EVGA NU Audio Official Certified Headphones List

EVGA NU Audio Series
EVGA NU Audio Official Certified Headphones List

2019/04/26 12:20:59

EVGA_Lee

This is an official list of headphones that have been tested and certified to use with the EVGA NU Audio Card. Initially, you will likely only see headphones that we receive as samples from manufacturers, but we will add more over time. This list should not be taken as a be-all and end-all list of headphones that will work with the NU Audio Card; this is simply a list of the ones we've tried and have certified. Quite likely, we could assume that all very high-end headphones should work, but we will not list them as certified unless either we or the manufacturer tests the headphones with an EVGA NU Audio Card. In the rating system explanation below, we do note a couple of examples of headphones that would not be certified.

Rating System:

There are some headphones that will not be certified or recommended, with the latter type possibly making this list. However, we also want to provide some level of quality assurance for those looking towards the more affordable range of the headphone spectrum. Lastly, since this is EVGA, of course we have to do some in-game testing to confirm that these will pair well with your top-notch EVGA GeForce graphics cards and Intel-based motherboards. More detailed explanations are in the spoiler tags below.

Spoiler

Certified: Everything on this list will be certified. Please note that included cables are generally not considered, since between the headphones and NU Audio Card accessories, this is usually covered, except for the examples listed below.
- Examples of headphones that would not be certified?
  - Bluetooth-only or USB-only headphones. Why? These types of headphones cannot use the NU Audio Card for processing, and the NU Audio Card would be completely bypassed. As a result, they cannot be certified.
  - Headphones that terminate in an unsupported connector? e.g. XLR. Haven't run into that yet, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Recommended: Although the vast majority of tested headphones will be recommended, there are some that we cannot recommended to be used with the NU Audio Card.
- The prime example (and potentially only example) is the Audeze Mobius headphones. Great headphones, great quality, but the Mobius is designed to be used either wirelessly or via USB, even though a 3.5mm option is available. Although the Mobius can be connected to the NU Audio Card (via 3.5mm connector while using the Line-Out ports) and the audio will be great, the headphones are battery powered (so you won't want to use the Headphone Out, per Audeze's instructions) and many of the headphone's features can only be used via USB. So, are they recommended to use? Absolutely! But...probably not recommended to use with the NU Audio Card. Or are they?
Good Quality: Expect most headphones to fall into Great Quality, not Good Quality. We don't really feel that it's our place to judge quality, by too much. By "judge", I mean "Are these good headphones or are they bad headpones?" There is a lot of subjectivity involved when reviewing headphones, not only in terms of how to rate them, but also in terms of the relevant factors that go into deciding that. This list is more to give you an idea of the flavor of each pair of headphones when using the NU Audio Card, but not to tell you whether to buy them or not. Other forum members can do that, or you can find many other reviews online that give you a final verdict.
- Evaluate them? Describe them? Compare them? Yes. This is fair. Eventually, each headphone will have notes on its audio signature on this page. Although the reviews will not spend much time by comparing different headphones, some headphones are naturally easier to evaluate by comparing them to another closely-related headphones [e.g. M50X and M70X].
- Regardless, headphones will be listed as Good Quality if their best features are overly limited by music genres or certain key characteristics that suggest you should carefully consider the headphone before you consider buying them. These headphones could be considered Great Quality under the right circumstances, but not from an overall standpoint. As of the time this list will go live, the AD900X headphones are the poster child for that scenario.
Great Quality: This is where most headphones will fall into, and, really, there are a lot of great headphones out there. Headphones that receive this rating are typically good all-around headphones. That doesn't mean they are ideal for all music genres or ideal for every type of person. However, they are good enough that you can listen to most anything and still enjoy them. There are several tiers of headphones above what we would call "Great Quality", of course, but once you start to get into a certain price range, you should probably be reading more reviews than just this page to judge for yourself.
Gamer Recommended: This is self-explanatory. If headphones are able to provide a quality experience while playing either of our test games, then they will get this rating. Some headphones are better for positioning, some better for immersion, and some do both well. Very few do both great at the same time.

Listening evaluation notes:

Listening was conducted using a variety of rock, pop, EDM, jazz, classical, country, and folk, using mostly lossless files (FLAC and WAV) and DSD. Although certain familiar songs were returned to for comparison purposes, no general playlist was made. Other considerations are in the spoiler tags.

