If you are looking for the best surround sound headphones that operate at 7.1 or 5.1, for gaming and movie watching purposes, you are in the right place.
Last update on 2025-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
In this post, I'm going to review the best surround sound headphones that are available in the market and are within your price range.
I'll also be covering budget headphones and also list some of the best wireless surround sound headphones, and help you decide the good pick for you.
Before diving straight into the post, it's highly essential to revisit the basics, as if you are a newbie pc gamer.
Let us know what are surround sound headphones and what are all the things you need to take into account while picking your ideal pair.
Below is the list of some of the best surround sound headphones.
Let's get started.
| # | Product | Surround type | Compatibility | Controls | Amazon product page |
| 1 | Corsair Void Pro | Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound | Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android | Microphone on/mute | Check price |
| 2 | HyperX Cloud II | Dolby 7.1 or DTS | PC, Consoles | Volume control, mic mute | Check price |
| 3 | Steelseries Arctis 5 | DTS, X v2.0 Surround | PC, MAC, and PlayStation 4 | Volume control, mic mute | Check price |
| 4 | Logitech G633 Artemis Spectrum | Dolby 7.1/DTS | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Mobile Compatible | Volume controls | Check price |
| 5 | HyperX Cloud Revolver S | Dolby 7.1 | NA | NA | Check price |
| 6 | Sennheiser PC 373D | Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound | NA | NA | Check price |
| 7 | LOGITECH G430 | Dolby 7.1/DTS | NA | Volume dial and mute switch | Check price |
| 8 | Razer Electra V2 | 7.1 Surround sound | PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, & Mobile Devices | Mute mic/speaker and Volume controls | Check price |
| 9 | SADES SA710 | Stereo | Mac, Windows and Any Analog 3.5mm Device | Volume dial and mute switch | Check price |
| 10 | Etekcity Scroll H7PX+ | 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound | Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. | NA | Check price |
Top 8 Surround Sound Headphones
Corsair Void Pro – My best gaming headset
Specifications
- Earpad material – memory foam, microfibre
- Sound output mode – stereo
- Microphone operation mode – uni-directional
- Audio controls – microphone on/mute
- Connector type – mini-phone 3.5 mm 4-pole
- Headphone sensitivity – 107 dB
- Headphones impedance – 32 ohm
- Magnet material – neodymium
Corsair Void Pro provides a 7.1 surround sound system that gives you a totally immersive experience.
While stereo sound gives you a wide stage, surround sound gives you both width and depth. Corsair Void Pro makes you feel more like you're right in the middle of the action.
Build and design
Corsair Void Pro is a pair of sturdy headphones with D-shaped ear cups. You can adjust the headband to fit your head properly. The headband is also well padded.
Corsair Void Pro has a nondetachable cord with a 3.5 mm jack. This makes it compatible with all consoles and computers; even phones and tablets.
Sound quality
Being a closed-back headset, the soundstage is not so wide, especially if you're in stereo mode.
Switching to surround gives you a lot more width and depth. It has a lot of bass, but is a bit lacking in the mid and high frequencies.
The headset comes with 50mm neodymium drivers that provide your gaming a realistic feel and makes you hear the sound accurately.
Mic and noise cancellation
It comes with a unidirectional noise cancellation mic that is not detachable, but it can swivel up so that it's out of the way when not in use. The voice chat quality is quite decent.
It also compresses ambient noise, so you can be sure that your audio will be heard over any background noise going on around you.
Comfort
The padding on the earcups and headband is so soft that it makes long gaming sessions such a breeze. Even if a pair of headphones are very light, they can start to feel quite heavy after a few hours.
Pros
- Immersive surround sound
- Robust bass
- Noise-canceling mic
Cons
- Lacking in mids and highs
- Non-detachable cord may reduce headphone durability
Bottomline
Corsair Void Pro is best used for gaming. This is where you'll have the premium feel. For other uses, we can only describe it as decent.
HyperX Cloud II
Specifications:
- Driver size – 53mm
- Frequency response – 15-25,000Hz
- Connection type – 3.5mm (4 Pole)
- Audio type – virtual 7.1 surround sound
- Audio controls – advanced audio control box
- Memory foam ear cushions
- Noise-cancellation mic type – detachable
- Battery life – N/A
- PC extension cable – USB
Build and design
The HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset has a sturdy aluminum frame construction. The headband is wrapped using a well-stitched leatherette to enhance comfort.
