Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide: (8/18/2022: iFi GO Blu Review Added)

[inseconds99]

Update: Z1R’s we’re returned. The headphone sounded off for gamine. They produced a weird hollowed sound when testing with Halo Infinite, Jedi Fallen Order, Battlefield 2042 and Forza Horizon 5.

Everything sounded like you were listening to the sound through a seashell. Wind and other atmospheric sounds were muffled, unintelligible and unnaturally wide. The treble was still peaky enough to be fatiguing. The bass impact was nice though, something that is missing with my HD800S.

I am thinking about purchasing the HD820, I am looking for a similar HD800S sound in a closed back with elevated bass. Wearing open back is becoming less and less of an option. I need a closed back headphone that is all day comfortable, non fatiguing, great for gaming and a good all around headphone for music listening with slight bass boost.

Z1R
TH-900
TH-X00
M100’s

Still on the hunt it seems…

 

[ronfifer]

why did u dismiss the TH-900, inseconds?
senn 630vb maybe?

 

[Chastity]

Update: Z1R’s we’re returned. The headphone sounded off for gamine. They produced a weird hollowed sound when testing with Halo Infinite, Jedi Fallen Order, Battlefield 2042 and Forza Horizon 5.

Everything sounded like you were listening to the sound through a seashell. Wind and other atmospheric sounds were muffled, unintelligible and unnaturally wide. The treble was still peaky enough to be fatiguing. The bass impact was nice though, something that is missing with my HD800S.

I am thinking about purchasing the HD820, I am looking for a similar HD800S sound in a closed back with elevated bass. Wearing open back is becoming less and less of an option. I need a closed back headphone that is all day comfortable, non fatiguing, great for gaming and a good all around headphone for music listening with slight bass boost.

Z1R
TH-900
TH-X00
M100’s

Still on the hunt it seems…

Take a look at the Kennerton Magni / Ghallahorns (sp?) I think they may be what you are looking for.

 

[inseconds99]

why did u dismiss the TH-900, inseconds?
senn 630vb maybe?

Super fatiguing sound with recessed mids. Not a headphone you can wear all day without tinnitus at the end of the week.

Take a look at the Kennerton Magni / Ghallahorns (sp?) I think they may be what you are looking for.

How are the comfort of these headphones? Pads look like they’d be touching your ears and would be uncomfortable for long sessions.

 

[Ufasas]

using Sennheiser Game Zero with EVGA PCIe card, bass is so fun with this combo, kicks are sweet while listening to rap / hip hop, sounds crappy only when i turn my head up or left/right, and i have glasses, the better the seal, the better the bass, not fatiguing. Ofc, in fps games to hear steps and bullets far i need AKG k702, but Zero better to block fans noise

 

[kellte2]

Update: Z1R’s we’re returned. The headphone sounded off for gamine. They produced a weird hollowed sound when testing with Halo Infinite, Jedi Fallen Order, Battlefield 2042 and Forza Horizon 5.

Everything sounded like you were listening to the sound through a seashell. Wind and other atmospheric sounds were muffled, unintelligible and unnaturally wide. The treble was still peaky enough to be fatiguing. The bass impact was nice though, something that is missing with my HD800S.

I am thinking about purchasing the HD820, I am looking for a similar HD800S sound in a closed back with elevated bass. Wearing open back is becoming less and less of an option. I need a closed back headphone that is all day comfortable, non fatiguing, great for gaming and a good all around headphone for music listening with slight bass boost.

Z1R
TH-900
TH-X00
M100’s

Still on the hunt it seems…

Ether C Flow 1.1. You’re welcome! (eq the bass as necessary)

 

[Chastity]

How are the comfort of these headphones? Pads look like they’d be touching your ears and would be uncomfortable for long sessions.

Pads are rather big, unless you have Dumbo-grade ears

 

[Helvetica bold]

Order my first pair of Koss headphones (KPH40) super excited! Won't arrive until first week of Dec tho. No way these are recommended for gaming right?
Most likely I'll use it for music and youtube videos.

 

[Youcan1]

VZR Model One is on sale for $279.99. I just bought a pair. Hopefully the comfort and sound is there.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Order my first pair of Koss headphones (KPH40) super excited! Won't arrive until first week of Dec tho. No way these are recommended for gaming right?
Most likely I'll use it for music and youtube videos.

Just look at my KSC35/Sportapro review on the first page. They'll essentially perform the same.

As far as I'm concerned, the KPH40 would be the easiest recommendation for me for any purpose (not headset) under $100, and my absolute go to as a secondary or tertiary headphone to compliment your big boy headphones. I would never live without it.

