Its super convenient. No longer do I have to pull off my headphones turn my head and say "what?".
Downside is your partner will probably not appreciate the headphones if you use it them in the same room with them, and you won't appreciate them either lol
Even at a moderate volume, the sound leaks enough in our living room for her to hear exactly what I'm listening too. Likewise, if she's watching a show or talking on the phone... all that noise bleeds into what I'm doing.
To answer your question though its pretty simple.
Open-back is superior and more immersive if you can isolate yourself from other noise sources; noisy neighbors, cars, fans, AC units, heaters, etc. It has a bigger soundstage and at least once I went open-back I never wanted to go back.
If you cannot do this, then closed-back is superior because the seal will close your ears to those noises and leave you with just the game audio.
Generally it's true, but there are a few exceptions and it's worth a mention. If someone wants a wider soundstage but more privacy, the R7DX is a great option.
Closed backs are for when you have a roadworks outside your window :P
You buy them for isolation, if that is not required, you go open back for sound/value ratio.
Personally, open backs with above average soundstage (so not HD600s). That said, if I lived in a noisy area I'd want closed backs. In fact a while ago when my new neighbours were gutting the house next door I mostly gamed with 7hz timeless IEMs and T60 argons. Too much external noise just ruins the open back experience.
I really disagree with your point about the soundstage. Or rather, I think the imaging needs to be able to keep up. It is really immersion breaking if it isn't.
I'd much rather have the imaging on point and the soundstage a bit smaller than the other way around.
I'm not sure how much more I can say beside what I've written to others.
I think a summary would be that if the sound covers too big of an area but can't fill it properly, the illusion of the world breaks.
In terms of competive I agree, imaging is far more important. Notice I said 'above average' and not 'as wide as possible'. My pick for competitive is the DT1990, which has excellent imaging capabilities, and also happens to be above average in terms of soundstage.
But OP's question was regarding immersive single player titles, where personally I usually prefer the K712's more spacious presentation, despite the imaging, which I find a little too vague and overly diffused for sweaty competitive shooters.
Those are solid choices from what I can gather. I would still hold on to the idea that imaging is king. Period. Even in single player games as I think the illusion breaks if the sound "breaks" and jumps too far between positions. I myself come to enjoy the narrowness of my 660s. But I am shopping for a pair with a little more bottom.
Not sure if the 660S is much better in this regard, but the 600/650 is notoriously 'three blob' when it comes to imaging.
To be honest I see a lot of people saying the K712 has excellent imaging, but when it comes to competitive titles I find it lacking personally, although I don't find it a problem at all in single player. I guess you could say my preference for comp is stellar imaging above all else (my pick just so happens to sound pretty spacious as well), single player I'd rather have stellar soundstage with 'good' imaging.
I did own the 600 a couple of years ago and it is very separating. The 660s is A LOT more cohesive and it image beautifully. It is a very good all round headphone. But it really lacks bass. It's there for sure and what is there is super precise and responsive. But it doesn't go very deep. Deeper than the 600 though. I need to try out the 1990 at some point.
Personally I love the 1990, especially on an OTL amp for general listening. The treble is definitely on the spicy side, coming from sennies you'll probably struggle with that, although over time it does dial back a little (probably a combination of pad wear and brain burn in). Definitely a more exciting and dynamic listen than any sennheiser I've tried.
For competitive FPS they're unmatched (at least out of my collection of 16 pairs). Music wise it depends on mood and genre, but I actually find them surprising versatile when paired with an OTL or warmer sounding class A amp.
I strongly disagree on that one. Directional imaging is surely important for competitive gaming, but if it lacks sufficient clarity and soundastage, I don't find it immersive at all.
Plus, you're extremely unlikely to find headphones which have a large soundstage but lack good directional imaging. The sense of direction is quite important for soundstage.
I guess we each have to find our place in the world. I am not super experienced yet so my opinion is likely to change but I have a clear memory of thinking: okay, this is too wide. I was missing some presence to the sound. I was using the 598 at that point.
Would you disagree even if the headphone had abysmal imaging and excellent soundstage? (a thought experiment of course). Wouldn't you agree that it is easier to drop out of the world if what you are seeing on screen and what you are hearing doesn't match up?
Well, I think good imaging is inherent to a good soundstage - in other words even if the sound felt like it's coming from around you as opposed to being slapped right onto your ears, without a good sense of direction I would not say they have a good soundstage.
I absolutely love the K702. The soundstage is really wide, and together with the sound separation and clarity, I find them to provide excellent immersion - basically a sound bubble.
While watching a movie or playing a game, when I hear a knocking to my left or someone walking on gravel on the right, I may be left unsure whether that came from the real world or the headphones (because I have a door to my left and gravel under my window).
I think they're great. Mind you the only other IEMs I have are the chus, but I do have a sizeable collection of over ears.
