Drop + EPOS / Sennheiser - PC38X

Don't need to get too complicated. You're asking enthusiasts what you should buy, and they will suggest enthusiast-grade products like DACs and dedicated mics. You don't need any of that. Listen to people who suggest a quality headset (most of the time are not typical gaming headset companies) that don't make your wallet cry. I've used the Sennheiser PC38X for years now. It's an open-back headset, very comfortable, legit headphone quality sound, built-in mic, for like $189 (used to be $139 sadly it went up). Many enthusiasts suggest it.

Second this. I hate Bluetooth also. Cords always work and these are very comfortable. Open is so much more comfortable on the ears.

senheisser pc37x or pc38x are the gaming headset you want they're standout from all the razer, logitech, steel series of the world as senheisser is an actual established audio brand. And these headsets on their own are just good which you can easily look further into

Open back Sennheisser (Epos H6 pro or Drop PC38x) shit all over anything. I’ve had Astro A50s, plus top end of the following : Audio Technica, Turtle Beach, Hyperx, Audeze Penrose, Steelseries, Corsair, plus Beyerdynamic MMX 300. The Epos H6 and PC38X have the most natural tuning and best soundstage for direction audio perception. There’s a bunch of online reviews backing them.

If you are looking for a headphone with a built in mic then the best option would be to go with Sennheiser + Drop PC38x. Its got an amazing built in mic and awesome sound performance. It has been my daily driver since late 2023. Alternatively, you can go with a pair of decent audiophile headphones and get an external or attachable mic.

A price range is pretty important for these types of questions. Also, do you want wireless only? With PS5 Pro, I’ve personally used Drop/ Sennheiser PC38x (predecessor PC37x would be cheaper option) for multiplayer or fast paced games (like Returnal) for good directional audio and HiFiMan Edition XS for cinematic single player games. You would need to plug them into your controller in the 3.5mm jack. I’m not into the overpriced and underperforming “gamer brand” headsets. A decent Sennheiser headset typically blows them into the weeds and lasts years longer. I have higher end headsets that would blow your mind like the HD490 Pro and especially the HE1000se I use on PC. Those are probably going to be way too pricey for this discussion.

I'd probably recommend Drop/ Sennheiser PC38x for multiplayer/ directional audio and HiFiMan Edition XS (or perhaps Sundara if you have small ears; not comfortable for me) for cinematic single player games for fairly affordable headsets within a few hundred bucks. I've read good things about the Audeze Maxwell. Going much higher will probably require an amp and get MUCH pricier. For PC and listening to music, I use an HE1000SE, which will challenge your statement about budget not mattering. It's by far the best set of headphones I've ever used for gaming (including the also excellent Sennheiser HD 490 Pro, which I also own) or music but definitely not low budget.

There is a bit of a balance there. Even in the Audiophile "gaming" headphones. What gamers are looking for generally aren't in there. The Beyer's are great headphones, but outside the DT1990v1 Beyers don't have the greatest sound stage and imaging. The only one I know that is a gaming headset that does what people are actually looking for in gaming is the PC38x (and to a lesser extent the similar driven ones like the PC37x, the HD6pro). As for the OP he probably has the best headset south of the 800s, for gaming. Would recommend anyone looking at Fresh reviews on youtube and looking at his list before getting any quality headset/phone or IEM with an ear towards gaming.

The PC38x I should warn you light as all hell and as you wear it more it feels better and better. But it's one of Senns clampier headsets to start with.

pc38x is pretty good too. but all those headsets i just listed are popular for a reason

I know this is double of your budget, but consider saving more money and getting Sennheiser pc38x. These cans will last forever and it is very good for not only games, but music as well.

>DT990 Pro and use a separate mic if you wanted to spend more. This is the best answer. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 560S open back headphones and a standalone mic. There's no comparison. PC38X is alright but I didn't love the mic.

MMX 100’s or 300 Pro’s if you got the $ are good if you NEED the attached microphone. Otherwise, like everyone else is saying… headphones and separate microphone. I had the PC38X, and while they’re good, it’s just no comparison once you go to a decent pair of studio headphones. Whatever headphones you end up going with, USB microphones are actually good now and there’s condenser mics available that won’t require you to use a boom arm. That’s what held me back for so long, I didn’t want some cumbersome fugly arm on my desk. Ended up going with the Elgato Wave 3 USB microphone, using Wave Link software I’ve tuned it to where I can leave it on my desk and it doesn’t pick up any background noise or even my mechanical keyboard. It’s amazing.

Definitely makes more sense to me if it's higher up though. Surprisingly good set of cans+mic for the price.

Yeah, mine does that for specific points of the volume knob. Since I don't use that to adjust volume though, it's not big deal for me.

my pick would be the mmx 330, 300 pro, or the pc38x, ps5 controller can easily drive these headphones, keep in mind the 330 pro and pc38x are open back headphones ( allows air and sound to come through them, he will hear everything around him, people near him can sometimes hear his headphones) 300 pros are closed, but those are around $300, but you could find them on sale, pc38x is a popular choice doesnt have a cable as long as the 330 and 300 pros,

if you cant get the 330 or 300, pc38x is still a pretty good headphone, especially for his use case, that shorter cable will be less of a hassle

My PC38x sounds amazing, and is plenty loud. I keep my windows volume on 30 and just adjust with the wheel when I need to. I would highly recommend getting a replacement set of muffs from Wicked Cushions if you have big ears like me though, they are much cooler. (Sorry to shill)

For a all in one you can get the DROP + EPOSPC 38X or you can get a good mic and a good headset. Either a external mic that stands on your desk, I got the HyperX Quad Cast. Or you can get the Antlion Mic mod that let's you attach it to any headset and detach it when you don't want the mic there.

Drop PC38X [https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset](https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset) These were originally a Sennheiser & Drop collaboration, which started with the Drop + Sennheiser PC37X, which was based on the Sennheiser EPOS Game One headset. The PC38X was an update to the PC37X and was originally called the Drop + EPOS PC38X, and are the same headset but using the drivers from an HD598. The one downside to the PC38X, as well as virtually all open back headsets, the low bass is a bit quiet. But in terms of clarity for gaming it's virtually unmatched. As a lifelong open back Sennheiser user, the reduced bass doesn't bother me that much as I find it's much more comfortable to wear all day long than closed back headsets or heavy bass. With Sennheiser selling off their consumer and gaming audio divisions, the EPOS brand is now only a call center headset company, and the only Sennheiser headphones with a mic are Bluetooth ones designed for mobile phones, so they have extremely high latency making them unusable for PC gaming. Since Sennheiser no longer owns the EPOS brand name, and are no longer interested in making gaming headsets in general, the Drop PC38X remains the only Sennheiser designed gaming headset still being made. edit: Other replies mentioned the HD560S and HD600. They're both audiophile headsets with no mic. The HD560S are very similar to the PC38X in audio quality, but the HD560S are more expensive. The HD600 (and DROP HD6XX) are some of the best audiophile headphones on the market in their price range, and generally have better bass response than the PC38X and HD560S, but still no where near as good as closed back headsets. There are newer versions like the HD650, HD660S, and HD660S2, but weirdly these are all worse headsets than the HD600 and HD6XX while also being more expensive. The HD6XX are currently $179 while the HD600 are $300, and the rest I listed are over $450. Haven't used the HD600 before, I prefer the PC38X and HD598 (which I also own) over them due to the fact the HD600 generally require an external amp to get the best out of them, where as the PC38X sounds perfectly fine plugged directly into the front panel audio of a PC or a gamepad.

Drop PC38X A Drop and Sennheiser collaboration originally sold as the Drop + EPOS PC38X, and is basically the EPOS Game One headset with the Sennheiser HD595 drivers. Exceptional audio clarity for both the headset speakers and mic. But, like a lot of Sennheiser headphones, is open back, meaning it has relatively weak bass response. And that’s also Sennheiser’s general frequency response profile even with their closed back options.

What reviews did you find? Because every review I’ve seen of it are effusive in how good it is. They’re also what I’ve been using for the last few years, along with Sennheiser headphones for decades. The only 5/10 I can think of is the RTINGS review which shows a 5/10 on Google’s summary, but that’s because Google doesn’t know how to handle their reviews. It’s one of their top headsets for gaming and sound accuracy, and is on many of their recommendation lists. The issue is it’s not good for travel, working out, or office work, because they don‘t fold, aren’t wireless, and are open back so they leak audio. Which is all things don’t matter for gaming, but Google’s summary doesn’t know how to deal with that. If you like heavy bass, you won’t like Sennheiser headphones in general. And for some genres of music they aren’t great because of that.

