I am 100% willing to be the first person to say this is mostly tuning. If you can phase correct and EQ other headphones to be as good as a dynamic driver, the sky's the limit.
To an extent. It’s all dependent on the limitations of the driver. Just like how you can’t eq a hd6x0 to have “good” bass. The driver just won’t allow it
great review! hopefully you'll get the ATH-R70x. its the only headphones im waiting for a comparison from you. wonder how they would stack (tier wise) against your new top five headphone list.
My personal gaming headphone journey (2009-2023) went like this: Ultrasone Hifi 2200 > Ultrasone Pro 2900 > AKG K7xx > Sennheiser HD600. Each and every one of those headphones holds a special place. I've transitioned to IEMS more since about 2 years ago with the Aria and now the Hook X, main reason being the heat and overall comfort. That being said, the Zeus Elite are def on my short list for the next headphone acquisition. Also, I feel ya on the HD800. I can't justify using them for gaming so I'm going to sell mine off pretty soon. Headphone deterioration from gaming is real and I can't do that to the HD800.
I've moved from headphones into the IEM experience for about 8 months now. I really have enjoyed my IEMs more than my headphones for both music and gaming due to the comfort of not having my ears heating up during extended use periods. However, I do tend to enjoy the soundstage of some headphones over my favorite IEMs for certain games, movies and music. In short, if you find something you enjoy, be happy. Thanks for your reviews Fresh. (my wallet still hates you)
@@TreSwayy was this directed at me or Fresh? I currently use the Xenns Top and Dunu Vulkan. I carry the Truthear Crinacle Zero or Tangzu Wan'er for commuting. My headphones started at HD58x, Hifiman 4xx, Sundara and the OG Zeus. I still like my Sundara, Zeus and HD58x for various musical and soundstage reasons. It all came down to "variety is the spice of life"..😄
@@TreSwayy Headphone only for gaming: SHP9500 bang for buck (replaced by 9600). Depending on game, HD58x or Zeus. But i highly recommend IEMs: Vulkan or Top depending on your budget. I'm very interested in the Canon's though.
I would just like to thank you for all the testing and suggestions I've been using your tier list for a while I just picked up a set of the Zeus elites and for my main game hunt showdown they are wonderful In Forest music in movies I really do enjoy for that to
Definitely going to consider buying this now. My iem keeps falling out of my left ear but it seems like a feature at this point. What iems would you recommend for $100 - $200 or should I wait a bit more and buy this?
Will you buy hifiman products again for testing? After all, Its products have a large vertical sound field. The HE400i you bought before was too bass-heavy, but arya / hekse / hek v2 are relatively balanced, you can consider it
Hey there, I just upgraded my audio set up, to include a goXLR, but I have noticed significant drop off in my ability to pick up enemy footsteps in apex. To my knowledge, the GoXLR is supposed to provide enough power for most uses. My questions: for the zenns mangird top IEMs or or the zeus, do they require an additional DAC/AMP in order to get good audio from them? Do you use a digital equalizer software in order to fine tune your in game audio?
Hi Fresh, I know it isn't your thing, but maybe just a comment on two on how headphones are for immersion! I do both 'competitive' and immersive gaming.
I do 100% immersion gaming and find that immersion gaming requires a bit more on the vocal side of things and less harshness but also isnt as demanding when it comes to the imaging and placement of the sounds. Meaning the zeus are preferable to a more accurate 6xx/560 to me in immersion gaming. But they overlap a lot which is why i watch fresh's channel.
Could you do a review on the Audio Technica ATH-r70x in the context of gaming? I have heard good things about it but I would be interested to hear what someone with your perspective thinks of it!
First pair was DT 990, used those for a few years and then I decided I needed a new pair... After weeks of trying the Sundaras, ATH r70x, Audeze Maxwells, I finally landed on these and I think for now they hit every need for me. I don't play competitive games, mainly rpgs, single players and alot of music, the occasional Tarkov as well.
I picked up the 900 pro x long ago during your review and now ordered these to compare. You said the 900 pro x has a tiny bit more openess compared to the Zeus Elite, but preferred the Elite in every other category. Are you saying the soundstage is slightly less but worth the trade in sound preference and performance?
just so everyone knows I main the Zeus Elite's. My 900 pro x had some QC issues when I purchased from sweetwater but they had them fixed. The connector on the headphones was a little loose and I was losing connection with the cable plugged in so I sent it in to have it fixed. No QC issues with the Zeus Elites so far and the cable alone is worth it for the price. I think the Zeus Elites are more comfortable to wear with the material and the cup shape around the ears. Competitively I think the 900 pro x maybe 3-5% better for gaming but are slightly more fatiguing and less comfortable. While the Elites are like 10-15% better for music and just about the same for competitive gaming but more comfortable over longer periods of play and less fatiguing to listen to.
@@exhalete thank you for the detailed response. I just ordered the 900x last night but if I don't find them good, I'll send them back and get the Zeus elite. Question Tho, do the 900 x ear pads sit on top of your ears or around them?
@nickb365 I think you can't go wrong with those. Especially if you just game want watch stuff. The ear pads fit good around my ear they are more circular around the ear and the zues pads are more sealed and ear shapped in the pad. I also got pads from Dekoni
Can you do some monitor reviews? I'm trying to figure out if I should get the pg27aqn or 27 in oled, but the only comparisons I saw were boardzy and optimum tech.
@@FreshReviewsYT i know the aryas are one fo the closest to hd800's to sound stage and they stealth v2 is on sale now for $999...but the organics are supposedly improved in every way.. i would be VERY interested in hearing your gaming take on arya organics.
I don’t know if you’ve ever played Hunt showdown but I play that shooter the most, if you’ve ever seen it or tried it listening to audio queues is super important in that game so positioning and sound stage is key. Would you recommend the Elite or the 900 pro x?
Just curious what Dac/Amp would you recommend with theHarmonicDyne Zeus Elite? I current have the ifi Zen dac v2 would that work well with these? Thanks!
My current setup is the TYGR 300s with the Ifi Zen DAC V2. Would these be an incremental upgrade? And would the Ifi Zen DAC V2 be enough to power them? I’m on ps5 too btw
Zen dac is more than enough. These are pretty easy to drive. It’s been a long time since I’ve used the 300 but I believe I’d go with the Zeus elite over the 300 personally
These seemed perfect for me apart from them being open back. I'm in a very noisy environment sadly! What would you recommend for closed back? Is there any wallhack tierlist worthy closed back headphones?
because im planning to buy the GL AMT16 i dont care with the price as long as its worth my money.. so want to have your recommendation. for this IEMS the one you always use..