Spoiler

A necessary statement - These are subjective evaluations. I cannot stress this enough. If you buy something from this list and don't like it, or disagree with these assessments, that's OK! so long as you understand beforehand that these headphones may sound different to you. Read a bunch of reviews from around the web before making a purchase. You'll often find that many people disagree over the exact nature of even popular, well-liked headphones. But more importantly, others can only be your guide; only you can determine what you like, and what your head and ears determine to be a pleasing audio signature.
Volume - Once again, these are subjective, but honest values. Closed-back headphones were tested in both an office environment and/or a home environment, and came out to be essentially the same. For obvious reasons, open-back headphones were only tested in a home environment. I've listed the average volume I used during music playback. Audio tracks were played through foobar2000, with no replay gain or EQ applied to the tracks. Master Volume was set to 100%, and the volume level listed is the Headphone Volume, so that you have an idea of how much room you may have to play with.
- Again, these are subjective, but slightly biased in favor of a louder playback than neutral. You may find that you need a little more or a little less.
- Any degree of personal hearing loss or noise level of your environment may affect the volume level you need.
- Swapping your old headphones right before trying these will definitely affect what volume you need.
- Using some form of spatial sound option in Windows can affect your volume level, since the sound is more dispersed to create a virtual 3D environment across a simulated wider soundstage. You will likely need to raise the volume level for this sort of effect.
- Music tracks are sometimes recorded at different volume levels. You can see anywhere from a 0% to 15% volume difference depending on how the track was recorded and/or processed. This is one of the reasons people rip or convert music using a tool called "ReplayGain" to standardize the volume from one track to the next. Doing so will permanently alter the recording, however, but the main benefit is that your days of constantly raising and lowering volume between tracks may be over.
Review Considerations:
- Balance - In theory, people claim that they want perfectly balanced headphones, where the bass, mids, and treble are in perfect alignment; balanced in the sense that none of the frequency ranges are pushed more forward than the other, and no frequency range is left behind. In practice, this is pretty much impossible to accomplish from a manufacturing standpoint (without very careful EQ'ing, and even then...), and people also tend to want headphones that do not fall into a perfect balance for a wide variety of reasons. Some of this is because we are limited to what can be engineered and we make the best of it, but people also prefer different audio signatures. "Bass-heads", studio professionals, etc. Regardless, better headphones tend to have a more careful balance among the different frequency ranges, even if some frequency ranges are emphasized a bit more or a bit less. Part of evaluating headphones is determining how well the headphones are balanced among the different frequency ranges, even if the manufacturer's goal was to provide a headphone geared towards a certain demographic.
- Bass - Bass generally applies to audio frequencies between 20Hz to 250Hz. The very low-end of the spectrum, the sub-bass, provides a thump or rumble that can be felt, rather than heard. The mid-bass and upper-bass typically provides the fullness and body of instruments or male vocals, as well as the punch and kick of drums. Many people like this region to have a slight bump to give headphones a little warmth, but too much emphasis leads to distortion, boom, or muddiness. Less emphasis can lead to a cooler tone, where instruments sound more thin, but can also allow the mids and highs to shine more clearly.
- Mids - The midrange extends from roughly 250Hz-6,000Hz, and is generally where most of the action occurs. Although bass and treble are very important for other reasons, a broad sense of enjoyment will be lost without a quality midrange section. Most of the frequency range of vocals and instruments extend into the mids, which means detailed, transparent, and well-textured audio reproduction is essential in this region. The lower end of the midrange is where the transition occurs from the fundamentals of bass instruments and male vocals to the harmonics. The middle and upper midrange complete the transition of most instruments into their harmonics, as well as the bulk of male and female vocals. More importantly, these regions will determine the degree that vocals and instruments will be more present or pushed into the background, as well as the intensity and clarity of vocals and instruments here.
- Treble - The upper range of the audible frequency range for humans is roughly at 6,000Hz to 20,000Hz. Although some headphones are spec'd up to 40,000Hz, adults usually are limited to 16,000Hz; anything above that level is more likely perceived or felt, rather than heard. Overall, this frequency range gives instruments and vocals life through detail, clarity, brilliance, and airiness. The lower- and mid-treble is where most instruments and vocals have fully transitioned into harmonics. In this range, treble is responsible for detail and clarity, while also directly affecting the amount of sibilance you can hear in voices. This region is where the terms "bright" and "dark" come into play. The upper-treble is more felt than heard. It's the frequency range where you get airiness and the overall liveliness of the headphone. If the treble is over-emphasized, many instruments and vocals sound harsh and may actually be painful to listen to, whereas if treble is under-emphasized, the headphones will feel darker and less detailed, vocals can take on a more lispy effect, and the headphones can sound lifeless.
- Soundstage/Imaging - In addition to the frequency response of headphones, each headphone has a unique manner of creating its soundstage and imaging instruments and vocals. The soundstage is the height, width, and depth of the sound field around and/or within the head. Headphones are tuned by the manufacturer to have a soundstage to best support the audio signature of the headphone. It is widely accepted that open-back headphones have the capability of supporting a larger soundstage than closed-back headphones, but this is not always true. Imaging is the perceived placement of instruments and vocals reproduced from positional cues in the audio source and placed within the soundstage. Imaging is vital for gaming, live recordings, movies, and other audio that has a recorded left or right heavy image. For example, if a guitar player is walking from one side of the stage to the other, you should be able to hear the transition from left to right; in many studio recordings, however, imaging tends to be neutral, and ultimately less important. For gaming, however, you would ultimately want a wide soundstage and accurate imaging to be able to locate directional sounds and the distance from where that sound originated.

