I already have exerience of having 5.1 headset and already don't find it any interesting for me. But recently razer leviathan had been released in Russia and as I read it's 5.1 isn't that good. After this I thought of buying a normal 5.1 surround system, but it caused me a question: would it be such a big simprovement in gaming audio against headphones or just waste of money?
Thanks for any replies.
I've switched from a virtual 7.1 headset to a true 5.1 headset, and I never want to go back anymore
"MICHAEL! Zuig m'n nepel... Ehrrr... Tipple!" - Exhibition (2017)
No. A headphone will always be better than an actual 5.1 system.
Audio is love, audio is life.
Courage isn't the absence of fear, It's doing what must be done despite the fear.
"An apology is worthless if you do not learn from your mistake." - Me
So to give you something to relate to, put on your headset and turn it to stereo then listen to this whilst you close your eyes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA
Then next, something closer to your ears will bring 'all' sounds to your ears and an actual studio system will need to be turned up real loud to produce the soft sounds of a footstep so that it will reach your ears without being overrun by the louder noises.
Bottom line: Studio systems are nice for music, not for gaming. (unless you build a simulator with movement pad, hand gesture system, oculus rift etc
)
In my experience, 5.1 and 7.1 sound in a headset is not worth it. By definition, 5.1 is 2 speakers in front, 2 behind you, and one in the middle with a subwoofer as well. Headphones, on the other hand, only contain 2 inputs which rest on the side of your head. Most headsets, especially by Razer, will put a bunch of cheap speakers all oriented differently to simulate surround sound. Will it sound different? Yes. Will it be true surround sound? No. If you are looking for a simulated surround sound experience, there are software programs that can replicate the sound surround sound headphones will produce. And while many argue that 5.1 and 7.1 headsets are worth it, in my experience, they are not.
Instead of buying an expensive headset labeled as a "gamer" headset, look into some high end studio headphones. Sennheiser and Sony have some excellent choices for headphones. And those will not only produce much better quality than most headsets, they will work with simulated surround sound. I own a pair of MDR-V6 by Sony. They were designed for people who compose their own electronic music (which is what I do). The sound quality is crystal clear, while the bass is puncy but not overpowering. But, all of this is coming from somebody who enjoys listening to the audio source with no coloring. Meaning, that I want the sound to sound the way it was mixed, mastered, and maximized. Don't get me wrong, headsets are not bad. Especially if you enjoy all the controls they have. Such as bass adjustment, a mic on the side, etc. But again, this advice is coming from somebody who does not care for that, who only wants pure sound, and needs to hear it the way it is. That is why I invested in studio speakers for mixing.
My last piece of advice to you is this. If you want true surround sound, than buy a speaker system. But if you would rather save money and get something just as good, (if not better) buy a set of studio headphones (good ones can be under 100$), and use a virtual surround sound program such as Razer Synapse. Also, a great option from a headset is to purchase some high end studio headphones (such as the MDR-V6 by Sony) and Mod Mic. A small mic that rests on the side of any headphones.This isn't only cheaper, but will give you superior sound quality compared to most headsets. I hope this helps, good luck with finding an audio system!
P.S. Sorry for any grammatical errors, I typed this very fast without proof reading. If you have questions, feel free to PM me.
Thanks to all of you guys, appreciate your help very much