Audeze Maxwell - Considered one of the best wireless gaming headsets. Popular with music creators as well as for gaming. Mic is reasonably good, though can clip a little. Comes with leather earpads, but they can be replaced easily. Drop + EPOS PC38X - One of the best wired gaming headsets for sound clarity and mic quality. Bass reproduction is a bit muted, which is common for older style EPOS / Sennheiser headsets, and common with open back headphones in general. The mic is essentially the best of any consumer headset you can buy. Generally can only be bought directly from Drop's site. Comes with both cloth and velour earpads. [https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-gaming-headset](https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-gaming-headset) Steel Series Arctis headsets are generally a decent middle ground in terms of decent bass and mic quality. The overall audio quality isn't as good as either the Maxwell or PC38X, but they're closed back so their bass response is more like the Maxwell. And the mic quality is generally better than the Maxwell, but no where near as good as the PC38X. Most (maybe all?) use cloth earpads. Nova Pro Wireless and Nova 9 are both quite good, with the Nova 9 being slightly better in terms of audio clarity and mic quality, but the Pro Wireless has better bass and noise cancelling.

I was using Tygr300r for single player and PC38x for multi, but recently grabbed the Sony MDR-MV1 and love them. Still use the PC38x for the mic but the Sony’s sound incredible for single player and movies.

A lot of people are loving the Maxwell. I don’t have it, but apparently it’s a super super high quality, comfortable, Bluetooth planar. Has a swoosh mic too. I’m thinking of getting a pair soon myself. If u really want a wired experience, hd6xx have been treating me really well. I have that, the sundara, and the PC38X and love them all.

If those are your only option I'd take either the Cloud Alpha or G Pro X, probably the Alpha as it is really comfortable. As other's have said though, none of these are particularly good. Unlike what others have said, there are good gamer brand headsets out there like the LucidSound LS50x, Logitech G Pro X 2, Astro A50, a few EPOS models. They're just generally overpriced. Like the G Pro X 2 is a really good $100 headphone with a $20 mic selling for $250. The LucidSounds are a bit pricy new but very cheap on the used market. The LS50x or the little brother LS35x can be found used for under $60 and $40 respectively and will beat anything on your list. Sennheiser Game One's can be found for under $60 and are another step higher, they're the headset version of the HD 598. In general, you can almost always buy a new headphone of equal or better quality + a desktop mic for a lot less money than a new headset. The main exception is the Audeze Maxwell which is frankly way better than standalone wireless headphones at its price. The PC38x is also competitively priced on sale, it's right between the HD 599 and HD 560S in quality.

You're welcome to DM and I can link you a spreadsheet I manage with plenty of headphones. Most gaming headsets are very overpriced for their sound quality but there are a few that are good value if you buy used or wait for a sale. The Corsair Virtuoso Pro or PC38X come to mind and both eq really well for music.  For standard headphones I'd take a look at the Sennheiser HD 560 or 599. The AKG K7 series are also good for gaming and fairly affordable second hand, not so much new. Then if you want a closed back option there's the DT 770 Pro X. It has excellent imaging and is built like a tank.  As far as a dac/amp goes, you need a DAC if you're hearing any noise or distortion in your sound, if it's not clear. You need an amp if you're headphones aren't getting a good amount louder than your preferred listening level. There's pretty cheap and good dongle options out there. 

Depends on your budget. Beyerdynamic DT 990s are often recommended for competitive gaming because their treble is tuned to make details, like the crunch of glass, pop. At the same time though that makes them pretty tiring to listen to casually. The Sennheiser HD 560 is a better balanced headphone for about the same price. There's also the PC38X which is a headset but fairly competitively priced with headphones and I personally prefer it over the 560 but they are pretty comparable.  If you can find a used AKG K712 those are great. New they're stupidly overpriced, like $4-500 CAD, but used you can get them for $150. They're a solid step up from the HD 560 and DT 990. Then one more step up would be the Hifiman Edition XS. They have a crap warranty and crap comfort and have crap quality control they have the best performance of any headphone in their price range. You can get them new for $375-400 CAD. 

You can get various pairs of sennheisers and get a fifine microphone. Combo will be around $200 and will be better than anything you can buy comparably. Pc38xs are on sale for 140 rn. If headset is what you want you can’t get anything close to them for that price.

Beyerdynamic MMX 300 (Gen 2), goes for roughly 180 Euros. It’s a closed-back headset developed by an actual reputable audio equipment company, not by a bullshit gaming headset brand. https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com/p/mmx-300 Or if you’re set on open-back headsets only, then the PC38X. Goes anywhere from 100 to 170 euros, the price fluctuates. Same as before, made by an actual reputable company. https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-gaming-headset

The PC38X, and it’s not even a competition. Trust, it goes way beyond any regular consumer headset. https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset

I have these and have found they’re a bit quiet on Xbox. Which is annoying because all my other games can get plenty loud. Good headphones overall though. I also haven’t figured out if I like stereo or Dolby atmos better on them

I have this, it's great. Falls into the rare niche of having legitimately good audio and a microphone that's good enough that no-one will ever complain that you're using it, without having to screw around with buying separate headphones/microphones. Note that it's an open-back headset, which is very unusual, and means you're still completely exposed to the background noise of the room when wearing it. It's a very different experience to closed-back headphones. I think the Tygr 300 from Beyerdynamic is the only equivalent option, and I don't really know anything about that.

pc38x has terrible mic quality. Barely works half the time.

My personal journey to find the perfect audio setup that works for me was long and expensive. Put simply, I tried a ton of the gamer-focused headsets first. Went through a lot, and some of them were actually decent, but in the end, I realized the truth: gamer headphones are not a good value. They put more resources into the branding and aesthetics than they do for actual audio quality. The one exception to this was the Sennheiser/Drop PC38x. These are wired open back headphones with a built-in mic. For me, these were far and away the best sounding "gamer" headphones I ever tried, and it wasn't even close. The open back really opens up the soundstage, which, at least for me, really helped with directional audio. The convenience of the built-in mic was definitely a bonus too. Sadly, it looks like they are no longer making these... maybe Drop or Sennheiser still makes something similar but I haven't looked. I ran the Astro a40's for a long time too. These also have an open back design, but I always found them to be a bit too harsh, and I spent WAY too much time trying to tweak the EQ to get them to sound good. The terrible software didn't help matters either. IEM's are all the rage now. I was skeptical at first, but have found this to be the best way to go. IEM's were always kind of a niche item that was historically expensive for a decent set, but over the last few years, a TON of really good IEM's have hit the market for super cheap. My current favorite set are the Truthear Crinacle Zero Reds. You can find them on sale pretty often for around $50. If that's too much, there are a lot of great options in the $15 - $50 range too. The KZ Castors come to mind: I think I got mine for like $25 and I like these almost as much as the Zero Reds. The Audiovance Vibes 202's are good as well and can be had for around $30. I like them because they sound really great, and I like the cables they come with. And of course, everyone loves the Moondrop Chu II. I have those as well and they are indeed quite good, especially for the price (around $20). The amazing thing is that all of the IEM's I mentioned above sound way better than the in ear monitors I used to use back in my days of playing live music... and they literally cost hundreds of dollars less. It blows my mind. The one downside to IEM's is the lack of a built-in mic. This is easy to get around if you are playing on PC, but a little less convenient if you play on console. I have a dedicated mic for my setup since I do a lot of music recording so it isn't a problem, but if you need a built-in mic, there are cables for IEM's that you can buy that have a little mic built in. I can't really speak to how good they are, but I would think that would work ok plugged directly into your Xbox or PS controller. Anyway, I didn't set out to write a book here when I started this post, but there it is... TLDR; iems are the way to go. Even the Moondrop Chu II's sound significantly better than even the most expensive gamer-focused headsets. And that's before you even consider cost. If you are like me, and your earholes don't generally like earbuds, you may need to experiment with different tips to find something that is comfortable enough to wear for long periods, but once you do it is awesome, and definitely worth the trouble.

