So after trying a couple of different gaming headsets I ended up purchasing some Astro A50s. At first I loved the open sound, but the more I played with them the more I realized I was missing sounds and when playing games such as Fortnite, I would not hear people come up on me.
I decided to take the leap and spend the money to invest in a good sound card. I researched a number of sites and read both blog and customer reviews of all sound cards. I finally settled on the EVGA NU Audio card. I then spent weeks researching headphones to pair with it for gaming. In the end I selected Sennheiser HD 599 headphones to go with it based on the imaging and sound stage tests and price point (I got these for $149).
Everything installed easily (FYI, I did not hook up the front jacks. Personal preference to eliminate multiple connections in the sound chain.), including the drivers and software and I was up and running. The Sennheiser HD 599s come with a 1/4 headphone cord, so I was able to skip using any adapters.
Anyway, after getting everything hooked up and installed I jumped into a game of Fortnite and I was blown away at how clean, open, and directional the sound was compared to the Astro A50s I was using before. I was able to easily tell where shots and footsteps were coming from. The output from the NU Audio card is very clean and the Sennheiser HD 599s do a good job of relaying that sound to my ears.
With my previous setup I would have to turn the sound way up on my PC to be able to hear things clearly. With this set up I rarely get past 18 to 20 (out of 100) for volume and the sound is crystal clear.
I have also listed to some music with this set up and in particular listening to some music with quiet sections in it. I was listening for any static sound of any kind, but it was dead quiet and very clean.
I am loving this set up and I hope to get years of enjoyment out of it!