u/FabrizioA

For about a week now I’ve been using my new Kithara headphones with the K7 amp. They sound amazing.
But over the last few days I’ve started feeling discomfort around the upper jaw area, just below my ears.
Maybe it’s caused by the pressure or by the shape of the Kithara ear pads.

How could I solve this?
I’ve tried both sets of pads included in the box, but it doesn’t change much.

If I use my fingers to slightly pull apart the lower ends of the pads (the attachment points), the discomfort disappears and the sound still remains perfect. The problem is that as soon as I let go, they become uncomfortable again.

What could I do? Change the headband? 3D-print some kind of support or clip? 😞

I really don’t want to start searching for another pair of headphones right now…

Hi, I was looking for the perfect over-ear headphones for my PS5 Pro.
About 4 months ago, I bought the Maxwell 2 PS. I liked them, but I had issues with comfort and my ears overheating.
I tried several alternatives through a buy-and-return cycle, including:

Sennheiser HDB 630
B&W PX8 S2
Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2
Bose QC Ultra 2

I returned all of them because of either comfort or audio quality issues…
…until I decided to try an open-back headset. After a lot of research, I bought the OpenBack ROG Kithara paired with a K7 DAC/amp.
After a week of use, I can say: wow! Comfortable, fairly lightweight, super detailed, and with the right EQ on the K7 I can also get good bass and well-defined highs. The soundstage is very wide. I really like them.
Just out of curiosity, in your opinion what could be a further step up in audio quality compared to the ROG Kithara while still using the K7?
I still wouldn’t want to sacrifice comfort, though…
Thanks :)

Hi everyone, I REALLY NEED SOME HELP!

At the moment I currently own:

Audeze Maxwell 2 PS Edition (outside the return window — my thoughts below)

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 (still within the return window — my thoughts below)

(I’ve also been using AirPods Pro Gen 2 for years as my everyday earbuds, and now I’d like to pair them with a new over-ear headset.)

What I’m Looking For

I want a pair of over-ear headphones/headset mainly for use with my PS5 Pro, especially for single-player, story-driven games.

Right now my reference titles are:

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Crimson Desert

Resident Evil Requiem

I’m an old-school gamer ;)

I very rarely play online — maybe some Battlefield 6 with friends from time to time — so I honestly don’t care much about microphone quality.

I’m NOT looking for “competitive gaming” features like hearing enemy footsteps better, etc.

What I really want is:

Amazing soundtrack quality

Excellent dialogue clarity

Immersive sound effects

Great cinematic experience for story-driven games

I’d also use them for:

Netflix

YouTube

Occasional work video calls

My Priorities

1. COMFORT

2. EXCELLENT AUDIO QUALITY

My Experience So Far

Audeze Maxwell 2

A few months ago I bought the Maxwell 2 and I have to admit the sound quality is VERY good.

However, after about one hour of use, heat and humidity start building up inside the ear cups, making them uncomfortable.

I realized that after around one hour I always need to take them off to let my ears breathe.

At some point I also noticed I was thinking more about the discomfort than actually enjoying my PS5 gameplay.

Another issue is that the Maxwell are HUGE:

I can’t comfortably lie in bed watching Netflix with them

I can’t realistically bring them to the office for work use

Headphones I Already Tried and Returned

Sennheiser HD 630VB

Used with:

Creative BT-W/C81 aptX Low Latency adapter

Sennheiser BTD 700

My thoughts:

Not very comfortable

Too hot after about 1 hour

Audio profile sounded too flat to me

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2

Used with the C81 aptX Low Latency adapter.

My thoughts:

AMAZING SOUND!

Probably the best sound I’ve heard so far

BUT…

Clamping force is way too strong

I start feeling discomfort after only ~40 minutes

Honestly, these would have been PERFECT if comfort wasn’t an issue.

Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2

My thoughts:

Exceptional comfort

Poor audio quality

Treble is too harsh/sibilant

I experienced ear fatigue / discomfort after around 1 hour

Current Situation — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2

Right now I’m using the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2.

