Which headphones to choose for cs go. Choosing the best gaming headphones for cs go

Need some great headphones for gaming? Do you want to hear your opponent's every step? Or just want to know what “ears” should be like to really help in the game? In this case, we will explain and offer models!

Why you need good headphones

Every sound in CS GO is very important. By hearing what your opponent is doing, you can predict his actions and win. In this case, it is necessary not only to hear what the enemy is doing. It is important to know where exactly he does this. Does he stomp on the right or left, throws a grenade somewhere or shoots at a wall, and so on. As you know, whoever saw and shot first wins.

If you have good hearing and excellent headphones, in most cases you won’t need any WallHack. Your ears will allow you to practically “see” through walls, determining the enemy’s movements with an accuracy of a few millimeters on a computer monitor.

The main qualities of headphones

First, let's decide by what criteria we will consider the “ideal” gamer headphones for CS GO. What capabilities should they have to provide the owner with the maximum? And what should you look for when choosing?

To hear everything, you need to buy headphones with the appropriate characteristics. New “ears”:

light and comfortable enough so that nothing interferes with your concentration during long skating sessions;
have surround sound that will allow you to hear exactly where the enemy is swarming or running;
they suppress noise well so that external stimuli do not distract from the skating rink, but at the same time they do not release sounds outside without disturbing others;
allow you to hear steps quite clearly and loudly, that is, have high sound quality;
gaming models must have a good microphone in order to provide information to teammates.

Of course, such pleasure will cost a lot. But this is a necessity that will allow you to really win. Literally see through walls without using cheats or other scams.

How to choose headphones

The first selection criterion is price. After determining your budget, you can safely cut off the cheapest or overly expensive options. You should expect that the price of truly high-quality headphones will be high. But this is the cost of professionalism.

Then you will have to choose the company that you like the most and is distinguished by high-quality models. For example, purchase special gaming headphones from Steel Series or choose SVEN, Sennheiser or other manufacturers.

Finally, choose a specific design and model. Design is also very important, since the thing should not only work, but also please the owner. But first of all, for a professional player (even if he is only dreaming of a big stage), functionality is important, and only then – appearance.

What budget should you expect?

As a rule, good headphones are quite expensive. You cannot purchase a high-quality model that can meet all requirements for a conventional 350 rubles.

First, you will have to determine the approximate amount you are willing to spend on the device. For example, 1500-2000 rubles. And start from it. As a rule, over time, such “ears” will no longer be enough. But later you can buy a model that is a little more expensive, but much better and more convenient, due to natural progress.

The best models of gaming headphones for CS GO

Let’s look at several model options that can easily cope with all the tasks assigned to gaming headphones. Headphones are listed from different price categories to make the selection process as easy as possible for every gamer.

A4Tech HS-60. Cheap and not the best quality, they cope with the main purpose of determining sound. Suitable for beginner players who just want to take their first steps. Of the minuses: not suitable for music, sound quality is far from ideal. Cost – no more than 800 rubles.

Plantronics GameCom 388. The model is a little more expensive and better. Excellent surround sound, capable of localizing the enemy quite accurately. Truly entry-level gaming headphones. A significant minus is that you can hear about the same from the outside of the headphones as from the inside. Cost – approximately 2100 rubles.

Kingston HyperX Cloud Core. High-quality sound with good volume, pleasant and comfortable design. At the same time, the headphones are light and comfortable. One of the unpleasant moments is that they are not suitable for the built-in sound card, because they will be too quiet. Cost - on average 5500 rubles.

Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930. Ideal headphones. Dear, serious. Especially for professionals. They are distinguished by excellent quality and a large number of settings. They answer any requests. But there are also negative aspects - the fragility of plastic and wirelessness. But the latter is compensated by a smart communication module. The cost is within 11,000 rubles.

Gaming in-ear headphones are quite rare, and only a few companies make them. In addition to the Creative Sound BlasterX P5, you can remember the Razer Hammerhead, Steelseries Flux, Thermaltake Isurus, Roccat Aluma and, probably, that’s all. Other plugs are positioned as universal, and therefore cannot be called exclusively for gamers.

The peculiarity of all eSports headsets is that they are designed primarily to create maximum comfort during multi-hour gaming sessions and the best orientation in the in-game space. This requires thoughtful design, high precision assembly and quality materials. The consequence of this approach to production is the ability to work perfectly not only in games, but also when playing music.

