Gaming headsets have a bad rap amongst anyone who likes good quality audio. The knock is that headsets--those headphone/mic combos that are popular amongst PC gamers these days--either cost much more than a standard pair of headphones and a mic, sound much worse than a comparably-priced set of headphones, or a combination of the two. These days, headsets aren't just for PC gamers, either. Several of the headsets we tested will work with both PCs and consoles. So, what's the test? It's simple. I want to know if a gaming headset sound as good as a good pair of traditional headphones without costing an arm and a leg?
I've spent the last few weeks testing a handful of gaming headsets--spanning the gamut in price, capabilities, and performance. I spent at least one multi-hour gaming session with each headset, testing them for in-game sound quality, comfort, and general ear sweatiness. I also tested all these gaming cans with music--both MP3 and some old-school CDs--to see how they handle the sound. Finally, I listened to the shootout in Carnegie's town from The Book of Eli, which sounds spectacular on a properly calibrated multi-channel sound system.
We don't do numerical ratings at Tested, so either a headset warrants a recommendation or not. You shouldn't have to have two sets of headphones on your desk, even if you're a PC gamer.
Steelseries Siberia V2 USB
The
Steelseries Siberia V2 is among the most comfortable headsets I tested. Its stretchy headband gives needed support so the headset feels light, even over long gaming sessions, while the full ear cups isolate you from the outside world, although they don't isolate the outside world from you. Like many PC headsets, the Siberia includes an inline volume control and mic mute. Steelseries also includes a shorter-than-normal cord suitable for working directly on a laptop without having a ton of slack, as well as an extension cable, if you need to plug in behind your PC.
While I found the Siberias fit my head comfortably, someone with a larger head might find the this headset too small. My favorite feature on the Siberia is the integrated mic. Instead of detaching or simply dangling in front of your face when you aren't using it, the mic slides right up into the headset, where it's virtually invisible until you need it. The Siberia V2 are available in USB and analog trim, the only difference between the parts is the addition of a USB audio dongle to the package for the USB model. For all intents and purposes, this makes the Siberia V2 a PC-only headset.
When used with a good soundcard, or even onboard audio, the Siberia V2 performed adequately in my listening tests. With decent highs and distinct, but not overwhelming bass, these were the best sounding sub-$100 headphones I tested. While they didn't provide multi-channel audio during the Book of Eli test, they reproduced my test tracks well and I'm comfortable recommending the analog versions for general-purpose and gaming use.
That said, the USB audio dongle included with the USB version of the Siberia is not good. It uses psychoacoustic tricks to fake multi-channel 7.1 audio in your headphones. The result simply muddies the existing sound and the USB soundcard is noisy, to boot. The overall experience with the Siberia V2s is not good, when used with the included USB dongle. If you're going to buy this headset, don't waste your money on the USB model ($110), just get the analog set for $90 and plug it directly into your soundcard.
Razer Megalodon
Another PC-only headset, the
Razer Megalodon is a USB-only headset with a fancy control pod integrated in the cord. I find the Razer headset to be very comfortable, its full cups fit comfortably over my ears, the headband is well-padded, and the phones are light enough that they're comfortable for long gaming sessions. While the microphone isn't retractable, like the Steelseries headset, it does fold up against the side of your head when not in use.
The Megalodon features two listening modes, traditional stereo and a psychoacoustic "7.1" mode. I found the Megalodon to produce good sound in the stereo mode. The headset performed well in games and was OK for music listening. Highs are crisp and mid-ranges are distinct and the headset produces impressive bass. My main complaint with the Megalodon in stereo mode is a tendency toward muddiness, especially at high volumes.
When you flip the 7.1 mode on, the Megalodon's audio quality is an entirely other story. In games that support multi-channel audio, I found that the 7.1 mode just made everything sound over-filtered and bad. Instead of adding a positional audio effect, it just made everything in-game sound as if it was recorded inside a subway bathroom. While it didn't have the noisiness of the Steelseries USB dongle, the overall effect is not good.
Even though the 7.1 mode is a bust, the Megalodon offers a few compelling features--I especially like the discrete controls over mic level and sensitivity--and performed adequately in stereo mode. This is the least-expensive USB-only option that delivered acceptable sound in my tests (when used in stereo mode), so while you can undoubtedly get a better microphone-free set of headphones for $150, they won't be as easy to set up and get working with your games as the Megalodon is. Bargain hunters may want to check out
Razer's Carcharias headset instead, which is the analog-only version of the Megalodon with a MSRP of $80.
