Audiophile Vs Standard Headphones: Best for Gaming Online

One of the questions that a lot of people are wondering is “are audiophile headphones good for gaming”, and for a very good reason.

When you play games, you always want to have a very good audio fidelity, as that alone can help boost your gaming experience in ways that would be very hard to imagine.

This is why it makes a lot of sense to figure out if you can use audiophile headphones for gaming or not. 

What are Audiophile Headphones?

When you think about gaming headphones, those are self-explanatory. They are created specifically to offer gamers a very good audio experience. There are all kinds of gaming headphones, which also vary in price quite a bit.

The question is, are audiophile headphones good for gaming? These headphones are designed specifically to offer great audio fidelity for pretty much any type of music or activity that involves sound.

Generally, people that are calling themselves audiophiles tend to have a very specific taste in sound. They want to hear sounds exactly the way they were created.

Many headphones, including gaming ones, are suffering from an issue since they tend to alter and customize the sound the way the manufacturer sees fit.

Needless to say, if you’re a purist, you really want to ensure that the sound you hear is exactly the one that was intended for you to hear in the first place. 

These audiophile headphones are high fidelity headphones that have custom components and they always deliver a very good audio quality. Which is what makes them stand out from the crowd.

On top of that, they can be closed or open-backed, depending on the situation. More often than not, they have drivers like electrostatic, dynamic, or planar drivers.

In some cases, they might also have a combination of 2-3 different driver types. Since everything is designed to be custom-made and with a true focus on audio fidelity, that’s what really makes them stand out.

How do you know you have audiophile headphones?

There are many things that will let you know. One of them is the sticker price since audiophile headphones are way more expensive than regular ones.

On top of that, the earcups also have a very high-end material to ensure comfort and very good sound reproduction.

The fact that they have different drivers and they tend to be fully customized for a specific sound is what really pushes the experience to the next level here.

Not only that, but you will also appreciate the fact that the sound signature is bright and warm. Having the unique opportunity to emphasize either highs or lows is also a great characteristic.

You do have that studio-quality which is not something you get from standard headphones.

What type of sound do gamers expect?

Generally, most gamers will try to focus on things like a warmer, v-shaped or bright sound, which is what gamer headphones tend to bring to the table. But are audiophile headphones for gaming?

Yes, they have a similar type of sound, and the fact that they use custom drivers brings even more fidelity into the mix. That really helps offer tremendous quality and value that you rarely get to have from other headphones out there. This is why it’s a good idea to use audiophile headphones for gaming.

Some gaming headphones are actually quite expensive. However, audiophile headphones are even more expensive than that, which is why you need to tread carefully in a situation like this.

You always want to focus on getting the best possible quality and value, and the experience itself is second to none in the long run.

As you can imagine, there are all kinds of audio drivers that can be used, since you can focus on highs, lows, or other factors. That’s why it can be difficult to find the right audiophile headphones.

That doesn’t make it impossible, but it does end up bringing in its fair share of challenges as you try to complete the process and ensure everything is working as expected.

So, are audiophile headphones good for gaming? Yes, but there are some drawbacks aside from a lot of great benefits too, as you might imagine.

What are the main benefits of using audiophile headphones for gaming?

One of the main advantages, when you wonder, are audiophile headphones good for gaming is that yes, the sound quality is very impressive. These are the best option on the market when it comes to audio quality.

Most gamers tend to use their headphones for other activities such as listening to music. So in these situations, audiophile headphones are second to none, and you will find them extremely impressive for what they are.

This is why it’s recommended to use audiophile-focused headphones if you can, as that’s what gives you the best possible experience. 

For a gamer, especially someone that plays FPS titles, audio accuracy is very important.

Needless to say, these audiophile headphones are very accurate and that adds to the experience while offering a vast range of incredible benefits.

You always want to opt for something creative and innovative, and in the end, the outcome can be very good if you use such an approach. 

Another interesting thing about audiophile headphones for gaming is that they do have a very good soundstage. You do get a very good idea of where the sound comes from.

Regular headphones will not give you that accuracy you need or want as you really want to ensure that you have a good idea of where all the sound comes from and what you can expect.

With audiophile headphones, you can do that and so much more. That alone can make a huge difference.

Then as we said, you have the driving power. Most of these headphones for audiophiles are designed to harness the true power of these drivers to bring in a full, loud sound that’s much better when compared to passive headphones.

