Subj : Forget gaming headsets, the best audiophile headphones for gaming To : All From : TechnologyDaily Date : Fri Sep 19 2025 10:15:09 Forget gaming headsets, the best audiophile headphones for gaming are where its at if you want the best audio here are 5 of our favorites Date: Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000 Description: Embrace the finer things in gaming audio by trading in your headset for one of these 5 audiophile headphones FULL STORY ====================================================================== Ive been fortunate enough to see many great gaming headsets pass across my desk in the nearly-decade Ive been reviewing hardware. However, in the past year or so, Ive been seeing more and more audiophile-focused gaming headsets, and also more audiophile headphones being pitched at gamers by big brands. Its not news that high-end headphones from the likes of Sennheiser, Bose and Sony can also lend their audio prowess to games and gaming devices. However, from my personal perspective, its been a real joy to explore and compare products and see the Venn diagram overlap more and more as the lines between the products get increasingly blurry. Now more than ever, theres a whole range of audiophile headphones to consider when looking at an audio upgrade for your gaming setup, and also a few top-quality gaming headsets that offer something like audiophile audio quality. To highlight this, below Ive listed a few of the best headphones and headsets that Ive been hands-on with or reviewed in depth, or which others at TechRadar have tested. To be transparent, Im slightly bending the definition of audiophile headphones here or using it a little loosely at times but these are all quality picks for those looking to add top-tier audio to their gaming experiences and setups. Sennheiser HD 550 (Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar) The new Sennheiser HD 550 headphones have been somewhat of a revelation to me this year, and have become my go-to device on PC for work, music, and gaming. Theres nothing quite like Sennheiser audio quality, and the HD 550s channel all that pedigree and quality and theyve made my games sing, my music soar, and my meetings a dream. Theyre a super-simple proposition as most Sennheiser headphones are in a way but the sheer audio prowess is absolutely wonderful. You can go down an entire rabbit hole of great Sennheiser audiophile headphones, but the HD 550s are some of the best going in 2025, and I wholeheartedly endorse them for gaming on either PC or console. Ive also been using them in combination with a Creative Sound Blaster X4 USB sound card, which has proved a joy, and brought added flexibility to the HD 550s so if youre looking for something that offers a bit more than plug and play from such a set of headphones, then you can still have this cake and eat it with the likes of USB sound cards. Drop + EPOS PC38X (Image credit: Future/Rob Dwiar) Coming in a close second to the HD 550s above for me is this slightly older model and collab headset, which is (rightly) often hailed as one of the best audio-quality-first gaming headsets. Ive been using the Drop + EPOS PC38X on my PS5 a lot, and its fabulous in every way. Ill be doing further testing on PC with it though early signs are that it excels there too. The microphone is fantastic, and gives the mic on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless a run for its money (its one of my favorites on a gaming headset), and the audio is supreme; Ive enjoyed it particularly when playing Diablo 4 with a pal online, and when playing Death Stranding and the recent Indiana Jones DLC, in particular. Its also blissfully simple to use, offering a plug-and-play audio jack connection and a simple volume wheel control on the right ear cup. It also offers a split connection option for headphone and microphone jack, which has been super too, as Ive been able to plug it into a Creative Sound BlasterX G6 to squeeze even more audiophile quality and audio enhancements out of it, utilizing that devices twin ports on the front. Dreamy. Look out for my full review of the Drop + EPOS PC38X, which will be coming in the near future, for more info. Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro (Image credit: Future) One of the best things about this headset is that it channels all of Beyerdynamics audio prowess and keeps things incredibly simple. It focuses on audio quality and comfort, and delivers to the nth degree on both. There are no fancy features or adjustments here, just streamlined audio excellence in a headset that you can wear for hours at a time. In our review of the set, my colleague Lewis got straight to the point when it came to performance: The STELLAR.45 drivers render all frequencies with clarity, especially the highs and upper mids. The closed-back design helps to improve the sense of space and immersion as well. Ive had some time with the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro too, and it really is a top-quality wired audiophile gaming headset its a great example of an audiophile brand going big and hard on translating all its expertise into a gaming headset, and it really delivers. Audeze Maxwell (Image credit: Audeze) Ive used the Audeze Maxwell a bit for testing in recent months, and its a diamond of a headset. I was also a big fan of its predecessor in the Audeze Penrose, and the quality of the brand continues to shine through in the premium Maxwell. In our original review, we summarized it as being a fantastic-sounding, detailed gaming headset that has a wide soundstage, accurate imaging, and long battery life. Its a robust and brilliant audiophile-level gaming headset, and while it treads the balance carefully with a couple of compromises here and there, its worth highlighting here as one of our favorites for sure. The Maxwell successfully builds on everything the Penrose started, and the former is now the flagship gaming model from the audiophile brand, and represents one of the strongest wireless options for audiophile fans looking to cut the cord. SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro (Image credit: Future/Kara Phillips) If you really must have maximal gaming headset qualities, then the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is a must-consider. The wired variant in particular can get you closest to the audiophile level, as that model is Hi-Res Certified (though the wireless one is no slouch, to be fair). And that label is well earned, too, as the wired Arctis Pro is a beauty of a headset that offers high-quality audio for all media, right out of the box. Whether Im listening to classical music or Slipknot, playing chaotic matches in Apex Legends or building settlements in Frostpunk 2 s wintry tundra, or just logging into multiple work meetings, the Arctis Nova Pro has given me supreme audio. You also get the excellent DAC unit to use (on PC and console), which grants you some extra features and enhancements. If I were without my Sennheiser HD 550s on my PC, this is the headset Id be plugging in. If you're looking for a bird's eye view of the prices of all these excellent audio-givers, then here is our price-comparison tech once more. You might also like... This overlooked gaming accessory has taken my PS5 and PC gaming experience to brand new levels I love my Nintendo Switch 2, but I cant get over this one issue and its nothing to do with battery life I love the idea of the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, but after trying it out at Gamescom 2025, I wont be ditching my Switch 2 anytime soon ====================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/forget-gaming-headsets-the-best-audiophile-he adphones-for-gaming-are-where-its-at-if-you-want-the-best-audio-here-are-5-of- our-favorites --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64) * Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100) .