Question Headphones/Headsets recommendations

[OfficialKapn]

Hi everyone,
So I'm looking for a pair of audiophile headphones/headsets with Hi-res audio but also surround sound for gaming.
My budget is around 200-350$ and im using right now the onboard sound card (from the ROG x570 E-gaming), but I'm planning on buying a better sound card later on.
What are your recommendations?
Thanks

 

[delaro]

I see a problem here.

"I want a pair of Audiophile headphones with Surround Sound", those don't exist. Surround Sound is a gimmick moniker sold around gaming headsets and you do not find them in Audiophile-grade monitors.

Gaming headsets are tuned for just that use so gaming/ movies are what they do well at but critical listen they tend to be a letdown.

Audiophile headphones are tuned for critical listening and they generally are rather flat on the bass side, for gaming and movies they do okay but a good gaming headset give you a more immersive experience. This is partly the reason you see Audiophiles with several different headphones, each is tailored more for a specific use.

Are you looking for something with a good sound stage for FPS type gaming or gimmicky software surround sound?

A good gaming headset that is close to Audiophile quality.

SteelSeries Arctis 7,9x and Pro

A good gaming headset that is kind of a let down in Critical listening.

Arctis 3
HyperX Cloud... like all of them
Astro A50
Beyerdynamic Custom Game
Corsair HS50

Audiophile headphones that are decent at critical listening and okay for gaming.

Hd 598
Hd 599 " Good all-rounder"
Meze noir "Good all-rounder"
ATX M50X
He 4XX

I could add more but I'm running out of time.

 

[OfficialKapn]

Ok I'll look for them
Thx

 

[Deleted member 217926]

Sennheiser HD 599 ( easy to drive, no amp needed, very good soundstage and imaging ), Massdrop x AKG K7XX or any of the AKG 7 series ( K701 or K702 ) up to the K712 Pro. The AKG's are hard to drive and need an amp but soundstage is HUGE making them excellent for gaming. The Philips Fidelio X2 HR ( easy to drive ) is also a great choice.

$350 can get you a used DT1990 Pro. They need an amp but there's not another headphone under $1000 that images like they do.

 

[delaro]

AKG's like all of them in that price range are rather limpy in the bass range, they

Sennheiser HD 599 ( easy to drive, no amp needed, very good soundstage and imaging ), Massdrop x AKG K7XX or any of the AKG 7 series ( K701 or K702 ) up to the K712 Pro. The AKG's are hard to drive and need an amp but soundstage is HUGE making them excellent for gaming. The Philips Fidelio X2 HR ( easy to drive ) is also a great choice.

$350 can get you a used DT1990 Pro. They need an amp but there's not another headphone under $1000 that images like they do.

DT1990 Pro- Yeah they would fit this application as well but finding them used is hard depending on the region you are in.

All the AKG's and X2 HR lack Low to mid-Bass and take some the umph out of intense situations, for gaming immersion you want a little more bass which is what the HD 599's give you.

In all due honesty, for just Gaming immersion, it's really hard to beat a pair of Arctic Pro's with Hybrid Pads. The bass and balance of everything else are just flat out better than monitors at that price range it's almost like they were designed for that application.

 

[Deleted member 217926]

The K712 pro and the X2 have excellent bass. As does the HD599. The K7XX, 701 and 702 are bass lite. Just like many competitive gamers like.

I paid $357 shipped for my 1990 Pros. $425 from an Amazon Warehouse damaged box deal ( it wasn't ) with an extra 20% off Warehouse items special.

 

[OfficialKapn]

AKG's like all of them in that price range are rather limpy in the bass range, they


DT1990 Pro- Yeah they would fit this application as well but finding them used is hard depending on the region you are in.

All the AKG's and X2 HR lack Low to mid-Bass and take some the umph out of intense situations, for gaming immersion you want a little more bass which is what the HD 599's give you.

In all due honesty, for just Gaming immersion, it's really hard to beat a pair of Arctic Pro's with Hybrid Pads. The bass and balance of everything else are just flat out better than monitors at that price range it's almost like they were designed for that application.

Wow a lot information XD Thx. I'll look for all of them

 

[OfficialKapn]

AKG's like all of them in that price range are rather limpy in the bass range, they


DT1990 Pro- Yeah they would fit this application as well but finding them used is hard depending on the region you are in.

All the AKG's and X2 HR lack Low to mid-Bass and take some the umph out of intense situations, for gaming immersion you want a little more bass which is what the HD 599's give you.

In all due honesty, for just Gaming immersion, it's really hard to beat a pair of Arctic Pro's with Hybrid Pads. The bass and balance of everything else are just flat out better than monitors at that price range it's almost like they were designed for that application.

Do I need a dedicated sound card for the DT1990 Pro or does it already have it?

 

[Deleted member 217926]

The DT1990 Pro is a 250 ohm headphone. It needs a dedicated headphone amp. Most soundcards have an amp integrated. That being said the 1990 Pro is Hi-Fi tier and will reward a better amp with better sound. The imaging is truly spectacular though. My Focal Elear is slightly better but it's close and the Elear was released at twice the price of the 1990.

My recommendation if you just want a great pair of headphones for gaming without having to invest in an amp and DAC is either the Sennheiser HD599 or the Philips Fidelio X2 HR. Both are around $150 and both are easy to drive. The X2 has more of a bass boosted signature ( no idea how anyone who's heard them could call them bass lite? ) and a larger soundstage. The Sennheisers are better tonally and more comfortable.

My first pair of 'good' headphones was the HD598 and I still use it as a daily driver and for gaming here almost 10 years later. The 599 is just a revised 598 with better comfort and a slight retuning to increase the bass extension. They use the same drivers.

 

[delaro]

The K712 pro and the X2 have excellent bass. As does the HD599. The K7XX, 701 and 702 are bass lite. Just like many competitive gamers like.

I paid $357 shipped for my 1990 Pros. $425 from an Amazon Warehouse damaged box deal ( it wasn't ) with an extra 20% off Warehouse items special.

The K712 Pro's- where to start with this.

For one like all AKG's they are rather huge and unstable if you're moving your head often then move as well so in this aspect I dislike AKG's, this isn't an issue with 599's. Bass on these cans are similar to the HD 599's, it's good enough overall but for the price, I'd rather recommend 599's from a gaming perspective. $163 vs $300+ Overall positional audio is about the same both lack greatness here but they are good enough.

X2 HR's use the same drivers with upgraded pads and headband. I've tried X2's when I was addicted to Inquisition and The Witcher 3. Overall they are decently good headphones but to be honest they lacked umphh.. You get punch but no kick, you get an accurate and quick thud but no rumble. To me, they have an upper mid-bass emphasis whereas lower mid-bass and low-bass are recessed. They are also way open and funnel in certain types of ambient noise. I have a dehumidifier in my basement and for some reason, they amplified that noise to a point of annoyance, this is also something my Hi 400's do but not the HD 599's since they tend to amplify my ceiling fan. X2 definitely adds a flavor you don't get with other sets but it just didn't appeal to me after close to 100 hours of use.

Do I need a dedicated sound card for the DT1990 Pro or does it already have it?

DT1990 Pro's are 250Ω and although most newer onboard DAC/Amps will run it you won't have much volume to play around with so yes you're going to want an AMP or a DAC/AMP combo.

 

[OfficialKapn]

I'll Probably buy the HD 599.
They fit my needs the most.
Thank you all so much for all the info

 

[Deleted member 217926]

You can't go wrong with HD599s.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HORNc3QQ9mc