That’s why it’s a very good idea to ensure you always have access to a custom, impressive, and distinctive set of systems in place for everything to work exactly the way you would expect. 

We can also point out the great design that most of these headphones created specifically for audiophiles tend to have. They are known to be loud, powerful and they are filled with all kinds of great features as well.

The fact that you can have them as a statement piece and also use them for gaming is really exciting, and it does go to show the quality and attention to detail you can get from this type of product in the first place. 

Replacing components is another huge deal when it comes to audiophile headphones for gaming. Standard headphones don’t really have such a feature, but those headphones for audiophiles are a lot easier to customize and adapt to your needs.

That alone does bring in front a very good, empowering, and exciting experience while bringing in something you will enjoy. That alone does make a huge difference and in the long run, it’s something you will appreciate more than you expect.

Having this opportunity to customize your wiring, headband, and even the housing and earcups is very different from what you would normally expect. But that’s the true value of headphones for audiophiles, and in the end, everyone gets to benefit from stuff like this all the time.

Are there any downsides?

When you are wondering are audiophile headphones good for gaming, there are a few downsides that you need to keep in mind. One of them is obviously the overall price for products like this.

For the most part, audiophile headphones are known to be very expensive. They can actually end up costing hundreds and hundreds of dollars, sometimes even thousands.

While you can use audiophile headphones for gaming, the cost can make it quite prohibitive and that’s the thing that you need to think about when you want to buy this type of headphones in the first place. 

Another thing to note is that getting audiophile headphones is not exactly that simple. There aren’t a lot of local shops where you can get them, since they rarely have an expensive inventory like this.

So your best bet is to purchase these online as this makes it much easier to find a specific model or brand when you have a preference.

That being said, you also need to do your research to see which model is suitable and which one might not be ideal.

Having to assess and study some additional things isn’t something everyone wants to do. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it just adds more work and that alone can be quite the challenge.

Also, you need an external amp if you want to have the best, highest quality. What that means is even more research to find a compatible amp, not to mention you have to spend money on yet another thing too.

Again, not a dealbreaker, but it will add up to the costs as well. You can find mobile amps, but most of them are large, which can indeed bring in its fair share of challenges.

That’s why all these little things matter and they do add up to the entire process in the long run.

You need to think about the size too. Due to the amount of tech and features added to audiophile headphones, it’s normal for them to be a tad larger.

Some people won’t have an issue, but if you have a simpler, more minimalist gaming setup, it might be a challenge to use some larger audiophile headphones for gaming.

That doesn’t make things impossible, it just ends up adding to the expense and challenges that appear along the way.

In which game genres should you use audiophile headphones for gaming?

Generally, audiophile headphones will make a difference when you play FPS titles. Shooters focus a lot on things like localization, and accuracy, so obviously, these are the main focus if you want to invest in higher quality headphones.

If you just play arcade games or tycoon titles, you won’t really see a major benefit if you go with audiophile headphones, to begin with. 

When it comes to more cinematic titles like Assassin’s Creed, it does make sense to use audiophile headphones for gaming. It’s a great investment and one of those purchases that you can reap the benefits from for quite a while.

That’s why you always want to pay attention here, because investing in the best headphones does pay off, and it will offer you astonishing results if you manage everything appropriately.

Then there’s also the question if you play online or not and what genre you play. MMO games do rely on accurate sounds so it makes sense to use audiophile headphones if you can.

Of course, these are not mandatory, but having the added sound fidelity can actually bring you a very good result and an astounding experience as a whole.

That’s why we recommend giving it a try for yourself, and the outcome is better than you might expect if you do it right.

Should you get audiophile headphones for gaming or just stick to standard ones?

There are many things you have to take into account here. The amount of time you spend playing games, if you actually earn something from it or if it’s just a pastime will certainly influence the decision.

Then there’s also the amount of money you spent on the PC already and if you really want to spend money on a great sound system, then audiophile headphones are definitely the right pick for you.

So, are audiophile headphones good for gaming? Yes, they can be used for gaming without a problem and you will find them very reliable and easy to use.

Sure, they are quite expensive, but using audiophile headphones for gaming will provide you with great sound accuracy and detail. It’s the ultimate gaming experience, provided that you have the funds for it.

One thing is certain, audiophile headphones are well worth the investment, especially if you use your headphones for other stuff aside from games!