Choosing the best headset for directional audio starts with the surround tech, because hearing footsteps behind you in a game needs more than stereo. Four of the five headsets here list surround or spatial audio; one is stereo only. We compared them by audio tech, drivers, mic, comfort, connectivity and stated warranty, so you can hear where everything is.
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Quick picks
Best Overall JBL Quantum 400: QuantumSURROUND plus DTS:X, 2-year warranty Check price on Amazon
Best Wireless HyperX Cloud III S: DTS:X, 53mm drivers, 120-hour battery Check price on Amazon
Best Comfort SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P: 360-degree spatial audio, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
Best Value JBL Quantum 200: 50mm drivers, Windows Sonic, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
Best Broadcast Audio-Technica BPHS1: Cardioid mic, stereo, 1-year warranty Check price on Amazon
The picks
| # | Product | Office Score | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JBL Quantum 400 | 9.7/10 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 | HyperX Cloud III S | 9.7/10 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 | SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P | 9.7/10 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 | JBL Quantum 200 | 9.6/10 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 | Audio-Technica BPHS1 | 9.6/10 | Buy on Amazon |
Pros
- JBL QuantumSURROUND and DTS headphone:X v2.0, per the listing.
- Voice focus directional flip-up mic, per the listing.
- 50mm drivers, per the spec table.
- 2 years warranty.
Cons
- Wired only.
- 9.7 ounces.
- QuantumSURROUND needs the JBL QuantumENGINE PC software, per the listing.
- Only the black color in this listing.
Detailed Review
The JBL Quantum 400 listing describes a wired over-ear gaming headset with JBL QuantumSURROUND and DTS headphone:X v2.0, a voice focus directional flip-up mic, 50mm drivers and memory foam ear cushions. It weighs 9.7 ounces.
The spec table lists a 2 years warranty; the QuantumSURROUND runs on the included JBL QuantumENGINE PC software.
Its Office Score of 9.7/10 comes from performance 33/35, build 21/25, value 21/25, safety not scored (non-powered gear) and warranty 3/5: 78 of 90 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.
Key Specifications
Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 18 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.
Safety and Warranty
What this listing states. This product does not plug in or run on a battery, so safety is not part of its score. 2 years. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 3 of 5. See How We Pick.
Protect your hearing. Keep volume moderate during long calls, take breaks, and treat noise cancelling and battery figures as the maker's claims.
This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.
HyperX Cloud III S
A wireless gaming headset with DTS:X Spatial Audio and 53mm drivers.
Pros
- DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio, per the listing.
- 53mm angled drivers, per the listing.
- Up to 120-hour battery on 2.4GHz, per the listing.
- 2 Year Manufacturer warranty.
Cons
- Not compatible with Xbox, per the listing.
- 356 grams.
- The detachable mic can be misplaced.
- Spatial Audio activation is PC only, per the listing.
Detailed Review
The HyperX Cloud III S listing describes a wireless gaming headset with 53mm angled drivers, DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio, a detachable 10mm boom mic and up to 120-hour battery on 2.4GHz. It weighs 356 grams.
The spec table lists a 2 Year Manufacturer warranty; the headset is not compatible with Xbox.
Its Office Score of 9.7/10 comes from performance 32/35, build 21/25, value 21/25, safety not scored (non-powered gear) and warranty 3/5: 77 of 90 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.
Key Specifications
Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 18 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.
Safety and Warranty
What this listing states. This product does not plug in or run on a battery, so safety is not part of its score. 2 Year Manufacturer. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 3 of 5. See How We Pick.
Protect your hearing. Keep volume moderate during long calls, take breaks, and treat noise cancelling and battery figures as the maker's claims.
This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P
A multi-system gaming headset with 360-degree Spatial Audio.
Pros
- 360-degree Spatial Audio, per the listing.
- Hi-Fi drivers with parametric EQ, per the listing.
- ClearCast Gen 2 noise-cancelling mic, per the listing.
- 1 Year warranty.
Cons
- Wired 3.5mm only.
- 280 grams.
- Tempest 3D Audio is PS5 only, per the listing.
- Only the white color in this listing.
