Those people.

Not so much people that just maybe got into it a little too much, which is a group I already class myself in.

I enjoy using my Sennheiser PXC 150 due to the Noise cancellation. May not be the best for 3D gaming, but music is very nice in them.

I don't notice any sort of discomfort with my barracuda's at all. Souldaddy can tell ya when I start playing WoW I'm on a 6hr+ binge so they don't leave my head. I'm surprised they haven't fused to my body yet to be honest. You may want to try wearing a cap on your head to gap the distance between the band and your head and reduce the pressure on your face.

Another good set of "just headphones" is the MDR-V700DJ from sony

I used these alot when I would DJ back in Chicago. Great sound and even better at blocking out outside noise.

Well, after a couple hours of research, and your fine recommendations, I am leaning towards the Sennheiser HD580.
Now I just have to find a place around here that sells them. Best Buy and Future Shop carry the brand, but neither of their sites show that model at all. I think I will do a little door to door shopping over the next couple of weeks. There is a local audiophile shop that I used to go to when I wanted to drool that may carry them.

Thanks again!

My recommendation is only $60. I bought two pairs of Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 3s. They're a nice, comfy set of earbuds. They're sold at Headroom as well, last I checked. One pair stays by my PC, and the other's on my iPod. They block out nearly everything around you. I bought them specifically to isolate myself from noisy coworkers while I was trying to program in a cube-farm.

For voice, I have a jury-rigged system that holds a microphone for me.

I had the Zalman 5.1 cans. Absolute garbage. They're barely passable for gaming, but as soon as you listen to any music you'll immediately recognize how lousy they are. They were also NOT as good as stereo headphones for positioning.

The Super.Fi 3s get pretty good reviews from the people who would know more than me. They're cheap enough so that they don't break the bank, but give excellent quality for your money. They can also double as portable-listening headphones. I had some big Sony cans at one time, but I always felt odd wearing them with a portable player. Earbuds win in that department.

I'm not sure if they meet your needs exactly, especially since the cord is short enough that you'll need an extension.

They appear to be discontinued, looks like the 595 is the replacement - one step down from the 600s, like the 580 used to be.

You'll never find them at the likes of Futureshop or Best Buy, they're far too high a quality for those dumps.