Headphones Buying Guide and FAQ

[Alex Ushigome]

So a decent chunk of the audio posts are people asking what headphones they should get, or if RAZER headphones are a good choice, so I thought I would make a very basic guide to what you should get, what you should avoid, and why. This will be pretty basic, as I am just aiming to quickly teach people some basics, and where to start looking for real headphones. For more specialised recommendations, or any questions at all, I still recommend making your own thread with questions.

 

Frequently Asked Questions and Repeated Information Dump

What makes a good gaming headphone? - The number one thing you want in headphones that will be used for gaming, is soundstage. Soundstage refers to a headphone’s ability to give a sense of the spacing of instruments/sound sources, in other words, whether a noise can sound like it's 50 metres away (exaggeration), or like everything is flat and in your head. Treble (high frequencies) is another aspect that is good for professional gamers (I'm talking esports), as sounds such as footsteps tend to be towards treble, but this can be accomplished with external device such as the Sennheiser GSX 1000 USB Gaming Amplifier, that has an EQ that'll enhance the treble, but this is only recommended for actual professionals who rely on their sound. As for a mic, just buy an attachable modmic uni, which will most likely be better then any gaming headset mic.

 

Should I get gaming brand headphones? - 99.5% of the time, no. God no. There are a few reasons why gaming headsets suck. Some of these issues are compounding, some headsets will suffer from more than one of these issues and it all piles up into one big thing of garbage.

- Build quality - There's a lot of stuff inside a gaming headset. All that stuff has to work together and on top of that the headset has to meet a competitive price point and turn a profit for the manufacturer. You've got the speakers, a mic, cabling, connectors, on board audio drivers (if its a USB set), noise cancellation (by way of closed design), the ear pads, headband and internal mountings, speakers, RGB, etc. Basically in order to make a product that meets a competitive price point and still makes a decent profit, one or more of the listed things in here tends to get the cheap and nasty treatment. Usually more than one thing.

- Marketing - Unlike the fairly 'word of mouth' driven world of hi-fi audio gear, gaming gear is heavily driven by advertising and marketing. The marketing budget is included in the cost of making the headset, so at the end of the day, those are dollars being taken away from quality components and assembly.

- Gimmicks - RGB should not be on your head, all it does is create extra heat and cost more money, for something you yourself can't actually see (and to other people in the room, looks stupid). 7.1 Surround Sound is marketing rubbish made up to make the uneducated think that their thing is better then it is, and is in fact less accurate then normal headphones using Dolby Atmos Access (see LTT video in resources). In-line controls that you may accidentally hit (scroll wheels ew), when your PC has all they controls it needs (spend the money you save from headphones on a better keyboard with media controls).

 

Should I/Will I need to, get a DAC/AMP? - Short answer, no. Long answer, probably not. If your headphones are under $150, you're probably better off buying better headphones then a DAC/AMP. But even if you have higher end headphones, the reality is that you don't NEED it. Everything I am recommending below can be driven by your PCs on-board audio. Now whether you should get a DAC/, you will hear improvements over using the on-board audio, even if your headphones are easy to drive, or $50, as what a DAC actually does beyond just producing an analogue audio signal for you to listen to, is to reproduce that signal as close as humanly possible to it's original source sound, without colouring it. I would highly recommend checking out the pinned thread on DAC/AMPs for a guide, even if the recommendations are outdated. 

 

But I want wireless! - Wireless headphones have too many cons to warrant any recommendation, as it still hasn't matured yet. The issue is that you're paying a hefty tax for a pair of headphones that won't sound as good for something half the price, because they are defined by being wireless. Just like gaming headphones, wireless headphones have to cram more stuff in. You've got a DAC built in, battery, Bluetooth receivers, fancy features (wear detect, onboard controls). A more price to performance solution is buying a Bluetooth DAC like the FiiO BTR5, sure there's a cable, but you'll get better audio, and still be able to use your iPhone without a jack. I have heard that Bluetooth delay isn't as bad as it used to be, but I have tested recent releases, and it is still existent. 