Users get two pairs of interchangeable memory foam ear pads. Each pair is made using two distinct ear cushions – velour and leatherette – to create customizable sound profiles and texture options for each user.
Sound quality:
This headset is one of the most popular 7.1 surround sound headphones in the market. It generates a virtual surround sound experience that users will love.
Virtual 7.1 accentuates both depth and distance, two properties that dramatically enhance the gaming experience.
These Cloud IIs deliver superior sound performance in all types of environments. It possesses 53mm drivers with Hi-Fi capabilities. Apart from gaming, you can enjoy high-quality music as well.
It has a wide frequency response that ranges between 15 Hz and 25 KHz. In addition, it is certified by TeamSpeak for optimized voice chat. These headphones are compatible with Xbox, PS4, and PC.
Mic and noise cancellation:
Here is the good thing – This headset comes with an Inline Sound Card that has exquisite echo-canceling properties. This card also supports active noise cancellation, allowing users to block out all ambient noises and providing an immersive listening experience.
The HyperX Cloud II Headset also comes with a digitally enhanced mic that delivers the crisp voice quality that every avid gamer requires. The mic's volume can be adjusted independently using the audio control box.
Comfort
The padding on the earcups and headband are quite big, so they provide a soft cushion for your jawline and head.
This makes these headphones perfect for long gaming sessions. Also, the earcup pads allow your ears to breathe, so it doesn't get too warm inside.
Pros and cons:
Pros:
- These headphones are snugly and comfortable
- Superior noise and echo cancellation
- A two-year warranty is provided
Cons:
- Cable wire cuts easily
- Ear cushions flake off quickly
- Sound quality might fail to impress some gamers
Bottomline
The HyperX Cloud II headphones are extremely comfortable and boast of having superior noise cancellation properties.
However, the cable is prone to cutting and the ear cushions might flake after a few months. Still, its 7.1 Dolby surround sound and 2-year warranty make this headset worth the purchase.
Steelseries Arctis 5 – Excellent surround sound
Specifications
- Neodymium drives – 40 mm
- The frequency response of headphone – 20–22000 Hz
- Headphone sensitivity – 98 dB
- Headphone impedance – 32 Ohm
- Microphone Frequency Response – 100Hz–10000Hz
- Polar pattern – Bidirectional
- The sensitivity of the mic: -48 dB
- Microphone Impedance – 2200 Ohm
- Noise cancellation – Yes
Steelseries Arctis 5 sound becomes so much richer when you switch to 7.1 surround sound. You feel a much better sense of awareness of the gaming world.
However, this richness comes at a small cost. Dialogue always seems to be at the background of the whole soundstage. I call it a small cost because the dialogue is still quite audible.
Build and design
Steelseries Arctis 5 is made entirely of plastic, but it's far from fragile. This pair of headphones is actually quite solid.
The earcups are oval-shaped and they cover the whole of your ears. The headband has two main parts; the solid curved part and the fabric part.
This headband design is made such that you only need to adjust the fabric for a tighter fit.
The earcups swivel in a way that they can be flat when they're not in use. However, they may feel a little tight when you wear the headphones around your neck. The big earcups tend to hug your neck a little.
The mic mute button and the volume control buttons are easily accessible on the earcups.
Also, you can share audio via the 3.5mm port on one of the earcups. This means that your audio will play out through any headset or speaker connected via that port.
Arctis 5 primarily connects via USB. It has a micro USB port in one earcup. However, if your device or console has only a 3.5mm audio port, you can use the dongle that comes with the headphones. The dongle converts USB to 3.5mm output.
Sound quality
If you're gaming with your computer, you will enjoy better sound production than on consoles. This is because the dongle added does not deliver the highest sound quality possible.
Arctis 5 has a lot of bass, which spills over to the low mids a bit. There's some cut in the 6kHz area.
This may have some adverse effect on clarity, especially if the voice you're listening to is at a lower volume compared to the rest of the sound.
Mic and noise cancellation
Speech sounds clear and crisp when captured by the mic, but it can also sound too sharp if your voice is high-pitched. It also reduces most background sound so that what you're saying can be clearly heard on the other end.
The mic is not detachable, but it can be pulled out when needed. If you're not using it, you can easily push it back in and it blends well with the rest of the headphones.