Yikes: that's a bummer about difficulties in Brazil with taxes and import duties... As for the KZ EDX... yeah I have the KZ EDX Pro's, and I did not like them at all. Very shrill and just overall kind of muddy. The thing I like about the KZ Castors by comparison is that, first of all, they just sound good, but also, they are the only IEM that I have tried with the ability to adjust the sound profile. There are little tiny sliders/switches on them so you can bump highs, mids, and lows up or down. It's kind of a neat feature if you want to try to taylor the sound a little bit to your liking. And you shouldn't need a DAC for any of the ones I mentioned. It's not bad to have one, but you don't need one to drive most of these entry level IEM's. You can also grab the Apple USBC to 3.5mm audio adapter: to my knowledge that's about the best DAC you can get for the money as they are cheap and easy to find, and I can confirm as I have one: they work and sound great plugged into my Windows 11 PC or iPhone. But again, you don't NEED one. I have used iems plugged directly into my PC's audio port, I have used them plugged into the monitor out on my audio interface, and I have used them on the headphone out on USB mics. I have also used them plugged into an Xbox controller when playing on my Series X so you shouldn't have any issues to be honest. But yeah, the microphone is the hardest part. A lot of people buy different cables for their iem's because the ones that come stock aren't always good, and you can buy some with a built-in mic. I can't really speak to how well these work though since I am using a dedicated XLR mic into my audio interface that I use for recording music. I also have some friends that squad up with us sometimes that just use the wired earbuds that came with their phones and they seem happy with that as well. Good luck: I hope you find something that works for you!

this headset sucks, I see everyone everywhere glazing it but I bought one and the mic quality sucks, the sound quality sucks, and the "breathability" of the earmuffs just means that the audio from the headset travels to the mic, so you constantly echo 

!thanks This was the most helpful comment here for me and helped me decide on the PC38X. It also helped that there was a deal, but not by much!

Yes I have these in silver and pair it with an a40 mixamp and man I’ve never had better sound in my life. I tried the pc38x from Senheisser but they just can’t compare.

Hey OP, as I'm sure you've seen at this point, a lot of people will have different opinions. The PC38X/PC37X is a great choice. But as someone in the audiophile community as well; everything sounds good until you hear something better. I've been recommending audio gear at a variety of price points for years and if you want to DM me I can ask a few more questions to get a setup that will be more tailored to your son's situation. If youd prefer a straight forward answer, the PC37X on drop.com is fantastic and works right out the box with no fuss.

I own the PC38X. It's fantastic.

PC38X with a Fosi Audio K5 Pro

I have these and love them. Haven't tried a bunch of competitors or anything. I just did very thorough research before buying. I can say that whenever I've let curious buddies try them out, they've been pretty impressed. I've had them for around 5 years with no issues.

Not as much as you might think, but mnostly because there really aren't "audiophile" wireless headsets in the $100 range (at least not over-ears). Most headphones in that range are going to be consumer tunes, rather than audio-focused tunes. The same is true of MOST but not all headphones aimed at the gaming market. The exceptions are things like the Epos/Sennheiser PC37x/PC38x or Audeze Maxwell. If you're willing to spend $150, the Fiio FT1 is your best bet. Get a cheap mic to pair with them.

The PC38X is a good pair of headphones; the HyperX is not (at least to my ears). Hard to beat the 38/37X for the money especially with them on sale right now. Personally, I prefer the 6XX for $179 right now, but I don’t need a mic and I like the soundstage that a lot of folks don’t.

3D audio is a gimmick and a marketing term for sound stage. Either the headphones is stereo or true 7.1. no such thing s "3d". PC38X and Audeze Maxwell, as others have also stated. Any good headphone can become a gaming headphone with the right EQ, although open back headphones will excel at sound stage and spatial positioning/ awareness. The inverse is not true,however. Most gaming headphones are RGB lighting and colored plastics on a poor to mid piece of tech with an EQ slapped into it. Get something like the Schiit Hel and a PC38X, or any separate microphone and use it with a good headset and DAC/amp combo (I have the Arya Stealth connected to a Bifrost2/64, Lokius, Jot2 stack and an Elgato Wave XLR mic, best of all worlds).

I'll vouch for the PC38X. Two of my friends use them with no complaints, on PC tho. However, they are quite easy to drive, so they'll easily work being plugged into the headphone port of a PS5 controller. In terms of a "one and done," it's hard to argue against it. Sennheiser plastic is also irrationally good quality, so they'll last for a long time. Surely longer than the battery of any normal gaming headset.

Check out the PC38X. It's my go to and works on every platform. Open backs are great for fps games.

I can hear them perfectly fine. Everyone's hearing is different.

I have the PC38X and I love them.

I have not. I just bought the one that was available first and it happened to be the 38x. I have them in black

oh buddy, you troll lol. i just went and bought one of them for like $240 after reading your comment.  the whole thing is plastic and feels cheap asf, no mic sidetone, wired, 0% sound-proofing ( it doesn’t need to be 100% but atleast 10% i mean come on), and the sound is just like the $70 corsairs i mentioned in the post. feels like a cheap walmart headset. ganna have to return these bad boys for use, i’ll admit you got me good though 😭

I have a pair of PC38X and I don't recommend it. The clamp is insane. If you're wearing glasses like me, good luck. Took me more than a year to loosen it. After that it's not bad but not great. The pads are glued, each pair (comes with an extra) tore within a year. Not a complete loss I just sewed it back but it's poor QC imo. At this price the sound was not enough of leap from the headset half the price. If this is the Sennheiser sound signature, it's put me off it. It's not bad, it just doesn't do anything to wow you maybe it's just a neutral headset. Being on the DT990, it's like night and day. On the 38, I've never once wanted to listen to music on it. 990 I'm looking for new music to hear on it. Gaming there's isn't much of a difference. Footsteps better on PC38x but maybe it's because I needed it on full volume. Why? Because a year plus in the volume knob started giving issues and I couldn't touch it. It finally have out by year 2. This is apparently common on this Sennheiser builds and not fixed. I honestly thought headphones must not be my thing because of how overhyped the PC38x is.

I played siege on the PC38x and it's great for footsteps. That's where the positive stops. You can see my other comment about the details on the PC38x. Since you mentioned studio headphones. I think he wants sound quality and from owning two gaming headsets and two studio headsets, I can tell you even the cheaper studio headset was better in sound quality. Gaming headsets truly is a gimmick imo. The only problem is studio headphones don't come with a mic/volume knob.

My vote is against the PC38x. It's the most overhyped, overpriced garbage. The clamp is crazy, mic is good, sound is sightly above average, has known QC issues which did mine in. If sound quality isn't a big deal, I'd suggest mh751. It's cheap should be $70 or less. Good mic. Incredibly comfortable. The sound quality isn't bad, it just isn't going to wow you.

Doesn't this one have the same volume knob as the pc38x? It lasted you 11 years with no issues? Mine lasted 2 years... And yes, PC38x is so overhyped. Source: I own one.

I’ll second this one. I’ve been using the pc38x for about two years now and aside from the plastic being a little creaky I have no complaints

Best all in one gotta be pc38x, it’s just good to go, not the best at any one thing but just great as a whole. The best imaging/accurate headphones I own are the shure 1840. Super underrated gaming headphone. I don’t competitive game that much but everything is exactly where you think it should be at all times. It’s actually amazing. I switch between them and edition xs for games and use the 38x when chatting online. The Hifiman has way more detail, but midrange is a bit recessed compared to shure so if a game has a lot of air or ambiance I’ll use the xs but if it’s more competitive or requires precision I’ll use the shures. The pc38x doesn’t sound quite as good as either of them but still does a great job and is closer in performance than not.

Does he need a microphone? If not, get him a pair of Philips SHP9500, they’re $60-$90 depending on sales. If he does, the Drop+Epos H3X are fantastic for under $100. If you want to spend more, get him the PC38x off of Drop.com as they’re cheaper than off Amazon.

I have a pair that's 3 years old, and the volume knob causes the audio to cut out frequently. Looks to be a pretty common issue. Looks brand new, though, treated well.

