I never use VR headset audio

[Fielder]

Because it isn't very good. I had a Reverb G2 with its celebrated audio pods. My Audio Tecnica M40 headset sounded much better. So I just jammed it over the VR headset and used that for audio. (The M40 are just an average hifi headset, nothing great. But so much better than the audio from any VR headset).

With my new Crystal Light I use a set of bluetooth phone earpods like most everyone who plays music on a phone. They are tiny and don't require removal when taking the VR headset off. They all have decent mics too. $20 to $300 is what people pay nowadays. I don't use a pilot's headphones in 2D either. Would be too cumbersome unless it's wireless.

$20

https://www.amazon.com/Soundcore-Wireless-Bluetooth-Customized-Water-Resistant/dp/B0BTYBVR4S/

$29 to $100

 

[Donka]

Dedicated, isolating earphones should always sound better than a built in, floating, over the ear solution. While in VR, I still need to hear the outside so do not want to be isolated. I also appreciate the ease of use of the built in speakers - this is why I'll be using the DMAS speaker option with the Crystal Light. Different strokes for different folks.

[Grindathotte]

With the Quest 3, you can put any pair of over-ear headphones over the top and get a boost in sound quality, volume and bass.  No need to connect the headphones, you just use them as passive sound boxes.  You need to be able to cover the sound outlet slots with them, so it might not work with some addon straps.

Edited July 23 by Grindathotte

[MarcG]

I didn't find the G2 headphones that bad but I like to block out all external noise, especially when Sim Racing. So I bought some Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones and they work a treat, very decent sound, bit of a faff to use with my new Pico 3 but I'll find a way to attach them to the HMD properly like I did with my G2.

[JacquesBrel]

Good audio is for me a very large part of VR immersion. I didn't like the G2 headphones because the volume was often not loud enough, and being able to hear external sounds dectracted from my immersion.

I had a pair of wireless, open-back Sennheiser headphones for many years until they gave out, and I really liked the wide soundstage you get with open-back headphones, which is great for VR immersion. When I had to get new headphones there were not many wireless open-back headphones on the market, so I got a pair of Razer Blackshark which have a decently wide soundstage even though they're closed headphones. And they also have very good THX spatial audio.

If you haven't tried spatial audio you should definitely try it for VR. Windows comes with Sonic spatial audio which you can try for free right now today. However, DTS spatial audio is a bit better - I used it with my Sennheiser headphones. You can get a free trial from the Microsoft Store. Razer THX spatial audio is on par with DTS, and is also available as a free trial from the Razer website.

[Kassu62]

One good VR flight sim audio option is not to use headphones at all. Good 5.1 audio system and you feel the bass. That gives the best immersion.

[Donka]

28 minutes ago, Kassu62 said:

One good VR flight sim audio option is not to use headphones at all. Good 5.1 audio system and you feel the bass. That gives the best immersion.

Great for bass and sound quality but not the best for audio placement.

[peloto]

I only use the G2 inbuilt speakers when late night and they have a good-decent quality, and only as incoming radio communications the G2 inbuilt and outside a 5.1 sound system during "decent" hours. I don´t want more hassle, and with the advantage that you still can hear outside.

An opinion-comparative about the G2s vs Crystal Lights in inbuilt speakers?

[Fielder]

The G2 built in speakers are far better than the default (free) speakers on my Crystal Light. But, as others said above, for $100 you can get optional Crystal speaker attachments that people are saying are about the same as the G2 and the Steam headset.

EDIT: default Crystal Light speakers aren't bad at all. But they are just too far from my ears. Farther than on my old G2, and therefore volume is very low.

Edited July 25 by Fielder

[Fielder]

I have blue tooth ear buds arriving tomorrow. Amazon had them on sale, $100 for $70 on a one day sale 2 days ago.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZV7M23Q/

 

[Fielder]

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ear+buds+soundcore+liberty+4+nc

 

---

When I want a graphics card, controller, or anything I just enter my price and click on camelcamelcamel for that exact amazon item, and they email me immediately when the price falls. Within 5 minutes of the sale.

Notice the sales on this:

https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BZV7M23Q

 

Edited July 25 by Fielder

[Rene_Feijen]

I use a pair of JBL LX44 for MSFS2020 sound and a wireless Razer Blackshark Pro V2 over my Varjo Aero headset for speech/ATC (Discord, SayIntentions). Aircraft sound resembles  my real life trainng aircraft  (Ikarus C42) in which I use Bose A30 noice canceling headphones.

Edited July 26 by Rene_Feijen

[MarcG]

On 7/25/2024 at 10:01 PM, Fielder said:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ear+buds+soundcore+liberty+4+nc

 

---

When I want a graphics card, controller, or anything I just enter my price and click on camelcamelcamel for that exact amazon item, and they email me immediately when the price falls. Within 5 minutes of the sale.

Notice the sales on this:

https://camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BZV7M23Q

 

I used that to track the Pico 3 cost, but they e-mailed me 3 days later by which time it had gone back up..., thankfully i was checking every day anyway so grabbed it when it dropped in price.

Edited July 27 by MarcG

[kdfw__]

with the computer/gpu fans whining during vr, had to ditch the g2 floating above ear headphone to covering the ear cheapo anc headphone.   

[Fielder]

My sale priced Soundscope Liberty 4 NC came today. Best music quality I ever heard from a headphone. It's also the most comfortable of the in ear pods. I had to get a D-Link Windows USB bluetooth receiver to use it ($14).

Sounded great default. But using FxSound from the Windows store (free), the sound can be configured. This in my opinion is far less buggy than Equalizer APO or PEACE and with a more streamlined GUI. FxSound is more configurable than it looks like at first but not as much as APO.

 

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/xp8jk4tbq03lz4?hl=en-us&gl=US