The best audiophile gaming headphones have long been touted as a better alternative to gaming headphones.
For a long time, gaming peripheral manufacturers have been packing their headsets with features but neglecting actual audio quality.
7 Best Audiophile Headphones For Gaming 2025
1. Beyerdynamic MMX 330 Pro
The Beyerdynamic MMX 330 is the best audiophile gaming headphone we’ve ever used. It’s perfect for mixing and mastering audio, but it’s also great for gaming.
We’ll talk about the sound in a moment, but first, let’s talk about quality and comfort.
Forget leather. The thick padding is far more comfortable than anything else you can put on your head.
The massive velour cushions completely cover your ears and are much more comfortable than most cushions, even when wearing glasses.
It’s not just the padding. The spring steel headband is well-coated with memory foam, and the entire device seals perfectly to your head, creating a perfect balance of comfort and noise isolation.
You can still hear the surrounding sounds, but you don’t feel completely blocked out, and the isolation is just right enough to fully immerse you in the audio without any distractions.
The fit is very firm at first, but it naturally stretches after a few days of use, making it very comfortable and easy to wear.
This is an open-backed headset, which means you’ll hear a bit more ambient noise or accuracy than traditional closed-back models.
The MMX 330 Pro is very accurate, with a punchy bass that makes other gamer-focused headsets sound terrible.
The flat response can be precise, but the bass accuracy is surgical, allowing you to hear every layer of the mix while still feeling a decent amount of bounce.
2. Sennheiser HD 800 S
For those looking to spend a whopping £1,200 on a pair of top-of-the-line gaming audiophile headphones, the Sennheiser HD 800 S is a great choice.
Weighing in at 330g and with an impedance of 300Ω, these over-ear open headphones have a unique design that may not be to everyone’s taste. But the sound is perfect.
Boasting studio-quality sound, these headphones deliver sublime sound to your ears at subtle angles, enhancing the stereo realism.
It’s got all the bells and whistles of a great audiophile headphone, but it’s also easy to customize to your gamer’s taste. It’s one of the best audiophile gaming headphones in every way.
If you’re looking for high-quality audio, but have a tighter budget than most of the audiophile headphones featured in this guide, my top pick for value is the Sennheiser HD 800 S.
3. Philips Fidelio X2HR
The Philips Fidelio X2HR is one of the few headphones that is beloved by both audiophiles and gamers alike.
The X2HR, which launched at $300, is now available for less than half its MSRP, making it an even more attractive option.
Despite its $300 price tag, the X2HR still stands out as one of the best in its class.
Its vibrant, bass-heavy sound, along with excellent clarity, soundstage, and imaging performance, immerses you in both music and games.
Competitive gamers will also appreciate the combination of velour ear pads and headband, which keeps you comfortable even during long gaming sessions.
But the X2HR’s biggest selling point for gamers is its detachable single-ended 3.5mm cable.
This seems like a feature that should be on every modern headphone, but audiophiles tend to prefer a more professional solution.
This connector makes it incredibly easy to turn the X2HR into a headset using any mic remote cable or a boom mic cable like the V-Moda Boom Pro or Beyerdynamic Custom Headset Gear.
4. Drop + Epos PC38X
It’s subjective to think of these as audiophile headphones. In fact, the term “cheap audiophile headphones” is a contradiction in terms, as the term audiophile is mostly reserved for high-end users.
However, I am convinced that even at a low price point, they deliver great sound quality, and these Drop + Epos PC38X headphones are the best value audiophile headphones for gaming.
The PC38X is one of the best sound quality gaming headsets I have ever used. The open-backed design delivers a wide and open sound from the start, while still being clear and rich.
No matter what genre you choose, these headphones will sound fantastic.
The bass response is surprisingly punchy, and while the Sennheiser signature treble is still there, it doesn’t compromise on the rich midrange, lush bass, and crisp frequency response.
You can really hear the lowest sub-bass, which is impressive compared to any other headphones.
5. Audio-Technica ATH-M50X
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50X is targeting a wider range of budget-friendly markets. It’s been around for quite some time, so you can get it for a bargain, and they regularly run sales.
