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To hear footsteps clearly in shooters, the best all-round headset is the Razer BlackShark V3 (about $150): PC Gamer praises its clear mids for picking out in-game detail, and its low-latency wireless works on PC and PS5. If you play at a quiet desk, an open-back headset gives a wider, more natural soundstage: the Drop PC38X ($170) is the value pick and the ASUS ROG Kithara ($299) the premium one. Settings matter as much as hardware, so read the setup section below too.
Check the Razer BlackShark V3 on Amazon →
Check the BlackShark V3 at Razer.com →
How we put this together: this guide is based on manufacturers’ specifications and published reviews from PC Gamer, SoundGuys, Hardware Canucks and others (linked below). It is not based on hands-on testing by iTech Level. Prices are list or typical street prices at the time of writing. See how we choose products.
Best headphones for footsteps compared
| Headset | Best for | Design | Connection | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Razer BlackShark V3 | Best overall, PC and PS5 | Closed-back, 270 g | 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, USB | About $150 | Check price |
| Drop PC38X | Best open-back value | Open-back, boom mic | Wired 3.5 mm | $170 | Check price |
| ASUS ROG Kithara | Premium open-back | Open-back planar, 420 g | Wired (3.5 mm, balanced, 6.3 mm, USB-C) | $299 | Check price |
| Audeze Maxwell 2 | Best wireless sound | Closed-back planar, 560 g | 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, USB-C, 3.5 mm | About $329 | Check price |
| HyperX Cloud Alpha | Best budget (wired) | Closed-back, dual-chamber drivers | Wired 3.5 mm | Often under list | Check price |
| SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 / 5X | Consoles, with game presets | Closed-back, 265 g | 2.4GHz USB-C, Bluetooth | About $130 | Check price |
What makes headphones good for hearing footsteps?
- Clear mids and highs, controlled bass. Footsteps, reloads and doors sit mostly above the bass range. Heavy bass sounds exciting but can mask them, so a headset that keeps its bass separate from the mids helps more than one that simply booms.
- Imaging and soundstage. Imaging is how precisely you can place a sound; soundstage is how wide and spacious it feels. Open-back headphones let sound escape behind the drivers instead of bouncing inside a sealed cup, which SoundGuys says avoids “unwanted reflections and resonances” (SoundGuys).
- Low latency. A wired connection or a 2.4GHz dongle; regular Bluetooth adds a delay you can hear (see our Bluetooth headphones for gaming guide).
- Comfort for long sessions, since you’ll wear them for hours.
Open-back vs closed-back: open-back headphones usually sound wider and more natural, but they block no outside noise and leak sound into the room, so they suit a quiet desk, not a shared room or a noisy LAN. Closed-back headsets isolate you and work anywhere, with a slightly narrower presentation.
The best headphones for footsteps in 2026
1. Razer BlackShark V3: best overall
The BlackShark V3 is our top gaming headset overall, and it’s well suited to competitive shooters. PC Gamer rates it the best gaming headset overall, praising its clear mids for picking out in-game detail (PC Gamer). It weighs 270 g, connects over Razer’s 2.4GHz HyperSpeed dongle, Bluetooth or USB, and has a low-latency mode that Razer says cuts wireless delay to as little as 10 ms; the battery is rated at up to 70 hours (Razer).
Good to know: the 10 ms mode drains the battery faster, and the standard V3 doesn’t work wirelessly with Xbox. More in our best gaming headsets.
Check the BlackShark V3 on Amazon →
Check the BlackShark V3 at Razer.com →
2. Drop PC38X: best open-back value
The PC38X is an open-back gaming headset made with Sennheiser-derived drivers, sold by Drop for about $170, with a boom mic that mutes when you flip it up. Hardware Canucks praised its “beautiful soundstage expansion” and comfort, saying “you can wear this headset for 8 hours a day without any pressure fatigue,” and its low 28-ohm impedance means it doesn’t need an amplifier (Hardware Canucks). It plugs into a PC, a controller or any 3.5 mm jack.
Good to know: it’s wired only, and as an open-back design it leaks sound and lets room noise in.
Check the Drop PC38X on Amazon →
3. ASUS ROG Kithara: best premium open-back
The Kithara ($299) is a gaming headset built with HiFiMAN around 100 mm planar magnetic drivers, with a detachable full-band MEMS boom mic. SoundGuys notes that the drivers’ speed “should allow critical audio cues, such as footsteps and weapon reloads, to remain well-defined,” and that the open design avoids the reflections of sealed cups (SoundGuys). It comes with a gaming cable with the mic and a hi-fi cable with 3.5 mm, balanced, 6.3 mm and USB-C connections.
