Yeah, after running a few different cans through my “gaming reference” (COD: Modern Warfare, “No Fighting in the War Room”), I definitely have renewed appreciation for use cases & what different headphones bring to the table.
So, quick background on me for context: I put in extreme amounts of time on XBox chasing achievements; I’ve completed over 900 games to date on XBox platforms, including a few achievement-enabled PC games. However, PC is not my primary platform. I also don’t care for competitive MP, though I’ve done it (e.g., 100% completion in Titanfall, including ranking up to Gen 10, which took > 200 hours of gameplay).
Because the center of my gaming universe tends to be single-player or cooperative MP (e.g., Borderlands) on console, my top requirements are:
- Something I can drive from an XBox controller
- Rich, detailed sound
That’s what led me to make a headset out of Elegias; they’re stupid-good for casual play with a cinematic experience, I can drive them fine from a controller, and the closed back lets me play undistracted while my wife watches her shows or whatever.
In any case, I just got some DT 1990s last night, and since they’re so hyped for gaming, I decided to run those through my COD reference level on my gaming laptop vs Stellias, because why not? And then this morning I re-ran the Beyers vs. LCD-GX. Here’s what I found:
The Stellias were easily the best for a cinematic SP experience. Gunfire and explosions had real meat to them. The action sounded sharp and full. Individual sounds were well-defined and clearly imaged, and the overall soundscape was very dramatic and complete. This is on par with the experience I get from the Elegias, but there’s no way in hell I’d disfigure the Stellias with a modmic magnet, lol.
The 1990s had an entirely different presentation, and it was immediately clear why these would be an outstanding choice for competitive MP. While all of the sounds are still present, they lack the cohesive cinematic blending that I got on the Stellias. Instead, nothing is blended together and all of the individual sounds are much easier to pick out. Gunfire lacked the bassy boom that made the action feel real, but was clear in a way that didn’t step on the rest of the action. The treble response really calls attention to tiny details like footsteps, reloads, etc. The overall effect was like “tactical cheat mode.”
The LCD-GX splits the difference somewhat. It’s still clear and detailed, but not as sharply imaged as the Beyers. The gunfire is also not as visceral as the Focals, but without the Beyer treble I couldn’t track surrounding action as well when things got busy. Explosions and whatnot (esp. the wall breach) were satisfying and had good bite, even if the entire experience wasn’t as over-the-top as it was on the Focals. All in all, these were an enjoyable pick for more casual gaming, and would probably be acceptable for light MP, as the detail when things are not overly busy is still very good. I got away from years with crappy Turtle Beach headsets, and clarity on the GX is leagues better, so I certainly wouldn’t avoid them for social play.
EDIT: I should add, I really like the GX on XBox; they’re my daily drivers despite having the Elegias, because the integrated mic on the GX is less unwieldy than the modmic on my homebrew headset. The controller drives them to a satisfying volume, and they’re very clear and sound great. For moments where I need to block out my surroundings or when I’m playing something where audio quality is paramount (e.g., Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice) I’ll reach for the Elegias.
