Turtle Beach Ear Force Z11 PC Gaming Headset [$30.20] [24% OFF]

Turtle Beach Ear Force Z11 PC Gaming Headset

Details

Engineered For Gaming™

	Acoustically Angled Speakers Delivers more realistic directional audio perception.
	In-line Volume Controls Quick access to game volume and mic mute controls.
	3.5mm, 4-Pole Connector and PC Adapter Cable Easily connects to most PC and Mac® computers as well as mobile devices and tablets.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9 x 3.5 inches ; 14.1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Item model number: TBS-2145-01
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:#2 in PC Headsets
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 11, 2012

Product Features

• Acoustically Angled Speakers - Delivers more realistic directional audio perception
• In-line Volume Controls - Quick access to game volume and mic mute controls
• 3.5mm, 4-Pole Connector and PC Adapter Cable - Easily connects to most PC and Mac computers as well as mobile devices and tablets
• 50mm Speakers - Delivering high-fidelity audio
• High-Sensitivity microphone with flexible boom
• 3.5mm, 4-Pole Connector
• Can be used on Mobile Phones, PC or Laptop

Buy Turtle Beach Ear Force Z11 

PC Gaming Headset [$30.20] [24% OFF]

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Empire: Total War Collection [Download][$9.99][67% OFF]

Empire: Total War Collection

Product Description

Command the seas, conquer the land, build an Empire.
An epic game of real-time tactics which combines turn-based empire building with massive 3D real-time battles on land and at sea. Charged with the fortunes of a nation, you must use diplomacy, trade and military force to establish it as the dominant power of the 18th Century.
Decide the strategy behind the development and expansion of your empire. Expand your borders through conquest or diplomatic cunning. Conquer overseas territories to establish colonies and profitable trade networks. Take command of the battlefield and patrol the open seas to defeat your enemies and shape the contours of history.
Key Features:

Empire: Total War Collection - contains all game updates, improvements and downloadable content:

• Elite Units of the West DLC
• Elite Units of the America DLC
• Elite Units of the East DLC
• Warpath Campaign
• Special Forces

Rule one of 12 nations from Europe, America and the Indian subcontinent, and govern your fledgling empire across a massive campaign map.

Set the strategy, dictate the tactics and command your troops during battles involving thousands of soldiers.

Take to the high seas and lead war fleets bristling with cannon in superb recreations of 18th Century naval warfare.

Experience combat in astonishing detail using full camera control to zoom in on accurate character animations.

Forge alliances, share knowledge and negotiate trade routes as you engage in diplomacy with other nations.

Research new technologies to make your enterprises more profitable and improve your armaments.

Play as George Washington in the revolutionary campaign Road to Independence and lead the Continental army against the might of the British Empire.

Recreate landmark battles from one of the most turbulent periods of world history, including Bunker Hill, Fontenoy and Rossbach.

Requires Steam Client to activate.

System Requirements

Product Details

• Downloading: Currently, this item is available only to customers located in the United States and who have a U.S. billing address.
• Note: Gifting is not available for this item.
• Release Date: December 5, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Empire: Total War Collection [Download][$9.99][67% OFF]

Or Shop More @ Mr.RiP Best Buy Shop Astore

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Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset - Frustration Free Packaging [$57.24][28% OFF]

Plantronics GameCom 780 Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

- Frustration Free Packaging

Product Description

Product Packaging: Amazon Frustration-Free

Product Details

Product Packaging: Amazon Frustration-Free

• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 4.5 x 12 inches ; 14.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Item model number: GameCom 780
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (771 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #1 in PC Headsets
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 14, 2012

Product Features and Technical Details

Product Packaging: Amazon Frustration-Free

Product Features

• Dolby Headphone and Pro Logic IIx technologies transform standard audio into a stunning 7.1 surround sound experience (Software is compatible with Windows systems only.)
• Immersive, stereo sound with deep bass from 40mm speakers
• Built-in spin-joints let the earpods lay flat for easy storage when you need to take a break
• Noise-canceling mic kills background noise so your team or opponents can clearly hear your commands
• Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging

