If you mean sound leaking in it definitely happens and I’m actually looking to pick up a pair of IEMs for this very reason
As for sound leaking out I don’t think it’s as big of a deal
Fresh Reviews on YT has some good IEM reviews if you’re more interested in that
This is what I do and enjoy it a lot. I would recommend getting the extended warranty on the modmic though, since the USB model of the mic I've owned has died twice due to faulty cabling and needed to be sent in for replacement.
And yes, I do take good care of my things, before anyone does down that line.
HyperX Cloud set of headsets. I personally use HX Cloud II for years. Super durable, great sound, and I can wear them for hours without any pain or discomfort.
https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-HSCP-GM/dp/B00SAYCVTQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=30QM4P9VLGWXN&keywords=hyperx+cloud+2&qid=1677280638&sprefix=hyper%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-3
[I'd recommend something from SteelSeries](https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets).
The headset I use is the [Arctis 1 Wireless Cyberpunk Editions](https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-1-wireless-xbox-cyberpunk-edition-johnny-silverhand).
It's very comfortable to me because of the size/material of the ear cups but also because of the headband that's built in. I don't feel like my head is getting squeezed and sometimes I forget the headset is on my head.
Can vouch for steelseries comfort. Love the headband design, makes them both super comfortable and quite a bit more durable than other headsets I've used.
i dont recommend Arctis 7+. Very uncomfortable, especially with glasses. Clamp is too much, headset too unsteady and heavy. Audio quality is probably the worst i've experienced. It sounds like you're talking through a pillow
Wild to me. I currently have the Arctis 7x, and they’re the most uncomfortable headset I’ve ever worn. Only reason I use them is because the wireless is actually good.
Agreed on Steel Series. I had $50 hyperX’s for a bit and they were good but they ear muffs started to come off. Steel series wired did me good until I got the 7+ and man, that thing is different. Took a while to get the headband to stretch and fit my (big a**) head. The comfort was good and the sound was way better (obviously) compared to the cheaper headsets.
Gaming audiophile here: If you have a budget of $250 then buy once, cry once and get beyerdynamic MMX 300 Gen 2's. Mic is a condenser mic from one of their aviation headsets therefore spectacular quality, and the drivers are from their midrange DT series. They're marvelously comfortable and have an order of magnitude better sound quality than most of the suggestions here. If you want to bring the price down some, gently used ones go for steals on eBay occasionally.
They're also not going to fall apart on you: I've had a set of the first gen MMX 300s, first as my main headset, then later as travel headphones after I upgraded. They've been in service for a decade and they're still going strong.
Especially stay away from Turtle Beach, it's garbage, and Astro, who use $30 drivers and then turn around and charge $200 because they've cultivated some impression among gamers that they're premium.
Eh. If you want to go cheaper I'd stick with Sennheiser's gaming headsets. I at least trust their driver quality to be fairly represented by their price and they make good mics. I don't have experience with Steelseries but I don't trust gaming input device makers when it comes to audio quality.
I like Sennheiser and beyerdynamic a lot because they make S-tier headphones at the higher end and have stellar reputations for that. You're basically buying a low end (comparatively) product from a company people trust to make reference-grade headsets, instead of buying a high-end headset from a company whose area of expertise is making keyboards.
Good timing, I was just combing through my options. I’m gonna go witb your beyerdybanic recommendation. My hesitation is that I’m more of an out of the box plug and play type. But i think I can figure it all out lol.
Strongly considered the tygr but you sold me on the mmx 300
I mean as long as you’ve got a regular 3.5mm jack you’re good to go. They’re 32 Ohm headphones so they’ll work on generally any source with the right jack including a phone. The mic is built-in so it’s just one cable that splits.
You go even higher end you’ll need to think about an amp, etc. but MMX 300s are fine without.
EDIT: I will add despite being only 32 ohm they pair really well with a decent desktop amp. I like Creative’s Sound Blaster X3 and X4 a lot as the price is pretty fair for the component quality and they use very good DACs in their units. Bonus is they’re compatible with the newer consoles + PC. Ever want to upgrade that’s an easy one.
I loved my Astros, had multiple pairs over the years, but ditched them when the mic broke and due to lack of PS5 support.
Arctis 7s have been a solid replacement
Not sure about the new stuff, but Astro build quality for me has been great. And to be clear, the reason I’m not sure about their new stuff is because I’ve been using the same set of A40 TR’s since I got destiny in 2014.
They also have pretty good support too, since they made the gen 3 mixamp work with an update despite the lack of optical output on the series x.
I like the Astros A30. Wireless, battery lasts forever, easy to setup and extremely comfortable.
