Headphones for fps

[Bigbud]

Can anyone recommend a setup for FPS games and occasional music ?

My pc360’s that are driven off a xonar dgx have just packed up and I’m looking for replacement. I’ve got a budget of £200 which will need to include a mic.

I’m leaning towards the dt990 pros with a desk mic, I could upgrade to an external dac later on but really needs to run in my sound card atm. I’ve read a few people say they struggle with positioning with the dt990 though.

Any help appreciated

 

[EsaT]

If you're after the most competitive sound for picking up foot steps etc DT990's above neutral bass punch drops them clear step behind the best.
But for normal gaming they're well balanced between details and "fun factor".

Of course also Dolby Headphone's bass bloat doesn't fit them and you might want to use equalizer to tone it down.

 

[Ryanr1987]

K701/702 is the best competitive headphone I've used.

If you want a balance between then a bit less competitive and decent for music then the K712.

The DT990 has a okay soundstage with some emulation, maybe too mid bassy for some though and for music it's piercing, gritty. For positioning, left to right was okay but behind sounds were too close and not as pin point; on the whim that might be a problem. The DT880 has this problem also I just learnt how it sounds and enjoy it for it's comfort but if I'm playing competitive it's always an AKG.

 

[sHo0sH]

After messing around with multiple setups over the years, including the DT990s, Audeze LCD 2's, Sennheiser HD650's, Denon D7100's I can honestly say that the Audeze Mobius / HyperX cloud orbit are pretty much the most fun and best bang for buck sounding setup I have used.

 

[Gray2233]

Sennheiser HD598 and variants of are excellent for soundstage and and positioning with emulated surround.

AKG Q701's are the best I've heard in this regard but they're a nightmare to find, the K701/702's are very good though.

AD700's are another very good option if you want accuracy.

The problem I've found with headphones that are excellent with virtual surround is that they're not always the most fun to listen to, it depends on whether you want pin point accuracy or you're willing to give some of that up for the fun factor.

This is a decent resource which will list different price brackets and factors:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mad...eze-lcd-1-mobius-fixed-missing-images.534479/

The Xonar DG might struggle with some of the stuff you're looking at though, while it has a headphone AMP it's a pretty weak one.

 

[Bigbud]

Thanks for the suggestions, yeah it sounds like I need two sets haha

After messing around with multiple setups over the years, including the DT990s, Audeze LCD 2's, Sennheiser HD650's, Denon D7100's I can honestly say that the Audeze Mobius / HyperX cloud orbit are pretty much the most fun and best bang for buck sounding setup I have used.

Is that whats in the hyperx cloud flights ? they were on the list but I read the mics not great.

 

[sHo0sH]

Thanks for the suggestions, yeah it sounds like I need two sets haha
Is that whats in the hyperx cloud flights ? they were on the list but I read the mics not great.

Unsure about the flights, I am specifically talking about the Orbits with the Planar magnetic drivers. Mic quality is great.

 

[Bigbud]

Sennheiser HD598 and variants of are excellent for soundstage and and positioning with emulated surround.

Would that include the 599's ? they look very much like my pc360's which I adored, could get a desk mic with them.

 

[Gray2233]

Would that include the 599's ? they look very much like my pc360's which I adored, could get a desk mic with them.

It might as I believe they're a refresh, but I would recommend further research to be 100%.

 

[azazl187]

My steel series wireless pros are great for warzone. I can hear everything from any direction

 

[Ryanr1987]

I've never understood the praise for the HD500 series and it's gaming variants for staging. I've never found them a particularly wide sounding phone with clear imaging they're rather warm, not the most snappiest of drivers but they're comfortable and pretty good for music for those who don't want to pay out for expensive gear for their HD600 or 650's.

 

[Gray2233]

I've never understood the praise for the HD500 series and it's gaming variants for staging. I've never found them a particularly wide sounding phone with clear imaging they're rather warm, not the most snappiest of drivers but they're comfortable and pretty good for music for those who don't want to pay out for expensive gear for their HD600 or 650's.

What equipment have you heard them through?

I've found the 598's to have impressive soundstage and I've never found them that warm. The HD550's and what have you I've zero experience with. I'm a big HD650 fan, I can see why someone might call that warm depending on equipment, the HD598's less so. I actually find the K701's a little clinical if that gives any reference.

 

[Ryanr1987]

What equipment have you heard them through?

I've found the 598's to have impressive soundstage and I've never found them that warm. The HD550's and what have you I've zero experience with. I'm a big HD650 fan, I can see why someone might call that warm depending on equipment, the HD598's less so.

Lyr 2 with NOS tubes, Protect Ember with NOS tubes, Eddie Current Black Widow, various Schiit amps like the Vali & Vali 2, Magni variants, DACS, Mojo, Bifrost, Modi and it's bigger brothers, SDAC, various gaming devices like the Mixamp and X7 lots others gear at friends houses etc. They do have a large mid bass hump, so for games for my personal taste they sound warmer than I usually like. I do hear them as a bit gritty, maybe a bit lean up top and quite grainy, maybe dryish in the mids despite the mid bass, more due to a few peaks giving that impression. I think the MA900, 701 variants, 880, 990, Verum I've heard more recently all have a bigger stage by a noticeable margin.

I've got a Game One here that sounds similar, just more convenient. I do like the HD598 I thought they sounded better than the 599 and the other lot, maybe more enjoyable to me than the HD600 in some cases, I just didn't rate it for games like many do, passable, but not on the level I'd consider a great competitive phone.