Cases and Expandability

• Size (LWH): 9.5 inches, 4.5 inches, 12 inches
• Weight: 14.4 ounces

Warranty and Support

• Amazon.com Return Policy: You may return any new computer purchased from Amazon.com that is "dead on arrival," arrives in damaged condition, or is still in unopened boxes, for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Amazon.com reserves the right to test "dead on arrival" returns and impose a customer fee equal to 15 percent of the product sales price if the customer misrepresents the condition of the product. Any returned computer that is damaged through customer misuse, is missing parts, or is in unsellable condition due to customer tampering will result in the customer being charged a higher restocking fee based on the condition of the product. Amazon.com will not accept returns of any desktop or notebook computer more than 30 days after you receive the shipment. New, used, and refurbished products purchased from Marketplace vendors are subject to the returns policy of the individual vendor.
• 
  

Reviews By R. Scott Clark on September 18th, 2012 (everythingusb)

Headset Design

Plantronics' GameCom 780 marks an incredible about-face from their past headset design. While the previous GameCom 777 had the heft and inflexible bulk of a ginormous Chevy Tahoe SUV, the flashy and slimmed down 780 might as well be an economy-class Scion xB by comparison. The new design is still plenty boxy to give Plantronics an iconic look, but you no longer need to consult a physician about neck braces before wearing one.

All of the excess plastic that made up the headband's arms is now gone, swapped out for a pair of tough wire-frame rails on which the earcups can glide for size adjustment. The cans still have limited mobility and are only able to pivot up and down by a few degrees when worn, but they now have the ability to swivel backwards to almost lay flat on a table or stuff away in a backpack.

The unwieldy control pod has also been nixed, replaced by a convenient volume rocker and microphone switch on the back edge of the left earcup. Likewise, the front edge of the same earcup has a button for toggling Dolby surround that glows blue when activated.

Perhaps the boldest change made by Plantronics to their new headset is the elimination of the 3.5mm mini-jacks and optional Dolby dongle, making it so the headset can only ever connect via USB. Not that this matters if you only intend to use the headset with a PC or happen to write for a USB-focused website, but it does mean you won't be able to jam out with the 780 and your MP3 player on an airplane.

All in all these changes mean that Plantronics could shave a few bucks off the cost of materials, but it also means their new headset is one of the lightest and least intrusive ones I've used recently, ranking just below the Razer Megalodon's level of comfort. The cloth-lined foam earpads are very soft and feature significantly less clamping thanCorsair's Vengeance 1500, but they do build up some heat in extended use and allow a bit more ambient sound to pass through at mid-low volume. For LAN gamers, however, the ambient sound is a major plus since it's important to hear the cries of anguish from your friends across the table.

If anything, my only major grievances with the GameCom 780's appearance are itsBLEEDING RED USB cable and exposed cords that sit between the earcups and headband. I'm also not a fan of how short the USB cable is, coming in at only 6 feet such that I can't wrap it around the back of my desk and monitor. Still, these complaints quickly fade when I remind myself that this headset costs $40 to 50 less than comparable offerings from the likes of Logitech and Razer. That's enough dosh to pick out a new mouse or video game, or even go up a tier if you're picking out a new video card. Not bad, Plantronics.

Drivers and Configuration

A driver disc is included with the headset, but if you can spare 25MB of bandwidth I recommend that you just download the latest drivers (currently R2) since they have a few stability fixes over the first release. You can grab the latest release here. The drivers themselves are for a C-Media CM6302 codec, the same high-quality chip found inCorsair's Vengeance 2000. Rather than using C-Media's typical software for user configuration, Plantronics has developed their own branded frontend to feature only the absolute essential feature you'd need drivers for in the first place: toggling Dolby. The gaming/movie and music options that you see below simply determine which mode Pro Logic IIx uses for upmixing content; movie mode makes better use of the center channel for vocals, whereas music mode is more evenly spaced out.

Installing the drivers also introduces an audible tone whenever the volume is adjusted on the headset itself, accompanied for a half second by a spinning-circle mouse cursor. *Cough* There's not much else to write about here. A graphic equalizer for tweaking bass levels and such would have been a nice addition, as would a built-in way to toggle the Windows speaker config or even adjust the virtual surround levels similar to what Logitech offers with their later headset drivers. I can't figure why Plantronics went Playskool with their interface; the PC gaming community is naturally inclined to tweak settings - graphics details, button configs, macros - so why not give us control of our audio as well?

