So recently I purchased a few gaming headphones (Sony 3d Pulse + Arctis Nova Pro Wireless) as well as some regular headphones for streaming music off my phone (Bose QC Ultra + Sony XM5s). Like everyone I just googled PS5 headphones and bought what appeared to me to be the best options available.
However, I recently upgraded to a Smart TV which allows me to connect my XM5s + Boses directly to my TV and stream audio via bluetooth - and it works for games. This is awesome and is making me consider if I even need gaming headphones and should just use my music headphones / upgrade to some higher end headphones.
Here’s the thing, I dont play online at all. I just play single player. I dont need a mic, and I do prefer low latency but I probably dont need ball-busting state of the art latency connections or w/e. What I do want is 1) the best audio quality possible, 2) 3d audio - which I’m still unclear as to whether this is supported by non gaming headphones connected directly to my TV.
I like the idea of having multiple devices paired at once (so I can speak on a call while having gaming sounds playing, or streaming YT as I play), but in reality I probably will never use it.
Can someone clarify? Debating whether to simply sell my existing ‘gamer’ headphones at this point. Will I lose out on 3d audio? Does 3d audio still work even when paired to the TV and not the console itself? Also, will the quality suffer if I stream audio from my TV and not the console itself?
You buy a gaming headset because you need a microphone and that’s it, zero other reasons to ever buy one. If you don’t need a microphone, just buy headphones.
If you want the emulated 3D surround there’s apps that can do that for you independent of what headset or headphones you use, but not sure if that’s a thing for PS5.
The virtual surround sound is actually BS and actually makes it harder to tell where things are coming from while also distorting the sound. You only have 2 drivers, one for each ear so you should just set it as stereo. Our ears can pick up the smallest differences to tell direction and depth. Put on any headphones in stereo mode and go to YouTube and listen to the virtual barbershop. If you’re not getting the 3D sound depth or positioning you want, buy headphones that are designed to naturally offer that. You’re right that most gaming headsets are trash, they throw more money into RGB and gamer looks than they do quality of the driver, parts, and overall comfort/fit. Whenever possible it’s usually better to use headphones and a USB or mod mic, however for console gamers they don’t have that many options.
Latency matters, if sticking with wireless. Not nice to play games over bluetooth with 200ms of delay.
Not sure if less nowdays but that’s what all my bluetooth speakers used to have.