Headphones and headsets come in a wide range of styles and even functions. You’ve got a lot of different choices to make- from street-style fashion with a heavy bass emphasis for listening only to a gamer-friendly, multi-function set with a microphone for chatting. The latter option is what we’ll be focusing on today, but you’ll still need to determine what you’re looking for in a few ways now that we’ve narrowed down your search a bit. You’ll want to check prices of course, but just as importantly, need to consider whether you want an open or a closed-back experience.
Audio-Technica offers both models in their newest gaming headset line in fact, but we’re looking primarily at the Audio-Technica ATH-PG1 Premium Closed-Back Gaming Headset. Tomorrow, we’ll go hands-on with another piece of A-T gear, but first we need to look at the playing field. We’ve seen a lot of headsets of the years, including one of our favorite overall wired sets last year in the predecessor ATH-AG1. This one tones down the gold accents a bit but keeps the low-latency wires for better responsiveness compared with wireless models. And it’s more subtle appearance means it is usable even outside of your game room, while you’re on the subway or bus. It’s a bit big and a bit heavy, but it’s lighter than most other gaming sets.
Plush leather earpads mean this the ATH-PG1s are comfortable enough for lengthy gaming sessions, but they aren’t padded enough to cause issues with sweat. The closed set means better isolation and superior clarity, but we wouldn’t recommend walking around town with your music blaring. Perhaps the best feature of the pair is that they come with three different swappable cables- one for smartphone use and compatible with iOS with a volume slider and one button controller, another with a six-inch boom gooseneck microphone for “like you’re there” in-game communication with PS4 and PC, plus an longer extension for PC use. The boom mic is particularly impressive, as teammates reported no fuzz or hissing or echoing, and it never got in the way.
Audio performance is decent- but it’s not a 5.1 set, nor does it offer the bass responsiveness that make explosions and gunshots thumping, felt as much as heard. Theres’s minimal distortion until you try to push them to higher volumes. As with all other competitors, for use with the Xbox One, you’ll need the Headset Adapter. To our ears, these weren’t quite as exceptional as their predecessor, but they do feel sturdy and have quite a bit of that Audi0-Technica magic. Available now, online and in stores, the ATH-PG1s will run you about $170.