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With surround sound, you can determine where the noise is coming from in-game. That can give you a serious advantage.
The best 7.1 gaming headsets do even better by providing not just directional audio, but all the benefits of a well-tuned soundscape tailored for gaming.
We’ve listed the best virtual and true 7.1 gaming headsets available today based on user and expert reviews.
You’ll surely find your first-choice new headset from right here!
Best 7.1 Gaming Headsets with Surround Sound
| Product | Image | Specifications | Price |
| Philips Audio TAG6105 |  | Driver Size: 50mm Neodymium Audio Driver Microphones: Unidirectional, Fixed Surround Effect: Virtual 7.1 Surround Interface: USB Noise Cancellation: No | Check Price |
| Edifier G4 TE |  | Driver Size: 50mm Microphones: Unidirectional, Detachable Surround Effect: Virtual 7.1 Surround Interface: USB Noise Cancellation: Yes | Check Price |
| Corsair HS45 |  | Driver Size: 50mm Neodymium Microphones: Unidirectional, Detachable Surround Effect: Virtual 7.1 Surround Interface: USB/3.5mm jacks Noise Cancellation: No | Check Price |
| Razer Kraken Tournament Edition |  | Driver Size: 50mm THX Spatial drivers Microphones: Unidirectional, Retractable Surround Effect: Virtual 7.1 Surround Interface: USB Noise Cancellation: No | Check Price |
| Corsair Void RGB Elite |  | Driver Size: 50mm Neodymium Drivers Microphones: Omnidirectional, Fixed Surround Effect: Virtual 7.1 Surround Interface: 2.4 GHz Wireless/USB Noise Cancellation: No | Check Price |
| Razer Tiamat v2 |  | Driver Size: Multi Driver for True 7.1 Surround Microphones: Unidirectional, Boom Mic Surround Effect: True 7.1 Surround Interface: USB/3.5mm jacks Noise Cancellation: No | Check Price |
| SteelSeries 9X |  | Driver Size: 40mm Drivers Microphones: Omnidirectional, Fixed Surround Effect: Virtual 7.1 Surround Interface: USB Noise Cancellation: Yes | Check Price |
Why Do You Need a 7.1 Gaming Headset?
Audio Quality
Games nowadays use realistic audio effects to provide a real-life experience to the user. Think about the bullets whizzing past in Call of Duty or the crowd chants in FIFA.
With 7.1 channel audio and surround sound, you’ll be able to pick up Mexican waves or how close the bullets went past.
The overall experience is massively immersive and unless you’ve used a gaming headset with true or virtual surround sound, you’ll have a hard time understanding.
Noise Cancellation
A gaming headset is incredibly good at blocking external sounds fully or partially to let you concentrate on the game.
There is nothing more annoying than the music being played in a nearby room, noise from a TV, or people talking around.
Noise cancellation is achieved either by active noise cancellation (ANC) or by design.
Headphones with ANC deliver true noise cancellation although headphones without ANC can reduce background noise with a simple snug fit.
Of course, ANC is a premium feature available only on very few 7.1 gaming headsets.
Mic Out
Gaming headset mics are custom-built to help you stay in touch with your buddies or your team in-game. High-quality microphones will catch even the faintest of sounds and transmit them immediately to your teammates.
Price to Performance
Many gaming headsets come with enhancements like changeable foam pads, inbuilt equalizers, bass boost, and various audio presets to personalize.
In addition to this, there might be custom software provided by the OEM to further enhance audio quality.
Also, price points will differ between headsets offering software-generated or virtual 7.1 or true 7.1 directly from its drivers, the latter will be pricier.
Consider the features on offer before judging the price tag.
Best 7.1 Gaming Headsets You Can Buy Today
7. Philips Audio TAG6105
Best Wired 7.1 Headset for Gaming
Pros
- Lightweight
- Durable Cable
- In-cable Equalizer
- Well-balanced Soundscape
Cons
- No Noise Cancellation
- No 3.5mm jack
Audio outputs are powered by 50mm neodymium drivers, which is a common spec you’ll find on almost all top gaming headsets around $100 or more.
Quality is as per expectations with the 7.1 surround sound delivering perfectly on cue.
The TAG6105 is the only 7.1 surround sound gaming headset from Philips, a tech improvement over their highly-rated SHP9500 headsets.
This is an over-ear headphone with no movable parts, which does compromise flexibility for longevity.
