Are the a900's good for gaming?

[Veniogenesis]

Heck yea, the A900s will be good. I haven't had much experience with them (only a couple of days listening to music), but my A500s (which should be worse) are very nice for gaming.

My SR60 on the other hand...

Bleh... (Where's the enemy?! Ahhhhh I think he's right under nose.. but wahhh??? he's not there!!!.. dang soundstage!

)

 

[gregr507]

Well I have had bad experiences in the past buying something mid level and then needing to upgrade later to something high level. It puts you in a bad position because you end up losing money, I would rather just buy the best (well not really the best, but the best in my situation) right from the start rather than having to worry about upgrading later, so I think I'll get the a900's and report back how I like them when they come

 

[PYROTAK]

thats my philosophy, don't buy something mediocre becuase you will just have to sell it later can get something better

 

[Geek]

You should be looking more broadly. There are a great range of headphones which suit a variety of tastes and it's kind of unfair to simply look at a single pair as a possible choice.

For open headphones, have you considered the Grado SR-60, or a higher end Grado with amp? Or the HD580 with amp?

If you're truly going to a LAN party, in which there is a horrible amount of noise, rude comments, and stupidity, and you want to actually HEAR something without going DEAF, I suggest fully closed headphones that isolate several decibels minimum. The AKG K271S with amp works WONDERFULLY for me (although I don't currently own a pair, but they are great). Other phones you may want to try out include the Beyer DT250-80 (another great headphone for gaming, plus it's AWESOME with rock music and is comfy), DT770 (overwhelming bass and highs, great for first person shooters), and the Etymyotic headphones.

My friend purchased some ER-6 and they are perfect for the gaming he does: great detail, and 23 dBa of isolation.

Do the a900s isolate at all? If they don't, are you serious about buying them as a gaming headphone if you go to LAN parties? If you game by yourself and NEVER go to LANs, you are going to be fine with them of course.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[superjohnny]

A900's are superb for gaming.

 

[isp]

I wonder if the AKG 501s soundstage would be nice for gaming? Sure they lack bass but if you're playing competitively, you really just want to hear the enemy now don't you?

 

[catscratch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geek ... For open headphones, have you considered the Grado SR-60, or a higher end Grado with amp? Or the HD580 with amp? ... Do the a900s isolate at all? If they don't, are you serious about buying them as a gaming headphone if you go to LAN parties? If you game by yourself and NEVER go to LANs, you are going to be fine with them of course. Cheers, Geek

I wouldn't recommend Grados for gaming, since a) they offer a very narrow soundstage which will hurt 3d enemy placement, at least in FPS b) they're uncomfortable, and for long gaming sessions, comfort is a must c) they don't isolate.

The A900's isolate fairly well. Not as well as an IEM, but as well as any closed headphone (and I do mean closed, not semi-open like CD3000's). They leak next to no sound, have very good soundstage, and don't need an amp. An IEM will give better isolation, but it won't come close in soundstaging, unless you go for something like Sensaphonics 2X-S or Ultimate Ears UE-10 Pro. That's going to cost you a very pretty penny next to the A900.

Of course, I'm basing this on the fact that for me, gaming = FPS. In other genres where 3d enemy placement isn't as important, soundstaging isn't as important too.

P.S. Don't mean to sound like an A900 preacher, since I think the Beyer DT770 is as good a gaming can as it gets - but overall, I think A900 is the best choice in this particular situation.

 

[gregr507]

Well guys I just placed my order from audiocubes, I can't wait for them to get here!

 

[catscratch]

Great! Post your impressions. And remember, as with any good headphone, don't judge them out of the box, wait until they're more or less burned in (60 hours or so).