Gaming evaluation notes:

Gaming was tested by playing Battlefield V and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. All settings are with the speakers set to Stereo via Windows.

Spoiler

BFV is a modern FPS game that supports its own 3D Headphone virtualization, and is a good test for positional accuracy, level of detail to track subtle noises, and boom from explosions. Two key measurements here are the competitive merits of each headphone, along with the immersion and experience of playing the game. Note that if you plan to play BFV with 3D Headphone mode, you will likely need to raise the volume above the average headphone volume listening level to adjust. Although it varies from headphone to headphone, the average headphone volume increase was roughly 10%-15% based on the audio-technica line I tested.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a game recommended to be played with binaural headphones (i.e. headphones). The opening sequence is an ear-opening experience and a lesson to other game developers about how to do game audio correctly without the need for external virtual surround. This game is mostly used to test immersion, although the positioning of the voices and other environmental effects allows for an opportunity to gauge the soundstage of the headphones in a stereo environment. Unlike BFV, volume did not appear to require an increase.
Soundstage/Imaging - A longer description of soundstage and imaging can be found in the Listening evaluation notes above. When it comes to gaming, we love the idea of a huge soundstage where every sound is clearly defined for the direction and distance from your character. The reality is that headphones with a large soundstage may have not have good or accurate imaging, which means you might know the direction, but cannot determine how far away; vice versa, you might be able to tell how close footsteps are to approaching you, but not from what direction they are coming from. On the flip side, you might have good imaging, but a small soundstage may make the accuracy less useful. You're really looking for a good balance of soundstage and imaging.
Immersion - Immersion isn't really characterized by a particular sound signature, but rather the balance between bass, mids, and treble. In testing, bass doesn't make as big of an impact as you might expect (no pun intended), so long as the boom of artillery and explosions keeps you involved in the game. Similarly, a nicely detailed headphone through the mids and treble region keeps voices lively and emotional. Headphones can enhance ambient sounds and music, especially in games where the music and atmosphere is designed to warn you that something is about to occur. Ideally, a high level of immersion means the headphones will simply disappear and you'll forget that you're wearing them.

Testing:

Overall evaluation took place over a handful of test systems, lengthy listening periods for music, and several hours of gameplay per headphone.

