Are studio headphones good for gaming

There are many different headphones models out there to choose from, it might seem obvious to choose the ones specifically designed to make your gaming experience better. Even though gaming headphones are great for specific noise enhancements, they may not achieve the quality of audio clarity that studio headphones can offer. But are studio headphones good for gaming? Studio headphones are designed for professional use and have sound signatures best suited for recording or mixing. Yet, they are often good for entertainment listening as well.

Are studio headphones good for gaming

Studio headphones are good for gaming. They offer a better sound experience and audio components, which helps you to have a more robust and enhanced gaming experience. They are more versatile than standard gaming headphones, with their ability to add a microphone separately.

Let’s find out why studio headphones are good for gaming and what to look for while buying a good headphone setup.

Are studio headphones good for gaming?

Gaming headsets are often too big to fit comfortably in your pocket, and they don’t come with a detachable cable. The best gaming headsets are optimized for gaming, featuring enhanced bass, fine-tuned treble, and virtual surround sound for a more immersive gaming experience.

Studio headphones can also be used for gaming, but not all of them are good for gaming. Some of the more popular gaming studio headphones are the ones that are compatible with Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo systems.

It’s no wonder that games have been such a hit among long-term professional gamers. They’re just what you need to keep your gaming system going for years on end.

Studio headphones can enhance your gaming audio experience with a distinctive audio quality, perfect for music, instrumentals, and listening to background noises. Studio headphones use technology that amplifies the sound levels and allows you to focus on the particular noise relevant to the game you are playing. 

More importantly, studio headphones can be used both for PC gaming purposes and console gaming with audio jacks either in the console’s controller or your monitor. 

While studio headphones have no built-in microphones, purchase one separately when required for a specific game or doing streaming on youtube or twitch.

Studio Headphones VS Consumer Headphones VS Gaming Headsets

There are so many headphone categories available that you’ll need to narrow down your choices. If you want to pick the perfect pair of headphones, you’ll need to know what you’re looking for in a headphone.

In my opinion, headphones fall into three main categories: studio headphones, consumer headphones, and gaming headsets.

You’ll hear all three of these products in a whole new way when you plug them into your device.

Studio Headphones

Studio headphones are built for professional work. They’re also great for music listening, and in fact, many audiophiles will tell you that they prefer studio headphones for music over portable models.

If you want to hear the great sound quality of a studio headphone, you should check out the big names in the industry – Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Shure, Fostex, and Pioneer.

Top 3 Reasons To Choose a Studio Headphone

Design and manufacture

When the manufacturers design studio-quality headphones, there is always a need to ensure that studio headphones’ electronic and mechanical design is entirely fit for purpose. To do so, the designs require highly accurate and highly toleranced componentry.

Components of some high-end studio-quality headphones are matched with each other to meet the overall design specification.

Studio quality headphones are designed to be unique and must have:

  • High-quality components
  • High quantity of components
  • High tolerance components
  • Hand-picked components for each product

Build Quality

Do you prefer durable stuff? Studio headphones always last longer. A tough build makes them ideal for field recording work. They often come up with user-replaceable parts, so when something gets broken, you can order a new part from the manufacturer and quickly change it by yourself.

All studio headphones I have ever used have had metal headbands at their core. And you will also find metal parts in the ear cups and other parts of the frame. When plastics are used in studio headphones, they are generally of higher quality than the average.

Often, design flair is sacrificed in favor of these materials, but I think the trade-off is worth it. I need to have a sturdy and decent build of headphones that I can put in a bag and carry around all day. That is why I enjoy so many studio pairs.

Neutral Sound Signature

Due to physics, no headphone is completely neutral. But studio headphones tend to have tunings that attempt to reproduce the original audio as faithfully as possible. One good thing about studio headphones is that they are more detailed and brighter than consumer-oriented pairs. 

On the other hand, you’re also going to hear every fault in mixing, recording, mastering, and compression. If you start hearing these flaws, you will find a hard time stopping. Due to the studio tuning, distortions, background noise, awkward edits, etc. are all obvious.