Good to know: at 420 g it’s heavier than most gaming headsets, it’s wired only, and SoundGuys points out the trade-off of open-back: “environmental sounds enter freely and audio leaks out.”
Check the ROG Kithara on Amazon →
4. Audeze Maxwell 2: best wireless sound quality
If you want the detail of planar magnetic drivers without a cable, the Maxwell 2 uses 90 mm planars with Audeze’s SLAM design for deeper bass that doesn’t cover up detail. It connects over a 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth, USB-C or 3.5 mm, with up to 80 hours of battery and an AI noise-reducing boom mic. RTINGS and PC Gamer both rank it their top wireless pick for audio (RTINGS). Good to know: at 560 g it’s very heavy, and some reviewers found it uncomfortable over long sessions.
Check the Maxwell 2 on Amazon →
5. HyperX Cloud Alpha: best on a budget
The wired Cloud Alpha uses dual-chamber drivers that separate the bass from the mids and highs, giving a full low end without muddying footsteps and voices. It plugs into anything with a 3.5 mm jack, including PS5 and Xbox controllers, so there’s no wireless delay, and it’s often discounted well below list price. PC Gamer names it the best wired gaming headset (PC Gamer).
Check the Cloud Alpha on Amazon →
6. SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 / Nova 5X: best for consoles
On a console you can’t run PC audio software, which is where the Nova 5 helps: its companion phone app has audio presets for more than 100 games, so you can load a shooter’s preset without a PC. Its USB-C dongle works with PS5, PC, Switch 2 and handhelds, the Nova 5X adds Xbox, and SteelSeries rates the battery at up to 60 hours (SteelSeries).
Check the Arctis Nova 5 on Amazon →
How to hear footsteps better: settings that matter
- Pick the game’s headphone mode. Many shooters have an audio output setting for headphones; use it instead of a speaker or TV mode, so the game mixes positional sound for two ears.
- Use one virtual surround layer, not two. Windows can add spatial sound (Settings > System > Sound > your headphones > Spatial sound > Windows Sonic for Headphones), and Dolby Atmos and DTS are available from the Microsoft Store (Microsoft). If the game already does its own 3D audio, stacking another layer on top can blur positions, so try each and keep what sounds clearest.
- Use an FPS or footsteps EQ preset rather than a bass boost. The LucidSound LS500, for example, has an FPS mode, and SteelSeries’ app has presets for more than 100 games.
- Turn down music and voice chat, and avoid “loudness” or “bass enhancement” effects that compress quiet sounds.
- Go wired or use the dongle, never regular Bluetooth, for competitive play.
Our verdict
The Razer BlackShark V3 is the best headset for hearing footsteps for most players: clear mids, low-latency wireless and a fair price. If you play at a quiet desk and want the widest soundstage, an open-back headset is the upgrade, with the Drop PC38X as the value pick and the ASUS ROG Kithara as the premium one. On a budget, the wired HyperX Cloud Alpha keeps bass and footsteps separate, and on consoles, the Arctis Nova 5’s game presets help. Whichever you choose, set the game to headphone mode and skip the bass boost.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best headphones for hearing footsteps?
The Razer BlackShark V3 for most players, praised by PC Gamer for clear mids. For the widest soundstage at a quiet desk, an open-back headset such as the Drop PC38X or ASUS ROG Kithara.
Are open-back headphones better for footsteps?
They usually give a wider, more natural soundstage, which helps place sounds. The trade-off is that they block no outside noise and leak sound, so they suit a quiet room rather than a shared space.
Does virtual surround help you hear footsteps?
Sometimes. Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos or DTS can help in games without their own 3D audio, but stacking them on top of a game’s built-in spatial audio can blur positions. Try each and keep what sounds clearest.
Should I use a bass boost for gaming?
Not for competitive shooters. Heavy bass can mask footsteps, which sit mostly in the mids and highs. An FPS or footsteps EQ preset is usually better.
Can I hear footsteps better with wireless headphones?
Use a headset with a 2.4GHz dongle or a cable. Regular Bluetooth adds a delay you can notice in fast games, so sounds arrive slightly after the action.
