Best Open Ear Gaming Headsets – All the best open back headphones on our list will do a great job if you put them in the right place. The open-back Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1X is the pair of choice for hardcore gamers who don’t mind spending so much on a headset. This pair stands out as a great pick for streamers who know they’ll be getting back the money they invested in no time. Also, if you are in to SteelSeries brand, you might also want to check out our comparison of Arctis 7 vs Arctis Pro headphones.
Other gaming headphones can do a decent job and aren’t as expensive. The open-back Sennheiser PC 373D is amazing when it comes to high sound customization. It certainly gives you a perk compared to other headphones, thanks to the included Dolby dongle.
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The Samson SR850 headphones and the GRADO SR80E headphones are the cheapest headphones on our list, but you’ll be settling for average sound quality. On the other hand, the Philips SHP9500 is an affordable price option that never compromises high-fidelity despite the low price tag.
back to menu ↑1.beyerdynamic
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2.Samson
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3.Sennheiser PXC 550-II
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4.Philips Audio
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5.LyxPro HAS-30
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6.Audio-Technica
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7.AKG Pro
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8.Audeze EL-8
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9.Monolith M1060
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10.NUBWO U3
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Best Open Ear Gaming Headsets – BUYER’S GUIDE
back to menu ↑Soundstage
The soundstage is, in my opinion, the most important factor in a pair of gaming headphones.
A soundstage is an imaginary three-dimensional space created by the high-fidelity reproduction of sound. A wide and open soundstage means you can feel that different sounds are coming from different locations. This could be to your sides, above and below and close or far away.
For obvious reasons, having this notion of locality is important in gaming. In competitive FPS, it can even have some advantages, like being able to determine where the footsteps are coming from.
Open-back headphones are naturally better at creating bigger soundstages than closed-back headphones. So by picking open-back ones, you’re already off to a good start.
Sound Profile
Sound profile is an important factor in choosing your headphones. It describes how the headphones emphasize certain frequency ranges.
There are various types of sound profile:
- Flat: This is the most neutral sound profile. Treble, Mids and Bass are true to source.
- Balanced: The treble, mid and bass and slightly tweaked in a balanced manner to make the audio more pleasurable to listen to.
- Bright: The treble and mids are boosted for a ‘brighter’ sound.
- Bassy: The bass is cranked up for a more noticeable low end.
- V-shaped: The treble and bass are artificially increased so everything sounds more exciting.
In gaming you’ll typically want to stick with balanced or bright headphones. Bright headphones are great for cinematic and gaming audio, where dialogue and crashing sounds are common.
back to menu ↑Comfort
Gamers generally don’t game for short amounts of time. In my experience, gamers will often not leave their chair for hours at a time. This means they need headphones that are comfortable for extended periods.
Generally, the best way to determine headphone comfort is to look at the features of the headphones.
Comfortable headphones are highly adjustable, are lightweight, and have lots of padding on the earcups and headband. Most of them should have plenty of room for your ears, too. But you will have to check out the reviews to determine that. Keep in mind that comfort is subjective. If you have bigger ears or a big head, you will have a harder time finding comfortable headphones.
back to menu ↑Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Open Back Headphones for Listening to Music?
Many headphones gamers want to get a 2-in-1 deal and buy high-quality headphones for both gaming and listening to quality classical music. This is feasible due to quality open-back headphones’ spatial and soundstage capabilities. It’s worth noting that you wouldn’t want to listen to music with these outdoors because of sound leakage.
Is it Essential to Buy best open back headphones With Microphones?
Although it’s a matter of personal preference, it’s better if you do, especially if you do quality gaming with your friends and have in-game voice chats. On the other hand, if you play on your own or have a separate microphone, then you can compromise getting headphones that feature microphones to pay less money.
Is it Better to Go for Wireless Open-Back Headphones?
If you use multiple gaming setups or use the best open back headphones for gaming on your computer as well as other gaming consoles, then long wired headphones will be more practical. Otherwise, wireless headphones will get the job done and won’t cause much of a hassle.
What’s the Ideal Length for Open-Back Headphones’ Long Cables?
It’s great if you stick to 1.5 to 2 meters. This quality headphones wire length will allow you to move freely without getting tangled while gaming.
back to menu ↑WRAP UP
It’s impossible not to be blown away by how far PC and video games have come over the last few decades. But it’s not just the graphics. The improvements to audio are just as important when it comes to creating the most immersive experience possible.
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