Audio engineering is a complex task to do and most pop music is mixed for listeners on consumer gear, so it has its particular sound. A sound like that doesn’t always play well with studio gear. Mixing is not always the most expensive part of album production, and even a well-produced album can have small errors. It’s always easier to do that if you have at least one good neutral pair of studio headphones.

Consumer Headphones

Consumers typically buy consumer headphones. These are the models that most people are familiar with. They include the Beats by Dr. Dre, the Bose, and the Sony.

Other big competitor in this market is Skullcandy and JVC.

Top 3 reasons to choose consumer headphones

Style and Design

You’ll learn about the top brands of headphones, their styles, colors, and sizes, how to choose the best headphones for your lifestyle and how to make sure that your headphones will fit into your style.

Consumer headphones are a must-have. They are designed to fit well and are usually stylish. They are available in a variety of colors.

In the past, this was true, but now there are plenty of headphones that are both comfortable and well built. It’s not that the technology isn’t there, it’s just that fewer headphones are being produced.

If you’re looking for a headphone that looks good and sounds great, you should get the DT770. I love the design of the DT770 and it’s comfortable to wear.

The design of a consumer headphone is usually done first. Everything else follows from that.

Features

The most feature-packed consumer headphones are the ones that offer all the functionality and features you’d expect from a pair of headphones, like wireless connectivity, multiple device connection, phone control, and active noise-canceling.

In the past, all the innovations happened in the consumer space. These days, it’s all about technology. The latest technology is auto headphone calibration. It will automatically adjust the sound to your head size and position.

These two companies are not only making headphones that adjust their sound based on how well they’re sealed on your head, but they also have models that account for glasses and different hairstyles.

Fatigue-Free Listening

Consumers often choose consumer headphones because they want a comfortable listening experience that’s not too demanding for their ears. These tend to have warmer signatures, with boosted bass and relaxed treble.

For average ears, the best type of sound is a consumer-style pair. If you want to listen to them for a longer time, you might prefer a pair with more bass.

My favorite pair of consumer-style headphones right now are the Sony MDR-1000X. They smoothly hug my head and have a ton of bass, making them the perfect choice for playing games or listening to music.

Gaming Headsets

Today, we’re going to look at the best gaming headset options out there and show you why you should buy a headset that has a built-in microphone instead of a separate pair of headphones and a dedicated microphone.

The best-selling headsets in the world are produced by companies like HyperX, Razer, Turtle Beach, and SteelSeries.

Top 3 reasons to buy a gaming headset

Convenience/Microphone

If you want to have a good gaming experience, a headset with a built-in microphone is the way to go.

You know, I don’t think that’s silly at all. If it makes your life easier, why wouldn’t you want to do it?

There are many reasons to buy a gaming headset with good quality mic, but the most important one is that it improves your audio quality and makes it easier to communicate with teammates.

Virtual Surround Sound

Virtual surround features are one of the best ways to experience games without investing a ton of money. You can find great solutions from a variety of vendors, including some excellent gaming headsets that come with virtual surround features.

With the Xbox One, Microsoft is offering free virtual surround to all of their headphones. Sony’s virtual surround mode is only available for their headset. The feature will expand to games soon.

Versatility

Gaming headsets have built-in or removable mics, and they can serve as a regular pair of headphones. If you’re looking for the most versatile headphones for the least amount of money, a well-reviewed gaming headset isn’t a bad option.

A good gaming headset will do 90 percent of the job for you and may be a better choice than buying a more-specialized, more-expensive pair of headphones.

You should look for a good gaming headset that serves equally well as your portable setup, your home setup, and your gaming setup with a mic.

I love both the HyperX Cloud and the Steelseries Arctis line of gaming headsets.

Best studio headphones for gaming

Following are some of the best studio headphones for gaming that we picked for professional gamers according to marketing budgets.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X

ATH-M50x professional studio monitor headphone is appreciated by the top audio engineers for their robust construction and accurate sound reproduction. This studio monitor headphone comes up with the following high-quality features:

  • 1600 mW maximum input power.
  • Built-in 45mm large-aperture drivers.
  • The wider frequency range of 15-28,000 Hz for exceptional clarity.
  • Swivel earpieces provide improved on-ear monitoring.
  • Lightweight and highly portable design.
Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
Pros
  • Excellent sound reproduction
  • Fuzz free bass
  • Excellent cable quality
  • Comfortable overheads
Cons
  • Bass emphasis can be too much.