To put it simply, any normal gaming headset is an audiophile by default, and costing 4,990 rubles is no exception.

Convenience and reliability

In-ear form factor is the lightest type of headphones. The total weight of the Sound BlasterX P5 is only 12 grams, with most of it being the wires, plug and remote control.

A typical full-size headset weighs about 300 grams. No matter how well thought out its design is, this mass will still put pressure on the head and neck. No matter how high-quality the material of the ear pads is, the skin still sweats from them. Especially during intense games. Especially in hot weather and stuffy rooms.

While communicating some time ago with professional cyber-athlete in the League of Legends discipline Vyacheslav Egorov, I learned that athletes of this level devote 10 to 14 hours a day to training. During tournaments they play even more. Now imagine that all this time you have a heavy full-size headset on your head, which makes your ears sweat...

Light weight and compactness of earplugs often become the determining factors when choosing a headset for a gaming laptop, because carrying around headphones that take up more space than the computer itself is nonsense.

The Sound BlasterX P5's body has a streamlined, tapered shape, and the speaker outputs are located at a slight angle. This allows the headphones to be pressed lightly on one side against the outer ear canal, providing additional support.

The headset uses unusual ear pads with spiral ribs.

These flexible spacers increase the elasticity of the earplugs and, when sized correctly, completely isolate from surrounding sounds without causing unpleasant pressure on the inner surface of the ear.

Anyone who has ever been to an eSports stadium can imagine how noisy it is. At crucial moments, the audience literally goes crazy. At these same moments, it is especially important for players to hear what is happening in the game in order to take the only right action in a split second and drag out the match. You can't do without perfect sound insulation. This is why athletes use earplugs, and sometimes even put another full-size headset on top. Just to block out the roar of the crowd and at least hear something.

In everyday life, good noise insulation helps you focus on your gaming experience regardless of the environment. Mobile gamers appreciate plugs for the opportunity to get rid of the sounds of the subway and other transport. Family people sometimes want to get away from the hustle and bustle of home for a while. For such situations, in-ear headphones are ideal.

When used for its intended purpose, the reliability of the Sound BlasterX P5 is beyond doubt. Firstly, stress on a break during a game occurs extremely rarely, and secondly, if you try to break the wire, the headphone plug will simply jump out of the adapter with which the headset is connected to the computer or laptop.

Some concerns arise when connecting to a smartphone. Although the weak points at the junctions of the wires are reinforced with long rubber tubes, the straight design of the plug itself is not very reliable. Constant bending of the leg, if you carry a smartphone with a connected headset in your jeans or trousers pocket, will lead to a break in even the most durable cable. No braid will help here. It would make more sense to use an L-shaped plug.

Sound

It is obvious that even the most sophisticated in-ear headphones cannot compete with full-size ones in low frequencies. If the previously reviewed ones have 50 mm speakers, then these plugs have a diameter of emitters of only 7 mm.

Physical limitations affect the power of the bass, but not its quality. The headset covers the range from 10 Hz to 23 kHz, that is, it reliably reproduces even very low sounds, it just does it in a more balanced way.

The advantage of the Sound BlasterX P5 is the excellent detail of the mid frequencies and the absence of oversaturation in the highs. High frequencies that stand out from the general background are characteristic of many compact headphones, but in this case the headset provides smooth sound without preliminary setup and use of the BlasterX Acoustic Engine.

BlasterX Acoustic Engine is Creative's proprietary software, which is a set of pre-configured sound profiles for popular genres and individual games. For example, in shooters the program increases the emphasis on shooting and explosions, in single-player adventure games like The Witcher 3 - on the environment.

A distinctive feature of the Sound BlasterX P5 is its amazingly accurate transmission of sound direction. The headset is still a gaming headset and is used primarily to understand the in-game environment, and therefore the ability to correctly indicate to the player where steps and shots are coming from is very important for it.

In practice, in Battlefield 1 and 4, I was able to predict the position of a betrayed opponent with an accuracy of about two hours. For such a compact headset without USB emulation of multichannel audio, this is a very good indicator.

Another person, quite far from games, also drew attention to the accuracy of the transmission of sound direction. In particular, when listening to a high-quality concert recording, he not only heard sounds from the hall, but also understood from which direction and approximately at what distance they came.

