Hello everyone . Almost a year ago, I remember coming to this forum for advice on some good headphones to use for FPS games to replace my Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless. Well, I never ended up getting any because my headphones still worked, and I don’t like replacing stuff unnecessarily. However, my situation has changed as my setup is pretty much gone from the LA fires, and I’m starting fresh.
My previous audio setup was a Lewitt LCT 440 Pure and the dock from the Arctis Pros plugged into a GoXLR mini. The reason I had gone with a headset was because I hadn’t known that I would be getting a separate mic eventually. This time around, I want to get a nice pair of headphones to pair with an XLR mic (is the 440 pure still the best midrange option, I loved that mic) and an audio interface that has these features:
Is light (the Arctis Pros made my head hurt after a while from the weight)
Breathable (I hate wearing most Bluetooth headphones because the leather makes my ears sweat)
Good imaging for gaming (I wanted to be able to tell where the audio like footsteps and gunshots is coming from
Decent for the music I listen to (I used to listen to rap, but now I’d like headphones that are good for jazz, oldies, and the kind of music you would hear in Fallout)
Good durability (I don’t want them falling apart or the cable ripping out, a detachable cable would be even better
Not too clampy (I want to be able to wear these for a long time without getting a headache
I can’t decide between open back and closed back headphones. When I would use my Arctis Pros, I would almost always have one of the cups (or whatever the term is) off of my ears because I get kinda paranoid when I can’t hear anything. However, we are moving into a much smaller place now and I don’t want my audio to disturb my family or be heard through the door.
Have you considered flathead/earbuds? Those will solve your comfort issue I believe. You can try out a cheap one like the Qian39 to see if they work well for you. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002275229979.html
(qian39 specifically)
Unless they are in the same room/next to you and/or you play at VERY loud volumes I honestly wouldnt worry about sound leak tbh from hp nor buds.
Thanks for replying! I usually play/listen to music at pretty quiet volumes and I’m only really worried about sound bleeding through the wall/door but based off of what you said I should be good with open backs then. I was thinking about iems but I’ve always had problems with earbuds causing ear wax buildup/ear pain and they fall out. I could get custom fitted ones but that sounds really expensive.
Sorry you lost it all in the fire. Open-backs for sure. I too don’t like the closed-in feeling of closed back headphones, though I dig the isolation of IEMs.
The sound will be zero issue except for others in the room with you and even then if you’re not pushing 80dB+ or louder it’s rarely an issue.
I was just re-watching Fallout. Great soundtrack to lighten the dystopian mood.
I would check out the Hifiman Edition XS or Ananda Stealth. They are very close if not the same in sound profile just with different headbands. Both are available on Amazon and within your budget. I don’t game so I don’t know if they are the end all for that but they’re like not wearing headphones open.
Don’t be afraid to adjust the headband clamping force to suit what you like. I hate any clamping force. I like them to hover on the sides of my head.
You can always try this out with whatever you have right now, leave it on the table. Play music and go to the next room, see if you can hear it. (Its gonna be less audible when you are wearing them so keep that in mind.)
Thank you for your response! I’m starting to like the sound of open backs much more now so that I don’t have to keep an ear cup off my ear which ruins the audio anyway. I haven’t actually watched the Fallout show yet, I just listened to a YouTube playlist with music from the games which got me into them, and other oldies.
. Almost a year ago, I remember coming to this forum for advice on some good headphones to use for FPS games to replace my Steelseries Arctis Pro Wireless. Well, I never ended up getting any because my headphones still worked, and I don’t like replacing stuff unnecessarily. However, my situation has changed as my setup is pretty much gone from the LA fires, and I’m starting fresh.