Neewer Studio Monitor Headphones

Neewer studio monitoring headphone set for gaming comes with the high-quality features you would expect from Neewer. Features like:

  • Built-in 45mm large-aperture drivers.
  • The 180-degree rotating ear cups make single-ear monitoring easy.
  • The wider frequency range of 10-24KHz for exceptional clarity.
  • Compatible with a wide range of devices with 3.5mm and 6.35mm plugs.
  • A high-quality cushioned memory foam pad with PU leather material.
Neewer Studio Monitor Headphones
Neewer Studio Monitor Headphones
Pros
  • Excellent sound quality.
  • Highly comfortable.
  • Reasonable price.
  • Sound isolation in a loud environment.
Cons
  • The sound quality can be ruined due to unnecessary bass.

AKG Pro Audio K72 Studio Headphones

AKG K72 studio headphones are made by a company whose mics and headphones have contributed to the creation of some of the world’s most iconic recordings and for gaming purposes. AKG K72 is a studio-quality headphone for gaming. It comes with the following high-quality features:

  • 200 mW maximum input power.
  • Built-in patented 40mm drivers.
  • 16 – 20000 Hz frequency range for exceptional clarity.
  • The closed-back design provides maximum sound isolation.
  • A self-adjusting headband guarantees a perfect fit.
AKG Pro Audio K72 Studio Headphones
AKG Pro Audio K72 Studio Headphones
Pros
  • Excellent sound quality.
  • Fuzz-free bass.
  • Highly comfortable.
  • Great sound isolation quality.
Cons
  • Non Detachable wire-to-ear muffs.
  • Not loud enough.

Sony MDR7506 Professional Headphone

Extremely high-quality and lightweight studio headphone has been engineered to be comfortable to wear and make it the best studio headset for gaming. Sony Professional studio headphone for gaming comes up with the following features:

  • 10 – 20KHz frequency range for exceptional sound clarity.
  • A soft case is provided for safe traveling purposes.
  • Built-in patented 40mm drivers and Neodynamic magnets.
  • Closed ear design makes it more comfortable and provides outstanding noise reduction.
  • 9.8 ft long and undetachable cord ends in a gold plated plug and 1/4 inch adapter included.
Sony MDR7506 Professional Headphones
Sony MDR7506 Professional Headphones
Pros
  • Decent sound quality.
  • Adjustable design.
  • Noise reduction.
  • Comfortable.
Cons
  • Inconvenient long cord.
  • Bass emphasis can be too much

Shure SRH440 Studio Headphones

The SRH440 Professional Studio Headphone for gaming and studio recording provides enhanced frequency response with accurate audio. SRH440 studio headset for gaming purposes offers the following features:

  • The enhanced frequency range of 10 Hz – 22 kHz.
  • Replaceable earbuds for durability.
  • Built-in dynamic 40 mm drivers and neodymium magnet.
  • 9.8 ft long, detachable coiled cable and threaded 1/4 inch gold plated adapter.
  • A carrying bag or zippered case is provided for traveling purposes.
Shure SRH440 Studio Headphone
Shure SRH440 Studio Headphone
Pros
  • Excellent sound isolation.
  • Comfortable and portable design.
  • No sound escapes by earcups.
  • Replaceable earbuds.
Cons
  • Inconvenient long cord.
  • The headband is not cushioned in any way.

Choosing the Best Studio Headphones for Gaming

Before buying a new pair of studio headphones to fulfill your gaming needs, you should consider a few factors. If you are an avid gamer, think about how studio headphones can enhance your gaming experience. 

You might prefer some qualities such as designs and models over others and the comfort levels that each studio pair offers, according to your gaming needs.

To help you to choose the best studio headset for you, we have compiled the top following recommendations for choosing the best studio headset that will enhance your sound quality and gaming experience.

Take a look at your gaming style

To maximize the gaming experience, you have to consider the type of game you are interested in. All kinds of games such as fighting games, mission games, and shooting games require different levels of audio features that studio headphones can amplify.

When you are searching for your best studio headphones, then you must check out the headphones’ specifications and see which types of games they are compatible with. 

