Best Headphones

Gone are days of gramophones and record players projecting music for all to hear. Since leaving these antiquated instruments in the dust, we as a collective society have underwent a rapid and drastic transformation in the way we consume music over the last 30 or so years. From cassettes, to Walkman’s, to CD players, to iPods and now our cell phones, the one consistent with these devices are the use of headphones. Headphones have become as essential to one’s daily wardrobe as a watch or belt. For some, headphones are part of their identity, for others, the music that they are able to hear anywhere they go provides the ability to focus, pass time, or escape. Besides these marvelous benefits, the one that is most commonly overlooked is that when the earbuds are in, it acts as the international indicator for “don’t bother me”—regardless of whether music is playing or not.

Not all headphones are built the same (especially for gaming). You’ve got your basic gas station headphones that make it so you don’t have to use your TV’s speakers when playing video games. The next step up is your Skullcandy’s and Apple iPhone headphones. These are the first tier of headphones where you’ll have a microphone to communicate and an easy solution for the casual gamer. When you want to take your gaming to the next level, you get a pair of PlayStaion gaming headphones, headsets made specifically for PlayStation gamers.

Gaming headphones—not all are created equally. It’s what separates the rookies from the vets, the noobs from the legends. The competitive advantage supplied by a pair of top-notch gaming headphones can make even the most average player a juggernaut. When it comes to quality and brand recognition, Turtle Beach stands atop a pedestal, with their superior headphones often imitated, but never replicated. Turtle Beach has been supplying top gamers with their headsets literally since playing online has been a thing. Originally a tech company that created music and audio-related products, the rise of gaming has coincided with their rise as a company, both in notoriety and gamer-centric gear expertise. Turtle Beach lives by a creed of “Hear Everything. Defeat Everyone,” using the highest quality technology available to craft gaming headsets that allow those wearing them to thrive in whatever game they might be playing. Turtle Beach headsets can be broken down into three main components: audio, communication and comfort. Given the company’s background as a provider of audio equipment, it should come as no surprise that their headsets provide audio so clear that you’ll be able to hear even the slightest of noises. For gamers, the key to teamwork and team victories is being able to work together. When you use a headset that creates audio delays, or garbles your voice, game play suffers. With Turtle Beach, their microphone technology makes sure that you won’t run into any problems with distortion. And last, but not least, comfort; with each headset from the brand that has continuously broken barriers, you’ll be able to easily game for hours on end thanks to the lightweight and supportive design of all Turtle Beach products.

You have the console. You have the controller. You have the chair, the setup, the everything. The list goes on and on, and yet having a professional level headset is something amateur gamers go without. Spoiler alert: they shouldn’t. Even if you’re opting to use something like Skull Candy or Bose earbuds, you’re leaving too much on the table. Please, please, PLEASE don’t try to say if it has a microphone and you’re getting the game audio directly into your ears it’s the same—it isn’t. Gaming headsets are engineered to provide audio specifically for video games meaning that you will hear the faintest of noises and be able to identify which direction they’re coming from.