I normally record spoken-word voice with a RODE mic while monitoring background tracks with Ultrasone HF1-650 Trackmaster cans. No problem there.

However, I'd like to try recording with a headset (mic + phones), both to get the big broadcasting mic out of my face when I doing a demo on the computer, and to allow for moving around instead of being locked down in the chair.

What would be a good headset choice?

Looking for excellent mic quality and phones suitable for monitoring a mix.

Here's some I found. These are all circumaural, closed sets. (I wear glasses, so not keen on supraaurals). An open set MIGHT work (and perhaps give me better sound) if I turn up the expander on the recording channel to cut low-level bleed from the cans back to the mic. Haven't had any experience with that though, so I'm guessing. If open sets are an option, then both Beyer and Sennheiser make a couple I could add to the list.

Have you tried these? Others that worked well?

1. Beyer DT297. Circumaural, closed design, non-folding. 80 or 250 ohm. 10 - 30,000 Hz, 16 dB ambient noise attenuation. Cardioid mic, 40 - 20,000 Hz. Straight plugin cable. $220

2. Sennheiser HMD280XQ. Circumaural, closed design, folding. 600 ohm. 8 - 25k Hz. 32 dB ambient noise attenuation. Super-cardioid mic, 50 - 13,500 Hz. Coiled cables. Based on the well-known HD280 Pro cans. $200.

3. Microtech Gefell HSM180. Circumaural, closed, folding. 75 ohms. 15 - 25,000 Hz. Omni mic, 40 - 18,000 Hz. Coiled plugin cables. (a combination of the Ultrasone 650-HFI, which is actually made by Gefell, along with a high-end Gefell mic.) $1,450. Ouch!