Despite their oversimplification of the software, I will hand it to Plantronics' development team for stability since I've not encountered any major bugs throughout my month of testing. Moreover, I'm incredibly thankful that they learned from past mistakes and left the speaker count as configurable in Microsoft's Sound control panel. Here we can set the virtual speaker layout to stereo, quadraphonic, 5.1 side, or 7.1. This is a dramatic improvement over the GameCom 777's stereo-only configuration, since it means that most games will detect your headset's capabilities and output directional surround that actually works!

Stereo Sound Quality

I'm rather fond of the GameCom's sound reproduction. Out of the box, the headset delivers plenty of low end punch and just enough high frequency response to make movies and games sound fantastic, clearly playing into the gaming and rock demographics. There's not quite enough midrange present to really bring out the vocals and subtleties in nuanced music like Nine Inch Nails, however, but the midrange isn't so lacking as to sound dull, either. Regardless, this deficiency is easily solved by slight EQ tweaks in programs that support it.
Volume is ever present with the headset and just reaches the threshold where sound has the potential to become painful, so I doubt there will be many complaints here. The 40mm drivers also do well to retain their clarity up until around 90% volume, keeping all the sharp notes and bass kicks sound wonderfully clean throughout. There's not much more I can ask of Plantronics for stereo sound at this price point; everything performs just as I'd expect it to as an avid FPS gamer.

Surround Sound Quality

The Plantronics adds to a growing number of gaming headsets that make use of virtual surround sound instead of true surround sound, calling upon secret sauce algorithms to deliver a compelling 7.1 sound stage over only two speakers. The benefits for choosing this route over true surround are numerous; since Plantronics only had to fit one speaker in each earcup, they were able to utilize larger 40mm drivers with greater dynamic range than the tinnier 20-30mm drivers you see in true surround headsets. Fewer components in each earcup also means fewer potential points of failure, not to mention the reduced strain on your neck to carry them all.But what about the misguided criticisms that virtual surround is fake? That surround could not possibly exist without multiple speakers? Nonsense. When you think about it logically, you're listening to surround every day with only two ears. It's the delicate distortions in timing and intensities that allow you to pick out locations, and it's only reasonable to expect that these distortions can be recreated in software. And while virtual surround may not feel as natural as everyday life since the algorithms are tuned for generic ears rather than your own, it certainly works well enough to get the point across that someone is shooting at you from behind.
Plantronics decided to play it safe this round and go with Dolby's well-established tech for their surround implementation, making use of Dolby Headphone to deliver the 7.1 experience and Dolby Pro Logic IIx to up-mix any 2, 4, or 6-ch content to all eight virtual channels. I found the 7.1 experience to be very compelling when I tested against Microsoft's multichannel WAV file (.exe), with a clear distinction between all eight channels and minimal bleedover.
Movies sound fantastic with Dolby enabled. Here again the headset's punchy sound reproduction comes into play, delivering plenty of bass and sharp impact noises that make watching Black Hawk Down a treat. By selecting the 5.1 Side configuration in the Windows Sound control panel (default), Plantronics sets the sound stage exactly how Dolbyintended it to be for DVDs and other Dolby Digital 5.1 content. That said, I'm still preferable to exaggerated rear surround for added effect. Thankfully this is as easy as setting the speaker count to 7.1 in Windows, thus forcing surround to play through the rear channels in both VLC and Windows Media Player.

If you happen to be watching a TV show or DVD rip that has a Dolby Surround or Pro Logic mix, however, you'll get much better results by switching the speaker count over to Stereo. This seems to offer much better focus for dialogue than simply leaving the headset configured as 5.1 or 7.1 all the time. I think Plantronics needs to do a better documentation job here for future driver releases and products; there's nary a reference to the Windows speaker configuration that I'm able to find, and yet changing this setting to match the source audio makes such a noticeable impact!
Listening to various genres of music also does well for the most part when Pro Logic is set to music mode, but here again you need to change the speaker config to Stereo to get the best results or else the music may seem out of focus. The virtual room size, while not configurable, seems to perfectly tuned so that live albums, orchestral tracks, chiptunes, and most rock music sound appreciably better with Dolby enabled. There's never an overabundance of echoes, but some over-mixed or already spaced-out tracks such as Machinae Supremacy's Winterstorm may feel a bit hollow if surround's turned on. Obviously much of this comes down to subjective tastes, but I do think it's worth trying at the very least.