Since the KPH40 exists now, I'd replace the PortaPro/SportaPro in the hierarchy, mainly because the KPH40 headband is just better, period. Howver, as I'm not someone who'd use the headband, I'd take whatever is cheapest and attach KSC75 clips to them (personally speaking). Right now, they're all so close in price, I'd just get the KPH40 for the newer driver cover. edit: I see the SportaPro is $22 right now, which is CONSIDERABLY cheaper than the others at the moment, and I'd GREATLY recommend you get those if you already have a headband or clips, as the Sporta are just PortaPros with a crappier headband, which you can just take the drivers and attach to any clips or other higher end headbands.


I've long been a Koss 60ohm driver fanboy, and that remains.

Maybe I should do a Koss 2021 Review Update

KPH30i don't make sense these days, now with the KPH40 out.


edit: Trying to compare the KPH40 on KSC75 clips, with KSC35/PortaPro on KSC75 clips... I CAN hear a difference. The KPH40 drivers seem to split the difference between the brighter/dryer sound of the KSC75, and the bassier, smoother, darker sound of the PortaPro/KSC35. Interesting. Let me compare the other PortaPro I have to it, to see if it holds true.

Ok so yeah, the KPH40 = more neutral, not as bassy as Porta/35 drivers. This has the effect of pushing the vocals out more. It's good, though I kinda like the more bombastic bass on the Porta/35 drivers. Not sure I'd choose these over a Sportapro/Portapro driver, but these are amazing times for Koss fans. These are likely going to be the new king overall.

I'd say it def falls outside of driver variation, as my Porta and 35 sound identical, and these just don't sound like those.

That is...unless Koss has updated all of them to these new drivers. Who knows...

 

[sp33ls]

Update: Z1R’s we’re returned. The headphone sounded off for gamine. They produced a weird hollowed sound when testing with Halo Infinite, Jedi Fallen Order, Battlefield 2042 and Forza Horizon 5.

Everything sounded like you were listening to the sound through a seashell. Wind and other atmospheric sounds were muffled, unintelligible and unnaturally wide. The treble was still peaky enough to be fatiguing. The bass impact was nice though, something that is missing with my HD800S.

I am thinking about purchasing the HD820, I am looking for a similar HD800S sound in a closed back with elevated bass. Wearing open back is becoming less and less of an option. I need a closed back headphone that is all day comfortable, non fatiguing, great for gaming and a good all around headphone for music listening with slight bass boost.

Z1R
TH-900
TH-X00
M100’s

Still on the hunt it seems…

Interesting. I actually love the Z1R for gaming and multimedia. I don't get the seashell effect at all in my setup.

If you're willing to spend more cash, the Verite Closed is a pair that is surprisingly good at gaming. May not be the last word in detail (tho, more than enough for gaming), but has great staging, imaging, timbre, dynamics, and speed. But it does require you to find the right pads for your ears. They have a nice "3D effect" which is great for immersion IME

 

[mac0172]

Hi, MLE & other ps5 owners.
May I ask a question here?

At the moment I use a ps5 - hdmi optic adapter- astro mixamp- pc38x with virtual surround on and without tempest 3d. because of all the wires I play on a monitor. Now im gonna move to a new house in a couple a weeks and bought a 120 fps-4k tv so I'm propably gonna be gaming on a tv and will be playing with my pc38x directly in the controller with tempest 3d on. I already tested this (the 5 profiles on ps5) on cod vanguard & warzone but directional sound(footsteps etc) is so bad compared to my mentioned setup. Does anyone tried both and recognise this? And or has any advice?


Thnx!

 

[inseconds99]

Hi, MLE & other ps5 owners.
May I ask a question here?

At the moment I use a ps5 - hdmi optic adapter- astro mixamp- pc38x with virtual surround on and without tempest 3d. because of all the wires I play on a monitor. Now im gonna move to a new house in a couple a weeks and bought a 120 fps-4k tv so I'm propably gonna be gaming on a tv and will be playing with my pc38x directly in the controller with tempest 3d on. I already tested this (the 5 profiles on ps5) on cod vanguard & warzone but directional sound(footsteps etc) is so bad compared to my mentioned setup. Does anyone tried both and recognise this? And or has any advice?


Thnx!

My recommendation would be to get a sound blaster X7 and the sound blaster Bluetooth adapter. Connect the X7 to amp using optical out from the tv and use the Bluetooth adapter for voice chat Through the X7. It’s what I do and it works flawlessly.

 

[mac0172]

Thnx! Great idea

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Tempest 3D audio works ok or not at all on a game by game basis. I'd definitely look into an alternative if you have options. Like the X7/G6/GC7, etc.