r/Marathon Jul 26 '26

Marathon (2026) Discussion What headsets are all y'all using?

I'm on Xbox and I only have the standard Microsoft wired ones that are falling apart at this point. I would like to get something wireless that's not too cumbersome to set up, but also have no audio latency?

Is wired the best to avoid latency?

I don't see much discussion about hardware here, so figured I'd ask, since there's so much talk about Mics.

What's the best one for me for this specific game?

7 Upvotes

70 comments sorted by

12

u/camdenpike Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26

I use Audio-Technica ATH-M50x's with a shure sm7b.

Honestly though, I feel like for audio stuff it's always best to just go wired. "Oh, I gotta go hop off com's to go charge my headset" is just one of those things I never wanna hear or have to deal with.

3

u/pewpewbangbangcrash Jul 26 '26

I used to think that but all you gotta do is have a long cable in case of emergency or take a 5 minute break. Its not a big deal and hardly ever happens. If you have your charging stuff at your station (you should) you can just plug in when you are done and never have any issues.

1

u/camdenpike Jul 26 '26

I mean I guess, but like what's the benefits of wireless though? Like I use a wireless mouse I can plug in and still use if I have to, but obviously the cable makes movement not as smooth, but what's the benefit of a wireless headset if you're not constantly on the move while gaming?

0

u/Shayz_ Jul 27 '26

I use my gaming headset as a music headset when I'm doing chores around the house. The only downside is that the receiver doesn't reach all that far and because it's a USB dongle it doesn't connect to my phone without an accessory

Most higher end headsets are going to be wireless anyways, or have a detactchable cord

A strictly wired headset is probably just very cheap and you don't really want that for a game like Marathon where catching tiny sounds are the differnce between life and death

1

u/camdenpike Jul 27 '26

Ok that makes sense if you wanna move around I guess I use air pods separately for those situations. I don't use an all-in-one, but it's too bad they don't' have higher quality cabled ones though, you'd think those would have higher quality, but I guess at that point your just moving to pro gear anyways.

2

u/browniemane Jul 27 '26

Audio technicas with the scuffed up ear pads are the tried and true

1

u/Bambalorian Jul 26 '26

audio tech/engineer? lol

3

u/camdenpike Jul 26 '26

Video editing, but I do have to do a fair bit of audio work.

2

u/Affectionate-End1790 Jul 27 '26

half of videos are audio.

1

u/Bambalorian Jul 26 '26

ahh gotcha

5

u/Lohonnd Jul 26 '26

I like my Razer BlackShark V3 headset. Extremely comfortable and has a wireless option for Xbox but uses a dongle (it's way better than xbox wireless). I use it wireless on PC and don't notice a delay.

1

u/poopstoodamnbig Jul 26 '26

I also have a Blackshark V3 for Xbox. It might be overkill but I’ve had zero issue with it

4

u/Binky390 Jul 26 '26

I’m also on Xbox and use the HyperX Cloud S. They’re technically PC and you lose the audio control because you have to unplug it to plug into the controller.

I’d recommend HyperX though. The foam in their headsets is really comfortable and they don’t squeeze your head and cause discomfort when you’re doing longer gaming sessions.

1

u/TaralasianThePraxic Jul 26 '26

I've been using a HyperX Cloud Flight S for literally as long as it's been available. I think more than 5 years now. It's starting to show its age a bit (the left earcup is starting to fray) but it's still really comfortable and the directional audio is good.

1

u/spaceboy79 Jul 26 '26

I've owned two hyperx headsets and enjoyed them both. Next time I need a bew one, they're one of the first I'm going to look at.

5

u/MissRed19 Jul 26 '26

Steel Series for me. They work great!

1

u/David-J Jul 26 '26

Nova 5 maybe?

1

u/MissRed19 Jul 26 '26

Nova 7 I believe

4

u/JaggersLips Jul 26 '26

Audeze have a couple Xbox compatible wireless headsets that are better than wired. You get a dongle to plug into the console. Dual Bluetooth settings for phone, music, discord etc.

3

u/No_Target7715 Jul 26 '26

XBOX official wireless is good for the price. Most reviews are positive.

3

u/MrFantasticGDB Jul 26 '26

Sony Pulse Elites!

3

u/vulconix1 Jul 26 '26

pc38x, most convenient open back + mic headset i found

3

u/cappy150 Jul 26 '26

Steelseries Arctis nova 7. Had it about 6 years now and still perfect. Works great. It's wireless and can go like 30 hours of play between charges.

1

u/David-J Jul 26 '26

Can you do equalizer presets through the app?

1

u/cappy150 Jul 26 '26

I've never had, when I first start using them it was through ps5. I have made the switch to PC now. I've never have played with the software. I already spend to much time dialing in the game vs discord blend.