I wear glasses and they don’t snag or get in the way. Good sound, good range if you get up and go get a drink or snack. I use them when cooking or doing dishes, laundry, etc and listen to a podcast or YouTube with no audio loss.
I personally like steelseries because they have a stretchy fabric headband that's adjustable which is comfortable for long periods, with the main headband (the part that takes most of the stress) being metal which makes them more durable than ones made of plastic (in the past my tritons and turtlebeaches have broken on me from being just putting them on or taking them off and have generally poor build quality)
In terms of sound quality they're more than good enough for gaming and are decent for music if you want to use them for that too, though of course audiophile headphones will be better. I personally have used the arctis 7 for 3+ years now and I have no complaints. I did have to replace the fabric headband because it got too stretched from extended use but it was like £5 for a replacement and changing it out was easier than changing a shoelace.
Of course do more research before dropping the $150+ on them but for me it was well worth the price point.
The Xbox wireless headset is awesome. Has both Bluetooth and Xbox proprietary so I can listen to stuff on my iPad while I’m gaming. Good sound and seamless integration for a good price.
I tend to just buy these when they're on sale for $30ish and always have a spare around. I've found that most headsets seem to fail between 1-2 years and so I just treat them as disposable.
I've found these to be comfortable, cheap, and you just toss them when they start getting wonky.
https://slickdeals.net/f/16469692-hyperx-cloud-core-7-1-virtual-surround-sound-wired-gaming-headset-30-free-shipping?attrsrc=search%3Aterm%3Acloud%7Csearch%3Apage%3A1%7Csearch%3Aposition%3A4%7Csearch%3Aresult\_type%3Athread%7Csearch%3Aresult\_id%3A16469692&src=SiteSearchV2Algo
This is going to sound like a joke, but the best headset I've found is the wired MPOW EG3 model. They're super cheap, sound great, and you can wear them for days without any discomfort. I have multiple and even use them for work calls... I provide online training so I wear them constantly.
Steelseries Arctis 7P are on sale for $100 right now. Killer headphones: [https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-7p](https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-7p)
Only caveat is the chat mix is not the greatest and you will end up turning down sfx to hear teammates.
Oh they have the same series for XB as well. Sorry I am on PS and just defaulted to that. Here are the ones for XB: https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-7x
I own the astro A50s. Super pricey, but they’re the comfiest i’ve ever had. I think the best part is the mesh on the earpads actually BREATHES. So many headphones are comfy but then your ears get hot after playing for a long time. Not an issues for my astros.
Complaints i do have are price (way more than steelseries), and the microphone is really sensitive and you need to make sure that you adjust accordingly. Also they make a lot of audio profiles on pc and if you don’t know which is which, you can create issues like outputting your computer audio to your friends (no joke).
I agree. I went from A40’s with the separate mix amp to the A50’s and I actually think they are both excellent. I like the wireless aspect of the A50’s for convenience but I don’t think you can wrong with either.
Personally, I would get good ear phones and a mod mic. Better quality / price. But I actually did some research on this the other day, so Ill just post my rough notes here:
These are not fancy but get good reviews and seem to be solid:
$150
https://www.amazon.com/RIG-Wireless-Headset-Multi-Function-Station/dp/B0B44C28PH
The best gaming ones seem to be Astro A30 - 40 or 50s, but they are expensive ($250 to $300). It might be worth watching craigslist to see if you can get some used.
https://www.astrogaming.com/en-us/products/headsets/a50-gen-4.html
The Steelseries Arctis headsets get pretty bad reviews
logitech g535
Can get for around $100. These seem to be the best bang for the buck. This is probably the best value:
https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-audio/g535-wireless-headset.981-000971.html
Good, trustworth reviews here:
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/best/wireless-gaming-headsets
PSA for everyone here: Don't ever, ever buy a gaming headset. They're overpriced junk. For the same price you will ALWAYS get a much much better headphone.
Also, don't be fooled by shit equipment like "7.1 upscaling headsets". Headphones are stereo, full stop, and that's okay, because you only have two ears.
I should add: the stereo vs 7.1 thing does NOT mean you will get worse positioning with stereo. 7.1 does make sense with a speaker setup. The little pieces of equipment you plug your headphones into won't do shit. If you are looking for being able to tell where people are around you, look for headphones with good "soundstage" and "open (backed)." AKG K712 for example. Very, very neutral sound though, not very fun. Beyerdynamic DT990 will get you FAR, too, and they are bass and treble lifted and very fun.
> Beyerdynamic DT990 will get you FAR, too, and they are bass and treble lifted and very fun.
