Whether you’re a console or PC gamer, having a great audio setup is crucial for an immersive gaming experience. For a long time, this was usually achieved with headphones and gaming headsets. Now that soundbars are becoming more accessible to gamers, the choice isn’t so simple.
While other peripherals like monitors for PC gamers and TVs for console gamers make a difference in gaming immersion, the difference audio can make is often underestimated. From different gaming scenarios to living situations to time management, we’ll cover the pros and cons of headphones and soundbars to help you decide what’s right for you.
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Beyerdynamic DT990Pro
The Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro is an audiophile-quality headphone that is ideal for content creators who record and edit their own productions. The DT 990 Pro over-ear headphones perfectly balance low, mid and high tones, providing a transparent listening experience. The headphones feature exceptionally comfortable and stylish gray velour ear pads for hours of pain-free listening. The adjustable steel headband is equally comfortable to wear and is part of the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro’s robust yet lightweight construction.
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Razer DeathAdder V2
Experience the next innovation in 3D audio with the Razer Leviathan V2 Pro – the world’s first PC soundbar with head-tracking AI and adaptive beamforming powered by THX Spatial Audio. Direct sound directly to your ears with intelligent on-the-fly tracking and enjoy ultra-personalized sound with unprecedented precision and immersion.
Headphones vs. soundbars: How do they work?
The most obvious difference between headphones and a soundbar is the way the sound is delivered to your ears. Although they both work on the same basic principle, headphones deliver the sound directly to your ears. This means there isn’t as much room for ambient noise to affect the sound. But it also means the sound can’t be as wide or create as much separation as headphones can.
Soundbars typically sit three to six feet away from you if you’re using them in a living room, or one to two feet away from you if you’re using them on a desk. That means you want direct feedback as quickly as possible compared to headphones, and depending on the soundbar, some detail may be lost to ambient noise. Still, the breadth of soundstage you can achieve with a soundbar requires a relatively high-quality pair of headphones to keep up.
Of course, the biggest issue for many gamers with a soundbar is whether the people they live with are OK with gaming audio coming through speakers rather than just headphones. Unless your living situation allows for this, those late-night gaming sessions may be harder to manage with a soundbar than with headphones.
winner: Pull
Headphones vs. Soundbars: Setup Process
Even if you get the perfect headphones or the best soundbar ever, you still need to set up the product once you have it in your hands. This can be as simple as plugging the cable into a headphone jack, but it can be as complicated as running multiple sound tests to make sure you’re getting the best possible sound for your gaming space.
The setup process is usually pretty straightforward whether you’re using wired or wireless headphones. You can either plug a wired pair of headphones into your chosen device or pair the headphones wirelessly and you’re good to go. However, you can play around with the headphone setup process even more if you want; you can add an equalizer to higher-end options to get exactly the sound you want, but this is completely optional.
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How to get the best sound experience for gaming PCs
A high refresh rate monitor with stunning colors is a great way to immerse yourself in a game, but great audio takes gaming to the next level.
On the other hand, soundbars usually require a bit more work to get the best possible sound quality. To get the same surround sound effect as full-fledged surround sound systems, soundbars usually have to go through a setup process that calibrates the sound to the room they’re in. Much of this is relatively automated with modern soundbars, but it can still be tricky and you’ll have to repeat it every time you move a piece of furniture or decide to sit somewhere else.
Companies like Audioscenic are trying to make this more accessible, but since they aren’t as widely available yet, most soundbars require more effort to set up than headphones.
Winner: headphones
Headphones vs. Soundbars: Gaming
Single player games
Single-player and narrative games emphasize stunning sound design that immerses you in the game world, but they don’t place as much emphasis on low latency. This is why a high-quality soundbar will give you much more immersive sound with a wider soundstage at typically a cheaper price than a pair of similarly performing headphones.
Soundbars make excellent use of the surrounding space to deliver precise imaging that not only covers the left and right channels, but also provides a full 360-degree sound experience with sounds bouncing off walls and ceilings. This obviously varies from soundbar to soundbar, but typically they can provide a better gaming experience than headphones.
winner: Soundbars
Competitive Gaming
On the other hand, headphones are really beneficial when it comes to competitive gaming. Whether you are an aspiring eSports player who participates in tournaments or you love competitive gaming, headphones are sure to provide the best experience.
While good imaging and separation are essential for an immersive, competitive gaming experience, latency plays a much more important role. There are wired soundbars and Bluetooth has gotten better. However, because headphones can direct sound directly into your ears rather than from across the room, you can hear sound from headphones a little faster. In competitive gaming, every extra second you have to react gives you an advantage over other players.
winner: Headphones
Headphones vs. Soundbars: Which is Right for You?
While it would be great for gamers to have access to both high-quality headphones and soundbars, it’s not always an option for everyone. Many gamers typically choose one or the other. While both soundbars and headphones can provide an excellent gaming audio experience, it really comes down to what your living space allows and what type of games you typically enjoy playing.
If you’re a competitive gamer through and through and only play single-player narrative games every now and then, you’ll have the best experience with a good pair of headphones. If you’re a big fan of narrative gaming and want to experience the full soundstage that games have to offer in a room that allows for it, a soundbar is the way to go.
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No single pair of headphones will change your life, but a good pair will make you enjoy the music or games you play much more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Bluetooth audio good for gaming?
Bluetooth audio will always have some latency and therefore will never be as fast as a wired connection. However, modern Bluetooth codecs and standards make it more than usable as long as you don’t need frame-perfect latency.
Q: Why are gamers switching to IEMs?
Recently, many gamers are switching to IEMS or inner-ear monitors as they offer excellent noise isolation, low latency connection and most importantly, fantastic audio quality in a minimal form factor.