Detailed Review
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P listing describes a multi-system gaming headset with 360-degree Spatial Audio, Hi-Fi drivers, a ClearCast Gen 2 noise-cancelling mic and a ComfortMAX design. It weighs 280 grams.
The spec table lists a 1 Year warranty; it connects via 3.5mm to PlayStation, PC, Xbox and Switch.
Its Office Score of 9.7/10 comes from performance 32/35, build 21/25, value 21/25, safety not scored (non-powered gear) and warranty 2/5: 76 of 90 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.
Key Specifications
Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 18 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.
Safety and Warranty
What this listing states. This product does not plug in or run on a battery, so safety is not part of its score. 1 Year. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 2 of 5. See How We Pick.
Protect your hearing. Keep volume moderate during long calls, take breaks, and treat noise cancelling and battery figures as the maker's claims.
This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.
JBL Quantum 200
A wired gaming headset with 50mm drivers and Windows Sonic support.
Pros
- 50mm drivers, per the spec table.
- Voice focus directional flip-up mic, per the listing.
- Compatible with Windows Sonic Spatial Sound, per the listing.
- 1 year manufacturer warranty.
Cons
- No built-in surround; relies on Windows Sonic, per the listing.
- 245 grams.
- Fixed cable, per the spec table.
- Only the black color in this listing.
Detailed Review
The JBL Quantum 200 listing describes a wired over-ear gaming headset with 50mm drivers, a voice focus directional flip-up mic and memory foam ear cushions. It weighs 245 grams.
The spec table lists a 1 year manufacturer warranty; the headset is compatible with Windows Sonic Spatial Sound on Windows 10 and Xbox One.
Its Office Score of 9.6/10 comes from performance 29/35, build 20/25, value 21/25, safety not scored (non-powered gear) and warranty 2/5: 72 of 90 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.
Key Specifications
Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 18 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.
Safety and Warranty
What this listing states. This product does not plug in or run on a battery, so safety is not part of its score. 1 year manufacturer. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 2 of 5. See How We Pick.
Protect your hearing. Keep volume moderate during long calls, take breaks, and treat noise cancelling and battery figures as the maker's claims.
This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.
Pros
- Cardioid boom mic that rejects off-axis sounds, per the listing.
- Closed-back ear cups seal out background noise, per the listing.
- Aluminum enclosure, per the spec table.
- 1 Year warranty.
Cons
- Stereo only; no surround or spatial audio.
- A broadcast headset, not tuned for gaming.
- 9.3 ounces.
- Needs XLR-compatible equipment, per the listing.
Detailed Review
The Audio-Technica BPHS1 listing describes a broadcast stereo headset with a dynamic cardioid boom mic, closed-back ear cups and neodymium magnets. It weighs 9.3 ounces.
The spec table lists a 1 Year warranty; the mic uses a cardioid pickup pattern and the headset needs XLR-compatible equipment.
Its Office Score of 9.6/10 comes from performance 28/35, build 21/25, value 20/25, safety not scored (non-powered gear) and warranty 2/5: 71 of 90 points, placed on our 9.2 to 9.8 scale.
Key Specifications
Figures as published on the retailer listing, collected 18 October 2026. Performance figures are manufacturer rated.
Safety and Warranty
What this listing states. This product does not plug in or run on a battery, so safety is not part of its score. 1 Year. It does not say everything a buyer needs, such as who pays return shipping, so warranty scores 2 of 5. See How We Pick.
Protect your hearing. Keep volume moderate during long calls, take breaks, and treat noise cancelling and battery figures as the maker's claims.
This is general buying information, not professional advice. Follow each product manual and local rules, and see our Safety Disclaimer.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Compare the picks
| Headset | OfficeKit Score | Brand | Audio tech | Drivers | Warranty | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBL Quantum 400 | 9.7/10 | JBL | QuantumSURROUND+DTS:X | 50mm | 2 years | View on Amazon |
| HyperX Cloud III S | 9.7/10 | HyperX | DTS:X Spatial | 53mm | 2 years | View on Amazon |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P | 9.7/10 | SteelSeries | 360 Spatial | Hi-Fi | 1 year | View on Amazon |
| JBL Quantum 200 | 9.6/10 | JBL | Windows Sonic | 50mm | 1 year | View on Amazon |
| Audio-Technica BPHS1 | 9.6/10 | Audio-Technica | Stereo | Dynamic | 1 year | View on Amazon |
Product details as published on each listing, collected 18 October 2026.