Spoiler

Test systems:
- The majority of the testing was done on an EVGA Z170 Classified K motherboard or an X299 DARK motherboard.
- An EVGA NU Audio Card.
- Audio files were run off either SSDs or NVMe SSDs.
- Gaming was done on the X299 DARK with an EVGA 1080 Ti Founders Edition.
- Windows 10 x64
- Other irrelevant hardware.
Listening:
- Music was played through foobar2000 in ASIO mode, except when DSD was required. In those cases, the output mode was set to DSD: ASIO.
- Master Volume set to 100%, Headphone Volume was set based on the optimal volume on a headphone-by-headphone basis. If a headset has in-line volume control, then the volume control would be set to max.
- Headphone volume was determined based on the average volume needed over dozens of tracks at a nominal listening level. Outlier audio tracks that required a large increase or decrease were ignored. Once acquired, volume was tested again at a slightly louder level, as if one of your favorite songs suddenly popped up in your playlist. That volume is the final volume posted.
- Headphones were set to full-range in the Windows Sound control panel.
- Bit depth / sample rate was set to 24-bit, 192,000Hz by default to ensure compatibility.
Gaming
- Gaming was conducted using Battlefield V and Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice.
- Hellblade was restarted for each headphone from the game's beginning, and played until the first battle sequence concluded.
- BFV was played using a variety of multiplayer match styles. Each headphone was tested for several hours, but could go longer. (Let's be honest, if you happened to join a good squad, you wouldn't stop to change headphones either....)
- Sample rate was generally set to 24-bit, and between 48,000Hz to 96,000Hz, since BF V would often drop audio if it was set higher than 96,000Hz, and sometimes would drop audio anyway unless it was set to 48,000Hz.

Other evaluation notes:

A few other things that guided these evaluations and reviews are in the spoiler tags below.

Spoiler

Value - We made a decision not to consider or list the cost of each headphone because this doesn't really matter as far as certifying the headphones to use with the NU Audio Card. Also, prices change quickly, sometimes. There are some headphones on this list that have immense value at a low price, but it's more challenging to explain that a $300 headphone, for example, can be considered a great value when compared to $500 or higher headphones. Similarly, since we will not compare headphones in the sense of "Don't buy this one since you could buy this other one at $100 less"; that sort of analysis based on value will be absent.
Build Quality - Similar to the Value factor, build quality is closely tied to MSRP, and it's somewhat rare that you'll find an expensive headphone that does not have good build quality. They do exist, however. I mean, how much plastic does it take before a person decides there's "too much" plastic on a headphone? Very subjective. At the end of the day, we want to simply evaluate the audio quality of the headphones. Plenty of other reviews exist that can cover build quality.
Comfort - Do not expect much commentary about the comfort of headphones. Personally, I have a relatively small head, slightly asymmetrical ears, and wear glasses. Why does this matter? When it comes to buying headphones, comfort is always paramount. Whether you want to relax in the evening, or spend hours gaming, if the headphones aren't comfortable, it doesn't really matter how impressive the headphones sound. As such, I cannot really rate how much the size, clamping force, or size of the ear cups may matter to you. Because I wear glasses, it's possible that headphones may not perfectly seal themselves around my ears, which could lead to a loss of bass or immersion. As a result, I would encourage you to try to find a shop that allows you to demo headphones before you purchase them.
Intended Use - Although it may be mentioned in a review, the fact that a company built a headphone to be portable (e.g. easy to use on-the-go with a cell phone, etc.) is not particulary important to the evaluation. However, it may be worth mentioning that you could get a second use out of the headphones, which adds a bit more value to the purchase.

Certified Headphones List for the EVGA NU Audio Card

Audeze -
EVGA thanks Audeze for providing these samples.

Spoiler

Audeze is well-known for its use of planar magnetic drivers in headphones, which generally provides an effortless bass slam without impacting the mids or highs. As a result, Audeze headphones have a reputation of a house sound of good, neutral balance among audio frequencies. Moreover, Audeze open-back headphones tend to have exceptionally well-defined detail through the mids and highs, while the closed-back options tend to have a slightly warmer, darker feel to them without sacrificing much detail in the upper-mids and highs. Regardless, Audeze headphones usually roll off before treble reaches a level of fatigue, which should satisfy most everyone except for some bassheads. It should be noted that early LCD models tended to have a bit more of a warmer signature before Audeze decided to embrace a more neutral approach to their overall audio balance.