Comfort
The earcups padding is super soft. You can have them on for hours of gaming without even feeling any discomfort. They don't clamp too tight, and they're not too loose either.
Pros
- Comfortable for long gaming sessions.
- Feels very light on the head.
- It comes with a USB dongle for compatibility with multiple consoles.
Cons
- Feels tight when hanging on the neck.
- The mic doesn't bend.
- Give the best performance only with a computer.
Bottomline
Arctic 5 is a wonderful choice if you're a PC gamer, but for consoles, you should probably look at others on the list.
Logitech G633 Artemis Spectrum
Specifications:
- Microphone operation mode – cardioid (uni-directional)
- Response bandwidth – 100 Hz
- Audio controls – answer/end, mute, play/pause, programmable button
- Controls – Mute, answer/end, play/pause, programmable button
- Type – USB, headset
- Connector type – 4 pin USB Type A, mini-phone 3.5 mm 4-pole
Build and design:
The Logitech G633 has a stylish yet ergonomic design. It has an array of custom controls on the earcups, including three customizable G-keys that can be programmed with your preferred game macros.
It also features a wide array of RGB lighting options that can be customized using the Logitech Gaming Software. You can choose from more than 16 million colors. You also have the option of getting custom tags that improve the overall look of your headphones.
These studio headphones also feature multi-source audio mixing, which means that you can play music and answer calls without interfering with your gaming session.
Sound quality:
Logitech G633 delivers crisp DTS Surround and 7.1 Dolby sound which guarantees exceptional audio performance. Its cutting-edge Pro-G hybrid mesh audio drivers provide a wide cinematic sound for serious audiophiles.
These wireless surround sound headphones are compatible with a multitude of devices and platforms. These include mobile devices, PS4s, PCs, Xbox One. Its frequency response ranges from 100 Hz to 20 KHz.
Supports customizable audio, thanks to its onboard equalizers. This feature allows you to select custom sound profiles that suit your listening preference.
Mic and noise cancellation
The mic sound is audible, although the sound quality is average. Your communications will be heard clearly by other players, even though you're in a noisy place. The noise cancellation is very good.
Comfort
The plush earcups in these gaming headphones make them very easy on the head. The tricky part is finding the perfect fit for your head because the headband is quite loose.
This looseness makes it clamp less firmly and makes it comfortable for marathon gaming sessions.
Pros:
- Cheap surround sound headphones
- Remarkable audio and voice clarity
- Numerous customization options
- Supports multi-source audio mixing
Cons:
- Has some wireless connection issues
- Logitech software has unresolved bugs
- Overwhelming clamping pressure
Bottomline
The Logitech G633 excels when it comes to unbeatable sound quality and different customization options. However, the Logitech app has bugs that need immediate attention. Overall, these cheap surround sound headphones are certainly worth investing in.
HyperX Cloud Revolver S
Specifications
- Driver: Dynamic, 50mm with neodymium magnets
- Type: Circumaural, Closed back
- Frequency response: 12Hz–28,000 Hz
- Impedance: 30 Ω
- Input power: Rated 30mW, Maximum 500mW
- Weight with mic: 376
- Element: Electret condenser microphone
- Polar pattern: Bi-directional, Noise-canceling
- Microphone Frequency response: 50Hz-18,000 Hz
Build and design
The Cloud Revolver S 7.1 surround sound headphones are built using a durable solid-steel frame. The ear cups are stuffed with memory foam that is wrapped in premium leatherette, providing users with a comfortable over-ear fit.
These studio headphones are at par with the best 5.1 headphones, owing to their studio-grade sound stage. Users get a detachable noise-canceling mic with excellent voice performance.
The headband is wider than other headphone varieties, helping to reduce head pressure. In addition, its ear cups are entirely closed to block out the external world. This provides users with immersive gaming experience.
Sound quality
The HyperX Cloud Revolver S also comes with a USB sound card that not only helps attenuate ambient noise but also delivers premium quality sound.
These headphones have 50mm Next-Gen directional drivers that deliver crisp, accurate sound. Its soundstage can only be described as studio-grade: it allows users to discern distant sounds more accurately, offering an edge over the adversary.
The Cloud Revolver S has a wide frequency response varying between 12 Hz and 28 KHz. The headset is plug n' play, so you don't need to install any software in order to use them.
