I am having a problem with my PC38X with Xbox X. My first headset was and is the SteelSeries Arctis 7X+ and when playing online with others, they are able to hear me. When I switch over to the PC38X (plugged into the Xbox wireless controller), they are not able to hear me. I can switch back and forth between the two headsets, and they hear me immediately with the 7X+ and then can't hear me the second I switch over to the PC38X. The Xbox software shows in the controller settings that the headset mic is set to on, and I have mic monitoring turned all the way up and can hear myself talking into the mic. But even while hearing my mic'd voice say "Testing, can you hear me?" they tell me they can't. Is there anything I'm forgetting to set?
Feb 12, 2024
I also prefer my gaming headphones to pull back on the bass just a bit and be more mid-focused with good smooth treble (certain SFX can be like ice picks to your ears depending on the headphone). The only times I switch to a bass heavy can is if I'm playing something single player and not competitive online (BF, Destiny 2, Titanfall 2, etc).
All that said, with your budget I would recommend the open back Sennheiser HD 599 which you can get for under $200 these days. Natural sound stage, smooth sound, good detail retrieval, just enough bass and incredibly comfortable for long sessions. If you need a closed back, I really really enjoy the AudioQuest Nightowl. Pretty much all the same points as the HD 599 but dare I say the Nightowl is more technical and has much better bass impact and extension but they do have the smaller sound stage (they still sound big for closed backs). However, they clock in around $400.
Truthfully, you don't need a DAC. Both of the cans I suggested are easy to drive so you probably won't need an amp either. If you did want to do that route, the 02 amp is a very solid, clean sounding option at $100 that has plenty of power. For your needs, I think this would be a killer setup and you'd still come out right at or under budget. Add something like a modmic to your cans and you have quality gaming headset.