Surround Sound Gaming

One of my biggest pet peeves with surround sound headsets is the lack of consistency for how well they work in games, even between two models from the same manufacturer released less than a year apart. Depending on how surround was implemented in the drivers, some games have working directional surround while others are left to rot in stereo land. This is a major cause for concern since there's so many different audio APIs that power the games we play - Miles, OpenAL, XAudio, etc.The problem I see is that it's not uncommon for headset manufacturers to skimp on the testing, blissfully unaware of any problems with their driver implementations until after the product ships. From there it can take a miracle to see a driver update that restores compatibility, and fellow reviewers hardly ever call the manufacturers out on these problems.
History lesson aside, let's get on with the review. Over the last month I've put the headset through the paces by listening for directional HRTF cues in no less than 39 different games and applications. This was done by rotating my in-game character next to static audio sources such as a talking NPC, waterfall or fire pit with repeated blind testing. Tossing multiple grenades or shattering windows and listening from various angles are other methods I frequently use. Now that you know my techniques, here are the results:

With just under 82% compatibility in my series of tests, the GameCom 780 easily meets the mark for a passing grade, though there's still plenty of room for Plantronics and C-Media to improve their drivers. Stereo was the rallying cry for the handful OpenAL titles that were tested, including all of the Unreal-based games that didn't implement a separate audio engine. There were also issues with the id Tech 4-based games, which count on the Windows speaker configuration being set to 5.1. Though Plantronics did include a 5.1 layout in the Windows control panel, since it's listed as 5.1 side and not 5.1 rear, Quake IV and Prey both failed the test.
The large majority of games I tested, however, did have proper surround sound. The GameCom 780 gives an especially sharp sense of direction, which makes homing in on enemies all the more natural. In-game sound stages all seemed very well spaced, enough to put you in the game but never to the point that it felt like an echo chamber. Moreover, while the quality of the surround was still largely dependent on the individual games, even weaker games like Modern Warfare 3 that are prone to channel bleeding sounded better than what I'm used to hearing.

Microphone Quality

Plantronics bills their microphone as noise-cancelling, "effectively eliminating background noise so that your teammates can hear you clearly". Though I agree that the microphone is indeed plenty loud and clear enough for friends and teammates to understand you over Skype and in-game chat, that's not exactly a tough milestone to meet. The purported noise-cancelling properties of the mic, however, are missing in action.

Waveform of background noise captured at 100% volume. White noise is ever-present, even with the recording level set to 50% and the later R2 drivers installed. The seemingly-omnidirectional microphone also manages to pick up each and every keystroke, mouse click, and breath of air I take--no matter how the microphone is positioned. If you use this headset, I beg for the sake of your fellow team mates, use push-to-talk! This may seem like a tough stance to take on a relatively-inexpensive headset, but remember that Plantronics' own namesake is voice communications. The GameCom 780's microphone is unbecoming of that.

Driver Troubleshooting

One thing users may encounter with the GameCom 780 after uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers is a Code 52 error in the Windows Device Manager, where "Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device" is menacingly displayed. Two other C-Media headsets I recently reviewed have the same problem. If this happens to you and you're comfortable with digging into Windows' fleshy innards, perform the following steps to fix it:

1. In regedit, navigate toHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class{4D36E96C-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
2. Do a search for "PLTGC.sys"
3. In the same registry key that you found PLTGC.sys, you should see an "InfPath" REG_SZ string with a value of "oem##.inf". Write down this OEM number, and close the registry.
4. Download and extract the GameCom 780 drivers to a folder using 7-Zip.
5. Navigate the extracted contents to \GC780-Installer-Release-2\U6302_120601-[your OS here]\SoftwareDriver\Driver\ and copy the "pltgc.cat" file.
6. Paste the pltgc.cat file in C:\Windows\system32\catroot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\
7. Rename the "pltgc.cat" file that you just pasted to "oem##.cat", where ## is the number you wrote down in step 3.
8. Reboot.

If this fixes your problem or you know of any other C-Media headsets with the same issue, please sound off in the comments section below.

