Benefits of Using a Gaming Headset

Hearing the sounds of your favorite video game can often be just as important as seeing the visuals. But audio quality can be a tricky matter. Without the right equipment, an attacking army soldier may miss an instruction from a captain, or Mario might not hear the turtle shell shot from Luigi’s go-kart before it’s far too late.

There are other reasons why audio matters when it comes to gaming. What if the other people in the room are making distracting noises, or don’t want to hear you playing? What if your fellow gamers are talking to you on the phone but it sounds more like shouting? Gaming headsets provide the perfect solution.

Here’s a guide to the benefits of using a gaming headset like the Yamaha YH-G01, and the reasons why this simple add-on can help fine-tune and improve your gaming experience.

IMMERSIVE AUDIO

There’s no question that using good quality speakers when gaming is a plus. However, one inescapable fact is that speakers have to be placed some distance away from you, which means you’ll be hearing some of the sound of your room (known as “reflected sound”) along with the game audio. But with a gaming headset, the audio is direct and up-close in your eardrums without any of the sound of your room added in, making for a much more immersive experience. A gaming headset will allow you to hear every potential adversary, every chant from the stadium, every fireball from Mario’s hot hand with full fidelity and clarity, just as it was intended by the game designers.

In addition, when using a headset with a dedicated gaming mixer like the Yamaha ZG01 or ZG02, players can adjust the sounds of the game as they wish. Want more bass in your car chase? The mixer can do that. Want more treble in the roar of the soccer fans cheering? No problem. A gaming mixer can even provide a significant advantage during gameplay by allowing you to boost the sounds of footsteps in first-person shooters, for example, or the low rumble of approaching tanks or fighter jets. If you’re into multiplayer games, a gaming mixer will also give you precise control of voice chat — both your voice and that of your fellow players — allowing you to create a customized mix that works best for each title.

IMPROVED SOUND SEPARATION

Gaming headsets are also gatekeepers, in a sense. They not only keep the sound of the room out of your ears, they also keep the sounds of your game out of the room. For those playing in a household with people who might not want to hear your latest victory on the digital field of battle, this is a major benefit. Your friends and family can go about their business without hearing grenades going off as they do the dishes.

What’s more, any noise that may come from them vacuuming or watching the latest viral video on their phone won’t intrude on your gameplay. As every seasoned gamer knows, just when you’re about to make that big jump, someone always comes along and asks you where the orange juice is, and you lose your character’s final life. But with a gaming headset, you can enjoy the bliss that is separating what you hear in the game from what the rest of the household hears. It’s a win-win.

BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR FELLOW GAMERS

Gaming headsets are multifaceted. They pair a set of headphones with a microphone that stretches conveniently near your mouth so you can easily communicate with other gamers over the internet. Whether you’re on the same team trying to claim territory in the greatest war ever played, or are battling against an opponent on the digital gridiron in a tightly contested football matchup, a gaming headset provides not only a way to hear what’s going on but a means with which to interact and speak to other players, allowing you talk a little trash from the comfort of your sofa or gaming chair.

AFFORDABLE AND PORTABLE

Another major benefit of a gaming headset is affordability. Sure, it can be great to have a big, sprawling sound system in your home. To have giant surround sound speakers in every corner of your living room, man-cave or she-shed might be your idea of nirvana. But for many, it’s simply not a viable option. A gaming headset, on the other hand, won’t break the bank, plus setup is a breeze: Simply plug it into your game console or laptop — no troubleshooting or DIY agitation required. And, unlike home audio systems, gaming headsets are extremely portable. They can be taken on planes, packed in suitcases or stored away easily for later use. If you’re gaming without a headset, what are you waiting for?