These headphones are also equipped with an audio control box that allows you to engage Dolby audio, mute the sound, regulate the microphone and adjust the output levels.
Mic and noise cancellation
The mic may make your voice sound a little different, but all your teammates will hear your chat clearly.
Even if all of you are in one room, other people's dialogue and other background sounds are reduced for clearer communication.
Comfort
HyperX clamps on your head firmly, but not in a painful way. Although the clam force is moderate, you may feel the weight after some hours.
Even if you're too engrossed in the game to notice, there are those periods when the game is loading and you suddenly notice how heavy the headphones feel.
Pros:
- Extremely comfortable with little clamping pressure
- Large soundstage and crisp, precise sound
- Remarkable noise cancellation
Cons:
- Quality of the stitching is lackluster
- The mic sometimes has connectivity issues
- No mute button
Bottomline
The HyperX Cloud Revolver S produces exceptional soundstage and has a long-lasting frame build.
However, the quality of the stitching is wanting and the mic occasionally drops the connection. If you're looking to buy comfortable gaming headphones at a competitive price, this headset is a great purchase.
Sennheiser PC 373D
Specifications
- Connector – USB 2.0
- The frequency response of mic- 50 – 16, 000 Hz
- The frequency response of headphones – 15 Hz – 28,000 Hz
- Sound pressure level (SPL) – 116 dB
- Ear coupling – Around-the-ear, open acoustic design
- Cable length – 1,7m + 1,2m
- Weight – 355 g
- Pick-up pattern: Noise-cancelling
- Microphone sensitivity: -38 dBV/Pa
Being a Sennheiser product, this is by far the best surround headphones for gaming purposes.
Specially designed by keeping gaming in mind, these headphones are the best bet for any gamers and even movie watchers for experiencing surround sound.
Like other high-end surround headphones, this comes with Dolby 7.1 surround sound technology. This technology combined with Sennheiser Transducer Technology gives you crisp clarity to hear every detail in the game.
Build and design:
PC 373D looks a lot like regular use headphones. It lacks the usual flashy designs found on gaming headphones, which some gamers prefer.
You can take these headphones out for a walk and they wouldn't even look out of place. It's an all-plastic design coated in matte back finish. The padding is also covered in black velvet material.
The cord is 9.5ft long and is more than enough for any normal gamer. The cord comes with a button for toggling Dolby surround sound, which comes quite handy.
This is crazy!
The headphones come with a USB port, making it the best option for PC gaming.
Sound quality:
The surround sound has quite an audible effect. It uses your game world effectively and gives you a more immersive sound.
The location of sound cues in the game is quite accurate when compared with the location of actual objects.
The headphone comes with E-sport mode, and it does a nice job of highlighting the critical detail sounds in the game like footsteps and gunshots with precise.
Mic and noise cancellation:
The mic does its noise-canceling job quite well, but the sound has some pops and sibilance.
A way to avoid this is to bend the mic away from your mouth just a bit so that the bursts of air won't hit the capsule directly.
As these headphones designed for gamers in mind, it comes with a professional noise-canceling boom mic offering you the best communication in-game chat or in VoIP calls.
Gamers tend to get lost in the game for hours together.
Keeping this in mind.
Comfort:
The headphones are designed for maximum comfort. Those comfortable velvet ear cushions make sure that the cool air passes to your ears keeping you comfortable while wearing the headphones for a long time.
Pros and cons:
Pros:
- The ultimate immersive surround sound experience
- Extremely comfortable
- Breathing foam
- Toggle button for surround sound!
- Crafted for gamers.
- Mic is great for VOiP calls and in-game chatting
Cons:
- Pricey
- Bit large
Bottomline:
If you are a pro gamer looking for the best immersive gaming experience on the comfort side, Sennheiser PC 373D is the way to go.
If you are looking for wireless alternatives for this gaming surround headphones then Razer ManO'War is the way to go. It is like a clone of Sennheiser PC 373D when it comes to quality, but wireless.
LOGITECH G430
Specifications
- Connectivity technology – wired
- Sound output mode – surround sound
- Frequency response – 20 Hz
- Sensitivity – 90 dB
- Impedance – 32 Ohm
- Diaphragm – 1.6 in
- In-cord volume control – Yes
If you are looking for good affordable surround headphones especially for gaming, then LOGITECH G430 should be definitely your choice.
It comes with Dolby 7.1 sounding technology, which provides you the best immersive gaming experience.