Buy Plantronics GameCom 780

Surround Sound Stereo PC Gaming Headset

- Frustration Free Packaging

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Total War: Shogun 2 Collection [Download][$23.99][52% OFF]

Total War: Shogun 2 Collection [Download]

Included:

Total War: Shogun 2

Total War: Shogun 2 - Ikko Ikki Clan Pack DLC

Total War: Shogun 2 - Sengoku Jidai Pack DLC

Total War: Shogun 2 - Rise Of The Samurai DLC

Total War: Shogun 2 - Hattori Clan Pack

Total War: Shogun 2 - Dragon War Battle Pack

Total War: Shogun 2 - Saints and Heroes Pack

Product Details:

MASTER THE ART OF WAR In the darkest age of Japan, endless war leaves the country in ruins. Ten warlords strive for supremacy but only one will rise to win the heart of the nation and become the Shogun. All others will die by his sword.

• CONQUER sixteenth-century Japan. Lead massive samurai armies and fleets of warships into sweeping real-time battles.
• BUILD a kingdom in turn-based mode. Wield economic, political, and military power to amass wealth, armies, and influence.
• SCHEME & FIGHT with Sun Tzu's powerful Art of War techniques. Deploy ninjas as either spies or assassins to gather enemy information or perform assassinations before unleashing the army's wrath.
• BATTLE ONLINE in special campaigns. Lead online armies to glory against the community's best Total War generals.
• NEW TOTAL WAR FEATURES
• New rotating 3D campaign map.
• New multi-stage sieges.
• New generals and agent RPG character building.
• New hero units to inspire armies.

Buy or More Details Total War: Shogun 2 Collection 

[Download][$23.99][52% OFF]

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Logitech Wireless Headset h800 for PC, Tablets and Smartphones (981-000337)

Logitech Wireless Headset h800 

for PC, Tablets and Smartphones (981-000337)

Chat, rock and surf on your PC, tablet or smartphone—with no wires to tie you down. 

Connect and control

Easily connect to and switch between devices like your PC, tablet and smartphone with a full set of on-ear controls.*

Front row, center

Laser-tuned drivers and a built-in equalizer give you rich digital stereo that immerses you in your music and calls—and a noise-canceling microphone reduces background noise.*

Unleashed audio

Roam up to 12 m (40 ft.)** from your PC using the tiny nano receiver—or pair with your smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth®***.

* Some functions of the headset may not be supported depending on the tablet, smartphone and/or application. Windows users may need to install additional software, available at www.logitech.com/support, to improve music control
** Actual wireless range will vary with use, settings and environmental conditions.
*** The headset can only connect to one Bluetooth device at a time.

Buy or More Details Logitech Wireless Headset h800 

for PC, Tablets and Smartphones (981-000337)

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Logitech ClearChat Comfort/USB Headset H390 (Black)

Logitech ClearChat Comfort/USB Headset H390 (Black)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer

Comfort and digital sound in a versatile headset.

Extend your comfort with a padded headband and ear pads.

A rotating, noise-canceling microphone reduces background chatter, and convenient in-line volume and mute controls let you adjust audio on the fly.

Features

		Comfort Adjustable, padded headband and plush ear pads: Ensure a comfortable fit.
		Control and Convenience Noise-canceling microphone: Reduces background noise for clear conversation and voice commands. Microphone rotates out of the way when you’re listening to music or watching a movie. In-line volume and mute controls: Instantly adjust headset volume or mute the microphone. Advanced digital USB: Experience superior sound clarity with the simplicity of a single USB plug-and-play connection.

More Details or Buy Logitech ClearChat Comfort/USB Headset H390 (Black)

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[RiP Recommend] Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 with 7.1 Surround Sound

Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930 

with 7.1 Surround Sound

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9 x 4.3 inches ; 1.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Item model number: 981-000257
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #2 in Headsets
  • #2 in PC Headsets
  • #89 in Computer Components
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 5, 2010

Product Features

• Gaming-grade wireless: Reliable lag-free performance with up to 40 ft. wireless range (Actual wireless range will vary with use, settings and environmental conditions)
• Immersive 7.1 surround sound: Advanced Dolby technology delivers detailed positional audio
• Three programmable G-keys: Customize with one-touch commands over chat clients, voice morphing and more
• Noise-cancelling boom mic: Reduces background noise and auto mutes when rotated up
• Works with Windows-based PCs

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