Pskyo 5.1
The last of the pure PC headsets I tested, the
Psyko 5.1 uses a novel technique to produce impressive multi-channel audio in a headset. Instead of tiny speakers inside the ear cups, Psyko places the speakers at the top of the headband, then pipes sound down to the front or back of the ear cups. Because the speakers are precisely positioned, sound arrives at the same time in each ear as it would if you were hearing it in the larger environment.
Gaming performance was very impressive. This is the only 5.1 headset that I've tested that I'd recommend you actually use in 5.1 mode. Instead of relying on bogus psychoacoustic trickery, the Psyko 5.1s actually mimics the real world environment. Performance for music listening was less awesome. I spent a fair amount of time tweaking EQ settings, to no effect. While bass was reproduced accurately, thanks to the in-cup "subwoofers" highs and mid-ranges sounded distant. Positional sound during movie playback was excellent, but I found dialogue difficult to pick up well when it was coming primarily from the center channel. The Psyko headset is a pure analog design, so you'll need to plug it into a 5.1 channel sound card, like the SoundBlaster X-Fi, using the three analog outputs.
Unfortunately, there are two big problems with the Psyko headset. First, they're crazy expensive at $300. While I could almost rationalize that high a price if they were exceptional all around, they're really only well suited for gaming. However, I can't recommend this headset due to its weight. It's simply too top-heavy. The Psykos weigh in at 18 ounces, and most of the weight is concentrated in the speakers, at the top of your head. The top-heavy nature makes them uncomfortable for even short gaming sessions.
Tritton AX Pro
Tritton's AX Pro headset includes everything you need to connect to both PCs and consoles, including the Xbox and PS3. Featuring eight independent speakers inside the ear cups and a separate decoder box for Dolby Digital sources, the AX Pro seemed like it could be a contender for folks who play PC or console games. Unfortunately, they just sound terrible.
The AX Pro is everything I expected when I sat down to test gaming headsets. They're uncomfortable and sound terrible. They're supposed to be an over the ear design, but I couldn't find a position that didn't either mash my ears or dig into my skull. I don't have a particularly large head, but even at full extension, they didn't fit properly. Worse, they sound alternately tinny, hissy, and noisy.
While I approve of the intent behind the inline amp, in practice the amp just makes the pops, hisses, and clicks that plague this headset more obvious. It's also frustrating that both the amp and the Dolby decoder box require connections to the same power brick, which means that anywhere the AX Pro goes a horrible cable snarl will follow.
The Tritton AX Pro costs $160, but I wouldn't recommend it at any price.
Astro A40 + Mixamp
Astro Gaming's A40s are the best gaming headset I've ever tested. The A40s feature an over-the-ear design that remained comfortable even after hours of testing. The A40s are a very capable PC gaming headset out of the box, but require Astro's Mixamp accessory to work with the Xbox 360 or PS3.
In my listening tests, the A40s sounded great when plugged directly into my PC's soundcard, delivering the best sound of headsets I've tested for this roundup. They're not audiophile or headphone-nerd quality, but they sounded crisp and clear with slightly weak, but still acceptable bass in all the applications I tested. They're comfortable for long gaming sessions, and I appreciate how customizable they are--you can mount the microphone on either side of the headset, or remove it entirely thanks to the removable plates on the outside of the ear cups--Astro calls them tags. The A40s are leakier than a fully closed design, even with a gasket between the headphones and the tags, but I like having the choice between ventilation and noise.
The Mixamp accessory adds Dolby Headphone support, a decent USB soundcard (for PC or PS3 use), and the necessary hardware to mix Xbox 360 and PS3 voice comms with in-game audio. It's a USB-powered device, so there's no need to add another wall wart behind your entertainment center, and there are plenty of input options so you won't need to swap cables too much, even if you want to use the A40s with multiple analog and digital sources. The USB soundcard performed well in my listening tests.