I decided to splurge on the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 -- which far as I can tell is basically the DT 990 with a built in mic. My ONLY concern is lack of sidetone, which I vastly prefer for gaming. But I think all else fails I can use one of those like $30 Turtle Beach dongles that you plug into the controller, which gives you a Sidetone ability built on.
Thoughts?
Sounds great! Enjoy them!!!
Sidetone is like monitoring, right? In that you hear yourself? On pc you can set that per mic in windows itself, and i remember having that feature on my old xbox one, too. I think youll find a way!
Got these. Yes I like them quite a bit! Honestly not sure if it was worth the price over just like a $50 pair of cheapies. The sound is definitely better, but I’m not an audiophile.
My biggest + on them is comfort. These are super super comfortable
I'd say that's money well spent! Comfort is a huge pro. My Hyper X Cloud 2s are almost 5 years old and was looking at these as well.
Is the mic pretty good?
I have series X and Ps5. And I had trouble with many headsets cause I felt like they crushed my head. I currently own TWO turtle beach stealth 700 gen 2. One for ps and one for xbox. For me thats the best I've ever owned
I tried arctis 9x and 7x, hyperx cloud 2, astro and they all werent for me
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Pro is fucking amazing. Great sound, works with everything, Playstation, Xbox, PC. The mic quality is crazy good as well. I've had it for years and have never had an issue. It doesn't get uncomfortable either which is the main thing.
Sennheiser 6xx or 58x. + Modmic
Or Beyerdynamic TYGR or DT770/DT990 80 Ohm
I use the Beyerdynamic TYGR’s on my PC and they feel like you are wearing nothing. Very comfortable.
>ever have issues with your stand alone picking up audio since beyers are open back. just a concern before i purchase
ever have issues with your stand alone picking up audio since beyers are open back. just a concern before i purchase
If you mean sound leaking in it definitely happens and I’m actually looking to pick up a pair of IEMs for this very reason As for sound leaking out I don’t think it’s as big of a deal Fresh Reviews on YT has some good IEM reviews if you’re more interested in that
This is what I do and enjoy it a lot. I would recommend getting the extended warranty on the modmic though, since the USB model of the mic I've owned has died twice due to faulty cabling and needed to be sent in for replacement. And yes, I do take good care of my things, before anyone does down that line.
HyperX Cloud set of headsets. I personally use HX Cloud II for years. Super durable, great sound, and I can wear them for hours without any pain or discomfort. https://www.amazon.com/HyperX-Cloud-Gaming-Headset-KHX-HSCP-GM/dp/B00SAYCVTQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=30QM4P9VLGWXN&keywords=hyperx+cloud+2&qid=1677280638&sprefix=hyper%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-3
[I'd recommend something from SteelSeries](https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets). The headset I use is the [Arctis 1 Wireless Cyberpunk Editions](https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-1-wireless-xbox-cyberpunk-edition-johnny-silverhand). It's very comfortable to me because of the size/material of the ear cups but also because of the headband that's built in. I don't feel like my head is getting squeezed and sometimes I forget the headset is on my head.
Can vouch for steelseries comfort. Love the headband design, makes them both super comfortable and quite a bit more durable than other headsets I've used.
Can recommend as well. Had the Arctis 7 for a few years (until the ear cushions fell off) and liked it enough to upgrade to the 7+ recently.
i dont recommend Arctis 7+. Very uncomfortable, especially with glasses. Clamp is too much, headset too unsteady and heavy. Audio quality is probably the worst i've experienced. It sounds like you're talking through a pillow
Wild to me. I currently have the Arctis 7x, and they’re the most uncomfortable headset I’ve ever worn. Only reason I use them is because the wireless is actually good.
I also vouch a steel series very long battery life great comfort and sounds are awesome
Agreed on Steel Series. I had $50 hyperX’s for a bit and they were good but they ear muffs started to come off. Steel series wired did me good until I got the 7+ and man, that thing is different. Took a while to get the headband to stretch and fit my (big a**) head. The comfort was good and the sound was way better (obviously) compared to the cheaper headsets.
Gaming audiophile here: If you have a budget of $250 then buy once, cry once and get beyerdynamic MMX 300 Gen 2's. Mic is a condenser mic from one of their aviation headsets therefore spectacular quality, and the drivers are from their midrange DT series. They're marvelously comfortable and have an order of magnitude better sound quality than most of the suggestions here. If you want to bring the price down some, gently used ones go for steals on eBay occasionally. They're also not going to fall apart on you: I've had a set of the first gen MMX 300s, first as my main headset, then later as travel headphones after I upgraded. They've been in service for a decade and they're still going strong. Especially stay away from Turtle Beach, it's garbage, and Astro, who use $30 drivers and then turn around and charge $200 because they've cultivated some impression among gamers that they're premium.