Sufficient clamping force for medium-sized craniums and breathable earcup cushions make way for the comfort you can expect for a gaming headset priced at above $100.
There’s a unidirectional mic added in, offering crisp audio and clarity. You’ll also get RGB Chroma lighting on the outside of the earcups.
Verdict
Philips has opted for substance over style, a good decision that makes this one of the best 7.1 gaming headsets around.
Price: Above $100
6. Edifier G4 TE Gaming Headset
Best 7.1 Gaming Headset Wired
Pros
- Detachable Boom Mic
- Noise Cancellation
- RGB Earcups
Cons
- No earcup swivel
- No 3.5mm jack
The Edifier G4 TE is customized to deliver high-fidelity audio for gaming. It offers virtual 7.1 surround powered by 50mm drivers with specific emphasis on positional audio.
What you get is a 360-degree field of hearing to always hear something before it happens, the ultimate immersive experience.
The breathable cushions isolate external noise and are a snug fit although the artificial leather does heat things up. There’s 2.5-inch of cushioning to ensure comfort.
Properly round earpad design helps as well. You will find the self-adjusting headbands pretty sweet for every time you put this on.
A unidirectional detachable boom mic completes a solid audio-centric gaming setup along with a sound enhancement app. There’s RGB on the outside as well!
Verdict
A surround sound gaming headset that’s nearly worth it’s price, Edifier has certainly put big gaming brands in their place. This is a gaming headset worth buying, at the right price point!
Price: Around $70
5. Corsair HS45 Surround Sound Gaming Headset
Best Wired 7.1 Gaming Headset Under 50
Pros
- Sound Effects Software Bundled
- Discord Certified Mic
- Widely Compatible
- Detachable Microphone
Cons
- Flimsy Build Quality
The Corsair HS45 comes with almost every feature that 7.1 headphones should have.
The 50mm neodymium speakers produce accurate and clear audio with adequate bass. Memory foam earcups are comfortably round, breathable, and offer sufficient cushioning.
The Discord-certified mic is detachable and unidirectional, arguably the best feature on this headset, offering clarity and background noise removal.
Make the best of the iCUE app to tune the sidetone, equalizer, and surround sound effects. There’s USB DAC as well so you can connect across PCs and consoles with a 3.5mm jack.
You will be left wanting with the design. This headset tries little to offer premium vibes although it’s rated highly on comfort and a well-balanced soundscape.
Also, there’s no RGB either but it does make the Corsair HS45 one of the lightest headsets on this list.
Verdict
Value-wise, this is the best 7.1 gaming headset under $50 for gamers with simple needs – a gaming headset with surround sound and a Discord-certified mic.
But if you have more bank to spare, check out the rest!
Price: Around $50
4. Razer Kraken Tournament Edition THX
Best Razer 7.1 Gaming Headset Wired
Pros
- Explosive THX Spatial Audio
- Retractable Microphone
- Gel Infused Earmuff Cushions
- Prices Slashed
Cons
- Not so Flexible Design
The Kraken Tournament edition has THX Spatial audio and it opens whole new dimensions of immersive audio.
Sound outputs are richly detailed, you will pick leaves rustling, bullets whizzing past, and any other subtle background audio with exceptional clarity.
That said, the highs may leave you wanting for a bit more.
Moving on, this is one of the few Razer products that’s all performance no bling. It makes the most of it though, with a proper noise-cancelling mic and gel-infused cushions.
The no-frills design provides ample comfort for small to medium craniums, but you will miss out on flexibility (not on comfort.) And it also comes with USB DAC.
Verdict
For us, this is among the best surround sound gaming headsets you can buy now. It’s from Razer, and right now (at the time of this review) prices have dropped by $15. Get it!
Price: Around $65
3. Corsair Void RGB Elite Wireless
Best Wireless Surround Sound Gaming Headset
Pros
- Wireless Connectivity. 40m Network Coverage.
- One of the best Gaming Headset Mics
- Value for Money
Cons
- Not Compatible with Xbox
- No Surround Sound on Consoles
The Corsair Void is the best wireless 7.1 surround sound gaming headset right now under $100 and there are no two ways about it: this is the only wireless headset on this list!
This is an innovation of sorts, merging wireless tech with surround sound audio. It uses a 2.4 GHz dongle offering stable, reliable, and a network coverage area of 40m.
It’s all high-tech to look at as well with quite a few new design aesthetics while delivering on comfort, especially the adjustable headband, making this a probable headphone choice even for larger craniums.