Drop Sennheiser PC38X, $139 on sale rn

Concur, gaming headphones and gaming chairs are all a gimmick. I got a DAC for my PC38X but it was fine with onboard sound as well. Beat headset I’ve ever owned (for a PC)

My fault, $139* on the Drop website

My fault, $139* on the Drop website

My fault, $139* on the Drop website

My fault, $139* on the Drop website

[Nope](https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-yellow-gaming-headset?mode=shop_open&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20546672818&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_keyword=&utm_placement=&utm_network=x:m::&utm_device=&mode=shop_open&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAtsa9BhAKEiwAUZAszfwHUpyzjvDHoUAYxc_LDZQnkD5J33RuW7uFAeTtI4nJX_tc6zYrJBoCHTcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)! It’s $139 though my b. They’re wired so they have no battery life, totally recommend a wired headset imo

Yeah that’s my b, it’s $139*

Sounds like you have a defective headset fam, that hasn’t happened with mine or my buddies

Hd560s for all rounder, pc38x if you want a mic and audeze maxwells if you want wireless

So, to distill, you want: Replaceable cable Modular repairability in general Seems you want a microphone? Not price elitist (but your upper bound seems to indicate you aren’t so cheap that you’ll keep buying crap). Factor to consider: If you don’t throw headsets around, spill things on them, take them off your head with one hand, drop or bang them on a table, wear them while lying on a pillow, bend the cable at a steep angle to get around things, remove/reinsert the cables often, etc… then the headsets mechanically should last over 20 years with only occasional earpad replacements. It definitely is nice to have a headphone where you can replace pads, cables, and other parts though, because inevitably we all do tug on the cable sometimes, or strands of hair might get into the driver housing. With that in mind, I do like how Sennheiser (who had a joint-venture with Demant group to make the EPOS gaming headsets) has designed many modular parts that can be replaced in the long term, not the least of which being the pads and the (single side) cable. Like others here, I’ve settled on the PC38X, and I only have one caveat of caution for you. It’s comfy without slipping around, it’s quality but light weight, it has the HD 560S drivers but a more fun/less clinical studio tuning, good sense of soundstage depth, and it hits your criteria of a replaceable cable and mic. The cable is a little bit scratchy, but I really like that it’s one-sided so you don’t have that Y that you can snag on something, and of course it’s replaceable (it comes with two!). It has a boom mic, but you can flip it up out of the way (which also disconnects it for a fast mute… fast enough to beat a sneeze). Pads are just a pressure fit, and Sennheiser and Dekoni sell replacements. My one caveat about the PC38X: I had the preceding PC37X since launch, and after about 5 years of DAILY use, the volume dial got a little wobbly and started messing with the Right/Left signals a little bit. I still use my PC37X sometimes today, it works normally as long as I wobble the volume dial a bit until the stereo sound comes back. I’ve also had the PC38X since IT was launched, and no problems at all so far because I set the volume dial to 100% and I NEVER TOUCH IT. I briefly tested the newer GSP 500 (open back) and GSP 600 (closed back) headsets, and it does seem like they made a more durable volume dial design, but wider heads may struggle with fit. The newest H6 Pro (open or closed model) seem like they MIGHT be the best of all worlds with a new headband (also, the mic is detachable, and the green/gold colorway looks SIIIIICK!), but I have no personal experience with it. Audeze Maxwell: it has various DSP/EQ presets, and unfortunately they chose a really weird one when Audeze brought it to demo at CanJam NYC this year. I have the older Audeze Mobius, so I know they can tune them well, so it’s probably fine with the right EQ… it is chunkier and heavier than the PC38X, and personally I get sweaty and uncomfortable with most pleather/leather pads – exceptions to the Sennheiser Momentum 2 and Dekoni “Premium” Pleather, the latter which is actually a “protein leather” made from eggshell membranes and actually feels softer to me than sheepskin. People seem to like the AKG K371bt too. Like other Bluetooth headphones, it has a mic built in, though you can also use it while hardwired. Harmon Curve, woo who. I bought one to test it out, but unfortunately it was broken on arrival, the drivers free from their mount and rattling around inside the earcup.

Avoid anything that takes audio from USB ports on PS5, PS5 uses UAC1 for audio through USB, I tried loads of headsets wondering why quality is downgraded from my previous set that used Optical. Instead I've gone with a DAC, Soundblaster G6 and a pair of PC38X which absolutely blew everything else I tried out the water, but I don't mind wired, I have a very long cable that runs from my TV unit, round the outside of the living room to my sofa. Obviously, there's even better headphones than the PC38x but they're amazing and way better than anything else I tried that was a dedicated wireless USB headset.

I mean just get good headphones and boom mic cable for them? Or even get standalone USB mic and arm. Why would you limit yourself just with "headset" options. If you want open backs and really want headset option, then maybe Drop PC38X? If you can find them in your country of course. If not, just stick with HD560S + V-moda BoomPro mic as a quite similar and yet a little better option. But, neither Krakens or Arctis are open backs, so if you want to stick with closed back format, then you can get Fiio FT1 + Meze boom mic. DT770 PRO X could be another good option (most likely more comfy and robust than FT1), but I can't find any mini-XLR boom mic in Europe.

An HD560S with external mic is great. If you must get a headset then the pc38x is there

Save the money and go for either PC38X or Audeze Maxwell. No point spending more than these options unless you're an audiophile.

tl;dr: Hyper X headsets check the cheap and comfy boxes and have a mic attached to them, but I don’t think most headsets would be anywhere close to what you have now. Depending on what people are looking for in a headset. If someone is insistent on a headset instead of a dedicated headset instead of separate headphones and mic, then I usually steer them towards Sennheiser PC37x or PC38x for a flat sound and build quality. Hyper X for cost, comfort, and features. And Astro for a jack of all trades, master of none kinda headphone (Not really too familiar with their QC since they were acquired by Logitech though). None of these headsets sound exceptional, which is why most users try to steer people towards dedicated mic and headphones if they can. But headsets still have a place and some people just prefer them. The only gaming headset I’ve heard with good imaging is the Sennheiser PC37X and PC38X (also known as the EPOS Game Zero and Game One), but the 490 is still vastly superior in most ways. Imaging in headphones is hard. Whether we like it or not, headphones are stereo. So in the end, it entirely depends on the game engine and devs to determine whether or not they are going to emulate surround sound for headphone users. Some do, some do not. It’s a crapshoot. So most of the time, well imaging headphones are still only accurate on the stereo axis because games don’t simulate 360 audio. One more edit: Headsets that advertise 7.1 are using software emulation too. As I mentioned above, headphones only have stereo channels (L/R). I have NEVER heard an out of engine emulation that sounded good. They all sound bad (except ATMOS, but that’s a whole different can of worms that we won’t get into). Don’t use them.

I had them and they sucked. Loud white noise in the background and the head straps are terribly designed, had to buy customised straps to get them to sit comfortably. But that didn’t fix the fact that the headset weighs a ton.

That might've very well been the case. I ended up going with a Sennheíser PC38X insted. It's wired openback but the audio is amazing with no white noise in the background.

Best one is Sennheiser + Epos Drop PC38X. I use it for both PC and PS5 gaming. It’s very comfortable and has a good microphone. I also mostly play single player games myself. I like this headset so much I bought a second pair just in case they stop manufacturing this headset.

Personally I think they’re comfortable. I use them for hours on end and have no problems. They’re not as comfortable as the Sennheiser Game One’s but the audio and microphone is definitely better.

The microphone is really good. It's not studio quality but it's definitely better than other headsets I've tried

Pc38x is what you’re looking for.

P38x are fantastic

PC38X has good imaging for footsteps etc if you don’t mind open back. In any case i’d look at RedditRecs it aggregates reviews from reddit so it’ll give you some good options to consider and you can see what people have been saying

Main thing is that you’ll hear more of the surrounding sound (which shouldn’t be an issue because you said your surrounding is no noisy, but some people prefer to isolated sound feel). And if there’s someone next to you they might hear your audio. Yeah sound imaging meaning location of sound.

If you want good directional cues and don't mind open back, the pc38x is probably hard to beat. I recently did a project analyzing reddit data on gaming headsets in the past year. Basically ranked them by aggregated sentiment. Maybe you'll find it helpful. [https://redditrecs.com/gaming-headset/](https://redditrecs.com/gaming-headset/) If you filter by comments about FPS you can see that the pc38x is recommended the most  You can read the comments for yourself (theres a summary if you want a tldr).