I want these since i loved the OG Zeus but next couple weeks I've been debating on making the jump to the hifiman arya but I might just get these and some IEMs. But since I've gotten the edtion xs i've been in love with the sound but the headband was a poor choice for those.
@@blak3420 What do you have right now? I had the HD 560s for almost a year and these are better in every way. I haven't had much time to game yet but for music fresh nails it. The sound just seems more full and engaging esp. on the low end vs the 560s. I can see myself being very content with these for a long time.. maybe :)
Hi fresh have a question. Would you rather recommend the DT 900 pro X or the Sennheiser PC 38X? I saw that many reviewers were saying that the dt900 prox has very limited soundstage but said the sennheiser s had really good soundstage and imaging quality there all saying different things. As a competitive gamer, I don’t know what to choose.
hi fresh, I have asked this before but do the Xenns Tops need a dac/amp to perform well? since based on its specs, it looks like it would be pretty easy to drive. also, are you still planning on doing a full review for the Xenns Tops? as I don't think you have done a dedicated video in reviewing them and it's the number one on your list. thank you for your work!
Amazing content as always! I was wondering out of the 3 affordable amps you have on your list which one is the best for these headphones? Thanks. Ended up getting these headphones instead of the 900 pro x.
Hey @freshreviews, serious question, How do these compares for directional cues like footsteps compared to the Orchestra lites? They are what I have currently and I feel like I am missing out on directional cues in Apex. I just bought the VZR Model One's and the directional cues are far superior than the orchestra lites but they are heavy on bass. I know your prefer IEM's but from an objective performance base are the Harmonics better than the Orchestra lites in your opinion? Thanks for any insight brother!
@@FreshReviewsYT I have never eq'd the orchestra lites but literally after I messaged you I downloaded sonar and I am hearing footsteps clearer but I need to play around with it
Hey so I recently got the Zeus Elite and I'm noticing that the imaging/soundstage sounds like 3 blobs of sound compared to my dt 900 pro x airiness. This makes it very hard to pinpoint where audio is coming from if its to the side or behind me. I'm running off of no amp or external dac at the moment so could that be why? Was this at all the case with yours? Sorry, I'm new to all this and any help would be much appreciated!
@@FreshReviewsYT Thank you so much for the response! Good to know that there's noticeable improvements and not just louder audio. Now to embark on my week long journey of researching and picking up a decent dac/amp haha
I think I saw your comment on reddit. I'd always recommend a dac for any of these headphones. I do think that, these headphones, does have that "left and right" type of imaging. But just try to keep using them until your ears get used to them. IMO they're not better than 900 pro x, well they are sometimes but sometimes i'd just describe their sound as "different" but not miles better. It's hard to describe, in certain games they're better, but in other games like say Siege. I'd put the 900 pro x over these because the "center'" does still matter. To my ear the zeus elite sounds like a horizontal plane where the left and right is wider than front to back. Or as if the space is sort of made "2d" in an interesting way. It's not bad like the sundaras, where the imaging simply sounds like hard left or hard right and bare center with no depth perception.
@@TreSwayy Not sure if I'm the same person. I did post on reddit but it was regarding initial problems with volume and bass - which was due to a faulty adapter and have since been fixed. Yeah what you are describing is what I'm experiencing. I would use the 900 pro X over these but with my treble sensitivity they're not an option (even tried eqing and it was still too piercing for my ears). Even the HD 560s was too piercing. The Elites were perfect for me if not for the strange imaging. I'm getting a Zen Dac v2 with a Zen Can and will do some further testing. Even with them, the imaging might not work for me and I may have to look elsewhere for another headphone. Any recommendations? Also, thanks for letting me know about the Sundaras. I was looking into those but looks like they're not for me.
Thanks for answering! But I’m super curious as to why not? Picked up these headphones to upgrade from Sennheiser Game One’s I’ve been rocking for a decade based on this video. I love them so thanks a lot!
Can I ask are you running EQ for these. I am running direct sound out of my amp dac and they seem to be outshined by IEMs and seem pretty bass heavy. I’m curious how you got them sounding the way you described or maybe your eq settings
So my amp / dac may actually not be great because it’s a soundblasterx g6. It powers them fine but it maybe it just doesn’t sound great? That being the case I ran direct sound and use peace /APO. they sound really good with music but quite bass heavy in tarkov. I ran them in direct sound no EQ. I ran the orchestra lites out of that amp / dac but I found them to be uncomfortable in my ears . They definitely have that wallhack effect but I can’t wear them very long sadly. I just have recently got into the whole premium audio thing and I guess I just don’t know how much a good amp/dac makes a massive difference. I’m going to try some performer 8s given they are vented but we’ll see. BTW your reviews are great and you have great content. Hope to see the channel grow
@@izzybear8 thank you so much! Yes I actually found the g6 to be a bit too bassy and warm. There are benefits to be gained but man once you start you really get going down the rabbit hole. Hit me up on Twitter I can spend more time helping. Let me know how the aful p8 treats you! Should pair well with the g6 given they’re a bit more neutral
So iem would be good if you could recommend me for first-person shooters. So I'm looking for good Sound Stage accurate detail and knowing someone when it gets intense so that I can still hear footsteps coming.
Thanks for the review! I find IEMs irritate my ears a lot so I'm pretty hyped for this one. Can you let me know what Dac/amp you use and if you think something like the zen dac v2 would be enough for these? Thanks
OMG yes it would be MORE than enough. i have the zen dac on my gaming desk for my iems next to my creative labs g6 and my Fiio R7 and a resounding YES to the Zen dac. Though i would use the xbass sparingly.
There are a couple of 2.4g wireless TWS now on the market, like the Soundcore VR P10, JBL quantum TWS, EPOS GTW270 hybrid, etc.. it will be great if you can reivew them, wireless is really important for earbuds, even more important than the mouse IMO, would be great if any of these 2.4g wireless earbuds are qualified for competitive FPS games. Great review btw, keep it up!
So seriously... direct comparison versus the original zeus. Significant upgrade? Meaning sizable upgrade in detail etc? For the price i am tempted. I am a current zeus owner.