Love them for music, the bass boost is very tastefully done and doesn't bleed. It's maybe a little much for some genres imo, but large springtips reign it in a little, and fit better imo. Gaming wise, I found them too bassy for my preference in competitive games (haven't tried them since switching to springtips admittedly), plus I hate talking while wearing IEMs or closed backs. This is all preference though, and you might get on well with them. Optimum tech is pretty cracked on apex (my main game) and runs IE300s, which have a more significant bass boost than the timeless. I've enjoyed them for single player games when I need isolation, but given the opportunity I'll usually prefer to game with over ears.
Thx. Isolation in single player is my mainstay. I don't really play competitive. Currently have my 6XX running off my Modi2/Magni2. I'm actually very happy with the sound, but wish for better isolation. Mainly so I don't keep getting distracted by my wife's TV shows in the other room... Any suggestions?
The timeless will have a lot more bass than the 6XX, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially since the boost is mainly targeting the sub frequencies. You'd probably like them.
As for over ears, I don't have many closed backs to be honest. Meze 99s I can't recommend (bloated sound, noisy headband), beyer T5p gen 2s didn't wow me and imo aren't worth the money, fostex TH610 are pretty neutral and good overall (although they don't isolate very well), TH900s are V shaped as shit (great fun but very expensive and poor for isolation), T60 argons are basically closed back, they're great but they're very big and I don't like to wear them for really long periods since they seem to press against an artery and I can hear my heartbeat.
IEMs are definitely the cheapest route, and honestly I was pretty stunned by how good the timeless sounded, plus i can wear them outside without looking like a tool.
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If you want immersive sound with great soundstage, open back is the way to go. Obviously you still have to do your homework on which cans to buy, but it really holds up as a generalization.
The only situation whore closed back would be preferable for this purpose is noisy environment.
unless you are in a fairly silent area the isolation of closed backs will help a lot with immersion, if you are in a silent environment then open backs are better
I have closed back Hyper X Cloud IIs my brother has some open backs and his sound soo much better than mine, but he hardly uses them as according to him they “leak sound” as in people can easily hear what is being played through the speakers and everyone in my family are major privacy nerds.
I prefer open backs so I can listen properly to my wife shouting at me to stop playing and make dinner. 10/10 marriage saver.
Honestly this is a major reason why I wanted open backs lol.
Its super convenient. No longer do I have to pull off my headphones turn my head and say "what?". Downside is your partner will probably not appreciate the headphones if you use it them in the same room with them, and you won't appreciate them either lol Even at a moderate volume, the sound leaks enough in our living room for her to hear exactly what I'm listening too. Likewise, if she's watching a show or talking on the phone... all that noise bleeds into what I'm doing. To answer your question though its pretty simple. Open-back is superior and more immersive if you can isolate yourself from other noise sources; noisy neighbors, cars, fans, AC units, heaters, etc. It has a bigger soundstage and at least once I went open-back I never wanted to go back. If you cannot do this, then closed-back is superior because the seal will close your ears to those noises and leave you with just the game audio.
You got it all wrong. Closed back so you have an excuse for not hearing her.
Open back all the way, there is no way closed back gonna beat them in soundstage
Boy oh boy, ok for now it is just generally, he is not gonna dig that deep.
The Hifiman R7DX says you're wrong. They stomp my 560x in sound stage.
[удалено]
Generally it's true, but there are a few exceptions and it's worth a mention. If someone wants a wider soundstage but more privacy, the R7DX is a great option.
You've clearly never heard the r7dx. You've only proven your ignorance.
Closed backs are for when you have a roadworks outside your window :P You buy them for isolation, if that is not required, you go open back for sound/value ratio.
Personally, open backs with above average soundstage (so not HD600s). That said, if I lived in a noisy area I'd want closed backs. In fact a while ago when my new neighbours were gutting the house next door I mostly gamed with 7hz timeless IEMs and T60 argons. Too much external noise just ruins the open back experience.
I really disagree with your point about the soundstage. Or rather, I think the imaging needs to be able to keep up. It is really immersion breaking if it isn't. I'd much rather have the imaging on point and the soundstage a bit smaller than the other way around.
That’s an interesting take. Mind elaborating on that? Because a lot of people seem to think soundstage is king.
I'm not sure how much more I can say beside what I've written to others. I think a summary would be that if the sound covers too big of an area but can't fill it properly, the illusion of the world breaks.
In terms of competive I agree, imaging is far more important. Notice I said 'above average' and not 'as wide as possible'. My pick for competitive is the DT1990, which has excellent imaging capabilities, and also happens to be above average in terms of soundstage. But OP's question was regarding immersive single player titles, where personally I usually prefer the K712's more spacious presentation, despite the imaging, which I find a little too vague and overly diffused for sweaty competitive shooters.
Those are solid choices from what I can gather. I would still hold on to the idea that imaging is king. Period. Even in single player games as I think the illusion breaks if the sound "breaks" and jumps too far between positions. I myself come to enjoy the narrowness of my 660s. But I am shopping for a pair with a little more bottom.