If you want good directional cues and don't mind open back, you can try the pc38x I recently did a project analyzing reddit data on gaming headsets in the past year. If you filter by comments about FPS you can see that they're the most often recommended https://redditrecs.com/gaming-headset/ You can read the comments for yourself (theres a summary if you want a tldr)

By far PC38x are best wired headsets

Can confirm this is the only correct answer

People don't know about this one but u /LifeLongCaboose sold me on these a few years ago with his *extensive* gaming headphones reviews. People need to read his stuff at r/gaming_headsets (Edit corrected subreddit rec) That said, I've actually appreciated the ease of use of the basic wireless PS5 pulse 3D ones. They sound quality as far as music worthy rich sound goes blows, but for sweaty footstep eavesdropping, they rock with the sound settings changed for quiet sound boost. That setting can obviously be used with other headphones, but I felt it was more just loudening things overall, rather than surgically picking out the quiet sounds. Its almost bad now because if I use those, I'll hear footsteps further away than I'm used to, and think someone 100m away is more like 30m. Anyway, the PC38X are amazing overall, and are just short of some nice open air audiophile music headphones I have.

I can vouch for the pc 38x. I've tried a weird spread of headphones, and to me, diminishing return kinda hits at the pc 38x for fps gaming. It has really great imaging and audio cues.

Just want to let you know, consider wired thru are better in latency... in your budget Drop PC38X would be fine.

If you're in the US.... Sennheiser PC38x from Drop!

I love my A50's, especially because they're white. But one annoying feature is the volume wheel location. It always rubs against my hoodie and decreases the volume lol! I would say they're among the best headset I've owned, the GSP 601 and 670 were my favourite, and the PC38X was awesome for summer. Such a shame they're all discontinued.

PC38x does it all for me. Immersion, FPS, music, etc. Open back and good mic quality. great return on investment

Be careful, I went through 2 different sets of these that had a known issue with the volume knob and static becoming chronic. I eventually got a refund and bit the bullet and purchased a set of DT1990 Pros. They are amazing but I play FPS games a lot and they are mainly for that. It depends on what kind of games he likes really. If he needs a mic honestly, I would probably spend a little more and get the HD560s instead of the PC38x and get a cheap add on mic. They’re built way better and I’ve seen them on sale before cheaper than the PC38x. Edit: If they’re a Christmas gift definitely shop around Black Friday and cyber Monday, you’ll likely find a good deal for them.

Paired with an Amp, it's the best money wise headset for every task out there, especially gaming ..

Sennheiser PC38X if you need a mic.  Sennheiser 560s if you don't.  Blows any gaming headset and headphones out of the water.  

This is seriously one of the best headsets there are.

I fully agree with you on PC38X, Beyerdynamics on the other hand I'm not sure, I've never heard the MMX 300 before, judging by the graphs I'm not so convinced. Do you have these? How do they sound?

It’s not wireless but the PC38X gets great reviews. I have its predecessor the PC37X which I bought in 2017, and it has only just died this year. It got heavy heavy use over the years so i would definitely recommend.

It’s not wireless but the PC38X gets great reviews. I have its predecessor the PC37X which I bought in 2017, and it has only just died this year. It got heavy heavy use over the years so i would definitely recommend.

Drop PC38Xare highly rated. I have the PC37X and they’ve been great.

Drop PC38Xare highly rated. I have the PC37X and they’ve been great.

This... The headsets last for decades, the same model you can buy today and still top.

Another for HD560s. Have them and then got different headphones after, but they’re great. Or the PC38x if you want one with a mic.

One of the BEST gaming headsets I've used is the Drop + EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset It has the best headset mic I've heard and has great sound quality and sound space. It is quite a bit more than the one you linked but it's totally worth it if you're looking for a quality gaming headset. https://a.co/d/4ExErIH

While the Maxwell are the best option in their class overall, especially if audio quality is a criteria, specifically for competitive fos games you want dynamic open backs. I don’t how you would connect them to the ps5 (I’m sure they make dacs specifically for it) but check out both Sennheiser hd600 series ( which includes the hd38x, the hd490pro and several 600 variants - 600, 6xx, 650, 660, etc) and the 9 series Beyerdynamics ( dt900, 990, 1990 ). Source - me, have both Audeze and Sennheiser speakers and play a lot of fps. The Audeze are simply better for almost everything. Except footsteps in competitive fps games. Edit: just saw that you need a headset not just headphones - both Sennheiser (EPOS brand, PC and GSP series) and Beyerdynamic (MM, Tygr) have “gaming” options. You can also add audio-technica to the list too, they also have multiple options that will fit.

Totally agree with this. Just a bit of microphone gain tweak might be needed on Windows settings. (which is a very simple task.) No buggy software, no gimmicks, just quality Sennheiser audio tech (EPOS is Sennheiser gaming basically). It goes on sale as low as 119$, which I personally consider a steal. (Typical price is 169$) Lightweight and comes even with velour pads. A huge W.

It‘s also one of the few gaming headsets that is open-back, which gives a more airy and immersive experience. I’m using it both for PC and PS5.

Have you considered headphones + ModMic if you don't want to give up the convenience of a headset mic? If so, your choices open up massively. as for just headsets the PC38x is probably still the best

[https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset](https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset) you won't be disappointed!

If you're thinking of the 599, you might as well get the PC38x. Since it's a headset (and a good mic too) you can save yourself buying a Modmic.

This is the only correct answer

I was planning on buying these but they dont exist anymore so I bought the pc38x when my hd599/mic setup started falling apart.

The 3 big name gaming headsets that always come up are the Audeze Maxwells (wireless) , the Logitech g pro X2 (wireless) and the Sennheiser PC38x (wired) priced at ~ $300, $250, and $180 respectively, and I'd say they are all perfectly adequate for tarkov. A pricier option is the Audeze LCD-GX at $900, though you'd almost certainly need an amp/dac combo. If you want a separate mic and headphones for a similar price I'm quite pleased with my Sennheiser 560S and skylight 512 running through a Scarlett 2i2. There are plenty of other options though so happy shopping.

Are you playing on a monitor or the couch? Changes things pretty drastically IMO. Lets us know if you need an integrated mic, or if people can recommend wired headphones that need a discrete mic. Also need to know what you play. FPS/Competitive games exclusively? Only cinematic games? A mix? Comfort is king, IMO. You might get some headphones that sound better than others, but if they're not comfortable, it's pointless. I look for comfort over anything else for gaming headphones. You're likely going to be wearing them for long stretches of time, and I personally like to be comfortable while doing so. In general gaming headsets are garbage for the price, yes. Some buck that trend though... Headsets: The Nova Pro Wireless + Wicked Cushions 'WC Stealth' earpads designed by an audiophile YouTuber (I forget his name right now) are highly reviewed, but are tuned heavily for FPS from what I understand. Closed back, wireless. $330 for the combo. PC38X is a "gaming headset" but made by Sennheiser (Epos), wired, open back. It has a 4 pole cable option included in the box, so you can plug it straight into your controller from what I know. $170 Epos H6 Pro is another Epos offering that some find more comfortable, and comes in cheaper than the PC38X. Also wired and open back. $110 Audeze Maxwell is a wireless planar magnetic headset with very good reviews overall, and has a PS5 version. I've heard SOME complaints about weird issues with these, so you should look into that before purchasing. Most reviews I've seen have highly rated them though. Closed back. $300 Straight headphones: Sennheiser 560s I see recommended a lot. Wired, open back. $230 The 6XX is also highly recommended, but I've read that they are not GREAT if gaming is your only use-case for them. They are great all-around headphones but there are better gaming headphones. I have yet to get these, but they are on my shortlist, as they are good 'reference' headphones for comparing other headphones to as they are so widely used as comparison points in reviews. Wired, open back. $200 Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R are made for gaming, but with no microphone. Open backed wired. No detachable cable though, so I haven't personally picked these up. $200 IEMs: This is a slept on option by a lot of people IMO. The value to performance can be crazy, but comfort is hit or miss for some people. I don't find them as comfortable as over the ear headphones, but I use them when I want noise isolation, as almost all of my headphones are open-backed. I do not have any pricey options here, so it may be worth picking up a pair of these to try them out before deciding to drop big money on anything else. Truthear x Crinicle Red. Cheap but great, I picked up a pair to test out the IEM lifestyle with and am not disappointed. Imaging is CRAZY for how cheap they are, AND they come with a little "bass boost" adapter which really makes them better for non-competitive cinematic style games. Wired. $65 Linsoul SIMGOT EM6L, smaller nozzles than the Red so they are a bit more comfortable for some people. I prefer the comfort of these over the Truthear slightly. I need to look into different eartips though as these slide out easily for me, like most silicon tips. Wired. $100 Microphone: Mic choice is going to depend heavily on your headphone choice. Some can attach to the headphones detachable cable and basically sit in-line with the cable, or replace it completely. Others come with discrete cables/dongles. V-Moda Boom attaches to the headphones via the detachable cable, a great option if you get headphones it works with. Any of the ModMic variants are great, IMO, if you get headphones not compatible with the Vmoda. Really just depends on if you want a wired or wireless experience. For the PS5 you'd need the USB 2 or Wireless, or get an adapter to plug in headphones at the same time as another 3.5mm mic plug if you want to use the Uni. The ModMic Wireless are getting an upgrade next year, per Antlion, with some upgrades, so keep that in mind.

