So my old headset finally fell apart completely. I've been trying to find a fitting replacement, but man is it hard... so here's hoping I can get some guidance here.
I'm looking for a comfortable wireless headset with decent reach and mic. That's it. No need for ANC. Or at least the option to turn it off. Don't need RGB or fancy designs. It seems impossible to find a headset that fits the description without being subpar quality...
I'm in love with my SteelSeries Arctis 7. It wasn't as expensive when I got it years ago. But it's still the only sub 200€ headset that I know, that isn't made entirely out of crappy plastic, and actually survives more than 3 months (looking a you Logitech...). Sound quality is good for a gaming headset, while it will not be enough for an audiophile. Wireless quality is very solid as well. The software is useless bloatware but you don't really need it. The really cool part is the elastic band on top. Really adapts to your head and feels super comfortable.
I've been really happy with my Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Max headset. Their reach is far better than the Razr ones I had, and I can adjust their volume on the headset itself if need be which is a really convenient feature when I'm not at my desk.
I got Sennheiser PC38X during black friday sales(in 2021), works great so far and the mic is pretty clear.
Pros:
the audio deliver is really cool, if you have only used earbud or close cover you might like it. (really immersive feeling, compare to closed one you feel more like in a big room)
it's tradition jack so it works with anything with 3.5mm jack. (switch, PS4/5 controllers, PC, speakers with the jack output)
it's pretty durable and nothing really flakes off after 1.5 years of use. (it has clothed ear pad so unlike synthetic leather that Sony used which flakes after like 2 years.
I like the on cup dial to tweak volume on the fly.
Cons:
the cable come with it can be a bit of hassle to deal with, it's some weird hard braided cable so there if you can't tolerate that you might have to buy replacement from somewhere else
since it's open back, if you listen to anything loud it would leak outside, not recommended for travel/commute. (That means if I play games I have to close door otherwise my son can hear that I am playing, dang young man's sharp ears.)
the tension of the clamp is really strong in the beginning, it would require some breakin time. I just basically put the headset on the box it comes with + a book. Took about 1~2 months to finally get somewhere I feel comfortable with longer time of use. (usually 1~2 hours of game time after my son go sleep.)
I'm rocking a Beyerdynamic MMX 300 that I bought about four years ago now. Still going strong, but the price tag is steep ($250). Has no RGB, and the sound quality and mic quality are both amazing.
I really like my SteelSeries Arctic Nova Pro. It isn't cheap, but it is my favourite headset I have used.
Very comfortable, don't really get fatigue wearing them for a long period of time. Wireless has quite good range, so I can get up from my desk to get something from the next room without dropping connection. My flat isn't huge, but honestly I have never dropped connection with it.
Sound quality is excellent, and I have heard no complaints from my friends about the mic quality either. The multiple audio input can be very good if you are prone to using something like Discord on a separate device than you are gaming from.
You don't really have to engage with their software if you don't want to but it works as advertised. I doubt this is relevant for many gamers except me, but their software is all available on Mac OS too.
Aesthetically, it doesn't scream "gamer hardware" with lots of RGB or anything. Just looks like a nice pair of headphones. If I wanted to wear them outside my flat, I wouldn't feel awkward about it.
Battery life is very good, but because of their hot-swappable battery design it wouldn't really be an issue if it weren't. Comes with two batteries and the base station charges the one you aren't currently using.
I just started researching headsets (with Xbox compatibility) and I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Audeze Maxwell or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. Turtle Beach Stealth Pro also gets a lot of recommendations.
They’re all in the $300–$350 range though so pricy. I’ll be saving for a while before I ultimately need to decide which one.
I think all three do ANC but can probably be disabled.
Logitech G993 had been great for me. Solid build and battery life, good sound quality, and even good hub software.
EDIT: The mic literally just broke on me today. Turns out this is common because the soldering sucks, so extending the boom can break it. Seeing if I can get a replacement under waranty.