With this technology, you can pinpoint the direction from which the sound is coming and it helps like a charm during the gameplay.
Build and design
If you're not very careful with your stuff, your relationship with the G430 may be quite short. It's a delicate pair of headsets. Although it has a metal frame, the joints feel a bit fragile. Also, there are a few creaks here and there when you bend or move some parts.
However the earcups are quite solid, at least you can count on that.
Sound quality:
You can hear the activities of the enemy, gunshots clearly and this pair assists you greatly in the game.
The headphones block a heap of external sound greatly and help you completely immerse in the game, without giving a damn to the surroundings.
The bass is deep and explosive.
Sounds impressive, isn't it?
When you are hearing to music, I strongly recommend you remove the default adapter and connect to 3.5mm jack or disable surround sound altogether.
Mic and noise cancellation:
As a headset, it also comes with a noise-canceling microphone that seldom picks the background noises, and makes your voice to be heard in-game chat or calls crystal clear.
The mic is unidirectional making it further exceptional at noise cancellation.
The connectivity is USB making it perfectly suitable for PC, PS4, and XBOX. It comes with inline controls for muting mic and also the volume adjustment.
Comfort:
Comfort is the most important thing in the case of gaming headphones because you need to wear headphones for hours together.
The earpads are covered with sports-performance cloth that can be removed and washed if needed.
The whole headset, especially the earcups are made extremely lightweight so that you can barely feel the headset while wearing it after a certain time.
Pros and cons:
Pros:
- Great surround sound for the price
- Lightweight design
- Noise-canceling mic
- Affordable
Cons:
- Bit low volume, but can be rectified in settings
Bottomline:
If you are not ready to give up the experience and want an affordable headphone, LOGITECH G430 is the way to go.
Razer Kraken Chroma 7.1
Specifications
- Headphone drivers: 40mm with neodymium
- Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz
- The impedance of headphones: 32Ω
- Headphones sensitivity @ 1kHz: 112dB
- Output power: 30mW
- Frequency response [mic]: 100Hz–12kHz
- Sensitivity @ 1kHz: -40dB ± 4dB
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 63dB
- Pick-up pattern: unidirectional
Gamers always love high-performing tech gadgets whenever possible.
They are not ready to sacrifice their gaming experience.
Keeping this in mind, Razer has developed the best surround sound gaming headset especially made for gamers.
It comes with a surround sound audio engine for providing the real-life immersive sound experience.
Another advantage is that the headset comes along with Razer's powerful Synapse configuration software, which allows you to set up the configurations for every game or software.
This particularly helps you a lot if you play lots of games with varied plots, and need personalization more often.
The software also helps to customize the LED lighting, that this headphone comes with.
Build and design:
When it comes to Razer headphones, the design is always great. The headphones are visually attractive with nice green branding on it.
As a complementary feature, these headphones also come with Chroma lighting. The headphones are quite a carryable while traveling.
The Razer Kraken's build is both lightweight and solid. Its frame is made of bauxite aluminum, so it's not going to fall apart just because you accidentally dropped it.
The cable is braided, and it ends in a 3.5mm audio jack. Controls to mute the mic and adjusting volume are easily accessible.
Sound quality
The mic sound does not emphasize speech clarity, which sometimes makes communications with other players to be overshadowed by other in-game sounds.
Razer Kraken works well with PC and different consoles. Since it comes with a 3.5mm jack, it can also work with your phone and tablets.
These headphones have increased bass response, so you'll enjoy much of your game sound effects quite well. However, the dip in the high mids means that the overall sound may not be as bright as you may want.
Mic and noise cancellation:
The headset also comes with a fully retractable boom microphone, and that fairly good at noise canceling and quality is good. You can adjust the volume and mic on/off with inline control buttons.
Although the sound quality is not audiophilic, the quality is excellent.
Normal users with no audio engineering and mixing experience, notice no difference between these headphones and the high-end audiophilic headphones.
You can hear every detail sound of the gameplay.
Comfort:
The headphones are comfortable, for longer durations. The earpad cushions are very comfortable.
If you sweat a lot while gaming, the earpads may become hot for you, that would be the downside.
As long as you don't have abnormally large heads and ears, this would not become a hassle.
Pros and cons:
Pros:
- Sound customization software (per game)
- Good comfort
- The best design and appealing look.
