Open vs Closed Back Headphones

[eZGraviity]

What type of headphones are better for FPS shooter type games, specifically Warzone. I've heard that open-backed have a better soundstage, but closed-back have better imaging. Is this true, and which is better for FPS games? Really looking for which one can best and most precisely depict footsteps and their approximate direction.

[DoctorNick]

5 minutes ago, eZGraviity said:

What type of headphones are better for FPS shooter type games, specifically Warzone. I've heard that open-backed have a better soundstage, but closed-back have better imaging. Is this true, and which is better for FPS games? Really looking for which one can best and most precisely depict footsteps and their approximate direction.

Won't really make the biggest difference, but closed might be better if you got noise around you. Closed headphone will make you talk louder though 

[Alex Atkin UK]

2 hours ago, eZGraviity said:

What type of headphones are better for FPS shooter type games, specifically Warzone. I've heard that open-backed have a better soundstage, but closed-back have better imaging. Is this true, and which is better for FPS games? Really looking for which one can best and most precisely depict footsteps and their approximate direction.

Open back sound better, if you are in a quiet environment and with nobody around to disturb with the sound that will leak out.

 

Close back is better in a noisy environment or where sound leaking would be disruptive to people around you.

 

Personally I got an EPOS H6PRO on sale and its one of the best sounding and most comfortable headsets I've ever owned, and makes me sweat a lot less than the closed-back headphones I've had before.

[Heats with Nvidia]

Generally, open backs are a little better at that, but its not much. I, for example use Austrian Audio HI-X 60 for gaming (and music) and they are really good for that. And they are closed back. So in short, a good closed back can be better than most open back headphones, but is not necessarily always better. I wouldn`t reccommend them if you only want them for gaming, since you will get absolutely good enough headphones for that for far less. But when music comes into the mix, they are a good option.

[Cocococo]

Open backs do soundstage and imaging better than closed backs, even the best closed backs (Audeze Maxwell and Aurorus Australis literally the best closed headphones out there) get outperformed by cheaper open backs

[atarione]

This is just me.... but what I have realized (sadly after having maybe $1500~ of headphones / gear..)    I don't really like using headphones most of the time..   So if i was in an environment where open back headphones are viable I'd rather use speakers... If making a bunch of noise is going to tick other people off, I use my DT770 Pro 80s ... but I mainly only use headphones at those times when using speakers would be sort of obnoxious.

 

If I game with my Senn HD6XX and my wife is near~ she will get miffed about the sound leakage... if she is not ~near I'd just use my Speakers, if she is well I'd go for the DT770 Pro 80s.

 

my advice if open headphones would work ...get speakers.. if sound leak is a problem then use closed headphones... I don't know or care if the DT770s are the "best" but they are good enough and I have had mine for about a decade now and they work perfectly after 10yrs~

 

(my speakers are kinda awesome however...)