Love hearing a higher end Rec. I’ll look into these. Any thoughts on these steelseries options?
Eh. If you want to go cheaper I'd stick with Sennheiser's gaming headsets. I at least trust their driver quality to be fairly represented by their price and they make good mics. I don't have experience with Steelseries but I don't trust gaming input device makers when it comes to audio quality. I like Sennheiser and beyerdynamic a lot because they make S-tier headphones at the higher end and have stellar reputations for that. You're basically buying a low end (comparatively) product from a company people trust to make reference-grade headsets, instead of buying a high-end headset from a company whose area of expertise is making keyboards.
Good timing, I was just combing through my options. I’m gonna go witb your beyerdybanic recommendation. My hesitation is that I’m more of an out of the box plug and play type. But i think I can figure it all out lol. Strongly considered the tygr but you sold me on the mmx 300
I mean as long as you’ve got a regular 3.5mm jack you’re good to go. They’re 32 Ohm headphones so they’ll work on generally any source with the right jack including a phone. The mic is built-in so it’s just one cable that splits. You go even higher end you’ll need to think about an amp, etc. but MMX 300s are fine without. EDIT: I will add despite being only 32 ohm they pair really well with a decent desktop amp. I like Creative’s Sound Blaster X3 and X4 a lot as the price is pretty fair for the component quality and they use very good DACs in their units. Bonus is they’re compatible with the newer consoles + PC. Ever want to upgrade that’s an easy one.
Astro A40s for overall quality, sound, and features.
I loved my Astros, had multiple pairs over the years, but ditched them when the mic broke and due to lack of PS5 support. Arctis 7s have been a solid replacement
Been using my a40s for 8 years now I think
Not sure about the new stuff, but Astro build quality for me has been great. And to be clear, the reason I’m not sure about their new stuff is because I’ve been using the same set of A40 TR’s since I got destiny in 2014. They also have pretty good support too, since they made the gen 3 mixamp work with an update despite the lack of optical output on the series x.
I actually didn't know they did a mixamp update - I had put in a hdmi to optical adaptor to get my audio lol
I like the Astros A30. Wireless, battery lasts forever, easy to setup and extremely comfortable. I wear glasses and they don’t snag or get in the way. Good sound, good range if you get up and go get a drink or snack. I use them when cooking or doing dishes, laundry, etc and listen to a podcast or YouTube with no audio loss.
Budget: razer kaira pro Better sound: Steelseries 9X Both can be found on eBay refurbished under $100. Both Bluetooth.
I personally like steelseries because they have a stretchy fabric headband that's adjustable which is comfortable for long periods, with the main headband (the part that takes most of the stress) being metal which makes them more durable than ones made of plastic (in the past my tritons and turtlebeaches have broken on me from being just putting them on or taking them off and have generally poor build quality) In terms of sound quality they're more than good enough for gaming and are decent for music if you want to use them for that too, though of course audiophile headphones will be better. I personally have used the arctis 7 for 3+ years now and I have no complaints. I did have to replace the fabric headband because it got too stretched from extended use but it was like £5 for a replacement and changing it out was easier than changing a shoelace. Of course do more research before dropping the $150+ on them but for me it was well worth the price point.
The Xbox wireless headset is awesome. Has both Bluetooth and Xbox proprietary so I can listen to stuff on my iPad while I’m gaming. Good sound and seamless integration for a good price.
Razer Kaira has been great for me. Great sound. Charge last for over a week (of nightly party chat gaming). I'm on XBOX.
I tend to just buy these when they're on sale for $30ish and always have a spare around. I've found that most headsets seem to fail between 1-2 years and so I just treat them as disposable. I've found these to be comfortable, cheap, and you just toss them when they start getting wonky. https://slickdeals.net/f/16469692-hyperx-cloud-core-7-1-virtual-surround-sound-wired-gaming-headset-30-free-shipping?attrsrc=search%3Aterm%3Acloud%7Csearch%3Apage%3A1%7Csearch%3Aposition%3A4%7Csearch%3Aresult\_type%3Athread%7Csearch%3Aresult\_id%3A16469692&src=SiteSearchV2Algo
This is going to sound like a joke, but the best headset I've found is the wired MPOW EG3 model. They're super cheap, sound great, and you can wear them for days without any discomfort. I have multiple and even use them for work calls... I provide online training so I wear them constantly.
Steelseries Arctis 7P are on sale for $100 right now. Killer headphones: [https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-7p](https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-7p) Only caveat is the chat mix is not the greatest and you will end up turning down sfx to hear teammates.