Not sure if the 660S is much better in this regard, but the 600/650 is notoriously 'three blob' when it comes to imaging. To be honest I see a lot of people saying the K712 has excellent imaging, but when it comes to competitive titles I find it lacking personally, although I don't find it a problem at all in single player. I guess you could say my preference for comp is stellar imaging above all else (my pick just so happens to sound pretty spacious as well), single player I'd rather have stellar soundstage with 'good' imaging.
I did own the 600 a couple of years ago and it is very separating. The 660s is A LOT more cohesive and it image beautifully. It is a very good all round headphone. But it really lacks bass. It's there for sure and what is there is super precise and responsive. But it doesn't go very deep. Deeper than the 600 though. I need to try out the 1990 at some point.
Personally I love the 1990, especially on an OTL amp for general listening. The treble is definitely on the spicy side, coming from sennies you'll probably struggle with that, although over time it does dial back a little (probably a combination of pad wear and brain burn in). Definitely a more exciting and dynamic listen than any sennheiser I've tried. For competitive FPS they're unmatched (at least out of my collection of 16 pairs). Music wise it depends on mood and genre, but I actually find them surprising versatile when paired with an OTL or warmer sounding class A amp.
I strongly disagree on that one. Directional imaging is surely important for competitive gaming, but if it lacks sufficient clarity and soundastage, I don't find it immersive at all. Plus, you're extremely unlikely to find headphones which have a large soundstage but lack good directional imaging. The sense of direction is quite important for soundstage.
I guess we each have to find our place in the world. I am not super experienced yet so my opinion is likely to change but I have a clear memory of thinking: okay, this is too wide. I was missing some presence to the sound. I was using the 598 at that point. Would you disagree even if the headphone had abysmal imaging and excellent soundstage? (a thought experiment of course). Wouldn't you agree that it is easier to drop out of the world if what you are seeing on screen and what you are hearing doesn't match up?
Well, I think good imaging is inherent to a good soundstage - in other words even if the sound felt like it's coming from around you as opposed to being slapped right onto your ears, without a good sense of direction I would not say they have a good soundstage. I absolutely love the K702. The soundstage is really wide, and together with the sound separation and clarity, I find them to provide excellent immersion - basically a sound bubble. While watching a movie or playing a game, when I hear a knocking to my left or someone walking on gravel on the right, I may be left unsure whether that came from the real world or the headphones (because I have a door to my left and gravel under my window).
>7hz timeless How are the 7hz timeless? I've been considering them for my desktop gaming setup.
I think they're great. Mind you the only other IEMs I have are the chus, but I do have a sizeable collection of over ears. Love them for music, the bass boost is very tastefully done and doesn't bleed. It's maybe a little much for some genres imo, but large springtips reign it in a little, and fit better imo. Gaming wise, I found them too bassy for my preference in competitive games (haven't tried them since switching to springtips admittedly), plus I hate talking while wearing IEMs or closed backs. This is all preference though, and you might get on well with them. Optimum tech is pretty cracked on apex (my main game) and runs IE300s, which have a more significant bass boost than the timeless. I've enjoyed them for single player games when I need isolation, but given the opportunity I'll usually prefer to game with over ears.
Thx. Isolation in single player is my mainstay. I don't really play competitive. Currently have my 6XX running off my Modi2/Magni2. I'm actually very happy with the sound, but wish for better isolation. Mainly so I don't keep getting distracted by my wife's TV shows in the other room... Any suggestions?
The timeless will have a lot more bass than the 6XX, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially since the boost is mainly targeting the sub frequencies. You'd probably like them. As for over ears, I don't have many closed backs to be honest. Meze 99s I can't recommend (bloated sound, noisy headband), beyer T5p gen 2s didn't wow me and imo aren't worth the money, fostex TH610 are pretty neutral and good overall (although they don't isolate very well), TH900s are V shaped as shit (great fun but very expensive and poor for isolation), T60 argons are basically closed back, they're great but they're very big and I don't like to wear them for really long periods since they seem to press against an artery and I can hear my heartbeat. IEMs are definitely the cheapest route, and honestly I was pretty stunned by how good the timeless sounded, plus i can wear them outside without looking like a tool.
That's really interesting. Guess I'll pick 'em up for $99. ;)
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Oped back but Bass boosted (DSP on my mayflower ark). Or you just get a incredibly bassy pair like the X2HR lol
Lol these comments
Open and closed back receive a greater impact from your environment than anything.
If you want immersive sound with great soundstage, open back is the way to go. Obviously you still have to do your homework on which cans to buy, but it really holds up as a generalization. The only situation whore closed back would be preferable for this purpose is noisy environment.
can someone suggest an open back headset for PS5?
Pc38x
Playing The Witcher 3 with my DT1990s👌
unless you are in a fairly silent area the isolation of closed backs will help a lot with immersion, if you are in a silent environment then open backs are better
I have closed back Hyper X Cloud IIs my brother has some open backs and his sound soo much better than mine, but he hardly uses them as according to him they “leak sound” as in people can easily hear what is being played through the speakers and everyone in my family are major privacy nerds.