I'm hard stuck between the Zeus elite and 560s, I used to play competitively in games for money but have since switched to semi casual / competitive. I know audio is more of a tool rather than something that can make you a more competitive player so part of me wants the Zeus for the fun warm presentation for music and as you've stated also translates well to footsteps and cues in games, I feel like the 560s would allow you to focus more on cues instead of being distracted by the added bass from the Zeus but at the same time wouldn't be as fun for music or as engaging in game.
@@MTater_ precisely. Although I do somewhat give the edge to my IEMs right now. The Zeus elite is fun engaging and also very good for games. Highly recommend over the 560s
560s or dt 900 pro? mostly (95% gaming and rest is music) also could i use the 900 pro on ps5 if i just plug it to the controller or it wouldnt be good. if not are there alternatives?
Hey Fresh, thanks to you I bought the 900 Pro X and absolutely love them. I just used your link to buy these! I want to get your thoughts on Dolby Atmos for gaming, is this something you utilize? I’ve tried to keep VSS off but always end up turning it back on. I primarily play apex legends and feel it gives you a major advantage. Any insight on this would be much appreciated.
@@FreshReviewsYT I can't wait until they arrive. I had the PC38X to HD560S to DT900 Pro X and now these. I'll let y'all know if the 5K works well with these. I almost forgot to ask if the Zeus Elite are great on COD? I know the sound engine is trash but still.....
you said these come with a 4.4mm conection, this connection is not compatible with a schitt stack correct? do i need something specifcally for balanced headphones? would using and adapter kill the sound quality?
Adapters don’t kill sound quality. It depends what stack you’re using. If there is a 4.4 output you can utilize the cable. Should also work with a ton of third party cables that terminate in 3.5. Check first to see if your stack has a 4.4
No worries mate, your videos already helped me a ton, and I already have the TYGR 300R on my head, so maybe it's not worth the 350 upgrade if they don't clearly offer much more fun and bassy experience, if there are another fun pair that you think I should check let me know. I have already seen your HD 490 review but those seem too analytical for me, so maybe I should just replace the worn pads and stick with my TYGRs :D
They are extremely uncomfortable and the main reason I switched to IEMs. They have almost no bass. You'd be better off with Truthear Zero or Simgot EM6L if budget allows.
Have two apex pros that are very happy. One went with the canon (original) and one is on the xenns top. Both are extremely happy. I have on cs go pro using the orchestra lite who couldn’t be happier. The cs go pro is mixing his with the sound blaster g6 which I don’t necessarily recommend but he’s loving it. (I don’t want to name drop but that’s most of the feedback so far from pros I’ve directly helped)
The cs go pro is swapping to the canon 2 however, as he found out the orchestra lite body is too big to fit well under the over the ear noise cancelling headphones at ESL / blast
I will tell you honestly, unless you tune EQ and HeSuVi properly, there are no headphones that can fix the muddy ass mixing in that game along with the really bad vertical audio. I've tested 560S, DT 900 x, ad700x and Zeus all stock and with home theater/headphone bass boost. Even as a 2.5kd player, sound is not something you should primarily rely on in warzone because it's very inconsistent. I've had an entire squad of 4 run up without any audio and they didn't all have dead silence. You can pretty much buy HD 560s, save some money and just keep high ground as much as possible to have success. In other games like Apex, Overwatch, Fortnite, CS2 and Valorant, these headphones will be perfectly fine for directional tracking, imaging and detail.
People told me that openbacks are not recommended for competitive shooter (Cs/Valo) because of the sound leakage, even in a quiet environment, you can sometimes be disturbed by the sound of your gasping breath. However, is it true that openback headphones are better at imaging or finding enemies than iem in general?
May I ask why you have not chosen any closed back headphone on to the tierlist? I understand u picked the best but love to hear your explanation very much. Is it possible in the future we have more closed back headphone review too?
A revisit and comparison of all the cans would be nice. I Had 560s and dint like their fit so they left again, 1990 pros (which i absolutely love) and now i got 800 S which are kinda... weird to be honest, i really like them with bass boost and especially their fit but their imaging is kinda weird. its not off but its different than the 1990 pros for example
So my elites arrived a few weeks ago but damn they leave me conflicted. On one side they are comfy and sound great but they seem to lack in vertical imaging. I mainly play warzone and know the sound is sometimes quite fckd but I hear all players on the same level as me same for chests. I an locate them horizontally but I can’t tell if they are above me, under me or on my level…
@@FreshReviewsYT I use either a Mayflower Ark MK II or a JDSLABS ELEMENT III. None of your recommendations have let me down yet, and the tonality of the Elites is really pleasent but the issues I have with them makes them somewhat unuseable for WZ. Could be the games engine but I dont have the issue with neither my 1990 pros or my 800 S.
That's not the headphones fault, warzone and cod IW8 sound occlusion in general for vertical audio has always been trash. Test other games with good audio like Valorant or Overwatch and it's a night and day difference.
@@JagsP95yeah thats somewhat true. I tried all of my other headphones and some did fair a bit better (800 s) whilst others suffered (zeus elite, 1990 pros). The games audio is absolutely abysmal but I am maining the Zeus elite and dont regret it. I play all my games with the elites and while they arent perfect they are really good. HD 800 S is still imaging king tho and its by far. Not worth the extra 1k upwards but still
Hey fresh, From a pure competitive standpoint, would you recommend taking the leap to the Zeus elite from the hd560s if I’m only using them for Valorant competitive? I’m happy with the 560s but have been using them for so long I’m interested in a new set
@@FreshReviewsYT thank you for responding! So I take it as you don’t think it’s worth it if I already have the 560s. I guess I’ll continue to wait for the next best headphone then
What IEM can rival or surpassed this headphone regarding technicalities and music/gaming performance? I'm tempted to buy these, but at the same time, I'm an IEM guy. If, for some reason, I pick this up, can my budget-topping dx1 DAC/amp handle this?
Really enjoying your ongoing quest for the best gaming headphone, - while you are briefly back to over ears, would you consider a look at the Audio Technica R70X? Crinacle has it listed as the best "gaming headphone" under 500 dollars and I generally read a lot of positive things about its imaging, - I'd love to hear your opinion!