LCD-2 Closed-Back
- Type - Closed Back Headphones
- Impedance - 70 ohms
- Average Headphone Volume listening level - 63-67%

Mobius
- Type - Closed Back Headphones
- Impedance - N/A
- Average Headphone Volume listening level - N/A
- Note#1: These were tested using the 3.5mm to 3.5mm included cable. An additional stereo extension cable was necessary for length, but I detected no perceivable difference in audio quality. These headphones were tested both connected to a power source and without a power source; no noticeable difference in audio quality was detected, except when the battery began to run out of charge. It's important to note that these should be connected to the RCA out on the NU Audio Card, and not the Headphone Out port, since the Mobius runs off its own battery pack and the volume is controlled through the headset itself. Due to time constraints, the mic was not tested.
- Note#2: Initially, I planned on noting the great quality, certifying them, and noting the gaming performance. I did not plan on recommending them, as alluded to in the rating system above. After testing, however, if you are willing to put up with a few quirks - such as a roughly 10-hour battery time or playing with a 3.5mm cable and a USB cable for power - then you'll have no problem using one of the best gaming headsets currently on the market. The ambivalence over recommending them came from software features that require a USB-only connection. While testing, however, it became clear that although you will not be able to adjust EQ settings or different audio modes through the Audeze software, you can still enable the 3D features heavily advertised and discussed without connecting via USB. Given that you can still get the most important features of the Mobius while plugged into 3.5mm, and the audio quality is still superb, there is no reason not to consider these headphones as recommended for the NU Audio Card. It is still worth noting, however, that some features of the Mobius will be unavailable unless you connect via BT or USB.

audio-technica -
EVGA thanks audio-technica for providing these samples.

Spoiler

What do audio-technica headphones sound like? Generally speaking, audio-technica headphones tend to lean towards the bright side of the spectrum, clear and transparent mids, tight, controlled bass, and has a focus on female vocals. Not really for bassheads, by any means. Their lines consist of professional studio monitors, which have a reference (or neutral) sound to them; their dynamic Air line, which provides some of the clearest and most natural vocals of any headphones; an "Art Monitor" line, featuring the wonderful A1000Z; their Sound Reality line with the very popular MSR7 and higher-end SR9 headphones; and a line of gaming headsets. Of particular note, the M50X headphones are many an audiophiles' first headphone due to it's accurate reproduction, unusually bassy signature for an audio-technica headphone, and the relative "cheap" price at usually under $125. Because they focus on detail, audio-technica headphones tend to be quite good for gaming, as well. Most of these headphones feature good positioning feedback, and most also make you feel right in the action. Lastly, many of these headphones are light, which makes lengthy gaming sessions comfortable.

A1000Z

Type - Closed Back Headphones
Impedance - 44 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 37%

AD900X

Type - Open Back Headphones
Impedance - 38 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 32-37%
Note: These headphones receive a "Good" Quality rating, despite being excellent headphones for the value. The main issue with these headphones is that they are extremely bass-light, which is not inherently a problem. Despite having exceptionally clear vocals and mids, a very wide soundstage, and good separation, pairing these headphones with bass-emphasized tracks and genres that rely on a good bass-line or prominent drums will likely render these headphones sub-par. However, non-bassheads and listeners of genres that mostly stay away from bassy audio will typically love these headphones.

AD1000X

Type - Open Back Headphones
Impedance - 40 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 34-38%
Note: Those comparing the AD900X to the AD1000X will note that one has a "Good Quality" badge, while the other has a "Great Quality" badge. Although, generally speaking, the AD1000X is an upgrade over the AD900X, it does not mean that it outperforms the AD900X in all aspects. The AD1000X still maintains extremely clear mids and highs, but also adds a bit more bass back into the mix, compared to the AD900X. Additionally, the AD1000X is also far more consistent with how it handles different types of tracks so that you don't have as wild a swing between different styles of music as the AD900X. Again, the AD900X has amazingly high quality vocals and instrument reproduction, but the consistency and more natural sound of the AD1000X is why this headphone gets a "Great Quality" badge.

ADG1X

Type - Open Back Headphones
Impedance - 48 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 51%
Note: Features a built-in mic, with volume/mute switch. Microphone was noted to have "perfect" volume via friend in Skype. Placement of the microphone can be a bit picky. Too close and it can have too much of a "boom". Background audio can be picked up if moderately loud.

AG1X

Type - Open Back Headphones
Impedance - 50 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - (TBD)
Note: Features a built-in mic, with volume/mute switch. Microphone was noted to have no complaints regarding volume or clarity via friend in Skype. Placement of the microphone can be a bit picky. Too close and it can have too much of a "boom". Background audio can be picked up if moderately loud.