Cons:
- Lack of inline volume control (nevertheless you can control the volume on your keyboard)
Bottomline:
If you love customization options to play with and are not willing to compromise with the quality of the sound, these headphones are the way to go.
SADES SA710
Specifications
- Cable length (m): 2.2m
- Compatible with: computer
- Connectivity: wired
- Driver unit: 50mm
- Frequency response: 20-20000Hz
- Impedance: 32ohms
- Input power: 30mW (max)
- Microphone frequency: 50Hz – 10KHz
- Plug type: USB
Build and design:
The blues (favorite color for most of them), stand out and looks amazing. The blue LEDs lights add to the overall looks for the headphone and are absolutely stunning in low lights.
One glance at the SA710 and you'll have no doubt that its a gaming headset. The angular design of its earcups makes it something that would be preferred mostly by gamers.
It connects to your PC via its USB cable. This connectivity option reduces the compatibility options; you can't use your SA710 with PlayStation.
Sound quality:
This headphone is made specially by taking cost-efficiency in mind.
For the price, you can't expect this quality of surround sound headphones. The quality of sound is amazing.
The headphones are designed so that you'll be isolated completely from the surrounding noises and this just makes the surround sound experience outstanding.
For the price, I was surprised by looking at the quality of the playback.
The looks are amazing!
Mic and noise cancellation
The mic has a good amount of clarity and noise cancellation. Although it may sometimes prove over-sensitive, most of what you're saying will be heard by other gamers on the other end of the communication.
It also comes with a mic, and that turns out pretty clear. As the mic is unidirectional and the recorded sound is pretty good.
But you can't expect the mic quality to be exceptional like other high-end headphones.
But for the price it's great.
Comfort:
As this is headphones made for gamers, by gamers, the utmost focus is made on comfort. The earpads are comfortable and soft.
Also, it rests comfortably on the ears without pushing your ears down. As the overall design is quite lightweight.
It is a pleasure to wear.
Pros and cons:
Pros:
- An absolute bargain
- Superior comfort
- Unidirectional mic for clear recordings
Cons:
- Mediocre mic quality
Bottomline:
If you are an avid gamer looking for budget headphone, then go for SADES SA710.
Etekcity Scroll H7PX+
Specifications
- Sensitivity: -36±3dB (at 1KHz)
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz
- Sensitivity (S.P.L): 105±3dB (at 1 KHz)
- Plug type: USB
- Audio CODEC: USB Audio Class 1.0 and 2.0 Device Driver
- Audio driver version: 7.0.11.177
- DirectX version: DirectX 11
If you are looking for simply the best surround headphone for the price under $50, just close your eyes and buy these headphones.
Build and design
These cans are lightweight and comfortable. It will take a while before you start feeling any serious weight on your head. The earcups are super comfortable regardless of the size of your ears, even if you're wearing glasses.
Sound quality:
With 7.1 surround sound system in place, it provides you a totally unmatched audio experience.
The surround sound works perfect, and with this, you can hear sounds from all the angles of the gameplay which will be very helpful for competitive gamers.
With a little bit of tweaking in settings and configurations on your PC, the quality of the sound can be much more enhanced to the pro level.
The bass level is excellent, and you can feel the vibration of shooting and explosions right in your skull!
Outside gaming use, for music, it works good as well.
But if you are looking to buy this only for listening to music.
Stay away.
Mic and noise cancellation:
It comes with noise isolation earpads that do a good job of getting rid of external noises, that important for immersive surround experience.
It also comes with a mic, and the audio quality of the mic is exceptional. The only downside is that, as that mic is omnidirectional it tends to pick up sounds from all the directions.
Unlike other headphones I've mentioned in this post, the mic is not noise canceling.
Comfort:
As the earpads are made of soft cushion, the headphones are greatly comfortable to wear.
It can comfortably stay on your head for hours altogether without causing stress on your head.
Pros:
- Low cost
- Great quality sound
- Bang for the buck
- Superior comfy
Cons:
- Omnidirectional mic that's not noise-canceling
Bottomline:
Good budget surrounds headphones with great features for pro gamers.
What are surround sound headphones?
You have definitely come across the normal headphones that contain two earcups and speakers.
The sound produced by these conventional headphones is not realistic and tends to be like originating within your brain.
If you are watching movies or playing games, the sound appears to be detached and feel like 2D.