The Sound BlasterX P5 uses an omnidirectional electret microphone located on the cable to the left earpiece.

A familiar audio engineer or Wikipedia will tell you what electret microphones are and how they differ from regular ones. In short, this type of design allows for cleaner sound comparable to the dedicated microphones of full-size headsets.

In practice, my teammates heard me loud and clear. There were no complaints about voice quality.

Control

The Sound BlasterX P5's remote control doesn't have a lot of features.

There is a single button for controlling music and calls, as well as a microphone switch.

The absence of volume control buttons can be explained by the fact that during the game the user usually adjusts the sound directly on the computer or mobile device, and therefore does not need another remote control. This fact will certainly upset those who like to listen to music, but the headset is still a gaming headset and is designed for something else.

Conclusion

As you can see, in-ear gaming headsets have a right to exist, and in certain situations they surpass their full-size brothers in practicality. They allow you to completely isolate yourself from the surrounding noise, are convenient for transportation, do not put pressure on your head and are not inferior in the accuracy of transmitting the direction of sound.

The life hacker thanks Yomo.pro - the official Creative store - for a pleasant and useful gift.

Being interested in online games, such as CS, which require not just the ability to communicate with other players, but also high-quality sound, a logical question arises about how to competently approach the choice of gaming headphones. What characteristics are important to pay attention to when purchasing? How not to be disappointed in your expensive purchase? What headphones are among the top ones used by “pro” players? The article below contains comprehensive answers to these and other questions.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive is one of the most popular modern multiplayer games, developed back in 2012. The gameplay involves warfare between special forces and terrorists.

For maximum effectiveness, players use special headsets that allow them to communicate with each other and determine battle tactics together. The main criterion for choosing headphones in this case is high-quality noise insulation and surround sound. Thanks to the presence of these indicators, the game process becomes even more exciting, and the high performance of cs go games grows before our eyes. This fact is due to the ability to “catch rustles and sounds” from enemies, as a result of which you can react to them faster.

Key Features of Gaming Headphones

When choosing gaming headphones, in particular for CS, it is worth studying:

frequency range declared by the manufacturer;
resistance;
sensitivity;
nonlinear distortion factor.

The frequency range of gaming headphones reflects the number of Hz available for high-quality reproduction of the sound signal by this electronics. Often, the manufacturer, by focusing on the described indicator, misleads the buyer, since this particular characteristic should not become decisive for a gamer in choosing a gaming headset. This statement is due to the fact that information from the manufacturer is incomplete (what equipment was tested on, under what circumstances, and so on). Accordingly, the figure declared by the manufacturer should be taken into account exclusively in a comparative analysis of several products in the same segment.

The internal resistance of a gaming headset divides the types of product in question into 2 types - low-impedance and high-impedance. The stereotypical statement, which seems logical at first glance, about louder sound when using low-impedance headphones is not always true, since when looking for “ears” with a high volume level, it is also important to pay attention to the maximum voltage level of the “output” of the device used for gaming.

The sensitivity of a gaming headset most accurately reflects the maximum possible volume level of audio playback by headphones. Accordingly, to play CS:GO you should choose an accessory with the highest sensitivity.

The THD indicated by the manufacturer illustrates the level of distortion of the transmitted audio signal. This fact makes it reasonable to choose headphones with the lowest THD, which guarantees more accurate reproduction and sound quality.

How to choose

The modern gaming headphone market is replete with its diversity. It is unrealistic to choose a quality product without understanding the intricacies of the game for which it is intended. Before purchasing a headset for playing cs go, it is important to evaluate the following characteristics:

design and build quality of the accessory;
typical features (wire, functionality, usability);
appearance of the “cups” of the headphones themselves (noise insulation, sound).

The design indicator of an accessory implies the fact that the headset is made in a user-friendly shape, size, softness of the material for external design, and so on. It is important to remember the prospect of playing games for many hours, for which using unsuitable headphones can lead to discomfort and even pain. When purchasing headphones for online gaming, you should pay special attention to the quality and neatness of the product's assembly. The plastic must be smooth, “without burrs”, the components must form a solid shape without a large number of seams and crevices.

Speaking about typical features, when purchasing a device for games, it is important, firstly, to make sure that the wire is of sufficient length to provide maximum comfort when using the selected product. Secondly, the long cable of the device should be equipped with a control panel for the most convenient adjustment of the “ears” and microphone during the game.

