PS4/PS5 Headphone Advice

Hey Duders!

I need some tech advice by anyone confident in their headphone/sound lore.

I'd like to set myself up quite comfortably for headphone audio using my PS4 and eventually my PS5 whenever I can get a hold of one.

I'm currently using some sort of old model Turtle beach headset from like 2014, I'd like to move passed it - audio seems okay but its got this huge chord and I'd love to just go full wireless and I want to make sure I'm getting the best possible sound quality I can get for newer games.

I was looking at the new PS5 headset, seems like it works on PS4 too so it'll cover both bases which I like. Reviews seem all over the place though but it is affordable. Only like 150 bucks.

The big caveat - I own a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort QC35s with noise canceling and some of the best audio I've heard in a headset. I use them on my PC when I game on there via bluetooth and its just fantastic. I'm not sold with them on PS4 though, I have to jack into the controller in order for them to work and I find that the latency and the audio quality is questionable compared to what I KNOW they can put out from my experience on the PC. Is there a way I can run them wired direct to the console or connect them somehow via a specialized dongle accessory for a better audio experience?

Was hoping PS5 would allow bluetooth but seems like they cheaped out of that route to sell their own headsets.

TLDR; I'm fine buying their headset but would rather use my QC35s or something else if there is a markedly better alternative.

I have the PS platinum headphones for this reason. Plugging a usb in the back of the PS5 and forgetting about it means I just flick them on when I need them. Great positional audio as well

I'm pretty sure you will not be disappointed with the Sony headsets. I have several really nice headphones, and the Gold headsets still sound good to me by comparison.

If you're really, truly committed to wiring your Bose headphones in, you could get an optical-to-analog audio converter box. You may also be able to use a USB-to-3.5mm cable, but I don't know what support is like for that.

Frankly, though, I would recommend any of the Playstation headsets. I really don't think this is worth the hassle if you can afford the difference.

I've got both the QC 35 iis and the PS5 ones. I find the QC 35's more comfortable and better sound quality but i like the ease of the PS5 ones. i just turn them on and they connect easy, wireless. good battery. good sound quality as far as I can tell. (I'm by no means an audiophile) . I recommend them on ease alone

I'm trying to figure out what to get too. I want something that is made to works with PS5...not just 'kinda work'. Too many reviews of gaming headsets are done without even TESTING them on an actual PS5 - even once! Then when you add in too many website don't even have a test chamber of even a test frequency response they just have "three weirdos in our office and asked them what they thought".

Testing should not based ONLY be on a human opinion, opinion helps with maybe fit and looks, but the actually the actuly hardware there needs to be some sort of testing equipment.

I got the Razer Kraken (Tournament Edition) headset on a Black Friday sale two years ago and I'm really happy with them. I use them mostly during late night gaming when I can't run my 5.1 sound system. They are comfortable, have great sound, and I also like how you can tuck away the mic. People have told me the voice quality is amazing when they hear me.

I tried the sony pulse 3D headset and I liked the sound quality, but I have a big head and they felt a bit too tight for my liking. Ended up giving them to my gf and got the steelseries arctis 7p, which I’ve been enjoying.

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah I might just take a dive on the Pulse headset - 150 bucks isnt too bad for the ease of use - which is ultimately my main goal.

Side note: Bose QC headphones are damn comfortable.

I went through this, as a headphones numbie. Now had two sets of PS4 Gold headphones, the latest model of which have been fantastic! My first pair were a bit tight across my big head 😁 but other than 5hat no complaints. Great sound, great value. Note 3.5mm and usb only, no Bluetooth.

The Sennheiser pc38x gaming headsets are generally considered to be the best you can get for around the 150$ range. I recommend looking up some reviews on them if you're not familiar with Sennheiser as a brand.

https://drop.com/buy/drop-sennheiser-pc38x-gaming-headset

The "official" PS5 headset, fortunately, is very good. Despite the fixed headband, it is adjustable. Sony gave the device a clean look by hiding the microphones in the headphones instead of mounting them on a barbell. Microphones have noise cancellation, so they should block out some external noise. But still, I decided to purchase new high-quality headphones using the website [url=https://productz.com/en/steelseries-siberia-200/p/lJo2]https://productz.com/en/steelseries-siberia-200/p/lJo2[/url]. It was a great decision, because I want to feel the full degree of enjoyment from the process of the game itself.

I did end up getting the PS5 headset, but have actually been really disappointed in it overall. I dont find the battery to last too long, maybe only 5-6 hours, its not that comfortable to wear and I cant help but feel the audio quality isnt as good as my Bose Quiet Comfort even though its running through the controller via an annoying chord vs true wireless.

For my Xbox I picked up the LucidSound LS50X Bluetooth Headset and have been really impressed with that purchase. Good sound, incredible comfort, and the audio adjustments are dials on each of the ear cups that are easy to adjust and trim while action is going on in a multiplayer game.

