If you want the short list, these are my top picks, and you’ll find the details on each one further down.
With the first generation of gamers reaching an older age, many of your peers may have different expectations from their gaming headsets than they did 10 years ago.
Hearing loss is common, and gamers are not exempt. About 1 in 3 people between 65 and 74 have it, and half of those 75 and up have trouble hearing.
The good news is, there are plenty of gaming headsets available that can cater to both those looking for headphones they can wear along with hearing aids and those looking for something that is good for people that have difficulty hearing in general.
Which Gaming Headsets Should You Consider?
If you are hard of hearing or need a gaming headset that is easier to hear, here are my top recommended gaming headsets for hard of hearing people:
SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ Wireless Gaming Headset
The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ is a wireless gaming headset made for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. It connects over Bluetooth, so there is no cord running from your head to the console.
This one is sold Certified Refurbished. That means the manufacturer refurbished it, it shows limited or no wear, and it comes with all of its original accessories. It also carries a 90-day limited hardware warranty.
A headset like this suits gamers who want the game sound and the voices of friends in the same set of headphones. Hearing teammates clearly is a big part of playing online when your hearing is not what it was.
The trade-off is the platform. This version is made for PlayStation, so if you play mostly on a PC or another console, look at a different headset first.
The refurbished status is worth weighing too. The warranty is 90 days, which is shorter than what you would usually get on a brand new headset.
Logitech G PRO X Wired Gaming Headset
Logitech is another brand that is well known in the gaming space making a lot of the best-in-class PC and gaming peripherals on the marketplace.
Comfortable
The Logitech Pro X’s stand-out feature for seniors who are looking to get in intense and long gaming sessions has to be their comfort. These headphones feature memory foam padding which helps relieve a lot of the pressure a lot of other gaming headsets cause.
This, combined with it’s larger over-the-ear cups makes it perfect for those with hearing aids.
Surround Sound
These headphones are DTS headphones which means they produce object-based surround sound. This allows you to be able to detect where enemies are and where sounds are originating from.
Blue Voice Microphone Technology Built-In
These gaming headphones have Blue Voice microphone technology built-in which helps to reduce noise. This means you will be able to be heard clearer on the other end without having to scream into the microphone so loud that you end up waking up your neighbors.
HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 Gaming Headset
The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is a gaming headset that adds DTS Headphone:X spatial audio. In plain terms, sound is spread around you, so you can tell more easily whether a noise is coming from your left, your right, or behind you. That can help in games where direction matters.
It is described as a lightweight over-ear headset. It has 50mm drivers (the part that makes the sound), and HyperX calls out its signature comfort and superior sound.
The earcups rotate and adjust, which helps you get a fit that sits well. That matters if you wear it for a long game or have hearing aids to work around.
It has a built-in mic with a swivel-to-mute function. You mute yourself by moving the mic, with no menus to dig through.
One trade-off: it is made for PC, and spatial audio is a feature for games, not a hearing aid. If you need sound made louder or clearer for your hearing loss, you may want to pair it with other tools.
JBL Quantum 810 Wireless Gaming Headset
The JBL Quantum 810 Wireless is a gaming headset with active noise cancelling, which means it works to block out background sound like a fan, a TV in the next room, or household chatter. For someone who is hard of hearing, that can mean you don’t have to turn the game up as loud to follow what is going on.
It also has surround sound, which places sounds around you. A footstep behind you sounds like it is behind you. That helps in games where knowing where a sound comes from matters.
It connects two ways: a 2.4GHz wireless link for gaming, and Bluetooth 5.2. The Bluetooth side means you can pair it with a phone and use the noise cancelling away from the game, such as on a plane or a train. Battery life is up to 43 hours.
It has 50mm drivers (the parts that make the sound), which are made to bring out small details in the audio.
Now the trade-offs. Noise cancelling and wireless features add up, so this is a headset for someone who plans to use all of it. If you only play a simple game now and then, you may not need this much.
It is also an over-ear headset, so if you wear hearing aids, try it on with them in before you commit to keeping it. Some people find that a snug fit and hearing aids don’t get along.
ASTRO Gaming A50 Wireless Gaming Headset
Astro is well-known for producing some of the best performing gaming headsets. However, their headsets do come with a higher price tag.
Sound Quality
As far as gaming headsets are concerned, you will be hard-pressed to find headphones that offer better sound quality than the Astro Gaming A50’s.
Comfortable
These headphones are extremely comfortable as the ear pads are made up of thick memory foam and a breathable fabric covering it. Likewise, the headband isn’t too loose or too tight and the entire headset is light enough to wear for long gaming sessions.
EPOS SENNHEISER Game Zero Gaming Headset
The EPOS I Sennheiser GAME ZERO is a wired gaming headset with a closed-back design. That means the ear cups seal around your ears to help keep room noise out, so the game sound stands out more.
The ear pads are memory foam, which helps make that seal comfortable. The headset is described as lightweight and foldable. It works with PC, Mac, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and smartphones.
A volume wheel sits on the right ear cup, so you can turn the sound up or down in the middle of a game without pausing. For hard of hearing players, that is easier than digging through a menu.
