First time buying a gaming headset. Suggestions? (THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE RESPONSES!)

General Discussion
42

Virtual 7.1 surround sound in headsets is pure trash even with proper support. The hyperx lineup of headsets is usually a solid choice (though I was never impressed with the mic quality).

Generally speaking after about the $60-$70 range the sound quality improvements are pretty marginal.

I disagree. I’ve used both cheap and expensive headsets before and the difference is mindblowing. And I don’t mean a pair of $500 top of the line headphones either. Just the difference between cheap $30 headsets and something in the $70 range is already night and day.

43

Like I said the more expensive ($100) ones have built in eq.

You can get $5 headphones and have your own software to achieve the same result. They have the same construction one just uses built in software to deliver a different sound but you can achieve this yourself.

Knowledge is power friend.

44

There’s more to a headset than EQ settings.

45

Unless you’re paying more than $100 there won’t be. The market below that price point all use similar 40mm drivers.

And if you are spending more than that, you need more than just the headphones.

46

Try Logitech surround headsets and start from there…
Test the surround sound (w/ and w/o build-in atmos, and builtin logitech surround sound)…

The result is extremely obvious… and the price is very reasonable.
(again, go to the practice mode, locate the moving robots with your eyes closed)

btw, make sure you install the related software that come from the headset before you do the tests.

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47

I can’t say I have, as I don’t have a surround set anymore (used to, but it was a friend’s, and I moved).

What I can say is that I get a perfect spatial representation from my old but high-end pair of stereo headphones with Atmos. I can accurately spin and shoot* whatever I hear off-screen at a moment’s notice.

While some things are undoubtedly going to sound better with a better headset, built-in surround is not necessary for getting the full set of information in Overwatch, which is the only point I’m making.

*I miss often because my aim isn’t that great, but my assessment of where to look is accurate.

48

Ay, I have a Logitech Artemis wireless headset and no complaints. Awesome sound quality and (may not be important for you) but I can just interchange the USB dongle between my PS4 and PC when playing with different friends in different games. The PS4 doesn’t get the sound quality my PC does, but still works great for me.

49

Games that work in surround work better in surround headsets. Flip it over to stereo while you’re playing and you lose so much spatial awareness.

Some games, PUBG, aren’t coded for surround and you should play those in stereo.

50

Stereo with Dolby Atmos for Headphones enabled is the best headset combo for Overwatch. Games without built-in Dolby or some other headphone-surround tech would need a 7.1 headset for the effect.

51

Although i am using a Razer Thresher at the moment and my daughter a Razer Kraken, i strongly recommend:

I had a Steelseries Siberia ProV5 and gave it to my cousin because i was not using it and he was playing CS:GO. It was superbly comfortable and the sound was good.

Many have advised stereo and i would agree because there are software which can simulate surround sound and if you ever get a discrete soundcard or a DAC, that would work with stereo as well. However, for surround headphones, for them to function at their best and to obtain your money’s worth, a good discrete sound card / DAC would be, more or less, required. You can wait until you save up prior to spending again. =)

Have fun and enjoy your new cans, Egg.

52

I love my 7.1 headset. Corsair Void. RGB is unnessecary and the mic quality isnt good but they sound great.

53

See www. psykoheadsets .com for example.
I don’t suggest these to anyone. I’ve owned a pair since they started out.
But they are garbo.

But proof of concept. Actual surround sound on your head.

54

You’re not supposed to use those headphones. Just have them in the facecam shot while you’re streaming for that extra quantifiably cool property that translates directly into stream slave revenue!

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56

those look very good.
i would personally prefer wireless.

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57

I use them with the sound card I listed above and it’s unbelievably good!

58

Yes, I would have gotten SteelSeries headsets if I was not already so invested into the Razer ecosystem. I had been using Razer mice since 2006 when I got the first Deathadder (I still have it!) and a few years back they were giving away free software licenses for the Razer Surround Pro, I think it was in 2012-3 which I registered for because I was on the Razer Synapse platform for my 2nd Deathadder and the first Razer Naga. Since then, I have bought yet another Deathadder Chroma (non-Elite), a new Razer Naga (elite), Razer Orbweaver and a wireless Mamba for my daughter).
(Recently, I also bought the Razer Basilisk for fun and the Nommos to replace my Corsair SP2500 which died, I am using an Auzentek x-fi Prelude soundcard for the past 8+years).

So while I loved SteelSeries, having bought the Siberia ProV6, I decided to just get the Razer Thresher because of the ecosystem. Both the PS4 & XB1 versions work for the PC, no issues.

https://www2.razer.com/ap-en/gaming-audio/razer-thresher-for-playstation-4

For SteelSeries, I did not recommend the wireless versions to Egg because he mentioned his budget but here they are:

My daughter likes her Razer Kraken ProV2… mainly because of the cat ears…(she has the green ones)

If I were to compare, SteelSeries build quality and comfort trumps Razer’s at the mid-range and possibly high range. Audio quality is pretty much on par. Their Mic may be better than Razer’s.

59

Just one more piece of advice, Egg.

You would want to consider the comfort factor for your new cans especially if you wear glasses and/or game for hours on end. Look for those with “double” headbands if you can because they would fit better and not place too much undue stress on the top of your head and the sides of your ears.

60

I had a lot of gaming headsets, never really had studio ones, they mostly came from sponsors, but this meant that I experimented pretty much every headset from plantronics, steelseries, razor and hyperx.
Even comparing to the 200$ ones, I still use my cloud 2’s, I’m thinking of getting the alpha’s to replace them, just so you realize, I have the cloud 2’s since a bit before they released to the public, they are really durable. And sound wise they are just the best, I tried to find a better headset but honestly, within 200$ price range, there just isn’t from what I tried.

I know there are studio headphones that are way better, so if you are willing to buy those, go for that. Otherwise I really recommend the cloud.

About 7.1, never used it and the sound feels way worse with it enabled. I have my speakers if I need 7.1, I don’t really advise buying surround headphones. I’m with the guys that say that’s all marketing :stuck_out_tongue:

They are comfortable, never had an issue, the packaging was great as well, altho I really didn’t use the bag once. I know there’s a lot of people saying the alphas sound better but have comfort issues with them, apparently it hurts the ears, you might wanna look into that if you go for the alpha instead of cloud 2’s. The cloud 2’s have great sound isolation as well, you can’t hear the background noises at all.

The only thing lackluster about it is the mic, it’s not “bad” per say, but it’s not good either. It does have a good echo cancellation, I never had any issues with people hearing my keyboard or anything, my girlfriend usually comes by and says stuff out loud and they don’t even hear her on discord. It’s just the quality itself could be better.

61

You should change the title of this thread back, Egg.

It’s a good thread! Also if people are in the same boat and looking for a new pair of headphones or have any questions, there’s some good info in your thread here that’ll help everyone out :slight_smile:

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62

Agreed. If people bother to do a search, it is a good thread for reference.

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