Trying to find the best gaming headphones under $300

[kdonkov]

Hello forum.
I recently broke my old steelseries headphones and i am in need of new ones.
This time however i have opted to use headphones and mic separate and not have a headset with both of them in 1.

I have decided on the Vmoda Boom pro microphone after listening toa lot of mic tests.

For the headphones however i am kind of torn.... I am hearing great things about the HD 598, ATH M50x and Vmoda M100.... Apparently all three of those headhones are great and i can't decide which one is the best. Yes i know some are open back and some closed. So far i haven't really used any closed back head phones so, i'd be interested to read what any of you have to comment on that. What the benefits are of one and the other.
I am looking for the best sound quality possible with deep lows and clear highs with rich mids.
I do play games a lot so these phones will be used for gaming 90% of the time. Having said that a pair of headphones with good direction sound is a MUST. That's something i am really looking for in a headset so i can hear everything which is going on around me.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Any headphone suggestions which aren't in my list are welcome as well if somebody has better suggestions.

 

[Chugalug_]

Yep, you're entirely right, a headphone microphone combo is the best in this price range.
Go with the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, great headphones in this price range, and they allow you to invest in a good microphone like the Blue Yeti which is currently going for $129 on newegg: http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836431024
Here is a link to the M50xs http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0ZS3PC2162
If you have any questions about highs, lows, bass or quality, feel free to let me know.

 

[manzooka]

I'm in the same boat.

I recently broke the mic off my Senn 363d headset, and while researching a better replacement it became clear that headphones and an independent mic is the way to go. Two days later I was ready to drop $1500+ on a headset and another $500 for an amp and DAC, but prudence prevailed and I've reined myself in a bit, lol.

So now I'm taking a hard look at the Philips Fidelio X2. In many of the comparison reviews I've been watching on youtube the X2 ends up topping the list in the sub $300 range.

 

[Chugalug_]

I'm in the same boat.

I recently broke the mic off my Senn 363d headset, and while researching a better replacement it became clear that headphones and an independent mic is the way to go. Two days later I was ready to drop $1500+ on a headset and another $500 for an amp and DAC, but prudence prevailed and I've reined myself in a bit, lol.

So now I'm taking a hard look at the Philips Fidelio X2. In many of the comparison reviews I've been watching on youtube the X2 ends up topping the list in the sub $300 range.

Assuming you DID actually mean $1500 and $500 and not $150 and $50, my jaw is hitting the ground right now.
xD

 

[kdonkov]

Yep, you're entirely right, a headphone microphone combo is the best in this price range.
Go with the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, great headphones in this price range, and they allow you to invest in a good microphone like the Blue Yeti which is currently going for $129 on newegg: http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836431024
Here is a link to the M50xs http/www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0ZS3PC2162
If you have any questions about highs, lows, bass or quality, feel free to let me know.

Would you be able to comment on the ear cup size of the M50x? I am looking for a comfortable pari of headphones and i do want the cups to go comfortable over my years . I wouldn't like to feel the inside of the driver of back of the ear cup with my ears when i'm using them

 

[Chugalug_]

They fit very nicely, and very comfortable when wearing them for long periods of time.
You don't feel any protrusions on the inside when wearing them, and it comes with several different length and material cords to suit your use, all of which are detachable.

 

[manzooka]

Assuming you DID actually mean $1500 and $500 and not $150 and $50, my jaw is hitting the ground right now.
xD

lol, those weren't typos, but to put this into perspective, by the time I reached those numbers I had nearly forgotten that I began my research sessions with the itention of finding a set of gaming headphones and had moved on to fulfilling my new aspiration-of-the-week... becoming an audiophile. Delving into any new tech or science related product is dangerous for me as I tend to get very carried away. The beautiful microscopes sitting on the desk next to me stand as testament to that fact. 😀

But back on topic, after doing more research last night I've decided to go with the Fidelio X2's for gaming. I can't find a bad review on them (most reviewers simply gush) and they top many a list even when compared to headphones that cost twice as much, like the Senn HD-650's. Looks like I can pick up a pair of the X2's on Amazon for $227.

 

[manzooka]

By the way, I am still getting an amp and DAC in preparation for the inevitable trek towards expanding my audio horizons, so if either of you are curious when everything arrives I'll try to do a comparison between the X2 with on-board audio and the X2 on and amp/DAC stack just to see if there's an appreciable difference to a audio newb. As things stand now I'll probably either get the Schiit Modi2/Magni2 stack or bump that up to an Asgard2/Bifrost stack depending on how much I've had to drink at the time of purchase.