The microphone is on a flexible boom arm. You bend it close to your mouth, and you mute yourself by lifting it up. Friends on voice chat should hear you clearly.
One trade-off: it is a headset built around clear, direct sound, and the details don’t mention surround sound. If pinpointing where a sound comes from is your top priority, look at a model that offers it. It is also a poor fit if you want to stay aware of your surroundings, since the closed-back design blocks outside noise.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Wireless Gaming Headset
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 is a wireless headset that works with Xbox, PlayStation, PC and mobile, so it suits a household where people game on more than one system.
It has 50mm drivers (the part that makes the sound) built for spatial audio, which helps you tell where a sound is coming from in the game. It also has a mode called Superhuman Hearing, made to bring out quiet sounds like footsteps.
For anyone with hearing loss, the sound controls matter most. There are built-in EQ modes, and the Swarm II app on a computer or phone has a 10-band equalizer. That lets you turn up the pitches you struggle with and turn down the ones that get in the way.
The cushions are memory foam and made to work comfortably with glasses. The headband is adjustable, and the battery is rated at 80 hours, with a quick charge when you run low.
The mic flips up to mute, and it has noise reduction to keep room sounds out of your voice chat. A QuickSwitch button moves you between the wireless connection and Bluetooth.
The trade-off is that the app is where the best sound adjustments live, so you will have to set it up. If you want to plug in and play with no fiddling, the built-in modes are the simpler route. It is also not a hearing aid, so it won’t replace one.
Features Seniors Should Be Looking For In Gaming Headsets
Here are the features you should consider when shopping for a gaming headset for someone who has hearing difficulties.
1. Headset Type
The first feature to consider is the type of headphones you prefer. There are two main styles of gaming headsets, over-the-ear and on-ear.
- Over-The-Ear Headphones – This is likely to be the ideal type of headset to consider if you are someone who currently wears a hearing aid. Hearing aids are worn behind your ear which can make them rather bulky. Therefore, you will want to find a headset with a large enough ear cup size that can effectively drape over your ears even with the protruding hearing aid.
- On-Ear Headphones – These will be gaming headphones that you may want to look for if you simply have difficulty hearing or you are using a cochlear implant. These are the electronic devices that are surgically implanted into your inner ear which make on-ear headphones viable. However, if you do have Bluetooth cochlear, you could consider syncing up your implants directly with your PC’s Bluetooth.
2. Noise Cancellation
Whenever you are shopping for headphones for someone who is either a senior or hard of hearing, this should be one of the first things that you prioritize.
While you don’t necessarily have to get a headset with noise cancellation, it can enhance the experience and keep one from losing even more of their hearing.
Noise cancellation itself makes it much easier to get an optimal audio experience at much lower and safer volumes. Because of this, it is great for seniors who are either already hearing impaired or those who are looking to keep from losing their hearing.
Because many gaming headsets lack active noise cancellation, you may want to look for noise cancelling headphones that keep noise out with a tight seal and with high enough volume.
3. Surround Sound
When you are playing games with a headset, one of the things that can enhance or detract from your experience is being able to perceive where the sound is coming from.
Headsets that either have native surround sound or simulated surround sound are going to produce much better results within gaming sessions.
After all, you will be able to perceive whether footsteps are coming from behind you or in front of you with the right set of headphones with surround sound.
Without this, you will be left in the dark.
4. Large Earcups
For those with hearing aids, large ear cups are a must. For those wanting to have a comfortable experience throughout longer gaming sessions, it will be just as important.
To be able to wear a headset comfortably along with a hearing aid that can cause the ear to protrude, you will need large enough ear cups to avoid the discomfort of having the ear cups press against your ears.
However, larger ear cups can be just as important for those looking to play games for a long period of time because they will result in less pressure against your ears and head.
5. Quality Mic
If you are buying the headset strictly for gaming, you will need to find a headset with a quality microphone. Your ability to be heard is going to make a big difference especially if you are hard of hearing.
You want to be able to speak at a comfortable volume while being heard by your friends on PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, or Discord.
6. Easy To Use
Having a gaming headset that makes tweaking and using things easy is key for a senior. After all, seniors have less dexterity and it can be difficult for older people to adapt to complex interfaces.
Here’s a Buying Tip!
If you already have a set of comfortable or high-end headphones that you want to continue using for gaming, you could consider buying and attaching an attachable boom microphone with noise cancellation to it. This will give you the ability to wear comfortable headphones you are accustomed to while having a high-quality microphone to go along with it.
Summary and Final Recommendations
Overall, finding the best gaming headset for seniors comes down to finding a headset that is comfortable, easy-to-use, and one that offers good enough audio performance to make it easy to hear.
Unfortunately, a lot of the gaming headphones on the market lack active noise cancellation. If it’s considered a must-have feature, you can opt for a quality pair of noise-canceling headphones and attach a boom mic to it.
For those who want a dedicated gaming headset, the best affordable headset would be the SteelSeries Arctis 7. For those willing to spend more, the Astro Gaming A50’s stand out the most.