It's worth keeping in mind that you might want to consider a wireless headset for playing CS only if you're using it for console entertainment. In other cases, wireless headphones that periodically require “recharging” will make it impossible for the user to spend many hours “rolling.”

A plus for the accessory will be the ability to remove and replace the wire if necessary. This characteristic will allow you to replace only it in the event of a breakdown, rather than spending money on a new headset.

An equally important characteristic desirable for a high-quality gaming headset is the presence of a USB connection. This feature guarantees not only accurate transmission of the sound process to the “ears,” but also the absence of voice distortion in the microphone.

Paying attention to the shape of the “cups” of the headphones, you should undoubtedly give preference to closed or semi-closed types. They provide maximum noise insulation, transmission of the entire variety of frequencies, and comfort when used by the owner for several hours. Analyzing the huge range of products on store shelves, you should make your choice in favor of “ears” that have “surround sound” technology. This feature will allow the player to literally “be one step ahead” of the enemy, since the sounds of movement and any actions of the enemy will not only be heard long before he appears nearby, but will also allow the gamer to figure out which side to wait for the attack in order to be as prepared as possible for it or try to get ahead of your opponent.

Advantages and disadvantages

Having decided on a particular gaming headset model, it is important to make sure that it does not have the most common disadvantages for this product segment:

poor quality assembly, visible to the naked eye;
low level of sound insulation during operation;
the design of the headphones themselves is inconvenient for long-term use;
short wire or no wire at all;
standard 3.5 mm type connector.

It would be ideal to have the following headphones for playing cs go:

long removable wire;
metal frame;
USB connections;
high-quality sound insulation;
high level of sensitivity;
surround sound technology.

The best headphones for cs go

Before purchasing a headset for playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you should rely on the rating of the best models, which are often chosen by professional CS gamers.

ThunderX3 TH30 is the ideal combination of low price and quality in operation.

Ear pad type: wraparound
Speaker diameter (in mm): 53
Headphone sensitivity: 103 dB
Resistance: 60 ohm
Microphone sensitivity: -38 dB
Cable length: 1.2m\2.1m
Material: stainless steel

low cost;
high-quality sound insulation;
high level of noise reduction;
accurate stereo sound transmission;
convenient microphone location.

relatively hard ear pads;
heavy weight of the product.

Ideal for beginner gamers and streamers who do not want to overpay for the design and unique properties of the “ears”.

A4Tech Bloody G501 – high-quality surround sound for little money.

Ear pad type: wraparound
Acoustic design type: closed
Headphone sensitivity: 100 dB
Resistance: 32 Ohm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Microphone sensitivity: -58 dB
Cable length: 2.2 m
Material: plastic

durable cord material;
soft ear pads;
design;
low price;
High-quality noise reduction microphone.

low bass transmission;
heating the remote control;
heavy mixer.

Ideal for connoisseurs of unique design who do not want to choose between the beauty and sound of a gaming accessory.

Sennheiser PC 2 CHAT is a budget option that provides basic headset capabilities.

Ear pad type: over-ear
Acoustic design type: open
Headphone sensitivity: 95 dB
Resistance: 32 Ohm
Frequency range: 42 Hz – 17 kHz
Microphone sensitivity: - 40 dB
Cable length: 2 m
Material: plastic

comfortable placement of headphones on the head;
low cost;
wear-resistant accessory material.

thin wire;
mono sound;
lack of sound insulation;
minimal noise reduction.

An ideal choice as a first gaming headset for novice cs go gamers.

Plantronics RIG 500E – high-quality “ears” for productive gaming.

Ear pad type: wraparound
Headphone sensitivity: 113 dB
Resistance: 32 Ohm
Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Microphone sensitivity: - 45 dB
Cable length: 3.5 m
Material: plastic

expanded basic equipment;
unique design;
high level of noise reduction microphone.

lack of ability to turn off “surround sound”;
relatively thin cord;
small ear pads.

Ideal for experienced CS:GO gamers who understand the importance and know a lot about high-quality sound from gaming headphones.

HyperX Cloud Core is a branded accessory with high capabilities.

Ear pad type: wraparound
Acoustic design type: closed
Headphone sensitivity: 98 dB
Resistance: 60 ohm
Frequency range: 15 Hz – 25 kHz
Microphone sensitivity: - 39 dB
Cable length: 1 m
Material: plastic

design;
high-quality transmission of low sound frequencies;
clear sound;
high level of microphone noise reduction;
durable accessory material.

limited headband adjustment;
length of cable;
lack of volume control;
price.