M50X

Type - Closed Back Headphones
Impedance - 38 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 30-35%
Notes: These are very well known and well-regarded headphones that are often the first experience people have with entry-level audiophile equipment. The price is affordable and the audio quality is excellent for the price. Are they perfect? Of course not, but when it comes to headphones, there are trade-offs at every price range in audio quality, components used, or build quality. Despite that, the M50x's still stand out for their clarity, detail, soundstage, noticeable bass signature, and all-around performance - which includes gaming - compared to nearly every other headphone in its price range. If you've tried a number of cheaper headphones and haven't been impressed, or you simply want a good place to begin your audiophile journey, the M50x's are a great place to begin. They probably won't be the end of the road if you continue that journey, but they are a perfect place to start to understand what good quality audio is and what it can be. Discovering the things you like about them (e.g. bass amount, soundstage, good detail, etc.), don't like about them (e.g. too much bass, vocals seem veiled/too quiet, etc.), and the things you want more of/less of (e.g. less/punchier bass, more forward mids, every pick of the guitar, less plastic, bigger headband, etc.), will provide you with solid footing to consider where you want to go next. Yes, these are worth owning if you're looking for a safe pick for your first higher quality headphone.

M70X

Type - Closed Back Headphones
Impedance - 35 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 32%

MSR7GM

Type - Closed Back Headphones
Impedance - 35 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 35%
Note - Although the MSR7GM are now discontinued, other variations (color schemes) are available, including a noise-cancelling version. These all appear to have the same, or very similar, sound signature (based on multiple third-party reviews), so if you appreciate a detailed, bright headphone, you still have an opportunity to enjoy these headphones. These also have the added functionality of being a good portable headphone, with several types of cables, including an in-line microphone.

R70X

Type - Open Back Headphones
Impedance - 470 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 71%

SR9

Type - Closed Back Headphones
Impedance - 47 ohms
Average Headphone Volume listening level - 40%

Edited 6/24 - Added Audeze LCD-2 Closed-Back and Mobius headphones.

2019/04/28 18:43:54

Nereus

So... did you have to return the AT headphones? I'll buy an NU card right now if you throw in the ATH-SR9's :D

2019/04/29 10:21:06

EVGA_Lee

Nereus

So... did you have to return the AT headphones? I'll buy an NU card right now if you throw in the ATH-SR9's :D

Heh. We still have them, but they'll be going back soon. The funny thing is that the very first time I put on the SR9's, they sounded... off. Probably because I'd just done a quick listen to the R70X's, which are among the flattest headphones AT has, along with probably the best tonal audio they make, as well. Later on, I got a much better impression of the SR9's, and really enjoyed them for basically every use.

In hindsight, most headphones will probably sound a little strange if listened to right after the R70X's.

2019/04/29 18:20:46

Nereus

EVGATech_LeeM
Nereus
So... did you have to return the AT headphones? I'll buy an NU card right now if you throw in the ATH-SR9's :D

Heh. We still have them, but they'll be going back soon. The funny thing is that the very first time I put on the SR9's, they sounded... off. Probably because I'd just done a quick listen to the R70X's, which are among the flattest headphones AT has, along with probably the best tonal audio they make, as well. Later on, I got a much better impression of the SR9's, and really enjoyed them for basically every use.

In hindsight, most headphones will probably sound a little strange if listened to right after the R70X's.

Hey I had to ask :D ..surprised about your first impression of the SR9's, but as you said, it may be just because those R70X's are so refined. I'd be looking for all-around use rather than specifically one purpose... plus the SR9's look sweet. How are those two for comfort, particularly for longer sessions (if you had the opportunity)?

2019/04/29 19:11:26

Airdoo

Would my ATH-AG1X's be certified? Will there be a second round for "gaming" headsets? ;P I only mention it since the mic gets way too much juice and becomes too sensitive no matter what I try to do to quiet it.

2019/05/01 12:07:00

EVGA_Lee

Nereus
EVGATech_LeeM
Nereus
So... did you have to return the AT headphones? I'll buy an NU card right now if you throw in the ATH-SR9's :D

Heh. We still have them, but they'll be going back soon. The funny thing is that the very first time I put on the SR9's, they sounded... off. Probably because I'd just done a quick listen to the R70X's, which are among the flattest headphones AT has, along with probably the best tonal audio they make, as well. Later on, I got a much better impression of the SR9's, and really enjoyed them for basically every use.

