Introduction
I’ve literally had this issue more times than I can count. It wasn’t just in recent years, I remember asking myself this question when I was a kid with an XBOX 360. I think the issue of headsets breaking in some way is related to all types, not just wired or wireless. I used to have a pair of super fancy, brown leather foam Bluetooth sets. They broke within a year of using them (the left side wouldn’t play music)!
Another pair I got had an aux cord attachment. I can’t remember the specific model from years ago. But I remember that the audio output got super unresponsive and the only way to fix this was by bending a part of the cord in a way that allowed 100% feedback (this wasn’t a sustainable solution, they might as well have been broken)
Important note: there is a difference between gaming headsets and gaming headphones. Most of these issues are about gaming headsets and their ability to project quality sound and allow for good voice chat.
This article will talk about the wide range of problems that are commonly experienced with gaming headsets. Everything from faulty cords, microphones breaking, why one side loses sound, and what causes these technical issues to be so common.
The Most Common Gaming Headset Problems Explained
Cords quickly become faulty. It doesn’t help that almost every single gaming headset comes with a long cord. They also come with braided wires that split off into the chat and sound dial. A lot of people don’t plan to manage these cords. They either end up rubber banding the excess together, or they just let the cords hang off the side of the desk the entire time. People who take them everywhere they go also don’t properly store the headset and its cords in their bag when traveling.
Pay cheap, pay twice. This quote might not apply to everything, but for gaming headsets it does. There are so many knock-off brands that falsely advertise their products and claim to be just as good as more authoritative companies. Their products are more prone to breaking because they’re usually not expensive (low prices are the only way they try to compete with higher quality products).
Turtle Beach and Triton have the most crushing reviews when it comes to durability. I’ve seen a ton of reviews that also say they have really bad warranty support. If you went on Reddit or any other tech forum page you would find that the people who had the most technical problems with their headsets were Turtle Beach and Triton buyers. They just don’t last a long time because of their hardware quality.
Chat headsets break more easily. Headsets have more going on than gaming headphones. They have to incorporate more connections while providing voice chat and gaming audio. A lot of them come with bass and sound adjustment settings on top of chat dials, even though gaming PCs are able to adjust these settings.
Potential Solutions
Don’t buy gaming “headsets,” go with gaming headphones instead. Quality headphones are a lot easier to find because they’re designed to serve more purposes than just gaming (such as studio listening or working out). Gaming headsets try to appeal to a very specific audience by coming with RGB lighting and other useless features that inaccurately mark up their price. From my experience, I have a slightly stronger preference towards aux headphones instead of USB headsets.
Detachable cords should be a must-have feature. I recommend this for a couple of reasons. If the cord breaks (which is often the cause of headphones breaking), you can easily order a replacement for super cheap. You don’t have to replace the entire thing if something goes wrong. Detachable cords are great for people who travel, having gaming laptops, or often transport their gear. But I would strongly recommend this feature for people who also have stationary desktop setups.
AKG headphones are a good example. As a studio headphone company, you can detach the cord from the headphones for any of their products.
Invest in more expensive headphones and they will pay for themselves in the long. They really will. I’ve had my Sennheiser Momentums for over five years now! I’ve abused them when working out, and they’re fantastic for gaming. The mic works really well on them and I’ve never had anyone complain about the quality of my voice on Teamspeak. I’ve had zero technical issues with them and I plan to use these for many years to come. I’m glad I stopped trying to get cheap headsets and actually took the time to save up for something better (they’ve more than paid for themselves at this point).
What I would tell my old self when buying gaming headphones
I look back at these points in retrospect and it would have saved me so much hassle and answered so many questions if someone had laid this all out for me. Hopefully you all will find a few things in here that are useful. If you have any additional insight, feel free to let me know.
Invest in a good pair of headphones, they will last you longer and you can use them for more than just gaming. I mentioned this one earlier but it really is something I would tell my old self as a wee lad. I always looked for budget gaming headphones and headsets because I never considered the fact that I could use them for things like working out or watching movies on a long play ride.
If you need a mic, use your phone for Teamspeak or just get headphones that have a small mic on the aux cord. I know this way might be a little unconventional for people who take gaming seriously. From my perspective, as long as I can hear my friend well enough to communicate while gaming, I don’t need a dedicated headset. I even found that my Sennheisers transmit great microphone audio when gaming.
Don’t get a super long USB headset, they’re too much of a hassle. I’m not good at cord management, so having a long cord with speaker dials makes my set up look messy. I’ve never needed more than a couple of feet of cord for headphones or anything else. I don’t understand why those cords are so long, and that’s the number one thing people complain about in reviews.
XBOX and PS4 specific headsets aren’t better than other brands. I used to think that because Turtle Beach was the most iconic gaming headset that meant that they were the best product for gaming on those specific consoles. I thought that it was always my fault for breaking them within a couple of months because they weren’t stored properly or something. But so many people on forums try so hard to get them to last longer but they just don’t!
Conclusion
Now that you’re aware that the most common problems tend to be cords breaking, cheap headsets not holding up, and purchasing from brands that aren’t reputable, hopefully, you can understand what the right direction is to head in. It’s not necessarily about being able to fix broken headsets, because often they’re not salvageable. It’s about being able to make informed decisions about different headsets and headphones so you’re gaming experience can continue to feel like plug and play.
If you’re still in the buying process and are researching the various products out there, check out my article on USB vs Analog guide. It’ll help you understand the main differences and which one is better. I look back and realize that the headphones I liked the most were actually analog and not USB.
If you’re curious as to why gaming headsets (with mics) are always a USB connection, this article about USB headsets will also help you. It gives a little more insight into why headsets are usually USB and come with all the bulky cords that they do. It’s worth a quick read if you’re curious.
As always, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to reach out at entertainmentden.ns@gmail.com and I’ll do my best to respond. I’m also taking article suggestions and topics if you guys have any. Be sure to check back regularly for new articles as well. Thanks for reading!