 

What is Open Backed/Closed Back? - Open back headphones do not have a sealed cup, allowing ambient sound to leak in. Many consider these headphones to have a more spatially realistic sound. Because they are opened, you are will likely hear noises around you (fighting parents), and will also have significantly more sound leakage, meaning people around you will be able to hear what you're listening too, so it's not recommended using open backed while around others. Closed back are probably what you would be using now, and simply have the cups sealed.

 

Google says Beats by Dre by Apple are good headphones? - Google sucks. Don't believe anything Google or tech and news outlets tell you. Most of these outlets only care for the features, rather then sound, and are written by journalists rather then audiophiles/somebody with knowledge in the area. The only Tech Tuber who I can recommend is Dmetri from Hardware Cannuks, or actual audiophile YouTubers.

 

Headphones Recommendation

Recommendations all take some form of gaming into account. Every ear is different, so I won't be listing 100x pairs of headphones that may be your perfect pair. Please don't purchase blindly, look into these headphones and even try to find somewhere you can demo them. If you can't demo them in a store, find somewhere that offers change of mind, such as Amazon. All prices are USD from Amazon.

 

Open Backed Recommendations

$50 and under

Spoiler

1st Place - Koss KPH30i - $29.99 - 

 

2nd Place - Koss Porta-Pro - $38 - 

$50 - $150

Spoiler

1st Place - Philips SHP9500 - $74.99 - Bass light, but amazing imaging and good soundstage, and absolutely amazing sound for a $75 pair of cans. I haven't tried myself, but apparently changing the pads for HM5 leather make them more comfortable, and improves the bass.

 

2nd Place - 

$150 - $250

Spoiler

1st Place - beyerdynamic TYGR 300R - $199 - They slightly boost bass and highs, but maintain accurate mids. Really nice and clean sub-bass. Does not come with a mic (unless you get the bundle with a desktop mic), so a modmic will set you back a little bit more.

 

2nd Place - 

 

Closed Back Recommendations

$50 and under

Spoiler

1st Place - Monoprice Modern Retro - $29.99

 

2nd Place - AKG Pro Audio K72 - $33.61

$50 - $150

Spoiler

1st Place - Cooler Master MH751 - $88.10 - Part of the 0.05% of gaming headphones that are actually good. Rebranded, cheaper version of the Takstar 82 Pros. Minimalist branding, so they actually pass as headphones in public. Come with a decent mic. The most comfortable things I have ever put on my head. 

 

2nd Place - Audio Technica M40X - $100 - Will need thick replacement pads. Not the best soundstage, but new pads will fix that. Amazing neutral sound.

$150 - $250

Spoiler

1st Place - beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO 80 Ohm - $159

 

2nd Place - 

 

Special Mentions

Spoiler

Sennheiser HD6xx/650/600 - While these may be considered some of the best headphones for music, they are a huge avoid for any form of gaming. The issue is that they have absolutely 0 soundstage and are claustrophobic as all hell. 

 

Audio Technica M50X - Just like the Sennheisers, they have no soundstage. I had been using the M50X for 4 years as my daily driver, before I got into audio, and the difference in every category, not just gaming, is insane. I blame YouTubers like randomfrankp who endorsed them and said they were good for gaming, because they are horrible. You can't hear where anything is coming from, and depending on your game, certain sounds just aren't heard at all. I'm not going to go on about why they suck for music as well, because that's subjective, but they aren't studio monitors like they advertise either.

 

HyperX Clouds - Back in 2014, I would of given these a big fat recommendation. The issue now is, they have been overtaken by headphones like the MH751. I see a fair few people still buying the Alphas and Cloud II, mostly because all the old videos recommend them as the best under $100 headset, but it simply isn't true anymore. If you got these, you still did good, because they are by no means bad, it's just that there are better out there.