Wow, I didn't expect you to reply to my comment, - thank you!! I currently have the HD560S, but it is a little bit too harsh/sharp for my ears, - so I'm looking at the R70X as an alternative. Ordered one from Amazon, so I'll be A/B-ing them soon. :-)
Hey Fresh I recently got the Xenns Top and I cant seem to get it to sound right(the audio cues sound closes but hard to track the distance). Is there any way you could help me out?
@@FreshReviewsYT So I just seen that you have a review of the amp that I use and I found out the reason I was having some trouble with then was because of the "true bass" feature was on. I'm curranty having a better experience with them now. One more think I feel some people will enjoy is a youtube short of your settings in apex(mostly me lol).
![HarmonicDyne ZEUS ELITE headphones review [RU] - Worthy!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5_pr483R7Ro/mqdefault.jpg)
![HarmonicDyne ZEUS ELITE headphones review [RU] – Worthy!](/img/tr.png)
Which AMP/DAC do you recommend for the Zeus Elite?
EDIT: For the budget between 150 and 300 USD.
Maybe the ifi zen dac v2
@@FreshReviewsYT That was my initial thought as well, thanks for reply! ^^
I am 100% willing to be the first person to say this is mostly tuning. If you can phase correct and EQ other headphones to be as good as a dynamic driver, the sky's the limit.
To an extent. It’s all dependent on the limitations of the driver. Just like how you can’t eq a hd6x0 to have “good” bass. The driver just won’t allow it
I was very interested in the Zeus's but there were a few downsides. These seems to have improved on its downfalls. Very very excited to get them
your setup is really nice looking+++
great review! hopefully you'll get the ATH-R70x. its the only headphones im waiting for a comparison from you. wonder how they would stack (tier wise) against your new top five headphone list.
I'm using it. It's so-so coming from pc38x it is an upgrade.
My personal gaming headphone journey (2009-2023) went like this: Ultrasone Hifi 2200 > Ultrasone Pro 2900 > AKG K7xx > Sennheiser HD600. Each and every one of those headphones holds a special place. I've transitioned to IEMS more since about 2 years ago with the Aria and now the Hook X, main reason being the heat and overall comfort. That being said, the Zeus Elite are def on my short list for the next headphone acquisition.
Also, I feel ya on the HD800. I can't justify using them for gaming so I'm going to sell mine off pretty soon. Headphone deterioration from gaming is real and I can't do that to the HD800.
Probably getting the hooks when they are back in stock :)
Are you me? lol I went from an ultrasone to a k712 and then bought an hd6xx
I've moved from headphones into the IEM experience for about 8 months now. I really have enjoyed my IEMs more than my headphones for both music and gaming due to the comfort of not having my ears heating up during extended use periods. However, I do tend to enjoy the soundstage of some headphones over my favorite IEMs for certain games, movies and music. In short, if you find something you enjoy, be happy. Thanks for your reviews Fresh. (my wallet still hates you)
Hahaha love you bb. I’ll be on later
What iems and headphones do you main?
@@TreSwayy was this directed at me or Fresh? I currently use the Xenns Top and Dunu Vulkan. I carry the Truthear Crinacle Zero or Tangzu Wan'er for commuting. My headphones started at HD58x, Hifiman 4xx, Sundara and the OG Zeus. I still like my Sundara, Zeus and HD58x for various musical and soundstage reasons. It all came down to "variety is the spice of life"..😄
@@Doggie64 and your headphone of choice for gaming? Hopefully it isn’t the sundaras lmao
@@TreSwayy Headphone only for gaming: SHP9500 bang for buck (replaced by 9600). Depending on game, HD58x or Zeus. But i highly recommend IEMs: Vulkan or Top depending on your budget. I'm very interested in the Canon's though.
Waiting for the audeze mm 100 before deciding on my next pair of comp gaming cans. Really hope you get to review those too when they’re out
Another headphone added to my list to buy some day 😂. Awesome review man.
Have you tried out the mm-100 yet? hear that they sound very good and was thinking a comparison between them would be very cool.
also am very curious for this
Sir, you and your TH-cam channel are so underrated!
Ty!
1000% agree
First time I tried HD560S I was like "Huh, so that's what neutral sounds like.."
Lmao, yeah neutral af
😂
Was that good or bad and what game do you play ?
I would just like to thank you for all the testing and suggestions I've been using your tier list for a while I just picked up a set of the Zeus elites and for my main game hunt showdown they are wonderful
In Forest music in movies I really do enjoy for that to
Let’s goooooo!!!!!!
nice one brother, this and the 109 pro will be my last purchases for this year gotta save up for the gold coin :P
Definitely going to consider buying this now. My iem keeps falling out of my left ear but it seems like a feature at this point. What iems would you recommend for $100 - $200 or should I wait a bit more and buy this?
Difficult price range because there’s a few under $100 that are quite good. If you’re in the 200 range I’d try to get up to the Yanyin canon 2
Will you buy hifiman products again for testing? After all, Its products have a large vertical sound field. The HE400i you bought before was too bass-heavy, but arya / hekse / hek v2 are relatively balanced, you can consider it
and it s only like 20-30 more than the OG zeus pog
Hey there, I just upgraded my audio set up, to include a goXLR, but I have noticed significant drop off in my ability to pick up enemy footsteps in apex. To my knowledge, the GoXLR is supposed to provide enough power for most uses.
My questions: for the zenns mangird top IEMs or or the zeus, do they require an additional DAC/AMP in order to get good audio from them?
Do you use a digital equalizer software in order to fine tune your in game audio?
I use an amp dac and prefer a solid quality amp dac setup
Hi Fresh, I know it isn't your thing, but maybe just a comment on two on how headphones are for immersion! I do both 'competitive' and immersive gaming.
These would be great
I do 100% immersion gaming and find that immersion gaming requires a bit more on the vocal side of things and less harshness but also isnt as demanding when it comes to the imaging and placement of the sounds. Meaning the zeus are preferable to a more accurate 6xx/560 to me in immersion gaming. But they overlap a lot which is why i watch fresh's channel.
Could you do a review on the Audio Technica ATH-r70x in the context of gaming? I have heard good things about it but I would be interested to hear what someone with your perspective thinks of it!
First pair was DT 990, used those for a few years and then I decided I needed a new pair... After weeks of trying the Sundaras, ATH r70x, Audeze Maxwells, I finally landed on these and I think for now they hit every need for me. I don't play competitive games, mainly rpgs, single players and alot of music, the occasional Tarkov as well.
beautiful!
Do these slap on tarky?