In that case, I would go with the 560S + ModMic, try out some IEMs with a desk mic, or the Nova Pro Wireless. I personally use the PC38X + GC7 DAC/AMP most of the time on my PC. The GC7 works on PS5 as well. The GC7 gives some of the more 'gamery' features that gaming headsets offer, but without the need to buy a gaming headset (like game/chat mixing), as well as discrete audio control. You'd need to look into PS5 functionality before picking up the GC7 if you wanted to go this route though, as I am unsure of if everything functions as normal on the PS5 or if there are caveats.

I hated mine. They were heavy as shit and super uncomfortable. The sound is great, until they stop working. They were having huge QC issues, not sure if that's still the case. When mine broke I went back to my old EPOS PC38X sennheiser drop collab and they were so much more comfortable I struggle to even put my Maxwells back on. They did repair them, but made me pay shipping.

I haven't had any issues with them and I've had them for years now.

The Drop EPOS PC38X is still arguably one of the best gaming headsets you can buy. I also like the EPOS H6Pro series.

pretty much. I went through so many "gaming headsets" that just failed me within months. got the pc38x and never looked back, love these things.

PC38X. Wired headset. I've used dozens of other gaming headsets by big brands and they have all failed me. Never going back

wth can't even get those in my country

They don't fix it but they sure make it a lot better. settled for some sennheisers without a mic. last time I had to choose but for some reason the PC38X aren't available here.

If you're talking FPS, you could try the DROP PC38X. They were developed with Sennheiser's then communication division. They're open-backs, though, and don't have as much bass as most closed-backs (and definitely other purpose-built gaming headsets). They're also wired only, and hard to find outside DROP (they're $170USD, but once you factor in shipping, tax, and ~~tariffs~~, they'll probably be around there). You could also check out the Audeze Maxwells, which people like for their sound (they are quite heavy though), or something like the Astro A50 Gen5 if you swap between consoles regularly. I'd also recommend just finding some audiophile headphones you like and using a microphone separately if you need it for comms or chatting with friends. There are a lot of options here, but it depends on whether you're on console or not.

Sennheiser PC38X. It's the best gaming headset out there, period.

I have the PC38X and they sound really good. The cable is a bit crap though and I’ve not been able to find an aftermarket option for it. But I think the PC38X is a safe choice for good audio.

I find it a bit stiff and it’s quite rough (creates microphonics). I guess the latter would depend on how much you turn your head and desk setup. I’d have preferred a more pliable plastic/rubber cable.

Really cheap now is Drop + EPOS H3x, especially in US. $20 + $5 shipping within US (if I'm not wrong) Drop PC38x would be perfect. More importantly your echo issue may be due to onboard soundcard. May want to look into external soundcard (or amp/dac with mic). SoundBlaster G3 a good start. Top wireless outside your budget - Audeze Maxwell. Within Budget EPOS H3Pro (can do wired/wireless/micless)

Only gaming headset I’d recommend is PC38X if needing a mic, otherwise spot on. Use the 560s daily and have owned many nice headphones including the HD800s and DT1990 Pro.

the drop+EPOS/sennheiser pc38x & audiophile headphones in general is the go-to if you want to transform your listening experience completely it has superb audio quality since its practically studio headphones with a mic attached only thing is its open back which boosts the sound quality a ton, but leaks audio by design. excellent for FPS games though since you can pinpoint footsteps & other stuff much better

I use Sennheiser PC38X and I’m happy with the sound. Soundstage isn’t HUGE by any stretch, but it’s spacious enough being open back. Plus the comfort is nice and sound quality is GREAT

The Drop x Epos PC38X is the best bang for your buck open back gaming headset with an included mic. But besides that there are a few decent headphones like the beyerdynamic Tygr 300R but the PC38X beats it in terms of soundstage and imagining. As for your question about ‘gaming’ headsets being bad. That’s still true for the most part. But some proper audio companies have made some headsets for the gaming crowd which have improved things. The Audeze maxwells have introduced a solid closed back planar wireless headset and then Beyer also has some solid closed back headsets.

Should sound drastically better and be a better well rounded choice for media consumption. The microphone on the PC38x is also stupidly good and made me feel wasteful when I heard it for the first time because my expensive dynamic mic(Rode Procaster) with an interface(Focusrite) was really not that much better. I got it for my mom who breaks her headphones constantly and it’s lasted years now so it’s also pretty durable compared to brands like Logitech, razer, and hyperx. It also didn’t sound far off from my HD600 headphones I used to run as my main music obsession headphones. I’d assume the tuning is only different to be more catered to gaming, but really they sound great in all situations.

If you want the Best Gaming Headphones you would want Headphones with an immersive soundstage experience. Open Backs are the best performers for this purpose. if you’re playing single player or FPS competitive games it heavily benefits from that, because the directional sound cues shine really well. The Endgame of immersion would be the Sennheiser HD800 S’s though they are very expensive in the $2k price point it’s audiophile level for what it gives you. I use the HD 490 Pro’s for Gaming & Musicality and they’re incredible. The Maxwells have fantastic sound reproduction & clarity though I wouldn’t compare them against the HD 490 Pro’s because the sound signature wouldn’t be as noticeable to my ears against Open Backs & Planar’s. the thing with  Open Backs is it kinda wrap’s around your Ear Drums adding to that depth of imaging which I really enjoy. You can’t go wrong with Closed Backs either they isolate you completely adding detailed clarity & crisp high’s. Anyways I’ll list a few Closed or Open Backs Options  1. Audeze Maxwell: $300 Closed Back Planar Magnetic Wireless Gaming Headphones with Dedicated Microphone 2. Sennheiser Pc38x: $197 Wired Closed Back Gaming Headphones with Dedicated Microphone. 3. ATH-r50x $169 Open Back Studio Headphones 4. Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro X Studio Headphones. or  5. Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro Closed Back Gaming Headphones with dedicated Microphone.

I recommend the Sennheisser 650s or the PC38X

I got one and I love it. Only problem is my mic picks up the sound coming out of the earphone sometimes and it creates an echo. Have you dealt with this before?

I have the Epos PC38X. Haven’t used them on PC yet. On PS5, My friends get their voice echoed back to them and I dont necessarily want my wife and kids hearing my game/chat coming from the open backs. I’ve been using the SteelSeries Arctis 5 since i got a PC a few months ago. I may try the PC38X now!

I have PC38X. Haven’t used them. I don’t have a DAC and don’t care for the open back. My friends get their voice echoed back to them and I dont necessarily want my wife and kids hearing my game/chat coming from the open backs. (Unless I’m doing it wrong and missing something, please let me know!) Been using the SteelSeries Arctis 5.

Had my pair of pc37x for probably 6 years, dropped countless times. Other than the padding on the ears wearing down they’re as good as the day i bought them.

If going for sound quality AND continuing using separate mic, a pair of IEMs could go far. I have truthear hexa and I like them. Not the best, but very good still. If wired, the EPOS/Drop PC38x is good, with a good mic, while being relatively affordable. Not too familiar with wireless offerings.

If you need a headset with a microphone get the PC38x(Awesome Mic For A Headset). If ya don’t need a mic then get the HD 560s. My personal favorite and best value is easily the 490 Pro. Obviously 800s is the ultimate ones for most people.

