Around €800 Budget — HELP Me Find the Right Headset!
Hi everyone, I REALLY NEED SOME HELP!
At the moment I currently own:
Audeze Maxwell 2 PS Edition (outside the return window — my thoughts below)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 (still within the return window — my thoughts below)
(I’ve also been using AirPods Pro Gen 2 for years as my everyday earbuds, and now I’d like to pair them with a new over-ear headset.)
What I’m Looking For
I want a pair of over-ear headphones/headset mainly for use with my PS5 Pro, especially for single-player, story-driven games.
Right now my reference titles are:
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Crimson Desert
Resident Evil Requiem
I’m an old-school gamer ;)
I very rarely play online — maybe some Battlefield 6 with friends from time to time — so I honestly don’t care much about microphone quality.
I’m NOT looking for “competitive gaming” features like hearing enemy footsteps better, etc.
What I really want is:
Amazing soundtrack quality
Excellent dialogue clarity
Immersive sound effects
Great cinematic experience for story-driven games
I’d also use them for:
Netflix
YouTube
Occasional work video calls
My Priorities
1. COMFORT
2. EXCELLENT AUDIO QUALITY
My Experience So Far
Audeze Maxwell 2
A few months ago I bought the Maxwell 2 and I have to admit the sound quality is VERY good.
However, after about one hour of use, heat and humidity start building up inside the ear cups, making them uncomfortable.
I realized that after around one hour I always need to take them off to let my ears breathe.
At some point I also noticed I was thinking more about the discomfort than actually enjoying my PS5 gameplay.
Another issue is that the Maxwell are HUGE:
I can’t comfortably lie in bed watching Netflix with them
I can’t realistically bring them to the office for work use
Headphones I Already Tried and Returned
Sennheiser HD 630VB
Used with:
Creative BT-W/C81 aptX Low Latency adapter
Sennheiser BTD 700
My thoughts:
Not very comfortable
Too hot after about 1 hour
Audio profile sounded too flat to me
Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2
Used with the C81 aptX Low Latency adapter.
My thoughts:
AMAZING SOUND!
Probably the best sound I’ve heard so far
BUT…
Clamping force is way too strong
I start feeling discomfort after only ~40 minutes
Honestly, these would have been PERFECT if comfort wasn’t an issue.
Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2
My thoughts:
Exceptional comfort
Poor audio quality
Treble is too harsh/sibilant
I experienced ear fatigue / discomfort after around 1 hour
Current Situation — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2
Right now I’m using the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2.
Pros:
Very comfortable
Decent sound quality
Cons:
I’m experiencing occasional cracking/popping sounds when connected to the PS5 using the C81 adapter in low latency mode
If I decide to keep the Bose, I’ll probably need to buy a higher-quality Bluetooth low-latency adapter for PS5 use.
My Big Question
At this point, does it even make sense to keep searching for other headphones?
I’m currently considering:
Arctis Nova Elite
They use carbon drivers, just like the B&W PX8 S2, so I’m wondering:
Could they sound somewhat similar while being more comfortable?
Maybe THESE are the right headphones?
Sony Inzone H9 II
I’ve read they’re good and comfortable.
What do you think?
Would they actually be better than the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 I currently own?
Fractal Scape
I’ve read they also have a pretty strong clamping force and aren’t very comfortable.
Open-Back Headphones?
Should I consider open-back headphones?
My concern is that I might disturb or wake up my small children if I play late at night or watch movies in bed.
Other Suggestions?
What else should I consider?
Crazy Final Option 😂
Use the C81 dongle with my AirPods Pro Gen 2…
…and sell/return both the Maxwell 2 and the Bose? 🥹😄
One Last Thing
I’m excluding the Astro A50 from the start because the design is way too “gaming-oriented” for my taste.
PLEASE HELP ME! 😅