So, I currently have a HyperX Cloud Orbit S headset that I’ve been using for both my PC and my PS4. It’s served me pretty well for a few years, but over the past few months the band has snapped and been superglued/reglued 5-6 times. It still works fine, but I’m getting tired of repairing it over and over, and feel it’s finally time to just get a new headset.
So, I need some recommendations
Ideally, I’d like a headset that has similar features to my current one but is wireless - at least on PC. The 3D audio feature is really neat, but I could live without it. Also, my current headset only works on my PS4 in 2-channel mode, as opposed to 7.1 surround on my PC, which is odd because the PS4 has 7.1 support. I want one that will work with surround sound on both platforms.
Mic isn’t really of any concern, as I use a separate mic on my PC and mostly just use my PS4 for single-player games
I’m not trying to break the bank, but I don’t necessarily have a set price point either
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
If 7.1 isn’t necessary and you already have a mic, I would suggest you take a peek at just normal audiophile headphones. If you don’t mind Reddit, some good pointers and ideas in this thread https://www.reddit.com/r/HeadphoneAdvice/comments/yobt7y/has_anyone_used_audiophile_headphones_for_gaming/.
I’ve been using Beyerdynamic DT880 pro for a few years and they’re amazing. Comfortable as hell and pads can be removed easily and cleaned or swapped. Great sound, zero regrets with these headphones. The entire DT lineup from them is very good as far as I know. Another go-to option is Sennheiser’s 600 series, but they’re a bit more expensive. There are numerous others but those are the ones that I know of.
I would suggest browsing what the /r/HeadphoneAdvice has to say, asking about audiophile headphones for gaming is a common question.
Second this. I’ve got the DT 990 Pros and the Fiio K5 Pro that I got used for a good price.
There’s no bother going for “gaming” headphones, they’re overpriced and get you way less than audio oriented ones, for what, Bluetooth?
for what, Bluetooth?
which adds latency btw, no bueno
You can get some good deals on Audiophile Headphones (like the senheiser’ 650) on Drop.com. That’s where i got mine, since it’s a colab model they label it as a HD 6XX but it should be the exact same as an HD 650
The 880s are bulletproof, I daily drove mine for a decade (even back then recommendation was also audiophile headphones and a mic) before replacing the pads and modding them to have a detachable cable. I use a pair of DT1990 now with the same dekoni audio pads I used on my 880s, I keep meaning to get some other headphones for variety but I’ve honestly had no complaints with Beyerdynamic.
Unpopular opinion: I fucking hate noise-canceling headsets. It creates something of a booming, echo-y sound, and I just cannot stand it. Open ear acoustic headsets are an absolute godsend.
I use the Sennheiser Game Zero, because if you want a combined headphones/microphone headset, and you want an open ear acoustics, your options are extremely limited. That said, it is awesome. The “flip up to mute” feature broke extremely fast, but beyond that the quality of both incoming and outgoing audio is fantastic. And I drag the thing around with me quite a bit, so, despite one feature breaking, it has survived quite a bit of abuse.
I don’t think it’s the noise cancelling, I think it’s that headset manufacturers think gamers all want big boomy bass. My Sennheiser Momentum 4 have noise cancelling, and aren’t boomy in the slightest.
I also don’t think that it’s the closed back, though closed back are certainly capable of better bass than open back. My Audeze Maxwell also do not have boomy bass, and the Momentums are also closed back.
All that said, I agree that the sound quality of most gaming headsets is a mess, and I also prefer open back headphones. I don’t want to deal with cables anymore, though, so I’m hopeful that we start getting some nice open back headphones and headsets.
I love my Audeze Maxwell. I use it to listen to music all day while I work, and jump on calls throughout the day. It has excellent sound quality, and a built in mic that works very well. When there’s background noise, I pop in the boom mic and that mic’s noise cancellation is great. It also provides a little better clarity.
There’s both a 2.4ghz wireless dongle (which I plug into my monitor), bluetooth (which I use with my phone using LDAC), USB, and 3.5mm connectivity.
The battery life is excellent. I charge it weekly, and I really don’t need to.
They offer an Xbox and Playstation version. The Xbox version comes with an Atmos license, the Playstation version supports Tempest 3D sound.
The sizing adjustments aren’t great, there’s no telescoping of the ear cups. It just has a sling with three adjustments, by popping it into three different sets of screw holes. It’s ok, but not great, and it’s not the kind of thing you want to move back and forth, say, if you wear hats sometimes, because those holes will wear out. You aren’t supposed to remove the screws.
It’s also closed back, which is not my preference. I don’t have background noise, I don’t care about isolation. I prefer the sound of open backs, and they also provide more spatial awareness if you want to place footsteps.
Also, being closed back, and having a not so great ear pad material, they get fairly toasty. There are third party ear pads that improve upon this, but you can only do so much with a closed back can.
I use SteelSeries Arctis 9, its station has PlayStation toggle for what I assume PS compatibility. They are wireless, sound is good IMO, but Mic is not that great (usable though). I also like that they connect to my phone via Bluetooth, often use this while watching YouTube/listening podcast waiting for food delivery, courier calls, KDE Connect puts media on pause, I answer “hands free” from the same headset
If you are asking about “best” in regards to sound quality, there’s no question Audeze is the best option. They are an audiophile headphone company that also makes gaming headsets, not a gaming accessory company that also makes headsets. There’s not much to say beyond that. If you want the best SQ, Audeze is the best.