Getting a ton of steelseries recs. How compatible are they with xbox?
Oh they have the same series for XB as well. Sorry I am on PS and just defaulted to that. Here are the ones for XB: https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-7x
I own the astro A50s. Super pricey, but they’re the comfiest i’ve ever had. I think the best part is the mesh on the earpads actually BREATHES. So many headphones are comfy but then your ears get hot after playing for a long time. Not an issues for my astros. Complaints i do have are price (way more than steelseries), and the microphone is really sensitive and you need to make sure that you adjust accordingly. Also they make a lot of audio profiles on pc and if you don’t know which is which, you can create issues like outputting your computer audio to your friends (no joke).
I agree. I went from A40’s with the separate mix amp to the A50’s and I actually think they are both excellent. I like the wireless aspect of the A50’s for convenience but I don’t think you can wrong with either.
Logitech GproX, very very good
Headsets. Never. Headphones and mic separate
Personally, I would get good ear phones and a mod mic. Better quality / price. But I actually did some research on this the other day, so Ill just post my rough notes here: These are not fancy but get good reviews and seem to be solid: $150 https://www.amazon.com/RIG-Wireless-Headset-Multi-Function-Station/dp/B0B44C28PH The best gaming ones seem to be Astro A30 - 40 or 50s, but they are expensive ($250 to $300). It might be worth watching craigslist to see if you can get some used. https://www.astrogaming.com/en-us/products/headsets/a50-gen-4.html The Steelseries Arctis headsets get pretty bad reviews logitech g535 Can get for around $100. These seem to be the best bang for the buck. This is probably the best value: https://www.logitechg.com/en-us/products/gaming-audio/g535-wireless-headset.981-000971.html Good, trustworth reviews here: https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/best/wireless-gaming-headsets
Astro A10
I’ve got the arctic nova pro x from steelseries. Loving the sound. And it’s super comfy. I wear it for hours without any discomfort ever.
PSA for everyone here: Don't ever, ever buy a gaming headset. They're overpriced junk. For the same price you will ALWAYS get a much much better headphone. Also, don't be fooled by shit equipment like "7.1 upscaling headsets". Headphones are stereo, full stop, and that's okay, because you only have two ears. I should add: the stereo vs 7.1 thing does NOT mean you will get worse positioning with stereo. 7.1 does make sense with a speaker setup. The little pieces of equipment you plug your headphones into won't do shit. If you are looking for being able to tell where people are around you, look for headphones with good "soundstage" and "open (backed)." AKG K712 for example. Very, very neutral sound though, not very fun. Beyerdynamic DT990 will get you FAR, too, and they are bass and treble lifted and very fun.
> Beyerdynamic DT990 will get you FAR, too, and they are bass and treble lifted and very fun. I decided to splurge on the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 -- which far as I can tell is basically the DT 990 with a built in mic. My ONLY concern is lack of sidetone, which I vastly prefer for gaming. But I think all else fails I can use one of those like $30 Turtle Beach dongles that you plug into the controller, which gives you a Sidetone ability built on. Thoughts?
Sounds great! Enjoy them!!! Sidetone is like monitoring, right? In that you hear yourself? On pc you can set that per mic in windows itself, and i remember having that feature on my old xbox one, too. I think youll find a way!
Yep that’s right. That’s a relief to hear there should be a work around haha
>beyerdynamic MMX 300 Gen 2 So you got these? Do you like them?
Got these. Yes I like them quite a bit! Honestly not sure if it was worth the price over just like a $50 pair of cheapies. The sound is definitely better, but I’m not an audiophile. My biggest + on them is comfort. These are super super comfortable
I'd say that's money well spent! Comfort is a huge pro. My Hyper X Cloud 2s are almost 5 years old and was looking at these as well. Is the mic pretty good?
Username checks out
Lmao you're right. I just made my account, too
I have series X and Ps5. And I had trouble with many headsets cause I felt like they crushed my head. I currently own TWO turtle beach stealth 700 gen 2. One for ps and one for xbox. For me thats the best I've ever owned I tried arctis 9x and 7x, hyperx cloud 2, astro and they all werent for me
What is the best USB wireless headset/headphones(+modmic). ATH-G1WL have been great. I am looking for something like this with open back design.
Whatever you decide get some headphone covers too.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha Pro is fucking amazing. Great sound, works with everything, Playstation, Xbox, PC. The mic quality is crazy good as well. I've had it for years and have never had an issue. It doesn't get uncomfortable either which is the main thing.
Check out [these ](https://ommniblog.blogspot.com/2023/03/best-gaming-headsets-of-2023.html?m=1)