PS4 gaming setup help
Jul 11, 2019 at 4:30 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 12

affliktid

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hey guys!
I play competitive call of duty - black ops 4 blackout. I was using the Astro a50 then switched to the a40 TR edition with mix amp pro. Obviously now I know they are an overpriced headset. As I started to browse for better options I came upon using audiophile or entry level audiophile headphones as ps4 rigs with the use of external DAC and amps, boom mic’s etc.
I want to be able to sound wh0re and get the most out of my headset and basically have a better overall listening experience than what I currently have. Budget would be up to $800 for everything.
I am completely open to suggestions just to put it out there but The top 4 cans I keep seeing praised more often then put down are -

The DT990 premium 600ohm (for the straight cable)
The Fidelio x2
The AKG K702
The Sennheiser HD700 (this one is obviously much more expensive).
So what I am wondering is for STRICTLY ps4 gaming headphones which do you guys recommend and why? and what do I need to power them effectively. Do you guys recommend the modmic or vmoda?

Side note these are solely for gaming and 99% call of duty and other FPS. I always see people comment how they sound for movies and games and I honestly do not care how any headphone will sound for anything BUT console gaming as that is all it will ever be used for.
Sorry for the long post I am just trying to be as efficient and helpful as I can be :) thank you all in advance for your opinions and expertise on this matter!
 
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Jul 11, 2019 at 10:54 PM Post #2 of 12
K701,or K702 is pretty much the best you can get until you look into bigger $ headphones.
The X2,DT990 both have +bass which can drown out details such as pinpointing enemy location.

If you want to keep the 7.1 surround sound you can use your mixamp pro,but you wont get a ton of volume out of the AKGs,so you will need to bi-amp the Astro. A Schiit Magni 3 or JDS Atom should work in that regard and wont break the bank.

I use a Modmic,but when used with an open back headphone,like the K701/2 you can experience a feedback loop,which causes your friends to hear an echo in their headsets. I fixed that issue by covering the outside mic opening with a small piece of dbl sided tape. I have no experience with the VModa mic.

You will also need a y-splitter mic/headphone cable,which are only a few bucks.

This setup will work very well for detail mongering,and you will come in way under budget.

If you want to step up to a higher end headphone I'd look at the Beyerdynamic T1 or Sennheiser HD800.
 
Jul 12, 2019 at 12:38 PM Post #3 of 12
Hey Monsterzero thank you so much for the detailed reply my man.
Yeah ive heard a lot of good things about the AKGs and I am planning to sell both the A40 and A50s as well as mixamps and pick up a dedicated setup for the new headphones :).
and yeah the HD800 is outside my budget at this time haha but i hear very very good things about those. Hoping to have the whole setup and advice from people before Amazon prime day to be able to buy it all then for a good price :).
Thank you again man! what would you recommend if I was to remove the Mixamp pro TR? with the Schiit Magni 3
 
Jul 12, 2019 at 12:55 PM Post #4 of 12
Well,the Magni 3+K702 can sound a bit bright,but it might not be an issue if gaming is all youre using them for.
Personally I'd hate to lose the 7.1 of the Mixamp,and bi-amping isnt hard to do.

You'd go PS4>Mixamp>Magni 3>K702
The 7.1 will pass thru to the Magni 3 and then out to your ears. So unless you need the cash from selling the Mixamp,I'd at least try it first before deciding.

There are other newer console devices that do surround,but I havent tried them myself. You might want to read MLE gaming thread for more info,if you havent already.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mad...ide-6-18-2019-creative-sxfi-air-added.534479/
 
Jul 12, 2019 at 2:12 PM Post #5 of 12
Yeah true, I dont necessarily need the cash form selling the A40 and mixamp i just figured I wasnt going to be using the A40 anymore and no one would want it without the mixamp. i was looking at the G6 thinking that may have been an option but i need to do more reading.
you're right though losing the 7.1 would be a downfall to locating enemies for call of duty. would make them less accurate probably. I live in canada and the K702 is actually cheaper here than the K701 and Q701
 
Jul 12, 2019 at 2:34 PM Post #6 of 12
Yeah true, I dont necessarily need the cash form selling the A40 and mixamp i just figured I wasnt going to be using the A40 anymore and no one would want it without the mixamp. i was looking at the G6 thinking that may have been an option but i need to do more reading.
you're right though losing the 7.1 would be a downfall to locating enemies for call of duty. would make them less accurate probably. I live in canada and the K702 is actually cheaper here than the K701 and Q701

I believe most if not all of the K701 were made in Austria. Not too long ago AKG started doing their stuff in China,which is probably the explanation for the lower pricing.
 
Jul 14, 2019 at 8:40 PM Post #9 of 12
Don't imagine that is really the best option. or even better than what I am currently running. thanks for the suggestion though

Actually the sound isnt bad at all. The problem is the build quality. Had two pair break in the exact same spot on the yoke...and I handled them gently. I suggest to steer clear.
 
Jul 15, 2019 at 1:28 PM Post #10 of 12
Actually the sound isnt bad at all. The problem is the build quality. Had two pair break in the exact same spot on the yoke...and I handled them gently. I suggest to steer clear.

OH that is surprising. I was thinking if I was to buy an actual gaming headset I would probably do the arctic pro + game Dac.
However I think what I am gonna go with is the AKG 702 with mixamp + schiit magni 3. May grab a DT990 just to try it out and see which my ears like better.
 
Aug 2, 2019 at 8:46 AM Post #11 of 12
So I did get the AKG k701 and the Magni 3 hooked it all up with the Astro mixamp TR. and honestly the setup sounds atrocious. I actually went back to my Astro a40 TRs because the AKG sounded really bad. I tried putting the Magni to lo and hi output changing
The volume for both the mixamp and the amp... am I missing something here?
 
Jul 27, 2022 at 1:25 PM Post #12 of 12
So I did get the AKG k701 and the Magni 3 hooked it all up with the Astro mixamp TR. and honestly the setup sounds atrocious. I actually went back to my Astro a40 TRs because the AKG sounded really bad. I tried putting the Magni to lo and hi output changing
The volume for both the mixamp and the amp... am I missing something here?
Hi everyone, i also have a similar problem with my akg k612. On other systems the sound seemed natural and full to me, especially as regards the reproduction of instruments. I tried it on a magni 3+ and I think it sounds very bad. It looks very bright and without any realism. I tried some tracks that with the k612 left me speechless and with the magni they sounded lifeless and with an unnatural timbre because it was too bright. plugging it into the headphone output of my onkyo a9010 speaker amplifier they look much better. everything seems fuller and more real. k612 On other systems the sound much better than like they sound on the onkyo, so the difference with the magni I think is very big. I believe that the magni 3+ does not have enough power for the k612, in fact on some tracks, on high gain with the volume knob turned to the maximum, there was not enough volume. I don't think it's a wrong amp, although in general it seems the schiit signature is a bit bright. I also have modi 3+ dac and it gives me the impression of having the same sonic signature as the magni. I bought a Lyr 2 because I got a good deal. It should arrive in a few days. I know the lyr 2 has power to spare, so I'll be able to see if it's a question of sonic signature or power.
 

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