Will you ever review 64 audio u6t? or anything 64 audio?
I picked up the 900 pro x long ago during your review and now ordered these to compare. You said the 900 pro x has a tiny bit more openess compared to the Zeus Elite, but preferred the Elite in every other category. Are you saying the soundstage is slightly less but worth the trade in sound preference and performance?
Have you compared? How do you feel about it?
Which one did you keep?
just so everyone knows I main the Zeus Elite's. My 900 pro x had some QC issues when I purchased from sweetwater but they had them fixed. The connector on the headphones was a little loose and I was losing connection with the cable plugged in so I sent it in to have it fixed. No QC issues with the Zeus Elites so far and the cable alone is worth it for the price. I think the Zeus Elites are more comfortable to wear with the material and the cup shape around the ears. Competitively I think the 900 pro x maybe 3-5% better for gaming but are slightly more fatiguing and less comfortable. While the Elites are like 10-15% better for music and just about the same for competitive gaming but more comfortable over longer periods of play and less fatiguing to listen to.
@@exhalete thank you for the detailed response. I just ordered the 900x last night but if I don't find them good, I'll send them back and get the Zeus elite. Question Tho, do the 900 x ear pads sit on top of your ears or around them?
@nickb365 I think you can't go wrong with those. Especially if you just game want watch stuff. The ear pads fit good around my ear they are more circular around the ear and the zues pads are more sealed and ear shapped in the pad. I also got pads from Dekoni
Can you do some monitor reviews? I'm trying to figure out if I should get the pg27aqn or 27 in oled, but the only comparisons I saw were boardzy and optimum tech.
I went with pg27aqn because ulmb 2 is too good
I use the ASUS 360
Will you be getting the Hifiman Arya organic? I know they’re pretty expensive
Possibly!
@@FreshReviewsYT i know the aryas are one fo the closest to hd800's to sound stage and they stealth v2 is on sale now for $999...but the organics are supposedly improved in every way.. i would be VERY interested in hearing your gaming take on arya organics.
+1 to hearing thoughts on hifiman arya organic
@@jonathantran5821 I’ll keep my eyes on em!
I don’t know if you’ve ever played Hunt showdown but I play that shooter the most, if you’ve ever seen it or tried it listening to audio queues is super important in that game so positioning and sound stage is key. Would you recommend the Elite or the 900 pro x?
I like the elite personally but the 900 is great
I ordered both and I'll give them a try super excited for the Elites after watching your first impressions and review@@FreshReviewsYT
I mainly play tarkov & wondering as well. Please let me know what you picked!
Just curious what Dac/Amp would you recommend with theHarmonicDyne Zeus Elite? I current have the ifi Zen dac v2 would that work well with these? Thanks!
Should be ok
My current setup is the TYGR 300s with the Ifi Zen DAC V2. Would these be an incremental upgrade? And would the Ifi Zen DAC V2 be enough to power them? I’m on ps5 too btw
Zen dac is more than enough. These are pretty easy to drive. It’s been a long time since I’ve used the 300 but I believe I’d go with the Zeus elite over the 300 personally
Since I ultimately picked the 900 over the 300
yay! finally a new headphone reccomendation! much love fresh keep it up!
More to come!
The over ear reviews comeback? You need to try the shure 1840. Hear that is better and neutral to 560s in terms of soundstage and imaging
These seemed perfect for me apart from them being open back. I'm in a very noisy environment sadly! What would you recommend for closed back? Is there any wallhack tierlist worthy closed back headphones?
I’m doing some searching
@@FreshReviewsYT Appreciate it! Looking forward to what you can find.
are you still using your GL AMT 16? whats the IEM you always use?
because im planning to buy the GL AMT16 i dont care with the price as long as its worth my money.. so want to have your recommendation. for this IEMS the one you always use..
I want these since i loved the OG Zeus but next couple weeks I've been debating on making the jump to the hifiman arya but I might just get these and some IEMs. But since I've gotten the edtion xs i've been in love with the sound but the headband was a poor choice for those.
Just picked up the Zeus elite from your review & I love them! Which dac on your budget list would these be best paired with? Thanks!
I bought these based on your recommendation. I get them on the 25th thanks Fresh love this channel
Enjoy!
How are they?
@@blak3420 What do you have right now? I had the HD 560s for almost a year and these are better in every way. I haven't had much time to game yet but for music fresh nails it. The sound just seems more full and engaging esp. on the low end vs the 560s. I can see myself being very content with these for a long time.. maybe :)
@@koszor1337 I have the Dt 900 pro’s and hd560’s I’ve been enjoying the 900’s more than often lately
Hi fresh have a question. Would you rather recommend the DT 900 pro X or the Sennheiser PC 38X? I saw that many reviewers were saying that the dt900 prox has very limited soundstage but said the sennheiser s had really good soundstage and imaging quality there all saying different things. As a competitive gamer, I don’t know what to choose.
Lol. Anyone who tells you to get the 38 over the 900 can’t be trusted
Nice review Fresh! So this one would be good for CSGO as well?
Should be!
hi fresh, I have asked this before but do the Xenns Tops need a dac/amp to perform well? since based on its specs, it looks like it would be pretty easy to drive.
also, are you still planning on doing a full review for the Xenns Tops? as I don't think you have done a dedicated video in reviewing them and it's the number one on your list.
thank you for your work!
Benefit from an amp dac but not necessary
@@FreshReviewsYT got it, thanks fresh!!
kiwi ears dolce review in the near future i hope🙏🏽🤞🏽
I wonder how the Zeus elite compares to DT1990 Pros or HD800s
Not as analytical as both sets.
Amazing content as always! I was wondering out of the 3 affordable amps you have on your list which one is the best for these headphones? Thanks.
Ended up getting these headphones instead of the 900 pro x.
Hey @freshreviews, serious question, How do these compares for directional cues like footsteps compared to the Orchestra lites? They are what I have currently and I feel like I am missing out on directional cues in Apex. I just bought the VZR Model One's and the directional cues are far superior than the orchestra lites but they are heavy on bass. I know your prefer IEM's but from an objective performance base are the Harmonics better than the Orchestra lites in your opinion? Thanks for any insight brother!
At that point I’d look at a dac amp upgrade instead
@@FreshReviewsYT I use ifi zen dac v2
@@FreshReviewsYT I have never eq'd the orchestra lites but literally after I messaged you I downloaded sonar and I am hearing footsteps clearer but I need to play around with it
Lmk!