Either way, the ATH-M50X offers high-quality sound at a very reasonable price.
This is the first closed-back headphone we’ve reviewed, and it’s a great choice for anyone concerned about audio leakage.
However, like all closed headphones, they are prone to the ‘echo chamber effect’.
This is a phenomenon that occurs in an empty, cavernous environment with unwanted echo and reverberation, and sound damping can reduce this echo and reverberation, but it cannot be eliminated.
Weighing only 285g, they are very solid and durable. They are a great choice for those looking for a solid pair of headphones.
The impedance is 38, making them easy to use with plug-and-play functionality without a DAC/AMP.
6. AKG K702 Headphones
The key thing I think about the K702 headphones is that they are often sold for half that price, or even less.
This lowers the performance level expected from premium headphones to the mid-range, and in my opinion, the K702 has an overwhelming presence.
In fact, the AKG K702 has often been recommended as a headphone that can be used as a gaming headset when connected to the Antlion ModMic.
Of course, these two cable solutions aren’t as convenient as the latter Fidelio X2HR, but the K702 still holds its own.
As a gaming headset, the K702’s biggest strengths are its excellent detail reproduction and magnificent soundstage.
It wraps you in rich sound with excellent imaging. However, the tuning is somewhat lacking compared to products like the X2HR, so it’s not for everyone.
The AKG K702 is a great headphone that’s a bit divisive. I would have liked to recommend it as an editor’s pick, but its divisive sound doesn’t make it a good choice for gamers.
7. Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet
If you’re looking for a pair of studio headphones, then you’re in luck with a decent pair of Audio-Technica headphones.
If you want to use them as a gaming headset, then the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet is the way to go. These headphones are without a doubt the best gaming studio headphones.
The predecessor to these headphones, the ATH-M50x, is known for its studio-quality sound, and for good reason.
Studio headphones need to capture sound as clearly as possible across the entire frequency range, and the ATH-M50x does just that.
The closed-back headphones’ 45mm drivers deliver crisp sound between 15kHz and 28kHz. They’re clear enough for any music producer to enjoy when mixing and mastering.
The ATH-M50x is the predecessor to the ATH-M50xSTS, but audio-wise, they’re basically the same headphones.
The main changes are the design and the microphone (the ATH-M50xSTS doesn’t have a microphone).
And these are the main changes that PC gamers will appreciate.
8. Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37x
Massdrop has been a beloved brand in the audiophile community. Through its unique group-buying model, it has provided a new way for both deal hunters and budget shoppers to purchase hard-to-find headphones at a lower price.
This has led Massdrop to sign deals with well-known audiophile brands to release collaborative models at even lower prices. One of these collaborations is the Sennheiser PC37x headset.
Like all Massdrop collaborations, the PC37x is a revised version of the original design, this time with a lower price and lower component count. In this case, it’s the PC373D.
The lightweight plastic case isn’t exactly premium, but it’s a detail that’s much more forgivable on the $120 PC37x than its $250 predecessor.
The PC37x is a bit light on the bass (perhaps due to its open-back design), which makes the overall sound feel a bit colder.
It’s a departure from the typical bass-heavy approach of most gaming headphones, but shooters and competitive gamers will appreciate the added clarity of footsteps and other subtle details.
FAQs
Are audiophile headphones good for gaming?
Yes. The frequency range of audiophile headphones is good for gaming, but the lack of a microphone can be distracting for some users.
What are the best audiophile headphones for gaming?
Sound is different for everyone. Every year, a new audiophile gaming headphone list is released. The Audeze Mobius is a great headset to consider.
Are open-back headphones good for gaming?
The open-back headphone design provides the most natural soundscape for gaming, especially in large-scale open-world games.
It also reduces ear fatigue during long gaming sessions, as sound waves do not bounce around your ear canal.
However, closed-back headphones are effective at blocking out noise and are useful when gaming in rooms where sound leaks from the headphones can affect others.
However, closed-back designs can affect the sound itself because they interact with the earcups.
Are music headphones good for gaming?
Yes. The frequency range is very wide for gaming. Choosing headphones with good bass response will definitely improve your gaming experience.