In hindsight, most headphones will probably sound a little strange if listened to right after the R70X's.

Hey I had to ask :D ..surprised about your first impression of the SR9's, but as you said, it may be just because those R70X's are so refined. I'd be looking for all-around use rather than specifically one purpose... plus the SR9's look sweet. How are those two for comfort, particularly for longer sessions (if you had the opportunity)?

Yeah, I really only did a quick hour or two listen the first time, and I hadn't really setup a testing method at the time. In hindsight, I clearly underestimated how amazingly neutral, accurate, and tonally balanced the R70X's were at the time. So, pretty much anything would sound weird after that. But, since then, I've also realized that it takes more time to get your ears used to a different headphone, or at least it seems that way to me. Testing the ADG1X's this weekend reminded me of that, given its massive soundstage. With that said, I still think the SR9 took me longer to adjust than any other headphone on this list. Can't really put my finger on why, but there you go.

I tend to be more of an open back-headphone guy, but the SR9's made an overall solid impression to me for all-around use. If you need something that will be ultimately accurate for studio reference purpose, then the R70X will be the better headphone. No question. If you're not looking for a neutral balance, though, the SR9's are tuned a bit more to be enjoyable when listening to a lot of different types of music, and they're also easier to drive. That's not to say they're unbalanced, mind you, but AT isn't shooting for a neutral reference headphone with the SR9's, either. They are brighter, but AT seems to find the right balance (on most of their headphones) of keeping the treble just below the level where it might bother people.

From a comfort standpoint, both have equally persuasive features for longer sessions.

R70X -

Spoiler

Extremely light. How light? When you pick up the box, you'll be sure that someone ripped you off and already removed the headphones. No matter how many times you check to see if they're still there, it will still surprise you.
One of their better implementations of the "wing" system. They sit lightly on your head and don't droop down. They do have more clamping force due to their metal headband design, however. As I've noted, I have a relatively small head, and these would actually ride UP, which surprised me. People have suggested that you can bend the metal headband to adjust it, but I didn't really want to do that with a sample.
The overall sound signature is more polite, and not aggressive, so you don't have to worry about listening fatigue.
Cloth cover for the earcups. Some people like this, some don't. I like the velour that beyerdynamic uses (a bit more breathable), but not this sort of cloth as much. With that said, there was nothing wrong with it. Purely a subjective opinion on this one.
Round earcup, probably slightly small. Ears will fit inside, but some people with large ears might have a different experience. Otherwise, these are comfortable.

SR9 -

Spoiler

Not as light as the R70X, but functionally balanced and do not feel heavy. If anything, the majority of the weight is absorbed by the well-padded headband, with the weight of the earcups providing the clamping force and seal. These sealed well for me.
No "wing" system. Standard pull and click adjustments. Personally, both are equally OK for me, with the exception of a couple "wing" models. When the wings work, they work better than the pull and click.
Overall, the listening experience did not become fatiguing for me. If you are sensitive or very sensitive to high treble, then you might have an issue with these, but I personally didn't. These are a bit more energetic, which keeps you a little more involved in what's going on, rather than trying to pick out something that should or shouldn't be there.
Synthetic fabric with foam earcups. Very comfortable. Taller earcups, so there is probably a bit more room for comfort if you have large ears.

Overall, I found the SR9's to be better for gaming than the R70Xs. Although YMMV, I found that the R70Xs did not do as good a job with positioning or immersion with our test games. There could be reasons for this, of course. Maybe trying a different 3D audio option would work better than stereo or BFV's 3D Headphone option, or maybe a longer time with them would further adjust my hearing. However, I took an extra day with those just to rule that out. On the flip side, the SR9 has so far been the most immersive headphone I've tried in this batch. That's not to say they are the best for positioning (M70X), or the widest soundstage (TBD), but everything seems to be in the right location, booms have the expected "boom-iness", and the soundstage is just enough to make it all work. I won't say something like "it made me feel like I was in the game", because that's a bit trite; if the SR9's had a wider soundstage and a bit more imaging accuracy then maybe.... But seriously, the only negative I can say about the immersion is that it was so good, comparatively, that I would occasionally drop out of immersion to think about how immersive the headphones were. That should tell you something.

