Arctis Nova Elite Wireless Multi-Gaming Headset

Yeah, but Nova Elite is also like 50% more expensive (at least in my country - Poland). Not worth it (beside sim connection). They are good enough for use stationary, before my PC - which is my usecase.

Actually they are more expensive in Poland. The official retail price for Xbox version is $550 (1999 PLN). So I am not sure where did you see them for $450. Arctis Nova Elite costs $700 (2500 PLN) and it seems to be a better buy on paper but I don't like the fact that their transmitter (Omniplay) can be paired with their headphones only. Since neither is perfect, I am starting to think it's better to buy B&W PX8 S2 + a BT dongle e.g. BT-W6 or QCC Pro.

* **Setup**: Provided 6.3mm cable into Focusrite Scarlett Solo Gen 4 * **Main competitive shooter titles**: CS2, Overwatch, Marvel Rivals * **Previous main drivers**: SS Arctis Nova Elite, G Pro X Wireless As a hardcore FPS gamer interested in the audiophile space, the Kithara felt like the perfect choice but with one concern - I had never used open-back headsets before. **Sound Quality** It’s hard to explain “soundstage”, but open-back plus the large planar drivers make audio feel wider and less boxed-in than typical gaming headsets. Different sounds felt easier to separate without needing to crank the volume or EQ footsteps aggressively.  **In-Game Spatial Awareness** This is where it gets interesting. Due to better sound balance, you hear critical game sounds without needing custom EQs or cranking volume just to “hear more”. Gaming headsets nowadays are honestly pretty good at directional cues already. The issue is that sounds can start mashing together really quickly when too much is happening at once (especially in Overwatch or Rivals). I could hear footsteps and sound cues more at ease, if not at least being on par with closed-back gaming headsets. **Comfort** I used to think people exaggerated how tiring closed-back isolation could feel during long sessions. And I still can’t say for certain whether it’s to do with the nature of open-back or even just comfortable default hybrid pads, but I can wear these to play games and listen to music for hours without the urge to take them off. I like the medium clamping force - they won’t fall off unless you’re rocking to heavy metal. Surprisingly, I haven’t felt the urge to go back to my previously prized Arctis Nova Elites (a beast in its own category). I share a gaming room with my wife, who sits about two arm lengths away from me, and she doesn’t hear sounds coming out of the Kithara. Of course, this may depend on how loud you like your volume. On the other hand, being open-back also gives this natural awareness of your surroundings. I can still hear my environment while gaming, but not enough to distract me from what’s happening in-game.  The Kithara does so well on both ends that unless you were in a really noisy environment, it feels like a really approachable gateway into higher-fidelity audio for gamers. Short note on microphone: I don’t expect any headset microphone to sound remotely close to external mics, and this one works fine.

Thanks! For the default pads on my Arctis Nova, they used to sweat my ears off too, even just after 30 minutes. But then I got special pads (forgot what they're called now), and I never had to clean them again! So for sweat, earpads matter a lot. As for closed vs open-back, I truly believe now that unless you have a noisy environment (e.g. you want to listen to it on a train to commute or you have loud roomates), open-back is the way to go for the most balanced sound. And Kithara is great because it's also been tuned for gaming (as I've heard). I think it's great for the price.

ive owned all... imo the maxwell 2 is the best... the nova elites sound decent but for the price its truly not worth taking them over the maxwell.. though i did LOVE the multi connection to my pc and xbox it made life a lot easier not changing the maxwell dongle around. the maxwell is just a great experience for in game audio and in game audio. imo

Fuckin arctis nova elite steelseries