How we scored them
The OfficeKit Score weighs performance, build, value, safety and warranty. The JBL Quantum 400 leads on QuantumSURROUND plus DTS:X v2.0 with a 2-year warranty; the HyperX follows with DTS:X and wireless. How we pick explains the weights.
| Product | Office Score | Perf. /35 | Build /25 | Value /25 | Safety /10 | Warranty /5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBL Quantum 400 | 9.7 | 33 | 21 | 21 | n/a | 3 |
| HyperX Cloud III S | 9.7 | 32 | 21 | 21 | n/a | 3 |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P | 9.7 | 32 | 21 | 21 | n/a | 2 |
| JBL Quantum 200 | 9.6 | 29 | 20 | 21 | n/a | 2 |
| Audio-Technica BPHS1 | 9.6 | 28 | 21 | 20 | n/a | 2 |
Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each product’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Safety counts only for powered gear or where the listing states safety features; where it does not apply, the score is taken over the remaining 90 points.
How to choose the best headset for directional audio
Check the surround tech
Surround tech is the core of directional audio. The JBL Quantum 400 lists JBL QuantumSURROUND and DTS headphone:X v2.0, running on the included QuantumENGINE PC software. The HyperX lists DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio with a lifetime activation on PC. The SteelSeries lists 360-degree Spatial Audio, compatible with Tempest 3D Audio on PS5. The JBL Quantum 200 lists compatibility with Windows Sonic Spatial Sound. The Audio-Technica is stereo only, with no surround tech stated. For true directional cues, the four with surround tech fit. For video calls instead, see headsets for video conferencing.
Compare the drivers and mic
Driver sizes run from 50mm to 53mm. The HyperX has 53mm angled drivers; both JBLs have 50mm drivers; the SteelSeries lists Hi-Fi drivers with a parametric EQ; the Audio-Technica lists dynamic drivers with neodymium magnets. Mics differ too: both JBLs have a voice focus directional flip-up boom mic, the SteelSeries has a ClearCast Gen 2 noise-cancelling mic, the HyperX has a detachable 10mm boom mic, and the Audio-Technica has a cardioid boom mic. For noisy offices, see headsets for noisy office environments.
Wired or wireless
Three are wired, one is wireless, one is both. The HyperX is wireless with up to 120 hours on 2.4GHz and 200 hours on Bluetooth, but it is not compatible with Xbox. The JBL 400, JBL 200 and SteelSeries connect via 3.5mm or USB. The Audio-Technica needs XLR-compatible equipment. Wireless suits moving around; wired suits zero-latency gaming. Browse all headsets for more options.
Weigh the warranty
Two list a 2-year warranty: the JBL Quantum 400 and the HyperX. Three list 1 year: the JBL Quantum 200, the SteelSeries and the Audio-Technica. For loud environments, see headsets for loud environments.
Before you buy
- Check the surround tech: QuantumSURROUND, DTS:X, 360-degree Spatial Audio or Windows Sonic; one is stereo only.
- Compare the drivers: 50mm to 53mm across these five.
- Decide wired or wireless: one wireless, three wired, one broadcast XLR.
- Note the warranty: 2 years on two, 1 year on three.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which headset has the best surround tech here?
The JBL Quantum 400 lists both JBL QuantumSURROUND and DTS headphone:X v2.0. The HyperX and SteelSeries list DTS:X and 360-degree Spatial Audio respectively.
Which are wireless?
The HyperX Cloud III S is wireless with 2.4GHz and Bluetooth. The rest are wired, and the Audio-Technica needs XLR-compatible equipment.
Which have a directional mic?
Both JBL headsets list a voice focus directional flip-up boom mic. The SteelSeries and HyperX list noise-cancelling mics, and the Audio-Technica a cardioid boom mic.
Which have the longest warranty?
The JBL Quantum 400 and HyperX each list a 2-year warranty. The other three list 1 year.
Related lists
See every headsets list and all connectivity lists.
More lists: headsets for video conferencing, headsets for loud environments and headsets for noisy office environments.
