Sound frequencies in games

[bak3sy]

I have been looking into getting new headphones for gaming and i have been trying to do as much research as i can to find out what truly is the best headphone and what makes them so good. So i have been wondering what frequency certain sounds like; gunshots, footsteps, reloading and all of these audio cues that you get to help pinpoint an enemy are. I imagine that it probably differs on a game to game basis but is there any common ground here?

 

[cosmoji]

i would imagine the frequency range of any given headset will be far wider than what you'll encounter in game. i think you'll get more traction looking in to what functions and quality you want. read lots of reviews, and get an idea of the differences in cans, connectors, and surround types. personally i have a pair i think cost me like 35 bucks. i never had a pair before and didnt know what i wanted, so i opted for starting with a cheaper model before spending 200 on something fancy. and honestly? im really happy with what i have. maybe i'll upgrade in the future, but i dont feel any need to do so right now.

my pair for example..
http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SLBGXU6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00
the sa-903

 

[ssddx]

audible keys which give advantage in fps games are all in the treble range, with gunshots sometimes going to midrange. if what you care about is advantage only then a set of cans with brighter and more detailed treble with good mids and weak bass is what you want. bass can overpower some subtle sounds like footsteps which is why weak bass is suggested for pure accuracy. good soundstaging and positional accuracy is also a wise idea.

headphones like the ad500x, 700x are good choices for this reason and are not terribly hard to drive. headphones of this nature however are not as full sounding so while you get great advantage they are not as "fun" sounding and "immersive" as cans with more bass will be.

 

[shotgunz]

Typically a headphone that will let you easily pinpoint things around you has a fairly even frequency response, good imaging with a fast and clean transient response, impulse response and a large soundstage and low distortion. Basically headphones with fast, well controlled drivers that can produce clean sound can deliver.

If you are really interested, here's some resources you can read up on.

http/www.innerfidelity.com/content/headphone-measurements-explained-square-wave-response-page-2

http/www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-measurements-explained

There's also a database with hundreds of headphones measured.

http/www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads

If you're really really interested, go visit a high end audio store and try some headphones from $200+ AKG, Beyerdynsmic, Sennheiser headphones.

If you happen to be in Toronto, Canada, I have a Sennheiser HD800 you can try out that really delivers.

 

[bak3sy]

thank you all for your answers, they have helped a lot in narrowing down my search for the perfect headphone. The last thing i wanted to do was start testing the frequencies in games, so if any of you know of some software that would allow me to record audio from a game and would display the frequency that would be great!

 

[ssddx]

you could download audacity and use it to examine the frequencies of a sound clip https/pantherfile.uwm.edu/type/www/420_Field_Audio/FrequencyAnalysis/FrequencyAnalysisAudacity.htm

you should be able to record using windows sound recorder and enabling stereo mix (which lets mic "listen" to your pc audio noises from games, etc).