2019/05/01 12:14:48

EVGA_Lee

Airdoo
Would my ATH-AG1X's be certified? Will there be a second round for "gaming" headsets? ;P I only mention it since the mic gets way too much juice and becomes too sensitive no matter what I try to do to quiet it.

Most likely. I tested the ADG1X's over the weekend and I'll be adding them today. My last pair to test are the AG1X's. I did test the mic with both the ADG1X and AG1X over the weekend via Skype, and was told that the volume level was "perfect". Adjusting the position and location of the mic will have an effect, as I was told the AG1X's were a little better than the ADG1X's, but that's largely because I had the mics in slightly different positions.

For reference, I left mic volume at 100%, no mic boost, and let Skype auto control my volume. It would jump between 55%, 7X%, and 100% at times. Otherwise, I was told I sounded clear and it could also pick up my TV, which was on at a low-ish volume in the background.

2019/05/01 12:17:15

Hoggle

It’s good to have a list since some headphones are not as good for gaming as the companies want you to believe. Often they go for heavy bass like it makes games better if an explosion blocks out all other sounds.

2019/05/01 12:37:14

EVGA_Lee

Hoggle
It’s good to have a list since some headphones are not as good for gaming as the companies want you to believe. Often they go for heavy bass like it makes games better if an explosion blocks out all other sounds.

That is probably more the case with many "gaming" headphones or cheaper headphones. Don't get me wrong, some of the "gaming" headphones are perfectly fine, though. People subjectively tend to prefer a warmer headphone for most listening and gaming, and the easiest way to do that is by providing what's called a "V" sound signature, where the bass and highs are emphasized and mids tend to be de-emphasized. At first listen, this is usually a pleasant sound, but more careful listening usually suggests that details and clarity are missing for vocals and many instruments.

On the other hand, headphones from most headphone companies are tweaked to have a certain sound. It usually fits within the design philosophy of the company, but it's more of a flavor, rather than a different food group. In doing so, you find less of a V signature, and more of one where sacrifices are made. Instead of making bass at all costs, the headphone chooses accuracy and a more defined tone, rather than amplification and distortion. For gaming, this actually works better. A lot of bassy sounds (think synth bass or kick drums, or artillery/explosions in games) have a heavy boom sound anyway. Most of these headphones reproduce that just fine, without needing to make it larger than life. So, a relatively low-bass headphone like the AD900X still sounds good for gaming, since it doesn't need to rumble the entire time you're playing.

Regardless, you still want a bit of bass and some degree of warmth from the headphone so that you get an ambient vibe while you're playing for immersion. On the other hand, a well-known gaming audiophile headphone is the AT AD700X, which has practically no bass at all (fair note - I last tried them probably 6+ years ago). They are valued mostly for competitive reasons, however, due to its affordable price, wide soundstage and solid positioning for FPS games. These will never be your choice for immersive gaming, but you don't care too much about immersion if you want to know precisely where footsteps or projectiles are coming from.

2019/05/02 18:26:09

Airdoo

EVGATech_LeeM
Airdoo
Would my ATH-AG1X's be certified? Will there be a second round for "gaming" headsets? ;P I only mention it since the mic gets way too much juice and becomes too sensitive no matter what I try to do to quiet it.

Most likely. I tested the ADG1X's over the weekend and I'll be adding them today. My last pair to test are the AG1X's. I did test the mic with both the ADG1X and AG1X over the weekend via Skype, and was told that the volume level was "perfect". Adjusting the position and location of the mic will have an effect, as I was told the AG1X's were a little better than the ADG1X's, but that's largely because I had the mics in slightly different positions.

For reference, I left mic volume at 100%, no mic boost, and let Skype auto control my volume. It would jump between 55%, 7X%, and 100% at times. Otherwise, I was told I sounded clear and it could also pick up my TV, which was on at a low-ish volume in the background.

I'd be happy to record a sample, on my Soundblaster z I ran it with maybe a 10db bump but now I'm running it at 65% with zero boost just so the peaks don't murder my friends as much because anything over normal speaking for me will clip. I'd be happy to work with you or maybe check in with AT if for some reason my mic it out of spec. This is the first time I've considered it a possibility I also have the orinigal AG1 as well if we'd want to do A/B on between the units.

EDIT: Just did my own test, my original AG1's show the same behavior. It really seems like it's too sensitive, as I'm testing other headsets I have easy access to, Corsair HS50.

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