Looking for a good pair of Headphones under $200 to use exclusively for single player gaming

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
E

ERock022

Reputable
Dec 20, 2015
8
0
4,510
I know are other thread similar to this but after I read through them I felt like it would be beneficial to start a new thread and get more information on the topic. I am currently looking for headphones to use for gaming that are less than $200 and was looking for some more opinions as I am having a difficult time pulling the trigger on a good set. I am in a different situation than the other people that started the other threads though. I actually already have a set of Astro A40's which I use to love but since I started to get into audio seriously I have out grown them. I currently run a Soundblaster Z card (mainly for the software) to a Schiit Modi 2 Uber/Schiit Magni 2 Uber Stack via the Toslink optical SPDIF port. Other than my Astro A40's I have the Sennheiser HD 650's which are amazing for music and movies but leave a little to be desired when gaming. The 650's have a fairly tight soundstage in my opinion and I want to find something that will go a little wider and deeper while still maintaining decent positional accuracy. I was considering the Q701's by AKG but haven't heard many people mention them in regards to gaming and was wondering if anyone has any experience with them.

Another reason I wanted to post is because I wanted to make sure that people know not to get a normal gaming headset. You should always go with a good headphone and then add a mod mic or just buy a USB mic and use it (they work on consoles too). As someone mentioned before in another thread, the Sennheiser 598's are a great headphone for gaming and I would get them if I did not already own the 650's. I just cannot justify buying them when I already own their big brother with a similar sound signature. I would like some variety in my headphones, also I would like something that has a little more bass than the 598's. With that being said, if you are a competitive gamer the 598's are great due to them having less bass than the HD 600 and up in the Sennheiser line up. This will allow you to hear footsteps much faster due to them not being drowned out by the bass.

Anyhow, if anyone has a recommendation for a good headphone, not headset, to give a try for less than $200 let me know!
 
Solution
ssddx
the schiit modi/magni stack is a good entry level amplifier and is rather transparent. its sort of an oddity that you also have a soundcard as the external DAC fulfills this function. you mention for software - can you get virtual surround working in your manner of hookup as normally you would be limited to 2.0 per my understanding? (for my future reference)

you are correct, the hd650 is like the hd598's bigger brother and is similar in nature though also more bassy. i would not recommend a 598 given that.

generally, again as you mentioned, bass-light headphones are best when it comes to advantage. cans like the audiotechnica ad-series has a very wide soundstage and bass light sound which makes them excellent. given that you want...
Sort by date Sort by votes
ssddx

ssddx

Titan
May 27, 2009
17,054
5
74,965
the schiit modi/magni stack is a good entry level amplifier and is rather transparent. its sort of an oddity that you also have a soundcard as the external DAC fulfills this function. you mention for software - can you get virtual surround working in your manner of hookup as normally you would be limited to 2.0 per my understanding? (for my future reference)

you are correct, the hd650 is like the hd598's bigger brother and is similar in nature though also more bassy. i would not recommend a 598 given that.

generally, again as you mentioned, bass-light headphones are best when it comes to advantage. cans like the audiotechnica ad-series has a very wide soundstage and bass light sound which makes them excellent. given that you want bass, not good for you however and i would think to avoid anything bass light.

as for the q701, they are very bright sounding headphones and while not nearly enough to satisfy any bassheads they should be okay for people content with fair to average levels.

my first thought was that you may want to look into the dt880 or dt990. given that you have a transparent amp they might retain a cold edge to them (just like the akg cans will) since the magni is fairly transparent (some amps like from fiio impart a warmer sound). the dt990 has peaky treble with good bass levels and a good soundstage as well as comfort at least equal to that of your hd650's. the 880 is more mild with less peaky treble and less bass response than the 990. both will have significantly more bass than the q701 so i think they are worth taking a look at. both are available below $200 and i would look at the pro model not premium. the beyers will be faster as well (this could be more fatiguing to some) and less mellow but the hd600's could be seen as slow (but this is part of what makes them more mellow and easy listening)

as always, it would be great if you can listen to these locally to see if you like the suggestions.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
E

ERock022

Reputable
Dec 20, 2015
8
0
4,510
I think you just reaffirmed my thoughts there. I was kind of thinking that for single player games where I want things to be more immersive that the DT990's sounded like they may be the route to go. The only reason why I was looking at the Q701's was because of Mad Envy's guide that said they were one of the best headphones for competitive play which I assume means that they have great positional accuracy. I wish I could go listen to these headphones somewhere. I live in the middle of Missouri and usually only go to Kansas City. For some reason there are literally no places that carry these kinds of headphones that I can find there. When I bought my HD 650's I had to listen to the HD 598's to get an idea of the sound signature of the Sennheiser series. Luckily it worked out for me as I do love my HD 650's as my daily drivers but I do admit that I was hoping that they would be better for gaming.