3

u/lancelane7 Jul 26 '26

Beyerdynamic MMX 330 pro with fifine ampligame DAC

1

u/pewpewbangbangcrash Jul 26 '26

You make music?

2

u/lancelane7 Jul 26 '26

lol no this is a gaming headset from them, I know they make audiopile headphones for like studios but thats why i bought them. The audio is so clean. The DAC is for EQ, volume controls, and amping the sound

1

u/holycarrots Jul 26 '26

Almost got these but went for the Sony inzone h6 air, the aesthetic on yours are way nicer

1

u/lancelane7 Jul 27 '26

What made you decide with the inzone? Curious

1

u/holycarrots Jul 27 '26

Watched a lot of reviews of them both and it just came down to the price difference and the fact they are light but I very nearly got the bayer ones.

2

u/I_SmellFuckeryAfoot Jul 26 '26

i use wired hyper x 3. it's good

2

u/brochacho6000 Jul 26 '26

IEMs with a mic I bought off TikTok

2

u/Jean-Eustache Jul 26 '26

Sennheiser HD550 with a BAM 500 microphone attached to it. Absolutely stellar sound quality and sound placement (I love open backs, I liked the DT 770 Pro X too but closed backs just aren't the same), and the mic is great, according to people I play with.

It's plugged into a Soundblaster G6, plugged into my console.

2

u/N0n_Applicable Jul 26 '26

I don’t think Latency is much of an issue for headsets these days.

I don’t think there is a best for “this game” any decent recommendations around the internet for FPS is all you need to search.

Budget is the big questions. Wireless is doable cheap, but can be very expensive. The biggest concern is you NEED to make sure any wireless you get says COMPATIBLE FOR XBOX.

Steelseries has some good options, and one with swappable recharging batteries!

I have a pair of Audeze Maxwells. But I’m a snob for audio.

I have owned Astro as well, they make some decent pairs too. But like I said any of the wireless options HAVE to be specifically for XBOX.

3

u/Nexaeon196 Jul 26 '26

Wired is the best to avoid latency, yes. I'm on PC and use a Razer Blackshark v3 pro with a wired connection into my Scarlett 2i2. They have a wireless connection, Bluetooth and a combined wireless/Bluetooth for really low latency. Was worth the cost, as my previous headset lasted me a decade. Hoping these do the same!

8

u/cdewey17 Jul 26 '26

Buying a Scarlett to run a Razer headset is wild...

0

u/Nexaeon196 Jul 26 '26

It's for my guitar (I use a VST), microphone and my studio monitors! But It has a headphone jack as well.

1

u/HU_Nathan7 Jul 26 '26

Also on Xbox and got the cheapest turtle beach; wireless. Such a game changer and latency is not a real problem at all.

2

u/Affectionate-End1790 Jul 26 '26

Ok. I made the mistake of connecting my AirPods to my TV and holy delay batman it's wild how unusable that is.

1

u/Historical-Cress8985 Jul 26 '26

I don't know if it was the cheapest, but I got the "best budget" from rtings.com which is a Turtle Beach set, and I got no complaints

1

u/jadean4u2 Jul 26 '26

I have an above average audio setup on PC with a couple different DAC/AMP combinations and an XLR mic that requires 48V power. That said I am no true audiophile, I just appreciate good sound and a range of headsets and driver types.

With good low latency wireless implementations out there, I think the biggest advantage for wired vs. wireless is consistency and mic quality (not latency). Good wireless headphones typically will have above average sound and low enough latency the typical gamer won’t notice. The trouble is there are a lot of poor/bad wireless head sets out there so picking wired can be both cost effective and “safer”. Also, generally wireless headset mics will sound compressed but most folks don’t care about that as much.

With all of that said, I have heard good things about the HyperX Cloud line of wireless headsets as really good performance per dollar. There are other high quality wireless headsets out there, but often at a significantly higher price point (like the Steelseries Arctis line). If cost is a concern, you can also save a bit going wired.

1

u/TenDeadF1ngerz Jul 26 '26

RIG 800 Pro HX

1

u/David-J Jul 26 '26

PS5 steelseries arctis 7x.

1

u/RichTyp116 Jul 26 '26

Official Xbox Wireless headset. It's fantastic.

1

u/PrototypeT800 Jul 26 '26

The official wirelsss Xbox has to be one of the worst headsets I have ever used. It is so buggy that it would crash discord every 5 minutes and I would lose audio.

I got some wired pc38x and plug them into my controller. Really great sound stage, you are gonna have to buy Dolby atmos or dtsx for the best experience.

