The Best Audiophile Headphones for Gaming

The headband has eight adjustment levels with a metal frame and hinges, extra ear pads come in the box, and the mic covers 20Hz to 20kHz. Plugs include 4.4mm balanced, 3.5mm and 6.3mm, plus a USB-C adapter. On driver size it leads this guide at 100mm, ahead of the Fosi i5 (97mm).

It shares a wired connection with the Fosi i5 and Sundara; the MMX 330 Pro goes with a wired 3.5mm connection. It shares an open-back planar magnetic design with the Fosi i5 and Sundara; the DT 990 Pro goes with an open-back design. It is the only pick here with an on-cable MEMS boom mic microphone; the MMX 330 Pro has a condenser microphone instead.

Because it is open-back, other people in the room will hear it, and it will not block outside noise. When we checked, only the DT 990 Pro and cheaper picks cost less, and the MMX 330 Pro cost more.

It also offers a 97mm driver size. Its 97mm planar diaphragm is 2 microns thin with a sputtered silver alloy coating. A memory-steel headband, multi-axis pivoting cups and silicone sliders handle the fit.

Its 97mm driver size ranks second of 3 here, behind the ROG Kithara (100mm) and ahead of the MMX 330 Pro (45mm). Like the ROG Kithara and Sundara, it has a wired connection, while the MMX 330 Pro uses a wired 3.5mm connection. Like the ROG Kithara and Sundara, it has an open-back planar magnetic design, while the MMX 330 Pro uses an open-back design.

Because it is open-back, other people in the room will hear it, and it will not block outside noise. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the MMX 330 Pro.

It also offers a 45mm driver size. Its 45mm driver size is the smallest in this group; the ROG Kithara leads at 100mm. No other pick in this guide offers a wired 3.5mm connection; compare the Fosi i5, which has a wired connection.

Like the DT 990 Pro, it has an open-back design, while the ROG Kithara uses an open-back planar magnetic design. A condenser microphone is unique to it among these picks, while the ROG Kithara uses an on-cable MEMS boom mic microphone. A 3.5mm plug means it works with a controller or front-panel jack; on PC, a separate mic and headphone jack may need a splitter.

Because it is open-back, other people in the room will hear it, and it will not block outside noise. Its price falls between the ROG Kithara and the Fosi i5, based on our last check.

The metal headband and weight-spreading strap suit long listening. Being open-back, it leaks sound and lets room noise in, so it suits a quiet room. Its metal headband and weight-spreading strap keep pressure off the top of the head.

HIFIMAN recommends about 150 hours of burn-in, and the 3.5mm connectors are sturdier than earlier versions. Like the ROG Kithara and Fosi i5, it has a wired connection, while the MMX 330 Pro uses a wired 3.5mm connection. Like the ROG Kithara and Fosi i5, it has an open-back planar magnetic design, while the MMX 330 Pro uses an open-back design.

Because it is open-back, other people in the room will hear it, and it will not block outside noise. It undercut the DT 990 Pro and every other pick on price at the time of writing.

It works best from an audio interface or amp rather than a controller jack. It shares an open-back design with the MMX 330 Pro; the Fosi i5 goes with an open-back planar magnetic design. It also comes with a 250-ohm load suited to audio interfaces and a studio reference design.

Because it is open-back, other people in the room will hear it, and it will not block outside noise. It was priced above the Sundara and below the ROG Kithara at the time of writing. There is no published driver size figure, whereas the ROG Kithara comes in at 100mm.