Audio-Technica - ATH-AD700X

Headphone comfort isn't really that complicated, but it does depend a lot on how big your ears are and how tolerant you are to pressure on top of your head. In general, the softer the foam and the lighter the clamp force, the more comfortable they will be. Clamping force depends on headphone weight and design. Headphones with support on top - be it wings like Audio Technica, foam like Beyer Dynamic/Sony, or a strap like some other brands have - tend to mean lower clamping force since less weight is carried by the cups and so less friction (aka clamping force) is required. Open headphones tend to be both lighter and have softer foam with lower clamping force, since closer tend to prioritise sound isolation (which needs mass) and denser foam (to block noise). The absolute most comfortable headphones I've ever worn (and I've worn a lot) were Audio Technica AD700X. I often forgot I was even wearing them, which caused issues when I would jump up to answer the door or check the stove. They are sadly not built for getting yanked off heads at running pace and falling to hardwood floors. I've never met anyone who found higher clamping forces more comfortable. It can be useful if you move around a lot, get sweaty with leather pads, or otherwise have stability issues, but comfortable... No. Firmer pads are mostly for people with sensitive areas around their ears, so the bony regions take more of the weight, or for people with ears that poke out a lot because it stops their ears touching the cups. tl;dr if you want to maximise comfort get the lightest ones that fit your needs and have the largest diameter cups. If possible, also consider ones with active weight supporting elements on top of the head, and tread Audio Technica AD--- as a good recommendation.

The Phillips headphones aren't great, listened to them at a bud's home. His $20 iems sounded better. My suggestion is that you go over to r/AVexchange and buy the highest quality pair of headphones or iems that fit within your budget. If I were you, I'd buy me some used ATH-AD700x's off of ebay or another website, I've seen them listed online for $30-50 frequently. They're very nice, comfortable, and lightweight open back headphones that I can swear by. IEM vs Headphones is completely preference. As for spatial awareness, etc, don't worry about that sort of stuff. The pros often use sponsored equipment which has worse audio performance than studio grade stuff that they could easily afford. It's all in the EQ, you can just alter your iems/headphones to focus more on footsteps if that's what you really wanted. Buy for media consumption rather than gaming, because any headphone/iem that's not complete trash will do you right. Mechanical aim and utility usage matter far more in Valorant. Keep in mind that IEMs may potentially be damaging for your hearing as they're inserted into your ear canal. That's why I don't like them as much.

AD700X. That was the first time I could actually hear the midrange. Before them I only used V-shaped headphones.

I would recommend getting him studio headphones and a microphone separately, rather than these gaming headsets. What is your budget? I imagine it's around \~$150-200 judging by the price of some of these? Shame you didn't ask before Prime Day... The 560S would have been on sale in that range. You could go with the **Sennheiser HD 599** for $116. A good option. **Audio-Technica ATHAD700X** for $120 is another good one. (My only issue with the Audio Technicas are, I have to use a large-ish hair tie on the headband to wear these comfortably. Otherwise it's too loose. But I still love these headphones.) Beyerdynamics headphones sometimes go on sale for $130, but I'm not seeing any right now that low. They also can be harder to drive, so that's probably ok to avoid for now. I didn't for the 990's in Val, but maybe that was just me. And for a microphone. I own quite a few, but one of the best one you can buy right now without spending a $100+ is the **EPOS Gaming B20** for $23. I consider it a premium sounding mic, but its discontinued so it's been super cheap. Punches way above it's pirce. I use it over my Blue Yeti, but not over my Wave3... both $100+ mics. So that in total ballparks around $150 for something I'd consider better than gaming accessories.

I really like my ATH-ad700x from Audio technica. Just remember that open back headphones bleed sound. So you will most likely have to mess with your mic settings to limit the headphones picking up the mic

I honestly don’t know to be completely honest. I just really like them. Edit: I like that they’re very crisp and clear as well as don’t really have bass boost. Which you don’t want for footstep audio. They’re not reference, but they’re close. Also they have a really wide sound stage

I forgot the wing thing. I have a big ole noodle, so yeah I didn’t even think about that. My bad 🤣

I'm still using my PC360s from 2013, but the volume dial is getting crackely. Sometimes even break out my Audio Technica AD700s I used when playing MW1/2.

I am currently using a pair of Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphones, which have served me well for over a decade. The ear pads have worn down over time though, and they're getting quite uncomfortable. I'm ready for an upgrade. My primary uses are gaming (battle royale style FPS mainly and some single-player immersive games) and music (reggae, hiphop, afrobeats). Basically I want something clean and balanced for music, while also having a good sound stage for gaming. My current AD700s are connected to a Sennheiser GSX 1000 amp, which I love - it lets me easily switch from 2.0 stereo to simulated 7.1 positional audio for gaming, with separate EQ settings for both. So I just want a headset that will sound good for music and still work well for gaming with the GSX 1000. Comfort is a key requirement for me, and I am happy to spend extra for something that both sounds great and feels great. I don't need a mic or wireless options. After spending hours reading through old threads on here, and reviews elsewhere, I am leaning towards the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro. I was thinking about the HD 6XX also, but it sounds like the 490 Pro wins out on comfort, and is maybe a bit better for gaming. Thoughts? Is there something else I should be considering over the 490 Pro?

I own all of the ones you mentioned here, only thing to consider here is if you head is big enough for ad700 The wing design can bother some people with smaller head sizes, but it can be modded with something as cheap as an elastic band or a hair tie. Otherwise the headphones are great.

Id say they do a slightly better job for competitive gaming. But pc38x, 560s and ad700x are all great options honestly.

I've been using my ATH-700X for a while now for gaming and they are very spacial. I had gaming headphones before, I'm not going back. I then got a cheap lavalier mic from ebay that I stuck to the cable with bluetag. Gets the job done and sounds great.

Follow this person’s advice. A long LONG time ago I went from a logitech “7.1” headset to Audio Technica ATH AD700 and it was such a shocking difference. If directional audio cues are your most important feature, look for ones with open back design. These tend to have a wider soundstage and can help directional audio a lot. Since then I have gone with ATH, ATK, Sennheiser, all while still trying “gamer” headsets from friends and just for own curiosity. I ALWAYS came back to the audiophile brands because it wasn’t even close. I am currently using a Sennheiser 490pro after using a 560s for the last couple years and they are the most comfortable pair of headphones I have ever worn. I can wear them for literally 16 hours a day and never feel fatigued, tired, or feel like my ears hurt or anything. The soundstage is insanely good, I can pinpoint exact directional sound better than any gimmick “7.1 surround” gamer headphone. They also sound way better for music, movies, etc. So it is a win win to just go with audiophile headphones.