Hey so I recently got the Zeus Elite and I'm noticing that the imaging/soundstage sounds like 3 blobs of sound compared to my dt 900 pro x airiness. This makes it very hard to pinpoint where audio is coming from if its to the side or behind me. I'm running off of no amp or external dac at the moment so could that be why? Was this at all the case with yours? Sorry, I'm new to all this and any help would be much appreciated!
If not running it with an amp dac yes. On board audio is meh. You’ll notice improvements on both headphones with a solid amp dac
@@FreshReviewsYT Thank you so much for the response! Good to know that there's noticeable improvements and not just louder audio. Now to embark on my week long journey of researching and picking up a decent dac/amp haha
I think I saw your comment on reddit. I'd always recommend a dac for any of these headphones. I do think that, these headphones, does have that "left and right" type of imaging. But just try to keep using them until your ears get used to them. IMO they're not better than 900 pro x, well they are sometimes but sometimes i'd just describe their sound as "different" but not miles better. It's hard to describe, in certain games they're better, but in other games like say Siege. I'd put the 900 pro x over these because the "center'" does still matter. To my ear the zeus elite sounds like a horizontal plane where the left and right is wider than front to back. Or as if the space is sort of made "2d" in an interesting way. It's not bad like the sundaras, where the imaging simply sounds like hard left or hard right and bare center with no depth perception.
@@TreSwayy Not sure if I'm the same person. I did post on reddit but it was regarding initial problems with volume and bass - which was due to a faulty adapter and have since been fixed.
Yeah what you are describing is what I'm experiencing. I would use the 900 pro X over these but with my treble sensitivity they're not an option (even tried eqing and it was still too piercing for my ears). Even the HD 560s was too piercing. The Elites were perfect for me if not for the strange imaging. I'm getting a Zen Dac v2 with a Zen Can and will do some further testing. Even with them, the imaging might not work for me and I may have to look elsewhere for another headphone. Any recommendations?
Also, thanks for letting me know about the Sundaras. I was looking into those but looks like they're not for me.
@@travis3848 after going back I realize I prefer the Zeus elites, they sound good with the smsl c200. They don’t sound so harsh/sibilant
Do you use any 3D positional audio with these headphones or IEMs when you're gaming? Something like SBX, DTS X Headphones, Dolby Atmos for Headphones?
Never
Thanks for answering! But I’m super curious as to why not?
Picked up these headphones to upgrade from Sennheiser Game One’s I’ve been rocking for a decade based on this video. I love them so thanks a lot!
Can I ask are you running EQ for these. I am running direct sound out of my amp dac and they seem to be outshined by IEMs and seem pretty bass heavy. I’m curious how you got them sounding the way you described or maybe your eq settings
I’m not no. What IEMs are you using and what amp dac ?
So my amp / dac may actually not be great because it’s a soundblasterx g6. It powers them fine but it maybe it just doesn’t sound great? That being the case I ran direct sound and use peace /APO. they sound really good with music but quite bass heavy in tarkov. I ran them in direct sound no EQ. I ran the orchestra lites out of that amp / dac but I found them to be uncomfortable in my ears . They definitely have that wallhack effect but I can’t wear them very long sadly. I just have recently got into the whole premium audio thing and I guess I just don’t know how much a good amp/dac makes a massive difference. I’m going to try some performer 8s given they are vented but we’ll see. BTW your reviews are great and you have great content. Hope to see the channel grow
@@izzybear8 thank you so much! Yes I actually found the g6 to be a bit too bassy and warm. There are benefits to be gained but man once you start you really get going down the rabbit hole. Hit me up on Twitter I can spend more time helping. Let me know how the aful p8 treats you! Should pair well with the g6 given they’re a bit more neutral
Have you tried the VZR model one? Any recommendation between that and this Zeus elite?
Hi Fresh, Which DAC/Amp were u using the Zeus Elite with? Thanks!
topping a90d and d90se
Yeg is correct 🙌🏽
Yow, can you review the Moondrop Chu II? For gaming?
Thanks In Advance :3
Damn, these look pretty cool! I’m still rocking my DT 770 Pro’s and budget IEM’s 😅
Are there any 3.5mm or 1/4in aftermarket cables for it? Also, are the OG Zeus cables compatible?
Yes to the first question and for the second question I can’t recall the orientation of the og cable but I believe so
Hey what would you use for competitive gaming like apex. The Kiwi orchestra lites or the hd560’s? Thank ya! Love your Content!!!
I’m using IEMs currently
So iem would be good if you could recommend me for first-person shooters.
So I'm looking for good Sound Stage accurate detail and knowing someone when it gets intense so that I can still hear footsteps coming.
I have recommendations all over my channel
Thx Fresh Coping these now.
Hope this comes to UK. Great vid as always
Thanks for the review! I find IEMs irritate my ears a lot so I'm pretty hyped for this one.
Can you let me know what Dac/amp you use and if you think something like the zen dac v2 would be enough for these?
Thanks
Should be more than enough! These are very easy to drive. I use a topping a90d and d90se
@@FreshReviewsYT Awesome, thanks for the reply!
OMG yes it would be MORE than enough. i have the zen dac on my gaming desk for my iems next to my creative labs g6 and my Fiio R7 and a resounding YES to the Zen dac. Though i would use the xbass sparingly.
There are a couple of 2.4g wireless TWS now on the market, like the Soundcore VR P10, JBL quantum TWS, EPOS GTW270 hybrid, etc.. it will be great if you can reivew them, wireless is really important for earbuds, even more important than the mouse IMO, would be great if any of these 2.4g wireless earbuds are qualified for competitive FPS games. Great review btw, keep it up!
have you tried Focal x Drop Elex? that to me sounds absolutly wall hack Headphone, I know its a little old but its awesome
So seriously... direct comparison versus the original zeus. Significant upgrade? Meaning sizable upgrade in detail etc? For the price i am tempted. I am a current zeus owner.
In my opinion hell yea
I'm hard stuck between the Zeus elite and 560s, I used to play competitively in games for money but have since switched to semi casual / competitive. I know audio is more of a tool rather than something that can make you a more competitive player so part of me wants the Zeus for the fun warm presentation for music and as you've stated also translates well to footsteps and cues in games, I feel like the 560s would allow you to focus more on cues instead of being distracted by the added bass from the Zeus but at the same time wouldn't be as fun for music or as engaging in game.