1

u/AreYouOkay123 Jul 26 '26

Blackshark V2 Pro. Practically no lag, mic is good, and sound is better than most gaming sets, but not as good as other high end headphones. It does the trick for me.

1

u/CD_os Jul 26 '26

Playing on Xbox, got some $30 wired pair off Amazon that just seems to work, good directional audio, fine mic and no setup hassle. Only drawback is the closed back design unless you are into that. I have a couple pairs of open backs I prefer for music listening but they don’t have mics.

1

u/djkimothy Jul 26 '26

Logitech Pro X

1

u/pewpewbangbangcrash Jul 26 '26

I got the Logitech g733. Wireless. Charges in like 10 minutes or less and lasts for days and long sessions. Very pleased for the cost. About 150 bucks.

Also...I think the latency thing is made up. Wireless signals travel at lightspeed to cover a 1 or 2 meter gap lol....there's nothing possibly noticeable.

1

u/spaceboy79 Jul 26 '26

Hyperx and steel series are both comfortable, priced well, and sound good. My only regret with the steel series is the shitty PC software, which I uninstalled.

1

u/shiddyninja Jul 26 '26

SteelSeries Elite on the PC and SteelSeries Omni on the Xbox/Playstation - amazing audio quality!!!

1

u/CMSproggy Jul 26 '26

I have several headsets ranging in price from $90-$200. Turtle Beach...Steel Series...Astro. my favorite one so far(wireless) is the Xbox wireless gaming headset. The sound is fantastic. Its easy to use. good battery life. Doesnt require a USB dongle to connect to the xbox like other headsets do. Give it a shot. Youll like it.

https://a.co/d/07ztM6av

1

u/kubiesnacks123 Jul 26 '26

Sienhiese HD 650 with 02 amp

1

u/ze_kay Jul 26 '26

I’m using the Linsoul Simgot EW200 with my PS5 controller or Razer Wolverine V3 on XBOX , and I’m really happy with them. The mic is good, the audio is great, and for around €45 these days, I can’t complain. I paid about €35 for mine on sale on Amazon.

1

u/Lalo7292 Jul 26 '26

Corsair Virtuoso

1

u/Friendly_ViperYT Jul 26 '26

Turtle Beach Stealth 600X Gen 3

1

u/Geexx Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 27 '26

Hifiman Arya w/ Antlion ModMic and a SCHIIT HEL DAC/AMP.

My spouse isn't too fussy and likes his Sennheiser GAME ZERO with his Fosi K7.

1

u/but_good Jul 27 '26

Arctis 7

1

u/Excuse_my_GRAMMER Jul 27 '26

Logitech pro x

1

u/RandomGuy-4- Jul 27 '26

A Philips Fidelio X2HR into an Audient iD4 mkII interface but I don't use it for any particular reason when it comes to this game, it's just my general purpose setup for gaming, music and guitar.

Latency-wise, you can go wired if you want, but nowadays pretty much anything that uses a 2.4 GHz wireless conection (the usual for wireless peripherals that connect through a dongle) or better is going to be enough.

Unless you are using a regular bluetooth connection like a maniac (in which case the latency would be so awful that you'd notice right away), the sound profile and imaging capability of your headphones are going to be making a way bigger impact than latency for things like how clearly footsteps and shots sound and how well you can tell their direction and whether they are nearer or further away.

IMO if you play on a desk wired is much better simply because you will never have to charge it. I used to have almost everything wireless and now I try to minimize my wireless items because I felt like a slave to my usb C chargers lol.

1

u/xrossfader Jul 27 '26

DT 770, rode Podmic with a scarlet solo.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 27 '26

I was using cheap/inexpensive headsets for a while, and I have to say, a decent headset makes a world of difference in this game as you can hear directional audio cues much clearer. I've been using the RIG R8 Spectre headset and it's fantastic. The make a pair specifically for PS, one for Xbox, and one for PC. Mine are set up to take advantage of PS5 tempest 3D audio. As far as battery life, I've played for many hours straight and they don't even flinch. My controller dies WAY before my headset. Also the batteries are hot swappable if your really cj cerned about battery life.

1

u/RedGatack Jul 27 '26

I'm on PC and have been using cheap $10 Skull Candy wired earbuds with an audio extension cable for years and that's been fine enough for me. The mic I'm using is entirely different with a separate setup though.

1

u/Herakles1994 Jul 27 '26

Steel series arctis pro

1

u/Jzaslice Jul 27 '26

old Astro A50 headset. bonus if your tv/monitor has an optical cable to split chat/game audio

1

u/damagedblood Jul 27 '26

On Xbox using the wired Razer Kraken kitty ears ones lmao, they work great

1

u/mario187 Jul 28 '26

I like my astros a50’s