To answer your question about virtual surround with my setup, I am able to get virtual surround and all my EQ software to work flawlessly with my setup. If I just used the USB output it would bypass everything and I would be limited to the 2.0 setup like you mentioned. However, when you use the SPDIF outputs you are able to process the digital signal before it is passed to your DAC. This means that you can add virtual surround and EQ the stereo signal to your hearts desire. It works really well from the time I have used it. I have plugged the Schiit stack in with the USB inputs and it does not sound near as good for gaming. Many people opt for an even cheaper route and go with a cheap Dolby Headphone soundcard to do the same thing I have done. I knew that I wanted a Toslink Digital output on my soundcard though so the SoundBlaster Z fit the bill for what I had in mind.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ssddx

ssddx

Titan
May 27, 2009
17,054
5
74,965
yes, the k701 is good for competitive play, just as the ad-500x/700x/900x are good. generally wide soundstages mixed with good positional accuracy mixed with little bass response are what give headphones "advantage" in games but this does not mean they are as fun to listen to either. while i could certainly be wrong i'm thinking you are looking for more bass presence than the k701 would provide.

you can try guitar center near kansas city. they sell high end headphones.

good to know about the usb vs optical. i thought as much but it helps having someone confirm it. for the record i generally do not game on headphones (i have a klipsch speaker set) so most of my headphone use is music or on-the-go use.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
E

ERock022

Reputable
Dec 20, 2015
8
0
4,510
I will be in KC on Monday so I will check guitar center out. I was looking at Sennheiser's site for authorized dealers and nothing came up that carried the high-end headphones. I went to Nebraska Furniture and Micro Center as they were supposed to carry the HD 600 but unfortunately they did not carry them in stock. They just ordered those for the people that wanted to purchase them.

You are right in thinking that I wanted more bass. That is why I was having a tough time pulling the trigger on the Q701. It seemed like they were great for gaming but I would be left wanting more bass. At this point I think I am going to get the DT990 Pro's or just spend a little more than I thought and get the X2's. I guess I will see which I like better if Guitar Center has them both in stock!

You are lucky that you are able to use a speaker setup! In my opinion 5.1 or 7.1 speakers are always best for gaming. Unfortunately I live in an apartment and cannot take advantage of that option at this time. The headphones are surprisingly a very good substitute though! I was considering getting a pair of studio monitors to use during the daytime on the weekends because sometimes I like to just listen to music and not even be mentally engaged in anything. (Yes I just admitted to being to lazy to playing games or watching movies at times!)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ssddx

ssddx

Titan
May 27, 2009
17,054
5
74,965
you can use 5.1 speaker systems even in apartments.. you just can not have your volume cranked way up. honestly its no different than having them in a room in a typical household where you do not want to wake anyone. as long as you do not pick anything too boomy and loud its not much of an issue really.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
E

ERock022

Reputable
Dec 20, 2015
8
0
4,510
I use to have a set of Klipsch 5.1 Synergy speakers with the 10" 420 watt subwoofer and no matter what volume I was listening at my neighbors complained. I could go with something less but I will not be happy with it. At least with headphones I can crank the volume without disturbing anyone. I do not like being that guy but I have to admit that I like my audio loud! I know myself and know that I cannot trust myself to have speakers capable of delivering the sound that I desire and not turn the speakers up to deliver it. I am best off without them. I figure a pair of monitors would not be to bad though and would at least give me a taste of what I want without tempting me to use them during the evening when I would disturb my neighbors.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ssddx

ssddx

Titan
May 27, 2009
17,054
5
74,965
depending on what you get, a pair of monitors are capable of getting loud enough to cause noise complaint issues. as i said before, volume in moderation if you have people adjoining you otherwise it wont work out so well. it doesnt help if you have neighbors who like complaining either.

at least with headphones you would be bursting your eardrums before they hear anything. perhaps that is the best option since you can get your fill yet not bother them.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom