gaming headset + sound card

[joz12345]

I am looking at buying a gaming headset and maybe a sound card.
After a quick search i have found many threads of people who ask for specific audio setups, but i really have no clue about current technology. However, i can tell a good system when i hear it, hence a few quick questions... Dont feel that you need to answer every question to post, i would like your opinion even if you only answer one question. There are so many that i am scared some of you will be intimidated.

1) Are surround sound headphones worth the money, compared with standard headphones and a 3D effect from a sound card.

2) How much clearer is the "location" of sounds when using a 3D sound card effect eg cmss when compared with a half decent onboard sound card.

3) Recommendations... cheaper the better, but also high value for money. Not above £50 for just headphones, not above £100 if i get both sound card and headphones, but i dont want to spend that much if i can get a similar experience with a £25 headset alone.

4) Does this seem like it would work to get quality sound and mic for my xbox 360 and pc: Xbox RCA -> phono adapter -> line in.
Headphones to rear port pc
Xbox voice set to "play through speakers"
switch mic plug between front panel pc and a speedlink 360 headset adapter

Sorry for such a long post!!!! and thank you in advance for clearing things up for me, its hard to get facts with so much advertising in the world and all reviews of decent headsets seem to be indistinguishable.

[joz12345]

ok a more specific question maybe? What would you suggest for a low end headset. I have looked at the medusa stereo and the creative fatal1ty
What sort of improvement would the medusa 5.1 make over these and would i be able to use them with my xbox setup as above and still get sound from all speakers?
thanks
joz12345

[Enda]

Surround headphones are usually gimmics - I have not heard any that would give comvincing surround sound - they all cram little speakers around your ear as if this could recreate 3D. It can't. I read an article about a comany called Psyko Audio Labs and they use a different approach which sounds like it could make sense. But I would have to hear it to believe. For the time being I use X-Fi with its CMSS-3D and it does the job. There is USB headset that comes with this CMSS-3D which might be the thing you are looking for...
http://us.creative.com/products/prod...&product=18703

[sybrows]

Surround headphones are usually gimmics - I have not heard any that would give comvincing surround sound - they all cram little speakers around your ear as if this could recreate 3D. It can't. I read an article about a comany called Psyko Audio Labs and they use a different approach which sounds like it could make sense. But I would have to hear it to believe. For the time being I use X-Fi with its CMSS-3D and it does the job. There is USB headset that comes with this CMSS-3D which might be the thing you are looking for...
http://us.creative.com/products/prod...&product=18703

I agree with this I bought some medusa's a couple of years back and though it was quite a nice package and arrived like a shiny new toy ....they didn't really live up to what I was after in the long run, Music sound was not right for my ears and thats the mainstay of my listnin and they had more than a few manufacturing issues. I returned mine to play (thanks play) and have since stuck with Hi Fi ones.

BrOw