When your game features activities with background music, studio headphones offer the tranquillity of listening to the noise while playing the game. With more intense games, including abrupt explosions, screaming, fighting, or banging, the bass will be louder, but they also help you master your game.

Value

Studio-quality headphones can be used for more than one purpose. Because of this adaptability studio headphones deliver higher value and durability than other headphones. Studio headphones can be used for both music players and gaming consoles, which makes them a good choice for anyone who uses them for other activities aside from gaming.

Combined with their affordable prices and versatility to be used with both consoles and PCs, these headphones offer more adaptability and value than other traditional headphones and gaming headsets.

Because of the value, studio headphones are the ideal choice for gamers and music lovers alike seeking high-quality headphones for a variety of uses.

Understand a game’s Playing Mode

Identify your preferred game-playing mode and whether you prefer playing in groups, online, or with others. For playing the interactive games along with friends or in groups, you will need a separate microphone attachment, which you can buy and attach with your studio headphones during the gaming mode.

Studio headphones are compatible with quality microphones such as HyperX SoloCast – USB Condenser Gaming Microphone, so they can be mounted onto your gaming console or desk. Keep your headphones within the range of your microphone so you won’t find yourself reaching between your headphones and microphone to deliver your message.

After you are done with your games, you can easily move the microphone without affecting the studio headphone’s integrity because it is not directly attached to your studio headset.

A quality pair of headphones can be extremely valuable if your game is filled with tons of audio and music, so you can hear the music while playing.

Price/Performance

It is rare for studio headphones to be advertised or marketed outside the internet circles and they are mostly based on their previous designs that have already returned their development costs. That means they are more affordable than other pairs and provide better audio performance.

You’re paying more for R & D and marketing costs in consumer audio headphones. Many of the older studio headphone designs have been making a pure profit for many years now, so the companies can afford to charge slightly less per unit sold. Because of this, the price of studio headphones fluctuates sharply up and down in price from week to week.

Consider Your Comfort

Suppose you would like to wear your studio headphones more often then you should look for the studio headset that offers more comfortability and wearability. You can choose from closed-back or open-back studio headphones, which usually fit around your head. The most suitable studio headphone is the one that is highly comfortable to wear for a longer period of your gameplay.

To provide you with extra comfort and ease for several hours, some studio headsets come up with extra cushioning on the muffs. If you’re a bit sensitive or if you prefer long-lasting comfort, you may get better results with headphones that have additional padding. 

Conclusion

Studio headphones are the best alternatives to traditional gaming headphones, providing you with an amazing gaming experience. Studio headphones for gaming provide you unmatched versatility and value as compared to other headphones, as they are specially designed for amplifying your gaming sound with precision.

To enhance your gaming experience, Studio headphones provide you with high-quality audio levels, with their durable performance and ability to enhance detailed noises.

Frequently Asked Questions

What studio headphones are good for gaming?

Here are the five studio headphones that offer you the best gaming experience:

  • Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Headphone
  • Sennheiser hd580 headphone
  • Neewer Studio Monitor Headphones
  • AKG Pro Audio K72 Studio Headphones
  • Sony MDR7506 Professional Headphone
  • Shure SRH440 Studio Headphone

Are audiophile headphones good for gaming?

Audiophile Headphones are the best thing you could have for gaming and especially for PC gaming.  As far as the sound quality is concerned, the best studio headphones for gaming like Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Headphone and Takstar Pro 80s outperform most high-end gaming headsets.

Are studio headphones better?

If you are an avid gamer or audio professional, then having a good pair of studio headphones would be the best thing. Because Studio headphones with distinctive sound quality can enhance your gaming audio experience. They deliver higher value and durability as compared to the other headsets.

Are Studio Headphones Worth It?

Yes, because they are designed to isolate the sounds from the outside world so that you can focus on your music.

You can use headphones for professional studio applications, such as recording, computer audio workstation software, music editing, or mixing multi-track recordings. When recording, you want to get the best quality possible to minimise distractions and fatigue.

Studio Headphones are important tools for any musician. They provide a great deal of isolation from outside noise and ambient sound leakage so that important musical details can be heard clearly and cleanly.

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