Gaming headphone

[chimney189]

I'm on the hunt for a gaming headphone that lies between the $150-300 range. Comfort is a must!
The only games I'm playing are CS: GO and Skyrim.

I'd prefer a headphone that immerses me in the environment (especially Skyrim) and that has great detail and spatial cues. I don't mind if the soundstage is massive, but something in the sense of medium would be nice.

I was thinking of the HD-650, considering I can get a pair for under $225 on EBAY. I've heard good things about AKG, but I don't find their comfort to be good.

One other thing .. it would be nice if I could just simply use these out of my laptop, no amplification needed.

Thanks!

 

[JohnMclane]

S*hit, you just missed the 199$ HD-650 on massdrop!
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx

It's 3 hours left on their gaming headphones though!
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-sennheiser-pc37x-gaming-headset

It said two days left yesterday on the 650, I was gonna join the drop today but it had ended.

 

[JohnMclane]

I'm wondering what several "no brand" headphones on ali express is like. I've bought other no brand items(not headphones) that are IDENTICAL to the original but at 4 times the price.

This for example:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Pro...lgo_pvid=0cfc9425-bf6e-4bdf-984a-270a35cb68c9

 

[serman005]

The HD650 has a rather intimate stage and it requires an amp--just fyi. The open AKGs also require an amp. Personally, I would recommend that you look at an HD598 or HD599. Wide stage, nice detail, and extreeeeeemely comfortable.

 

[chimney189]

The HD650 has a rather intimate stage and it requires an amp--just fyi. The open AKGs also require an amp. Personally, I would recommend that you look at an HD598 or HD599. Wide stage, nice detail, and extreeeeeemely comfortable.

I actually owned the 598 awhile back and then sold it for the HD800 .. but eventually I couldn't justify keeping a $1000 headphone for just gaming and movies. Have you tried the HD599? Is it anymore comfortable?

 

[His Lorship]

You have an hour left to buy the PC37x on Massdrop. I currently use Sennheiser PC363D, which have a fantastic sound stage I paid $200 for which at the time was a good deal.

https://www.massdrop.com/r/XEHG6J

The Massdrop Pc37x is a great deal because it reportedly has the same drivers as the HD600 / HD598 series, and does not come with the 7.1 surround sound in-line dac that the PC373 comes with. Most people consider the 5.1/7.1 a gimic... Myself included. The 7.1 on the PC363D I have stays off most of the time, and I use the "Headphone" setting in CS-GO, it seems to be much better. Also the look is cooler in my opinion (all black on the PC37X).

If you liked the HD598, the PC37x is probably your best bang for the buck at $120...

I'm no expert but from all my reading the HD650 is not the greatest for spatial awareness because it's sound stage does not lend as well compared to the fully open back models such as the PC37X.

FYI I play CS:GO extensively and highly recommend the Sennheiser open back models... They work great for me.

P.S. One feature the Sennheiser set has that others I have used doesn't is a mic that mutes when you push it up... Awesome feature...

 

[serman005]

I actually owned the 598 awhile back and then sold it for the HD800 .. but eventually I couldn't justify keeping a $1000 headphone for just gaming and movies. Have you tried the HD599? Is it anymore comfortable?

Yes. I'd say comfort is about on a par. You know there is one more out there that could work for you and that is the HE400S. Extremely comfortable and sounds dynamite. I own it and a very happy with it. Definitely worth a look-see.

 

[cossix]

Senn open back models are great for csgo, I'd say grab the HD598 and use the rest of your budget for a little FiiO E10K. They will sound a bit better with the dac/amp and the main reason I suggested it is because it had a bass boost switch. The 598 have clean tight bass, but not much of it at all. If you want immersion, you'll want that bass boost switch. Then for csgo or music just turn it back off. I have both 598 and 650 driven through Magni2/Modi2 and soon to be Jotunheim balanced, and the 650 always lose out to the 598 for gaming, vice versa for music. 650 has accurate imaging, but small intimate soundstage, so not very immersive in games. If you can throw bass into the 598, it'll be a powerful option for gaming. I don't play immersive games, only competitive onea, but I snap accurately towards any source of sound. I think you'd love them with that E10K and it's bass boost!

 

[dunring]

I just came across on eBay a Cloud Orbit S for $67 and they have two of them. They don't come with the long USB cable or mic, which is easy to get. I've had a few of these and they have Audeze 100mm planar magnetic drivers, also they're extremely comfortable. The memory foam really forms well and isolates too. They have an onboard DAC and Amp so it just would take a long USB C to A cable (the Amazon Basic 10 foot works well for me, and those are certified). You don't need the software at all, the left jog wheel puts it into 24 bit 9600khz high rez mode, or 7.1 for gaming. It shows in Windows as a real 7.1 device when you do it, so games work with it. The soundstage is the same as a Beyerdynamic MMX300 with fresh pads.