In terms of iems, would you say they're better for sounds cues and audio in game or do you just prefer them due to comfort reasons?
@@MTater_ precisely. Although I do somewhat give the edge to my IEMs right now. The Zeus elite is fun engaging and also very good for games. Highly recommend over the 560s
@@FreshReviewsYT edge to your iems in terms of gaming performance? Or just overall musically, gaming and comfort?
Great thanks for the reassurance!
@@MTater_ all of the above yea.
@@FreshReviewsYT interesting. Thanks for the reply!
i m competitive fps lover,actually have hd560s,any better competitive focused headphone?
Shure 1840
@@YTjuanchicod any under 500 euro worth it the trade?
@@xkashim88x not really. The 560s are the best for competitive fps under 500 in my opinion.
560s or dt 900 pro? mostly (95% gaming and rest is music) also could i use the 900 pro on ps5 if i just plug it to the controller or it wouldnt be good. if not are there alternatives?
I stuck with the 900s
@@FreshReviewsYTwould it be good on ps5 if i just plug and play?
@@swanai nah, get a zen dac
Hey Fresh, thanks to you I bought the 900 Pro X and absolutely love them. I just used your link to buy these! I want to get your thoughts on Dolby Atmos for gaming, is this something you utilize? I’ve tried to keep VSS off but always end up turning it back on. I primarily play apex legends and feel it gives you a major advantage. Any insight on this would be much appreciated.
I don’t use Dolby
Hey Fresh, have you tried the Sony MDR-MV1 for gaming?
I have. Hated them
@@FreshReviewsYT Interesting. I want to know why u don't like them. I am looking forward to your review.
Will the Zeus Elite be fine with the Quedelix 5K for gaming or is a amp/dac setup needed?
The Zeus is very easy to drive. I just can’t say yes or no without having tried that usb dac
@@FreshReviewsYT I can't wait until they arrive. I had the PC38X to HD560S to DT900 Pro X and now these. I'll let y'all know if the 5K works well with these. I almost forgot to ask if the Zeus Elite are great on COD? I know the sound engine is trash but still.....
you said these come with a 4.4mm conection, this connection is not compatible with a schitt stack correct? do i need something specifcally for balanced headphones? would using and adapter kill the sound quality?
Adapters don’t kill sound quality. It depends what stack you’re using. If there is a 4.4 output you can utilize the cable. Should also work with a ton of third party cables that terminate in 3.5. Check first to see if your stack has a 4.4
@FreshReviewsYT it's a magni modi stack wich I belive has a 6.5mm plug
Is the SMSL c200 dac amp a good pairing with these headphones? Im satisfied with my iems but looking for a endgame headphone. Thanks fresh
Yea! It should be ok tbh. These are very easy to drive!
I priorities fun over analytical sound, would you say that these are more bassy than the TYGR 300R?
It’s been so long since I’ve tried the tygr 300R. Sorry brother. I’d check out some graphs just to be positive
@@FreshReviewsYT Will do mate, thanks :)
@@KaledTV sorry. I feel like if I answered off memory it might not be accurate 😭 what I can say though is I like this set more than the tygr
No worries mate, your videos already helped me a ton, and I already have the TYGR 300R on my head, so maybe it's not worth the 350 upgrade if they don't clearly offer much more fun and bassy experience, if there are another fun pair that you think I should check let me know. I have already seen your HD 490 review but those seem too analytical for me, so maybe I should just replace the worn pads and stick with my TYGRs :D
what amp dac do you use for gamin with these i just but these and use the ifi which feels good but i feel like there is something it needs
I use the topping dx9
Currently
Review Koss KSC75 for gaming please?
They are extremely uncomfortable and the main reason I switched to IEMs. They have almost no bass. You'd be better off with Truthear Zero or Simgot EM6L if budget allows.
Is there a difference between the renewed HD 560s and the regular HD 560S?
share some stories about the pros that went with your recommendations. would love hear interesting thoughts from them
Have two apex pros that are very happy. One went with the canon (original) and one is on the xenns top. Both are extremely happy. I have on cs go pro using the orchestra lite who couldn’t be happier. The cs go pro is mixing his with the sound blaster g6 which I don’t necessarily recommend but he’s loving it. (I don’t want to name drop but that’s most of the feedback so far from pros I’ve directly helped)
The cs go pro is swapping to the canon 2 however, as he found out the orchestra lite body is too big to fit well under the over the ear noise cancelling headphones at ESL / blast
@@FreshReviewsYT damn that sick af that pros loved them. Keep em bangers coming Freshyy love ur vids
@FreshReviewsYT wait, G6 isn't good as dac/amp? I'm using it with my PS5 lol
for JUST competitive gaming {warzone} its better than 560S? thanks
I will tell you honestly, unless you tune EQ and HeSuVi properly, there are no headphones that can fix the muddy ass mixing in that game along with the really bad vertical audio. I've tested 560S, DT 900 x, ad700x and Zeus all stock and with home theater/headphone bass boost. Even as a 2.5kd player, sound is not something you should primarily rely on in warzone because it's very inconsistent. I've had an entire squad of 4 run up without any audio and they didn't all have dead silence. You can pretty much buy HD 560s, save some money and just keep high ground as much as possible to have success. In other games like Apex, Overwatch, Fortnite, CS2 and Valorant, these headphones will be perfectly fine for directional tracking, imaging and detail.
Hey, what’s the best headphones/iem for my schiit modi magni stack for competitive MW3 gaming
What’s your budget
Hey Fresh! Would the iFi zen dac v2 be enough to power these guys?
It would be yea
People told me that openbacks are not recommended for competitive shooter (Cs/Valo) because of the sound leakage, even in a quiet environment, you can sometimes be disturbed by the sound of your gasping breath. However, is it true that openback headphones are better at imaging or finding enemies than iem in general?
I wouldn’t say so. IEMs have come an extremely long way. I’d definitely recommend trying one. Maybe the orchestra lite if your budget allows
Have you ever given the H6PROs a go? Would be interesting to hear you take on them!
Not yet
May I ask why you have not chosen any closed back headphone on to the tierlist? I understand u picked the best but love to hear your explanation very much. Is it possible in the future we have more closed back headphone review too?
