Suggestions for open backed headset?

[Confused Stu]

I currently have a HyperX Cloud headset, which I love, to give you an idea of my audio-expectation level.

I generally use speakers for preference, but I host a few LAN weekends a year which is when I get out the headphones. They are great, but block out too much sound - I can't hear others taking unless they have their headphones on and it's picked up by TeamSpeak, and there have been times when someone has turned up at the door and I don't hear the doorbell or my phone ringing to let them in! Consequently, I spend a lot of the time with one earpiece off my ear, which kind of defeats the purpose.

I'm thinking about getting an open backed headset to mitigate this, so I can still hear the world during the LAN weekends. There's a few cheap, no-name ones on Amazon, but I'd hate to spend £20-£30 to get something bad when I could spend a little more and get something decent. I then started thinking about getting branded open backed headphones and adding a modmic. But then we're almost at the cost of a new Sennheiser G4ME One, but if I'm looking at those, I may as well get the newer version, the GSP 500....

Yup, I justified my way up from £20 to £180 in a matter of less than 30 minutes!

Can anyone suggest a cheap, open backed headset that isn't terrible for occasional use, before I spend £180+ on something awesome, shiny and massively overkill for my needs?

 

[Marsman]

Good cheap open back headset doesn't really exist. Can't say I've seen one anyway. Vast majority are closed and for those that are open and don't suck, then you're up to Sennheiser Game One money.

A cheaper option that doesn't suck, would be DT990 headphones for £100 then a Modmic for £35. Still £135, but £50 cheaper than the Sennheiser headsets.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Argos, in white, be quick.

 

[Confused Stu]

Argos, in white, be quick.

Not available for delivery and nearest one with stock is 102 miles away! Good idea though, thanks.

Good cheap open back headset doesn't really exist. Can't say I've seen one anyway. Vast majority are closed and for those that are open and don't suck, then you're up to Sennheiser Game One money.

A cheaper option that doesn't suck, would be DT990 headphones for £100 then a Modmic for £35. Still £135, but £50 cheaper than the Sennheiser headsets.

Thanks, I'll have a look at those as soon as I'm home later.

 

[EsaT]

Just remember that with open headphones you basically hear everything normally when you're not listening anything.
So if environment is loud open headphones don't work well.

But for smaller home LANs etc they certainly work.
And it's lot easier when you can hear other things just by lowering volume or muting sound without need to always take headphones away.
Also open design with velour pads breaths lot more than closed cans with pleather pads, which lowers risk of ears sweating.

If you would like overall fun sound with good bass DT990 is excellent for that.
Good bass is challenge for open design and not that common in more affordable open headphones.
And while not at best level (because of strong bass) it does really well with Creative's binaural sound simulation for locating where enemies are.

 

[WhiteHartMart]

Game Ones are really nice - had those and then upgraded to the Audio Technica ATH-ADG1X which are on another level to my ears. Sadly, I don't have enough time to enjoy them so am selling them on

Another option could be Phillips Fidelio X2 with VModa Boompro mic??

 

[Confused Stu]

Thanks for the suggestions and thoughts, everyone, they're all much appreciated. Definitely a couple of options there I hadn't/wouldn't have considered. Thanks again.

 

[Marine-RX179]

The HyperXCloud's OEM was the Takstar Pro 80 headphone but re-engineered to add a mic to it to become a gaming headset.

Takstar has a open version equivalent to the Pro 80, which was the Takstar HI 2050 as was around £50 and available on the rainforest and the auction site few years back. But a quick search it would seem that they are not longer available, so I am guessing the HI 2050 has been discontinued for a while.

The two Takstar headphones design wise "took inspiration" from the Beyerdynamics DT770/DT990 and offered like 80% the audio performance at around half the price, this is the key reason why the HyperXCloud headphone sounds so good (relatively speaking) and destroyed most other "gaming headphones" at the time in terms of audio performance, and build quality of leap above them since it kept the aluminium construct.

Anyway, if you can find a Beyer DT990 at good price, it should be what you would want. I did read some reviews on rainforest stating that the headphone breaking after extensive use, not too sure if it was poor QC, or just the users being to rough and not handled the cans delicate enough.

 

[EsaT]

Takstar has a open version equivalent to the Pro 80, which was the Takstar HI 2050 as was around £50 and available on the rainforest and the auction site few years back. But a quick search it would seem that they are not longer available, so I am guessing the HI 2050 has been discontinued for a while.

Now discontinued QPAD QH-85 was likely customized version of that.

Superlux HD-330 is actually even more Beyerdynamic imitating, but has some "budget level comfort" issues.