That said, weight distribution is a bit awry, and you may constantly feel it slipping off given that most of the weight is from the metal headband.
Howerver, there’s not a single proper user review anywhere that complains about comfort.
What it needs to work on is its surround sound capabilities, which is available only via iCUE. Not to say audio outputs are bad, they can’t be when you’re this high up the list.
But the Void Elite surround sound is only for PCs as you need the app for 7.1.
Without the app, it can work on PS4 but no surround sound there. And it won’t work with Xbox One at all.
The mic is a surprise, offering excellent audio clarity and doing full justice to the Discord-certified moniker.
This is one of the best wireless headsets for Discord mind you.
Verdict
This is the only wireless surround sound gaming headset we think is worth buying. The only reason the Corsair Void is not closer to the top is its Xbox non-compatibility.
Price: Around $100
2. Razer Tiamat v2 Gaming Headset
Best 7.1 Gaming Headset Wired
Pros
- True 7.1 Gaming Headset
- Dual Subwoofers
- 10 Discreet Audio Drivers
- External Audio Control Unit
Cons
- 7.1 Works only With Enabled Motherboards
- No Software Support
- Needs Tuning
The Razer Tiamat V2 is one of the best surround sound headsets that you can buy. Period.
It has a crazy array of 5 audio drivers in each ear cup that produce True 7.1 Surround Sound. Use it to believe it.
The Tiamat is giving premium headsets like the Astro A50 (which is beautiful but just too expensive and not really value for money) stiff competition.
There’s an Audio Control Unit added in as well, really adding value to the whole package. Clearly, Razer has pulled all the stops to make this the best 7.1 gaming headset on a budget, and it’s pretty close to it.
The Tiamat also comes with a digital omnidirectional boom microphone, a proper gaming mic with sufficient sensitivity and output clarity.
There’s Razer Chroma too. Further on, this is designed to cover the basics as far as comfort is concerned although it is not the best around at it.
There’s a catch though.
Tiamat’s 7.1 will only work with a compatible motherboard that understands surround sound and this has nothing to do with the sound card.
So, check your motherboard’s capabilities first and know that these 7.1 headphones, like the Corsair Void Elite up top, will deliver surround sound on PCs only, not on consoles.
There’s no Razer Synapse as well although you can use this 7.1 gaming headset for Xbox!
Verdict
This new Tiamat V2 punches well above its weight in audio output quality and offers compatibility across both PCs and consoles – this is a true 7.1 gaming headset.
The audio control unit does the job but if only we could get Razer Synapse along with it!
Price: Around $60
1. SteelSeries Arctis 9X
Overall Best 7.1 Gaming Headset
Pros
- Best-in-class Gaming Mic
- Xbox Wireless Compatible
- Snug Fit
- Excellent Mids and Trebles – Perfect for Gaming
Cons
- Excessive Clamping Force
Forget Astros, Razers, Sennheisers, this is the best 7.1 gaming headset you can buy today.
The SteelSeries 9X Wireless is based on the same design as the previous Arctis 7’s with the ski-band and headband combo.
This 9X Wireless though adds a bit more earmuff comfort along the road and an even better snug fit. However, it can be a bit too tight for larger craniums, especially with glasses on.
Wireless connectivity is via Xbox Wireless so you can connect both your Xbox and your Windows PC, with a Microsoft Wireless Adapter, easily.
For PS4, you cannot go wireless and need to use the optional wired connectivity, although you will miss out on mic support.
But it works on PS4, and the excellent audio profile will surely pull things off. You can check out the Arctis Pro w/GameDAC for wireless PS4 and PS5 connectivity.
Coming to the microphone, SteelSeries does offer some excellent mics, but this one tops the lot. Matter of fact, the mic’s better at background noise cancellation than the headphones!
As for the headphones, SteelSeries does offer one of the best gaming soundscapes in the market, if not the best!
Verdict
If you have the budget, this is the best 7.1 surround sound headset you can buy. Period.
Price: Around $200
Conclusion
Make a choice based on your PC or console setup, your budget, whether you need a good mic or not, and if a wired headset will do.
Either way, the more you pay, the better features you’ll get. Beyond that, audio outputs will mostly depend on whether you know how to tune surround sound headsets!
We do recommend these 7 as the best 7.1 gaming headsets you can buy in 2022. We’ll add a few more to this list so keep an eye on this space!
