Note: I have a similar question to this posted already, but I’ve refined it somewhat and the old post would just muddy it so I started a new one. I hope thats ok.
Hello everyone,
I’m looking for a good, quality headphone for gaming with my PS4. From
what I understand open backed headphones are better because of their
‘sound stage’. So a while ago I bought some Sennheiser HD 558 open
backed ones and I’ve never been happy with them. The problem is
directional sound comes in only one ear. For example if I hear a sound
(in game) to my right I can only hear it in my right ear. It sounds
unnatural and annoying.
I tried some much cheaper closed back headphones (from Sennheiser also)
and its like night and day. They sound much more airy, and the
directional sound is better.
Why is that? Have I just got a dud pair of 558s or something? Or could
it be the 3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter? They’re the only open backed
headphones I’ve ever tried so I don’t have anything to compare them
with.
I’m planning to get some Audio Technica ones and I was all set on the
M50x because of their quality. But I’ve read they won’t be so good for
games because of the smaller sound stage. So I’m looking at the AD 500x
open backed ones but I’m really wary because of what I’ve experienced
with the HD 558.
If someone could recommend something or shed some light on what might be going on I’d appreciate it.
Note: I’ve experimented plugging the headphones in the dual shock
controller, in the tv and through an optical dac and headphone amp and I
get the same result concerning the directional sound. I used to use a
Turtle Beach surround sound emulator which was great for directional
sound but I want good sound quality as well as good directional sound so
I bought the dac and amp, which was quite pricey so I really want some
headphones that will make the most of it.
Thanks again everyone.
I think it mostly depends on personal preference. I own both open and closed headphones, and I do use both of them, but I tend to use them for different experiences I guess you could say. If something sounds better to you, by all means use it. Audio is entirely subjective unless it's for something scientific.
I like to use my open headphones for more atmospheric audio, like modded Skyrim or whatnot where you can be immersed in the environment where things like the weather systems and the bubbling creek down the hill add to the immersion. It's also nice with decently recorded audio tracks.
On the other hand, closed headphones can make in your face action games feel much more... energetic? Like if I was playing BF:BC2 I would probably use my closed headphones because they would make the explosions feel more thunderous and the vehicles deeper if that makes any sense.
At the same time soundstage I don't think has ever made me better or worse at a game. Yes, it is nice being able to accurately tell exactly where the sound source is coming from, but I can usually see the source if I turn to the general direction anyways, so it's a moot point for me in gaming.
Having said that, audio being entirely one channel or another seems a bit odd, and I'm wondering if it may be a software issue rather than hardware?
I think it'd be pretty safe to go with the open backed Audio Technicas'. I'm currently using there Air ATH-AD400's (I think they've been discontinued though) and be happier. They're open backed and cost roughly $140 Aus.
If its a software issue do you mean with the PS4?
It could also be my hearing I suppose.
Thanks man.
Thanks, that helps a lot.
I've discovered my headphone amp has a Crossfeed feature that I think might help also, in case I do still get the sounds too much in one ear.
I will give the AD 500x headphones a go.
Thanks again.
1 Like
It all comes down to preference. I prefer openback myself. Actually saving up for a pair of Sennheiser 598s to go along with my ATH-m50 monitors
The headphones you buy will not change what side a sound comes from. For example, if you're playing skyrim and the person talking is immediately on your right, the game has determined that it seems more natural for 100% of that sound to come from a single speaker, which means you can easily localize the speaker causing a loss in immersion.
This isn't really the fault of the headphones you're using, it's more a fault of the source material being mastered for speakers rather than headphones. Open back headphones help with this a bit in that you can still hear your surroundings including the other speaker. This has the ability to reduce the localization effect that you mentioned earlier, and it gives you a more natural sound.
The reason why the localization effect might not have been as bad on your closed back sennheisers is that the mix was probably weighted something like 5:95, so when you moved to the closed back your furnace/ac/fan was muffled enough for you to get that difference in mix.
Open backs are the way for gaming. I have the steel series siberia, and the only real negative I have is that the clamping pressure is pretty high when these are new. It took over a month of use before they got comfortable, and now, over a year later, they're still rock solid. The cord is pretty decent as well. I've caught my ferret stealing my headphones a few times, and there are no teeth marks to be seen (which cannot be said for the creative headphones i used to use).
These are the only open back headphones I've ever used, and while there also the cheapest headphones I've owned in a very long time, they do the job of a gaming headphone quite well, I just don't think they can pull double duty for music....at all....