So.. Does anyone have any experience gaming with IEMs? Thinking of making the switch cause I hate headphones clamped on my head during summer.
From videos on YouTube it looks like some could perform equally/better than headphones in their price bracket. Some people praising them for being better at pinpointing sounds and having better separation.
I enjoy regular closed-back headphones for immersion. Do you still get the same type of sound from them/feel immersion?
I mainly play cod/warzone on console and feel like people can hear my footsteps a lot louder than I hear theirs. Wondering if they're using IEMs lol.
Yeah they are great for immersion, but normal headphones are better and good speakers are even better IMO.
Being able to hear footsteps better is probably more related to EQ. On PC you could adjust that, otherwise look up frequency response graphs for headphones before purchase and avoid anything unbalanced, especially too much bass.
Some people praising them for being better at pinpointing sounds and having better separation.
Which is something that is possible with any IEM, or stereo headphones. Surround sound or spatial sound is a driver-level feature built into Windows (Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos) or game and it's not a inherent feature of any IEM's.
The thing you'd want to look out for is comfort, and whether they are tuned to boost certain frequencies. e.g some gaming headsets boost the sounds of footsteps, although you can do that yourself using free software like Equalizer APO.
I'll be using them playing on my console. I have a G6 DAC/Amp I use with a few headphones I own. I've boosted footstep frequencies but still feel at times with all that's happening around me, I can't hear a peep from a person sprinting up behind me. When I've watched killcams, it replicates my footsteps to sound a lot louder than what I can hear from my end, and the person is expecting me from a distance away I wouldn't have heard them and I always wonder to myself what kind of set up they have.
Seeing some people mention IEMs are better for hearing/pinpointing enemies through walls, even while there's lots of stuff going on makes me want to take the risk. I just don't know whether they play regular stereo which I really dislike, or have some artificial surround applied as well.
I use Apple Earpods. They sound great and are super comfortable, i can wear them all day (and often do) with zero listening fatigue or ear discomfort. I too cannot handle large over ear headphones, even in winter they are too hot.
Would recommend giving IEMs a go, even the cheap ones will sound 10x better than Apple Earpods. They don't get too warm in-ear or uncomfortable over long periods of time either, though YMMV.
I personally use the HyperX Gaming Earbuds but probably in the market for something nicer if anyone has any recommendations.
IEMs are immensely more sonically capable than headphones.
Headphones have just become a standard because of the included boom mics.
Better immersion in gaming is not the same thing as accuracy. So you want something to win on pure performance IEMs are the way to go.
I would go for something with balanced armatures with no built in microphone.
Interested if you have any recommendations.
You sound like you know what you’re talking about. I’m close to biting the bullet on the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite. Thoughts?
Did you end up buying them?
Nope, supposedly they can cause headaches/pressure in your ears cause they're not vented. I've got my eyes on a more expensive pair now haha
Since posting thread I was slowly seeing the stock on Amazon go down. Bit the bullet on the last one stocked by Amazon for faster shipping, it's purple but whatever lol.
I do. They do the job. They might not be the absolute best solution if you are a professional gamer, but otherwise they perform well in games like CS:GO.
I use them as I find normal headphones uncomfortable.