Anyway just my two thoughts. For its low price point the PS5 headset isn't terrible by any means, its just not what I was hoping for after how strongly its been reviewed. If money is not tight I'd definitely recommend looking elsewhere if anyone else ends up reading this thread.

@junkerman: I also got the official PS5 headset and have mostly been disappointed by its claims of “3D audio”. That said, I’ve been disappointed by all claims of 3D audio outside of a movie theater. Even surround sound 7.1 speakers don’t really do it, so in the past year I’ve given up on the idea. However, I do still wear headphones for all gaming because it beats speakers in almost all occasions and a pair of incredibly comfy headphones that also sound pretty good for not billions of dollars are steelseries Arctis 7+. Now, I’m not a proper audiophile, but I’ve been so happy with these that I use them for everything, games on PC, PS5, and movies/TV when I’m watching alone. The biggest benefit is the comfort, which is that I often forget I’m wearing them. They have one of those “internal ski strap” designs so it isn’t the hard metal or plastic touching to top of your head, just soft cloth. Also the ear cups are cloth-y, not rubbery like the PS5 pulse headset. They are Bluetooth, so I dunno if I’m getting a delay, but I can’t tell. Now, they do have downsides. The range on the Bluetooth isn’t great. I sometimes go to the other room and hear a crackle, or even a full drop, and their proprietary software, while good for mixing, sometimes straight up doesn’t work without a computer restart. Also, a few times I’ve had to take a cup off to stick a pin into the reset hole to get it to reconnect, but that is like twice in a year of having them. I would recommend them as an Everyman good headset, but again, I dunno if they pass the audiophile purist test. They are about $150, I think, and I’ve been about 90% happy with them.

@tartyron: Thanks for the reply!

Yeah I feel much the same way. I picked up a pair of cheap walmart 60 dollar Turtle Beach Headphones when I got my PS4 in 2016 and honestly I cant tell the difference between them and the new PS5 headphones really. The audio of a headphone is definitely the way to go and the turtle beach ones are more comfortable by a magnitude but they were wired and I was hoping to get away from that now that I'm in the new console Gen.

I dont get 3D audio - I too was super pumped about the idea after hearing people rave about it in reviews but I cant tell the difference between it and another decent or greater quality device. Pretty convinced its a gimmick but maybe I just dont have the ear for it like some people do.

I get my hearing checked professionally every 6 months as a part of my job and I've always scored at the highest level of human hearing so I dont think I'm missing some spectrum do to hearing loss. Maybe its a brain thing, maybe its placebo!

TLDR; I guess you just gotta try these things for yourself and its too subject to lean too heavily on a review for these kinds of products. Same as TVs I guess.

@junkerman: it’s funny, you are totally right. I bought like five semi-expensive ($100 or more) headsets in the three years because I really don’t like speakers for the most part. That’s a actually due to living in thin walled apartments when I’m both hearing my neighbors and also not wanting to disturb my neighbors. And when you have at least two different headsets to swap between, you start noticing the tiny differences. Right now, I have three I swap between. The PS5 pulse, because I feel an obligation to use them due to the price, despite not really being that good, the Arctis 7+ because they are the best I own for PC, and an Alf pair of silensys E7 for when I’m on my deck having a beer and listening to music on my iPhone due to the Arctis headsets bad Bluetooth range. Through this, my zoom call pals have poked fun at me due to seemingly never wearing the same headphones twice. And it’s funny explaining why I have three headsets charging in my living room when I have guests, because they for some reason always notice that first.

I just went with the Sony PULSE 3D Wireless because when I bought it early this year all the companies where just saying their headset worked, but were really vague as to why they same headset tech they had used for other headset for PS4, Serix S and One X where "somehow" now better. The theory is every "can work" with PS5, which is great.

Sony's headset was inexpensive and is of 'good enough' quality. Most of the other big names are good too, with certain caveats about microphone clarity or how well the base 'thumps'. I honest didn't feel like spending over $99 at this point - maybe - 2nd or 3rd generation PS5 headset will have improved and at THAT POINT I will consider buying something better.

https://www.schiit.com/products/fulla-2?gclid=Cj0KCQjwyt-ZBhCNARIsAKH1175HzMbuRdKQQNCe5S4M0_MRK6DYMdvCr7Ptsn8mHI626zbjgGZYVvEaAk6tEALw_wcB

The Schit Fulla audio dac can drive your Bose headphones and connect via the optical output to a PS4 and TV (Which means Switch and PS5 will work as well). It’s cheap and amazing.

I always go the pro audio route vs the gaming audio route. It’s usually cheaper and higher quality. The beyerdynamic open ear headphones are amazing for gaming given the price and quality if your not looking for noise cancellation

To improve your headphone audio experience on your PS4 and future PS5, consider using a wired connection or a wireless dongle with your Bose QC35s. This can help reduce latency and potentially enhance audio quality. Alternatively, explore third-party wireless adapters for a better wireless experience with your preferred headphones.