Razer - BlackShark V3 Pro

I can vouch for the Razor Blackshark v3 Pro. Big earcups and a good mic. I think they sound quite good using Gadgetry Tech's suggested EQ. I have a pair of Maxwell 2 on the way. They have huge diameter ear openings. I can't speak to the audio quality on them yet. A company called WC FreeZe makes huge replacement earpads for a bunch of different headsets. I know the ones they make for Maxwell and Steelseries Nova headsets are quite large. Joe at Gadgetry Tech developed a set for the Nova Pro Wireless in partnership with WC FreeZe called Stealth pads. These are monstrous and made of velour type material. He provides multiple EQ presets that are designed specifically for those pads. He also provides good EQ presets for the regular WC FreeZe and stock pads for that headset. I will let others suggest good audiophile stuff. I don't know enough about wired audiophile solutions. I can suggest two YouTube reviewers that always talk extensively about cup size, depth and comfort in every review. These are Bad Seed Tech and Gadgetry Tech. I think both are excellent.

Razer BlackShark V3 - best value for PC‑focused, competitive gaming. HyperX Cloud Alpha (wired) - another good option Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 (wireless) - low latency, long battery life Corsair HS55 Stereo (wired) - cheaper option

I use a razer blackshark v3, it doesn’t completely block out all outside noise but greatly reduces it

I cant believe what im about to say, but i actually dont dislike the sound of the Razer Blackshark V3 Pro. You need to like a tad brighter sound signature tho, kinda like Hifiman if you ever heard a pair from them. Kinda comfy, except you got some Dumbo ears, light, Mic also sounds good for a wireless, battery lasts long and the ANC/Ambient mode is nice to have. The software CAN sometimes spazz out a little and take a while to change stuff. The Audeze Maxwell has even nicer sound quality, but the tuning is different and they are more on the heavy side.

It basically just means a touch more treble for that open, airy feeling. :) But if you also listen to music fairly often there arent much candidates in the gaming headset department that arent plagued with bloated bass for example. Razer Blackshark starting with the V3 lineup is starting to have a nice tuning if you enable ANC which for some ungodly reason makes the bass response awesome. The Audeze Maxwell, planar goodness, yum! But on the heavier side like i mentioned. The Fractal Scape, never heard it myself but many reviewers said it has a nice tuning for a gaming headset. For wired you could also look torwards the TAGO STUDIO T3-03 Gaming Edition, its basically their studio headphones where they attached a wired mic.

Hello! You get diminishing returns very quickly, so it depends what you value. At the $200 range, Nova 7 Gen 2 and Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 are the best picks for FPS. The Blackshark V3 Pro (newest version) has some improvements at the $250 range like ANC and simultaneous BT which is nice. It can also save multiple on board EQ profiles. For $300 and FPS, I still think the Astro A50 Gen 5 is an amazing option, and still my go to. The stock pads are a little small, but I made my own called the StealthZ pad, sold by WickedCushions. The A50 Gen 5 takes full parametric EQ and has a class-leading mic and bass response. It handles EQ really well. The Nova Pro Wirless is still a great option to this day, but the mic performance is just okay, and as you said, EQ is more limited but still very capable. Overall I think you'd be performing at a very similar level with any of these. It comes down to preference on design and features. Nova Pro has leatherette pads and ANC with more isolation, whereas the A50 is very open sounding (does not block external noise).

Im a PC gamer with 22mm plugs. I swear by Razer Blackshark V3 Pro. They are by far the most comfortable headphones that I have ever owned. Edit for more info: They come wired or wireless.

I have the Razer Blackshark V3 Pro and they’re super good both on PC and PS5

This is going to go against the grain a bit, but I'd suggest... the latest Razer Blackshark V3 Pro. MSRP is $350 USD, in the US, but you may be able to find discounts. If not, look into V2 Pro, the previous gen. They're supposedly very comfortable and actually sound decent. No ANC (these are gaming headphones, after all) but Mic's supposed to be quite good (it's for eSports, of course)

I used to use the Jabra Evolve2 65 wireless, but they got uncomfortable after long, not having an earcup. Got a pair of Razer Blackshark v3 Pros on a big discount and they're amazingly comfortable, great mic too

I'm in the same boat. I've rotated through several different high-end IEMs because I was already into critical music listening once upon a time. 64 Audio U6T, Softears RSV mk2, etc. Basically, several of the top-tier IEMs recommended by Fresh Reviews, plus a few different 64 Audio models. Of course, they sound much better, but I don't feel like I get any better positional queues from my IEMs than I do from my "high-end" gaming headsets. Most of the time, it feels like the opposite is true. I also keep coming back to my Blackshark V3 Pro because it's just convenient. I hate having to use a standalone mic, and my setup makes it difficult to get close enough to my mouth for the sidetone to pick up cleanly without cranking up the gain. FWIW, I used to be very focused on "sound stage" and which drivers can best replicate real-world audio, but I feel like I get the best results with headsets that prioritize clarity and separation. Some of the IEMs I have tried, which are renowned for creating an impressive soundstage, made it difficult for me to pinpoint precisely where audio cues were coming from. TLDR: the whole IEM rabbit hole, especially for Tarkov, is not worth it. If you listen to a lot of music outside of gaming, then stick with it, but the gains or lack thereof aren't worth the price or hassle, IMO.