In case you haven't picked it up yet, I'm not enamored with any of the psychoacoustic nonsense that people use in headsets, but the Dolby Headphone solution is the least offensive one I've tested. It's still the first thing I turn off, but it doesn't make your games sound worse, it just doesn't make them sound better. It's worth mentioning that the Mixamp comes with all the cables you'd need to to use it with pretty much any analog headset, although Astro doesn't actively support third-party headsets.
I'm not crazy about using the A40 + Mixamp combo in the living room. It requires trailing a fair number of cords across the room, especially if you need to connect the Mixamp to your Xbox 360 controller for voice chat. It's much more desk-friendly, so if you happen to have your consoles near your gaming PC, this is an ideal sound solution.
The big problem with the A40s is price. This is a crazy-expensive headset at $200, and it only gets worse if you need to buy a Mixamp ($150) to hook up to consoles. Astro offers a $250 package deal, if you purchase both the A40 and the Mixamp at the same time.
Astro A30
The
Astro A30s are the on-ear little brother to the A40s. The A30s feature a slimmer design and lower price, although I wasn't as impressed with their sound as I was with the A40s. Additionally, I find on-ear headphones to be significantly less comfortable than over-the-ear designs, but that is a personal preference.
Like the A40s, the A30s use Astro's quick-release cable, which lets you swap connectors for different applications. The A30s come with a 3-pole connector, compatible with most smart phones and the Mixamp, as well as a more typical headphone/mic cable for PC gaming. As with the A40s, you'll need to purchase a Mixamp if you want to connect the A30s to a 360 or PS3, and everything mentioned about that in the A40 section also applies here.
Sound quality was good, although I feel like the A30s lack some oomph in the low-end. They were great for music playback and sounded great in my Eli test, however, with or without the Mixamp. I especially like the fact that the A30s include an inline mic in addition to the removable boom microphone, so you could actually use these headphones with your smart phone when you're on the go, although they're a little flashier than I like when I'm walking down the street with a few grand worth of electronics in my bag.
The A30s are cheaper than the A40s, but they're not cheap. Their MSRP is $150 (although they're on sale now for $100), and come in a bundle with the Mixamp for $200 total. While you may find traditional headphones that sound better for the money, I don't think you'll find an Xbox, PS3, and PC-compatible headset that sounds better for the money.
Turtle Beach Ear Force X41
When I first fired up the
Turtle Beach X41s, a wireless headset designed for the Xbox 360, I was expecting the worst. I was impressed with how simple Turtle Beach made the setup--you simply plug the included optical and USB cables into the Xbox (and plug your current optical cable into the pass through port, if you want). If you want to use voice chat, you'll need to run a cable (included) from the controller to the headset. The base station even includes a handy rack to hand the cans on when you're not using them.
In the past, RF headsets I've tested were like the aural equivalent of Rice Krispies, chock full of snap, crackle, and pop--with a side of hiss thrown in for good measure. However, when I fired up a game, I was pleasantly surprised. The X41s sounded great in games, with a barely detectable hiss. Because they're RF, they don't need line of sight to work, which is also a plus. I even got some basic positional audio thanks to the Dolby Headphone technology included in the base station.
Unfortunately, the X41s fell apart when I fired up The Book of Eli. The snaps, crackles, and pops I'd been expecting from the beginning, showed up with a vengeance. Whenever the audio bit-rate peaked, the sound dropped or some form of distortion became audible. I'm also bummed that Turtle Beach expects you to provide AAA batteries in a $200 headset package instead of providing rechargeables. While our batteries lasted for more than 12 hours of gameplay, I expect rechargeable batteries included in a premium product.
The X41s are available online for as low as $150, which would be a great deal for a simple console audio solution. Without the DVD playback problems, I'd wholeheartedly recommend this headset.
So, Are Headsets As Good as Headphones?
I haven't tested every gaming headset available on the market today, this is just a sample of a few of the options, and one of the more interesting options from noted headphone manufacturer Sennheiser didn't make it in time for the roundup. I'll follow up with those in the future, but of the headphones I tested here, you can get decent sound from a gaming headset, but you'll pay a pretty substantial premium for it. And, if you're really serious about audio, you're probably better off getting good headphones and a standalone USB microphone, like the
Blue Snowball or
Samson Go Mic. After all, the microphone is for everyone else, but the headphones are for you. Who do you
really want to take better care of?