 

[Gray2233]

Lyr 2 with NOS tubes, Protect Ember with NOS tubes, Eddie Current Black Widow, various Schiit amps like the Vali & Vali 2, Magni variants, DACS, Mojo, Bifrost, Modi and it's bigger brothers, SDAC, various gaming devices like the Mixamp and X7 lots others gear at friends houses etc. They do have a large mid bass hump, so for games for my personal taste they sound warmer than I usually like. I do hear them as a bit gritty, maybe a bit lean up top and quite grainy, maybe dryish in the mids despite the mid bass, more due to a few peaks giving that impression. I think the MA900, 701 variants, 880, 990, Verum I've heard more recently all have a bigger stage by a noticeable margin.

I've got a Game One here that sounds similar, just more convenient. I do like the HD598 I thought they sounded better than the 599 and the other lot, maybe more enjoyable to me than the HD600 in some cases, I just didn't rate it for games like many do, passable, but not on the level I'd consider a great competitive phone.

Tube amps could be what's doing it, I've used a few myself and I'm still using a couple. My focus is mostly music and for that they can sound amazing, but they can warm things up a lot for cans like the 598's which to be honest I find a little flat in some respects. I don't own any as of right now but the ones I did ran from a fairly basic solid state AMP in the form of the STX II, also ran them through a T1 AMP only stage (weird setup, tube was pre-DAC and you could bypass for a solid state AMP). The standout was always the soundstage, which leaned well into emulation.

 

[Ryanr1987]

Tube amps could be what's doing it, I've used a few myself and I'm still using a couple. My focus is mostly music and for that they can sound amazing, but they can warm things up a lot for cans like the 598's which to be honest I find a little flat in some respects. I don't own any as of right now but the ones I did ran from a fairly basic solid state AMP in the form of the STX II, also ran them through a T1 AMP only stage (weird setup, tube was pre-DAC and you could bypass for a solid state AMP). The standout was always the soundstage, which leaned well into emulation.

Depends on the tubes used or the amp. Tube amps in general do sound more spacious, airy than SS amps, so can help staging perception; it depends though as there's a lot of crappy tube amps out there that sound like a warm mess. I've never used them on an OTL or OTC though, only hybrid tubes which have a more SS type of sound to them rather than the breathy, depth that a good full tube amp can bring. I've found it to not change character much between amps I thought the HD598 ran best from lower powered amps as the drivers are sensitive. Headphones that have a more full upper mid range rarely have a large perceived stage, at least it's how I personally hear it. The HD800 for example gives off a sense of depth due to it's upper mid range recession but if you were to listen to a headphone that has a boost or more even in that area i.e Utopia, HD650/600, the staging perception or sense of depth is smaller.

 

[WhiteHartMart]

Personally, after trying DT990s, DT880s, K702/K712, Mobius and others, I'd go for the Beyer Tygr R headphone plus a mic of your choice (ModMic perhaps). I'm just getting mine modded to have a removable cable and will use the Beyer Boom Mic once done to make a great headset for about £160/£170 all in.

Just fine the Tygr have the better balance for me to cover all uses. They image really well (to my ears/brain at least) and find I pick out directional audio with these better than anything else I've tried.

 

[Bigbud]

Personally, after trying DT990s, DT880s, K702/K712, Mobius and others, I'd go for the Beyer Tygr R headphone plus a mic of your choice (ModMic perhaps). I'm just getting mine modded to have a removable cable and will use the Beyer Boom Mic once done to make a great headset for about £160/£170 all in.

Just fine the Tygr have the better balance for me to cover all uses. They image really well (to my ears/brain at least) and find I pick out directional audio with these better than anything else I've tried.

where are you ordering from ? I’d discounted them as I’d only seen them for 300 with a mic included

 

[Ryanr1987]

Personally, after trying DT990s, DT880s, K702/K712, Mobius and others, I'd go for the Beyer Tygr R headphone plus a mic of your choice (ModMic perhaps). I'm just getting mine modded to have a removable cable and will use the Beyer Boom Mic once done to make a great headset for about £160/£170 all in.

Just fine the Tygr have the better balance for me to cover all uses. They image really well (to my ears/brain at least) and find I pick out directional audio with these better than anything else I've tried.

Hows the Beyer peaks of death? I've heard more tamed on them?

 

[Bigbud]

Ordered a set after reading reviews and watching some vids, sound like an awesome set.

 

[Gray2233]

Depends on the tubes used or the amp. Tube amps in general do sound more spacious, airy than SS amps, so can help staging perception; it depends though as there's a lot of crappy tube amps out there that sound like a warm mess. I've never used them on an OTL or OTC though, only hybrid tubes which have a more SS type of sound to them rather than the breathy, depth that a good full tube amp can bring. I've found it to not change character much between amps I thought the HD598 ran best from lower powered amps as the drivers are sensitive. Headphones that have a more full upper mid range rarely have a large perceived stage, at least it's how I personally hear it. The HD800 for example gives off a sense of depth due to it's upper mid range recession but if you were to listen to a headphone that has a boost or more even in that area i.e Utopia, HD650/600, the staging perception or sense of depth is smaller.

Fair enough, we all have different takes and it's been years since I used the HD598's myself so I'm possibly a bit nostalgic over them, although as stated I did find them exceptional in the price range for positioning. Of course, this was some years ago when you could find a set for around £90-100.

I absolutely agree on the tube amp statement, I've used a couple which were just flat out awful (although as stated it can depend on the tubes) and a couple which sounded exceptionally good. My Bottlehead Crack puts my HD650's on a whole different level, I can't say as to whether there's any solid state amps out there capable of doing the same but if there were I'd probably jump on it. I'm currently looking for a replacement for a WA7 Fireflies setup to go with my LCD-2's, ideally I want to get away from using tubes due to some of the problems that can come with but it's difficult finding something that offers what I want. Chances are I'll end up selling the HD650's + Crack to part fund something as the LCD-2's are pretty much my end game at this point.

@Bigbud I would be interested in knowing if/where you found the Tygr for under £200!