 

If you have suggestions about gear and explanations, then please leave a comment, as I have not tested everything under the sun, nor have I read every single HeadFi article and listened to every Audiophile YouTube video there is. Comment the gear you would like to see added and why, I will then look into it when I have time and decide if it should be added. Likewise, if you see anything in the recommendations with a missing comment or not enough said, feel free to say something, as I probably haven't had the time to process thoughts, and help is appreciated.

 

If you want an explanation to something, then comment what you would like explained and I will look into it. Remember there are no stupid questions, I am trying to help you, and your questions help me help everybody.

 

Resources:

Spoiler

https://audio46.com/blogs/headphones/making-sense-of-headphone-terminology-1

https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/4nabvv/gaming_audio_and_you_why_995_of_gaming_headsets/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_JpAyWMeiQ

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/561901-before-you-buy-amp-and-dac-recommendations/

https://hifiguides.com/

 

[litttrash]

Wow Nice, Like how You grouped budgets

[HM-2]

Good thread! It's worth noting that perceptions of audio are VERY contentious, and personal tastes play into it a great deal. For instance I see the various BeyerDynamic headphones recommended frequently whereas I'm not a fan of their V-shaped audio profile although I'll concede that they are still a pretty damn good listen.

 

In the circa $400 space I'm a big fan of the Audio-Technica ATH-1000Z for critical listening, and the Shure SHR-1540 and 1840 as closed and open back general listening.

 

At the cheaper end I'm a huge advocate of the AKG Y50 despite their age. Also the Grado SR60i and SR80i if you can tolerate looking like a Cyberman.

 

In the midrange audiophile space, it's also worth looking at the Shure SHR-840/940, the Audio-Technica ATH-990Z, Sennheiser HD599 and 600, AKG K712Pro, Grado 325s, the various Hifiman Planars and probably a few other I can't remember offhand.

[rice guru]

I say there are exceptions to the sub $200 rule. DT 880s scale extremely well and 990s to me are in listinable without a liquid spark. Gear pairing is very important and the dac amp thread I find to be a bit outdated so much has been released these past 2 years that are not included on the guide.

[Alex Ushigome]

6 hours ago, rice guru said:

I say there are exceptions to the sub $200 rule. DT 880s scale extremely well and 990s to me are in listinable without a liquid spark. Gear pairing is very important and the dac amp thread I find to be a bit outdated so much has been released these past 2 years that are not included on the guide.

ended up dropping it down to $150, as i overshot (im used to AUD). And reworded the part about the pinned guide to disclude the recommendations. Thanks for opinions.

 

9 hours ago, HM-2 said:

Good thread! It's worth noting that perceptions of audio are VERY contentious, and personal tastes play into it a great deal. For instance I see the various BeyerDynamic headphones recommended frequently whereas I'm not a fan of their V-shaped audio profile although I'll concede that they are still a pretty damn good listen.

 

In the circa $400 space I'm a big fan of the Audio-Technica ATH-1000Z for critical listening, and the Shure SHR-1540 and 1840 as closed and open back general listening.

 

At the cheaper end I'm a huge advocate of the AKG Y50 despite their age. Also the Grado SR60i and SR80i if you can tolerate looking like a Cyberman.

 

In the midrange audiophile space, it's also worth looking at the Shure SHR-840/940, the Audio-Technica ATH-990Z, Sennheiser HD599 and 600, AKG K712Pro, Grado 325s, the various Hifiman Planars and probably a few other I can't remember offhand.

I'll look into the cheaper and midrange stuff later, thanks for recommendations.

 

Was deliberately avoiding adding recommendations for anything over $250, as I originally had some, but believe at that price point, its better to get more personalised recommendations as there are a lot of great cans and it starts to become even more personal opinion.

[weeblord]

I'd personally recommend the Yamaha RH10MS, but I they're quite hard to find. I think they used to be about $100 new or so.