Wireless: Audeze Maxwell Wired HeadSET: PC38x ~$200: 560s ~$400: 1.) Sennheiser HD 490 Pro 2.) HIFIMAN Ananda Nano ~$600: HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Those are the ones I would recommend based on what I have heard myself. IDK if I would value the Arya $200 over the Ananda Nano based on sound alone but once you factor in comfort I’d say for me personally it’s worth the extra money. The 490 Pro is by FAR the most comfortable to me out of any headphones I’ve used and still sounds GREAT! If you get the Ananda Nano or Arya Stealth I’d recommend some velour pads for them.

If you buy Sennheiser you also have to buy a separate microphone for gaming. Not many options unless you're ok using a boom mic. The PC38X is the best option esp. when it goes on sale. Another one is the HD 599SE but no microphone same as the 560s.

Sennheiser PC37x for $80 (or PC38x). A hard truth that most gamers don’t know is that “gaming headsets” are mostly mediocre headphones with a cool enclosure, some tacky features, and a microphone. The PC37x (and similar) actually have good drivers and the mic is really good too. Even expensive gaming headsets don’t reach the same level of clarity. Do your research and don’t shell out money for meh, bass boosted sound quality.

Drop/Sennheiser PC38x on sale. Great for gaming, music and has a great mic. Not wireless tho.

Best mic on a gaming headset is the PC38X from Drop/Sennheiser. But it's wired, if you want wireless I'd go with one of the other suggestions.

For the pricerange and the fact wireless is needed, I’d say a generic tip like the Momentum 4’s as Vortex is giving, is a solid option. For gaming, if you can skip wireless? Drop PC38X is solid, and shines really well. Mic is also *very* solid for it’s pricepoint. I would suggest taking a look at a YouTuber named GadgetryTech, who touches on gaming specifically in all priceranges from lower end entry level gear and all the way to TOTL. He also has great education videos if one wants to learn more. If IEM’s gets to be a possibility down the road, I would suggest looking at some of Super* Reviews (mark ryan) videos. Great and informative videos, and tons of very educational content.

sennheiser pc38x is hands down the best option for competitive fps gaming if you need a mic (footsteps & mic is superb). the gaming division from beyerdynamic is great too. if you strictly want immersion then the audeze maxwell would be the best for that but the mic isnt so great imo(theres rumors a maxwell 2 might come out soon). the astro a50x has the best wireless mic in its competition.

The PC38X is always a very solid choice. Comfy, lightweight, great clarity and spatial sound, great mic, well-built.

I got a basically new pair of Game Ones as “used” last year because they didn’t have a cable. Grabbed a cable and gave them to my kid who uses them for Fortnite and loves them. I’ve tried them, and love them as well. Also have tried the PC38X, and they’re fantastic as well, but I ended up going with the EPOS H6Pro Open. They’re so comfy, and sound so good. Either those or my HD6XX with a Modmic. If you love your Game Ones, treat yourself to a new set of the Dekoni Audio pads for them. They’re comfy and maintain the sound signature.

I have found that the EPOS H6Pro (both closed and open) can be had on the cheaper side, and I prefer them to the PC38X as someone that wears glasses , as they have more swivel/pivot and deeper cups, and less of a clamp. They’re also very solid for positional audio, and overall great audio quality with a better build. That’s not to say the 38X is a slouch, as they’re fantastic, I personally prefer the H6Pro. The Blacksharks are comfy and lightweight, decent sound and mic quality, and pretty well priced. I am not a fan of Razer’s plasticky build quality on them.

They are usually available or only a week or two out as far as I’ve seen. They’re also pretty common as “open box” on eBay. Edit- also, keep in mind the PC38X are open back only.

It depends if you want something for competitive titles: A+ HD 490 Pro A+ HE1000SE A- Sennheiser HD 800s B+ 900 Pro X B+ DT 1990 B+ Sennheiser HD 560s B+ HarmonicDyne Zeus Elite The PC38X is a good option if you want something with a mic. I have seen it being recommended and i would say its between that and the HD 560s if your looking in that price range. If you're buying a headset without a mic and want one you can get a modmic. I would stay away from hyperX unless your buying the kingston model and are trying to stick to a budget. To get more info on any of the headsets i mentioned you can look up fresh reviews on YouTube the tier list is from his description and i have watched all the reviews on them and even tried some of these headsets. I can vouch for him since i have bought a couple of recommendations from him and i have been super happy.

I use the the PC38X with a Apple Dongle and it’s great. Tried out so many, but these stayed.

Do not get the pc38x! the durability is shit, there's a huge problem with the knob that ruins the headphones within a year usually. not a good buy

Please ignore everyone else in this thread and go with the PC38X. Steelseries, Logitech, etc. are all garbage in comparison Great audio quality for the price, durable, open-back so if you yell for him he can't pretend not to hear you, and the Mic is solid as well. "Gaming" headsets are awful. Imo, best bet is to pick up a PC38X or DT990 Pro and use a separate mic if you wanted to spend more.

Beyerdynamic MMX 300's are incredible and use drivers from studio grade headphones. Build quality is tank-like. For open back I'd use Sennheiser 38X's.

I love my PC38X but my friends always complain about echo. Have you ever experienced that?

It’s crazy how this has been the best gaming headset for the last 8-10 years (different models obviously but the same sennheiser drivers just improved upon). And you can get it for sub $200, even down to $140.

Closed back is typically junk, as is wireless but if I was forced to buy in the category, the Maxwell is the only one I’d buy. Actually quite a good headset and even for music also. The PC38x is the best gaming headset as far as sound quality as the other person above recommended but if one wire is a deal breaker 🤷🏻‍♂️.

Pc38x is probably the best with a mic attached for 150

Pc38x. You need nothing else

open backs, decent bass, good for gaming = drop pc38x they're only $200 but they're the best open backs with good bass i've ever heard. ticks all of your boxes for half the price.

epos is sennhesier’s gaming brand. they are sennheiser

This is the real winner headset.

return them and get pc38x or pc37x

I got a [Xonar soundcard](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HCX1NY9) for my desktop as a joke it was like 28$ on sale. Such an improvement over onboard for me. In the 6 years or so Ive used the PC38x and PC37x I've gone through 3 pairs. One of which failed at the mic after 3 years from flipping up to mute constantly (50+ times a day) and the second... my dumb ass stepped on. I use them 10-14 hours a day tho every day. If you dont need the mic tho, definitely recommend going for non-gamer headphones.

I have a pair of pc38x that I was happy with, however since they are open they let in sound so when my setup was moved to a louder environment I longed for something more closed and also wireless. So I tried multiple different ones, the Steelseries Nova pro wireless had good sound after some tweaking but I found them on the smaller side and a bit uncomfortable. The Audeze maxwells were great sounding, however quite heavy and very big cups. Eventually I came across a very good deal on some of the new Astro A50s that I had previously dismissed because durrhurr astros bad. Pleasantly surprised by the comfort and for a non audiophile they sound good, not like the audezes of course but good. So if you want wired in a more quiet environment, the pc38xs are great, I did have to put mine clamped on the box to loosen them for about a week or two since the clamping force was very high. If you want wireless, best advice I can give is try some and return them if you dislike them. I recommend Astro A50s wholeheartedly tho EDIT: Forgot to say, mic is very good on the pc38x and Astro a50. The audezes ended up being quite good after some tweaking in a third party eq software. Tweaked the steelseries too and the mic sounded better after some tweaking. Havent tweaked the astros or pc38x at all, good out of the box for me

PC38x are great. I personally find them better than the HD560s in some games

900 Pro X for sure. The PC38x I found was better than the HD560S for siege but the 560s was good for apex and cod

And when the pc38x is amplified they’re amazing

As others have said PC38x is fantastic if you can get it used or spend a little more for it new. Things to know about it is that’s it is open back. It has a great mic but is pretty sensitive to noises happening in your room.

No that's not an upgrade over the pc38x

Yeah it's not as detailed. The pc38x is more accurate and wider soundstage

Pc37x FTW. HyperX really sucks at headphone quality.