A popular choice for PRO gamers who trust a proven brand of high-quality gaming accessories.

Based on the features of gaming headphone models for cs go mentioned above in the article, it will not be difficult for a gamer to make the right choice in favor of a quality accessory for a pleasant pastime. Before purchasing, it is important to carefully study the characteristics of the product, make sure that the “ears” are located comfortably on your head, that there is clear sound transmission and surround sound. If all the above conditions are met, playing CS: GO will become even more enjoyable and productive.


Name
Frequency range	20 - 20000 Hz	20 - 20000 Hz	42 - 17000 Hz	20 - 20000 Hz	15 - 25000 Hz
Sensitivity	60 ohm	32 Ohm	32 Ohm	32 Ohm	60 ohm
Impedance	103 dB	100 dB	95 dB	111 dB	98 dB
Weight	720 g	258 g	55 g	200 g	320 g
Membrane diameter	53 mm	40 mm	-	40 mm	53 mm
Price	from 2000 rub.	from 2300 rub.	from 770 rub.	from 6850 rub.	from 3950 rub.
Where can I buy

If you play computer games with enthusiasm and immersion, most likely you know that there are people in the world who play for money - eSports players.

They, like real athletes, have an organization, trade unions, coaches, training facilities and special equipment (gadgets) that help them play better.

Cyber competitions are gaining popularity, with hundreds of thousands of people watching the championship finals live and cheering for their favorites. Where there are spectators, there are sponsors. All more or less large manufacturers of gaming gadgets enter into contracts with e-sportsmen individually or with an entire team so that they wear T-shirts with the symbols of the manufacturer’s company and use their products during competitions. This is great advertising, and if the team plays well and reaches the final, then an explosion in sales of gadgets is inevitable.

Headphones are no exception.

Pay attention to how many headphones the athletes are wearing; their number can reach up to three pairs. But why does this happen? After all, the performing team should be 100% focused on the game, but here they are wearing 3 pairs of headphones at once, how can you play well in such a situation?

The answer is simple - the team needs money for its own existence, and sponsors need advertising.

So, what kind of headphones do eSports athletes wear and what function do they perform?

Headphones No. 1

Typically, in 90% of cases, athletes hear sound from in-ear headphones that are inserted into the ear. These headphones are good because they are able to reproduce sound very accurately, with minimal distortion and very precise positioning, which is extremely important during competitions.

Headphones No. 2

Noise-cancelling headphones are placed over the in-ear headphones. They look cumbersome and ridiculous there. They usually have passive noise isolation and are not connected to anything. However, some of these headphones may have a microphone mount so that members of the same team can talk to each other during the battle. But even if these headphones have a microphone, they still do not produce sound, they serve as noise insulation from external noise.

It is very noisy at competitions, especially if the teams are on stage, can you imagine the noise in the hall? There is music playing, a crowd of fans are chanting in support of their own and putting moral pressure on their opponents. The presenters are saying something, the equipment is making noise. In such conditions, it is simply impossible to play effectively without noise-cancelling headphones, because any sharp or loud noise can disturb the player’s state of concentration and that’s it, the player will be killed, and the round and, possibly, the competition will be lost.

Headphones No. 3

Usually the third pair of headphones hangs around the neck, or is attached to the back of the player's monitor. These are sponsored headphones that contract athletes must wear. These headphones do not always meet the requirements of athletes, and for some of them, due to anatomical features, they are not suitable at all. But the contract has been signed, money has been received from the sponsor and it must be worn. This is how athletes get out of a difficult situation; they wear headphones like accessories around their necks. Of course, they get in the way, but you get used to it and everything goes well during the game.

Another reason why sponsor headphones are worn around the neck is that the sponsor does not have in-ear headphones in its product line. They are strictly necessary for competitions so that noise-cancelling headphones can be worn over them. If a sponsor has only full-size headphones in their line, they are not suitable for competitions and therefore they are worn around the neck.

In rare cases, the built-in microphone is used for the third pair of headphones. This is inconvenient, so you don’t see this method often, but sometimes it is used, although it is a side effect. No one will wear a third pair of headphones just for the sake of a microphone; it’s inconvenient.