In the case of surround sound, the sound originated in the headphones sound realistic and 3D.
Here's what I mean.
You can determine the direction of the sounds coming.
There are two types of surround sound.
- Virtual surround sound
- Real surround headphones
Let us go into these one-by-one.
In the case of real surround headphones, multiple speakers are kept in each of the earpads, in different places. When a sound is played, the audio enters the ear canal from different angles.
Meanwhile, when the sound comes from different angles, the sound appears natural and not played in the ear.
On the other hand in the case of virtual surround sound, the headphones have two speakers like other normal headphones. But they will mimic the surround sound by making use of various software, preamps or mix amps.
These algorithms are responsible for creating a sensation of sound originating from different angles and directions.
Most of the new surround sound headphones offer 5.1 and 7.1 sound technology, with the latter being the best.
Why surround sound headphones?
With these headphones, you can accurately determine the direction from which the sound is coming.
This will be very helpful while playing games (like Call Of Duty) to know the enemy footsteps, the direction of shooting and sounds, and watching movies on your HD TV. As there is a dedicated driver for each of the channels, the sound will be crisp.
The only downside is that the cost of the true surround sound headphones is higher, as they contain multiple speakers and thus drivers on each of the earpads.
Wired or wireless?
When you think of buying surround headphones, the first thing that comes to your mind is whether to go wired or wireless.
Both have their own pros and cons.
Wireless headphones are costlier than that of wired headphones due to the fact the good headphones are equipped with AptX encoding technology to transmit the sound signals via Bluetooth without any noticeable quality loss.
If you are planning to use the surround headphones that you are buying for watching movies in front of the TV, then wireless headphones would be comfortable for you roam around and watch the movie with true surround effects.
However, if you are playing PC games or watching games on your Laptop or PC, wired headphones are enough.
Make sure that the wire is long enough to meet your needs.
In the case of wired headphones, the extension cable will always be there for your rescue.
Noise-canceling?
Noise cancellation or good isolation is required for any surround headsets. This is taken care of in most of the gaming headsets where every detail of the sound is important.
While choosing the best surround headset, researching about the noise-canceling or isolation effectiveness is essential and is needed for the complete immersive audio experience.
Microphone
A mic is important in gaming for people that play team games. If you don't use an external mic, you need to pick headphones with a built-in mic.
For easier communication, you should choose headphones that have noise-canceling mics. This way, your conversations will be clearer for the people listening.
Also, if you don't use the mic all the time, you can choose headphones that have a detachable mic, or at least can allow you to move the mic away from your face.
Comfort
Aside from having a good fit, you need headphones that will feel good on your skull for the whole time.
Most headphones are comfortable for the first few hours of use but may become quite uncomfortable during long gaming sessions. Sometimes, they make your ears warm and this can be a bit unsettling.
Most comfortable headphones do not clamp too tight on your head and have very soft earpads and headbands.
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FAQs on surround sound headphones
Surround sound headphones attempt to give a more realistic sound experience by separating the sound according to the angles they are coming from. So, rather than have just left and right stereo sound, you have up to 5 or 7 channels.
Yes. They give a more immersive gaming experience than stereo headphones.
7.1 surround sound is good if you wish to have more realistic gaming or movie experience. It puts you right in the middle of the action.
Both are good, but 7.1 surround gives a bigger soundstage than 5.1.
Surround sound headphones give a more realistic media experience, especially in terms of sound direction and accuracy.
7.1 surround sound headphones are headsets that give you more channels of audio. So, rather than just two channels given by stereo headphones, you get 7 channels.
Wrap up
All of the surround sound headphones that I've mentioned works great for also watching movies.
But the fact is that there are no surround headphones specially designed for watching movies, as most of the gaming surround headphones work out pretty well for watching movies too.
I've tried my best to cover the best surround sound headphones in every budget, deeply.
I hope you loved the post.
6 Comments
Good post, Akshay. Very well written.
Thanks Jon!
I'm looking for surround sound headphones for gaming. I'm looking forward to buy
LOGITECH G430, are there any good alternatives. I mostly play FPS games like COD. Directional sounds are crucial for me.
You can buy headphone – HyperX Cloud Revolver they're especially for FPS games. Refer this post -> https://www.soundmaximum.com/best-gaming-headsets-under-200/
I dont recommend logitecg g430
It is not clear which have true and which have virtual surround sound