Drop x Sennheiser(now EPOS) PC38x, when it’s on sale it’s either at or just slightly above your budget (check slickdeals .net). I have the black and yellow ones and have used them since the series X came out. I personally love them, sound is great, and the mic is pretty solid as well. They are light, breathable, and open back. Combining these with Dolby atmos is pretty incredible imo.

all garbage, pc38x much superior

pc38x. rest of this thread is F tier garbage

There are some, like the Black shark V2, Audeze Maxwell, I've got a pair of Artis Nova 5x, can't complain they are very good for the price. My recommendation would be Sennheiser HD560s or one of the newer variants. The HD38X which has a boom mic. I personally use the K712, which I love as a gaming headphones, I even have a 3rd party cable with inline mic so it becomes a headset. I use this on an Astro mixamp connected to my Xbox, works great

The fact that no one is saying [Drop PC38x](https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-gaming-headset) is sad. I thought this community was finally understanding good audio. There are definitely better options these days, but for the price, quality, and for a headset, it's still very unbeatable. I recommend IEMs or audiophile grade headphones paired with an external mic like the Fifine mics for $50 or less over a headset, but if you specifically want a headset, go with the PC38X. IEMs go for Truthear Hexa (specifically for R6) with the Dunu S&S eartips for a better soundstage or the new Truthear Zero Blue2 if you think the nozzle will be too big for your ear. Then again, pair it with a Fifine mic. For headphones I don't have anything under $200 that I could recommend but generally stick to Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, then AudioTechnica, Fiio and I believe either Moondrop or Kiwi Ears just released a really good headphone for less than $80. Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser are priorities. Once more pair it with an external mic like the Fifine mics. Hope this helps. I really don't recommend any of these gamer headphones in the current year when you can literally get audiophile grade audio for less than or for the same price. 100% avoid the ASTRO a10. The worst pain a headset has given me and the audio is very muddy. If you must go with gamer headsets for some reason, HyperX Cloud IIs are peak gamer headsets.

I’ve tried multiple gaming headsets and you want the PC38X if you’re wanting nicer sound and a decent mic. They sound very good but are open back so you need quiet surroundings. I have the Audeze Maxwells for almost double the current price of the PC38X and still thought the 38x’s were very impressive and I want a pair myself. Other gaming headsets might have deeper bass and better positional tracking for footsteps but they will lack the clarity and be double the price. Cloud headsets are great for most gamers but if you’re even considering crossing the line into premium sound they won’t make you happy. I used the original cloud Alphas for years until the earpads disintegrated and I had to replace the cables. I can’t use them now because they sound tinny and hollow after using nicer sounding headphones.

I know it’s a little past your budget. I will always sing the praises of the Sennheiser DROP + EPOS PC38X. Sound will absolutely blow anything else away for $165.

I have a PC38X and I love it

I bought a used, like-new pc38x for $95. It’s pretty great.

I have and use both the Drop x EPOS PC38X & the HyperX Cloud 3 Wireless, and love both of them. The PC38X has an amazing soundstage, great sounding microphone and is super comfortable. They are open back, just something to keep in mind. The HyperX Cloud 3 Wireless are amazing too. I often find myself using these over the PC38X's because of the convenience of wireless. I wear glasses and the clamping force on these near my ears are perfect, I'm able to wear these for hours without issue. The mic is great, and they last ages too. I love both but if I had to choose one, I think I'd go for the Cloud 3's.

Yea bro you’re welcome. I usually do recommend something like the PC38x but the mic honestly echos all the time and the 560s w/ boom mic just better in my opinion. The 560s have a lot better sound separation over the PC38x in my opinion which I think is crucial in fps. Also you can use Dac for it if you want. I prefer something like the SMSL C200 which I use. Not only does it make it louder it makes the headphone have a more clean sound thus making better sound separation in my opinion.Sound is subjective but that’s just how it is for me.

I have these, the sound is amazing. My only issue with these is sound bleed through to the mic. I got regular complaints from my friends until I switched my active mic from the headphones to my webcam.

Px38X is $139 USD if you get the black one. I've had mine 3 years now and it's still perfect. 

The "gaming headphones" is a running meme. There are no specific characteristics that separate great headphones from great gaming headphones. If you're interested in a little bit of passive noise canceling then consider an IEM, something like Truthear Nova would fit your budget perfectly. The open backs are less sweaty and more comfortable to wear for the longest gaming sessions, but they don't block outside noise. Something like Sennheiser hd6xx is a good value. If you're looking for a headset with a mic the most reasonable option is Sennheiser pc38x, but I'd advise against this idea as almost any standalone mic provides either the same, or the better quality. But there are very few actually good headphones in headsets. Not the best value. For the closed backs... I'd say pick whatever you can wear for hours, and consider active noise canceling as well. Those are the least comfortable for me personally though. If your headphones are at least not terrible the comfort and personal preference are the most important qualities IMO.

Sennheiser PC38x are open back gaming headphones, that sound great for music too, and they have the fold down mic if you need it for gaming. I use those for gaming, and the HD650's for music. The open backs open up the atmosphere of the game. It's not all tight and pounding in your head. https://preview.redd.it/drv0wpjq0pje1.jpeg?width=802&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a58fb907f59addd61c15dd6899938f52235f176

Steelseries is better than Corsair. In the wireless gaming headset space: Audeze Maxwell >>> Astro A50 > Fractal Design Scape > HyperX Cloud Alpha/Steelseries Nova Pro > Everything else Maybe I don't know or have overlooked some smaller brand though. Maxwell is huge and heavy and might not be that comfortable but it's just overall a very good headset. If you are willing to go wired with a mic, then after Maxwells you can squeeze in Sennheiser/EPOS pc38X and Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R If you are willing to go no mic wired + separate mic if needed then a whole new conversation appears that outperforms any of the gaming headsets at actual gaming.

koss 30ikph for music, drop PC38x for gaming and most of the time for office work razer blackshark wired for the comfort and excellent microphone

If I may, all of the above is solid advice but... also consider the Sennheiser PC38x from DROP (in all black). Very lightweight and a good mix. I use these as my travel pair, and have taken them to compete in several LANs. https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset Or the EPOS H6Pro's in Open or Closed, as it originated from Sennheiser. These are my current daily drivers at home. Same headset more or less, but fancy & has a removable mic. https://a.co/d/2Pr3HyI As for me, I prefer to not use a headset mic. So I utilize a Elgato Wave 3 mic, with a low profile arm on my desk. It's a little pricey, but Elgato have a whole line of accessories like shock mounts and pop filters too, but ymmv. https://www.elgato.com/us/en/p/wave-3-black

you got the pc38x and Audeze Maxwell very good mic quality from both of em

You ask the best gaming headphone, and than you want Logitech, that is like asking to find you the best food in the word and than it has to be McDonald If you are willing to not use Logitech Sennheiser PX38x is the best at your budget

The DT770 Pro is a closed back, and to a lot of people it have a little too much bass, but even worst spikes in the treble. So for overall better, more pleasant and more consistent experience the PC38x (typo in my original post), I would choose it over the DT770pro

Cough cough Sennheiser PC38x

Bro, it’s an open back headphone of course it’s gonna let sound in, and it’s $170 from drop.com, for $240 you could have gotten Hifiman edition XS, HD550, also if you don’t like good clean sound that’s that’s on you, enjoy your bass cannons, muddy bass, with honky mids and recessed treble

Sennheiser PC38x or Fractal's new headset. either way, proper sounding headphones from a proper enthusiast perspective and perform top tier for gaming uses too. Senn's mic is much better than Fractal's though.

I really like my PC38X.

Have this headset and love it. But I hate the little volume knob that is included. I try not to mess with it but if it gets bumped out of position a little bit the audio can cut out from one speaker. Has anyone found a fix? I’ve thought about just trying to tape it in position.

So I have used a PC38x for about 4-5 years and I love it. That said I’m thinking of purchasing the MMX 330 Pro for use on my PC. Would this be worth upgrading to? Do I need a Dac?

Sennheiser PC38x. Go on Drops website. They actually sell it for retail pricing on there. They had a coupon a few weeks ago ended up paying only $98.

This is a the answer. I bought two, One for each of ny kids. Useable on their PCS and their gaming consoles. My daughter also uses hers for remote work from home zoom conferences!

Only gaming headset I’d recommend is the Sennheiser PC38X and only if you really need the mic.

Completely agree, pc38x is really good

Drop x EPOS PC38X. Phenomenal headset.

It's probably received the highest praise as far as gaming headsets go. If you ask an audiophile for a recommendation for a gaming headset, chances are they'll say the PC38X.