I will be on the search
A revisit and comparison of all the cans would be nice. I Had 560s and dint like their fit so they left again, 1990 pros (which i absolutely love) and now i got 800 S which are kinda... weird to be honest, i really like them with bass boost and especially their fit but their imaging is kinda weird. its not off but its different than the 1990 pros for example
I know exactly what ya mean
@@FreshReviewsYT can you explain why you feel the hd800s imaging weird please? Is because of the huge soundstage that ruin some of the imaging?
@@YTjuanchicod at times yes
So my elites arrived a few weeks ago but damn they leave me conflicted. On one side they are comfy and sound great but they seem to lack in vertical imaging. I mainly play warzone and know the sound is sometimes quite fckd but I hear all players on the same level as me same for chests. I an locate them horizontally but I can’t tell if they are above me, under me or on my level…
Interesting. What amp dac are you using if any
@@FreshReviewsYT I use either a Mayflower Ark MK II or a JDSLABS ELEMENT III.
None of your recommendations have let me down yet, and the tonality of the Elites is really pleasent but the issues I have with them makes them somewhat unuseable for WZ. Could be the games engine but I dont have the issue with neither my 1990 pros or my 800 S.
That's not the headphones fault, warzone and cod IW8 sound occlusion in general for vertical audio has always been trash. Test other games with good audio like Valorant or Overwatch and it's a night and day difference.
@@JagsP95yeah thats somewhat true. I tried all of my other headphones and some did fair a bit better (800 s) whilst others suffered (zeus elite, 1990 pros).
The games audio is absolutely abysmal but I am maining the Zeus elite and dont regret it.
I play all my games with the elites and while they arent perfect they are really good.
HD 800 S is still imaging king tho and its by far. Not worth the extra 1k upwards but still
Hey fresh,
From a pure competitive standpoint, would you recommend taking the leap to the Zeus elite from the hd560s if I’m only using them for Valorant competitive?
I’m happy with the 560s but have been using them for so long I’m interested in a new set
If interested in a new set it’s a solid buy. But the 560s are a very good set. Not a necessary upgrade but a cool one
@@FreshReviewsYT thank you for responding! So I take it as you don’t think it’s worth it if I already have the 560s. I guess I’ll continue to wait for the next best headphone then
@@johnnguyen8639 i go from 560s to 900prox. I regret it and come back to the 560s.. they have no competition in terms of soundstage and imaging
I only play Warzone and would like to know which you prefer for location and steps are 560s or DT 900
900
Thank you for the quick reply, I will order it for me now.
Best regards from Germany
I only bought dt 900 pro x a few weeks ago 😢
That’s ok! Great headphone
@@FreshReviewsYT at least it is #2 on your list still haha, say, do you have a full review of the Viper V2 pro?
These do seem interesting. Is there some particular reason you dropped TYGR 300 out of the wh tier list?
Because the 900 pro x exists and is superior
Hey dude in terms of pure imaging, what do you think is better out of the 900 pro x and the new Zeus? For fps
And is it a big difference or minimal?
There’s not a but enough difference imo. Go for the tuning you want
@@FreshReviewsYT thanks man. I appreciate your honesty in ur reviews. You have helped me tremendously
If i click on your amazon affiliate link but go to a different product will you still get credit? I am buying the arya organics'
I believe so yea, and I appreciate you taking the time and the thought to consider that. Thanks.
EM6L vs this if you had to choose one for primary gaming
What IEM can rival or surpassed this headphone regarding technicalities and music/gaming performance? I'm tempted to buy these, but at the same time, I'm an IEM guy. If, for some reason, I pick this up, can my budget-topping dx1 DAC/amp handle this?
Anything in my top 3-5
Did you ever try Neumans NDH20(closed)
Or NDH 30 (open)
Headphones?
I haven’t
@@FreshReviewsYT maybe worth a try.
also could be worth to check the new audeze maxwells.
How do these sound compared to DT1990 gaming?
Really enjoying your ongoing quest for the best gaming headphone, - while you are briefly back to over ears, would you consider a look at the Audio Technica R70X? Crinacle has it listed as the best "gaming headphone" under 500 dollars and I generally read a lot of positive things about its imaging, - I'd love to hear your opinion!
It’s good. I don’t like it more than the 560s, 900 pro, or Zeus elite
Wow, I didn't expect you to reply to my comment, - thank you!!
I currently have the HD560S, but it is a little bit too harsh/sharp for my ears, - so I'm looking at the R70X as an alternative. Ordered one from Amazon, so I'll be A/B-ing them soon. :-)
They're trash imo.
@@TreSwayy I also don’t like the r70 enough to review it and put it on. Not bad. Just not the wow factor
Fresh what’s your Stack recommendation for these
So I use an a90d and d90se but you don’t need to go that crazy with these. They’re easy to drive! Easier to drive than the 900 pro x in my testing
Which amp do you use as main to power the headphones?
A90d
@@FreshReviewsYT thank you for the quick respond. Which one of the ones you linked would you go for if you dont want to spend as much?
I have a doubt, is crinacle zero OG/RED better than a HyperX Cloud 2?
i would use playing fps in general and listening to hip-hop.
For multi use case purposes, absolutely
@@FreshReviewsYT could you tell me if it's better than cloud 2? I'm in doubt between the two
How do the HyperX Cloud Alphas compared to the Cloud IIs?
I need something miles above the 900 pro x. Probably gonna be the xenns or the monarchs.
Hey Fresh I recently got the Xenns Top and I cant seem to get it to sound right(the audio cues sound closes but hard to track the distance). Is there any way you could help me out?
What are you driving them with
@@FreshReviewsYT iFi Audio Zen DAC V2
@@JustLipz should be fine. Not sure. Make sure your tips have an adequate fit so air isn’t leaking out.
@@FreshReviewsYT So I just seen that you have a review of the amp that I use and I found out the reason I was having some trouble with then was because of the "true bass" feature was on. I'm curranty having a better experience with them now. One more think I feel some people will enjoy is a youtube short of your settings in apex(mostly me lol).
@@JustLipz a great idea! I’ll get more shorts soon!
These or Canon 2 or Topps? Gaming focus but also capable on other media.
Tops, canon 2, Zeus
Would you put these as number one as far as the sound profile goes for cod?
I don’t play cod, but I can try out some stuff soon
What is your recommendation for budget competitive gaming iems
I have a bunch of videos on that
What do you use to run them? 4.4 or XLR?
I ran xlr