Pros:

Very comfortable

Decent sound quality

Cons:

I’m experiencing occasional cracking/popping sounds when connected to the PS5 using the C81 adapter in low latency mode

If I decide to keep the Bose, I’ll probably need to buy a higher-quality Bluetooth low-latency adapter for PS5 use.

My Big Question

At this point, does it even make sense to keep searching for other headphones?

I’m currently considering:

Arctis Nova Elite

They use carbon drivers, just like the B&W PX8 S2, so I’m wondering:

Could they sound somewhat similar while being more comfortable?

Maybe THESE are the right headphones?

Sony Inzone H9 II

I’ve read they’re good and comfortable.

What do you think?

Would they actually be better than the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 I currently own?

Fractal Scape

I’ve read they also have a pretty strong clamping force and aren’t very comfortable.

Open-Back Headphones?

Should I consider open-back headphones?

My concern is that I might disturb or wake up my small children if I play late at night or watch movies in bed.

Other Suggestions?

What else should I consider?

Crazy Final Option 😂

Use the C81 dongle with my AirPods Pro Gen 2…

…and sell/return both the Maxwell 2 and the Bose? 🥹😄

One Last Thing

I’m excluding the Astro A50 from the start because the design is way too “gaming-oriented” for my taste.

PLEASE HELP ME! 😅

Hi everyone, I REALLY NEED SOME HELP!

At the moment I currently own:

Audeze Maxwell 2 PS Edition (outside the return window — my thoughts below)

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 (still within the return window — my thoughts below)

(I’ve also been using AirPods Pro Gen 2 for years as my everyday earbuds, and now I’d like to pair them with a new over-ear headset.)

What I’m Looking For

I want a pair of over-ear headphones/headset mainly for use with my PS5 Pro, especially for single-player, story-driven games.

Right now my reference titles are:

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Crimson Desert

Resident Evil Requiem

I’m an old-school gamer ;)

I very rarely play online — maybe some Battlefield 6 with friends from time to time — so I honestly don’t care much about microphone quality.

I’m NOT looking for “competitive gaming” features like hearing enemy footsteps better, etc.

What I really want is:

Amazing soundtrack quality

Excellent dialogue clarity

Immersive sound effects

Great cinematic experience for story-driven games

I’d also use them for:

Netflix

YouTube

Occasional work video calls

My Priorities

1. COMFORT

2. EXCELLENT AUDIO QUALITY

My Experience So Far

Audeze Maxwell 2

A few months ago I bought the Maxwell 2 and I have to admit the sound quality is VERY good.

However, after about one hour of use, heat and humidity start building up inside the ear cups, making them uncomfortable.

I realized that after around one hour I always need to take them off to let my ears breathe.

At some point I also noticed I was thinking more about the discomfort than actually enjoying my PS5 gameplay.

Another issue is that the Maxwell are HUGE:

I can’t comfortably lie in bed watching Netflix with them

I can’t realistically bring them to the office for work use

Headphones I Already Tried and Returned

Sennheiser HD 630VB

Used with:

Creative BT-W/C81 aptX Low Latency adapter

Sennheiser BTD 700

My thoughts:

Not very comfortable

Too hot after about 1 hour

Audio profile sounded too flat to me

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2

Used with the C81 aptX Low Latency adapter.

My thoughts:

AMAZING SOUND!

Probably the best sound I’ve heard so far

BUT…

Clamping force is way too strong

I start feeling discomfort after only ~40 minutes

Honestly, these would have been PERFECT if comfort wasn’t an issue.

Arctis Nova 7 Gen 2

My thoughts:

Exceptional comfort

Poor audio quality

Treble is too harsh/sibilant

I experienced ear fatigue / discomfort after around 1 hour

Current Situation — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2

Right now I’m using the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2.

Pros:

Very comfortable

Decent sound quality

Cons:

I’m experiencing occasional cracking/popping sounds when connected to the PS5 using the C81 adapter in low latency mode

If I decide to keep the Bose, I’ll probably need to buy a higher-quality Bluetooth low-latency adapter for PS5 use.

My Big Question

At this point, does it even make sense to keep searching for other headphones?

I’m currently considering:

Arctis Nova Elite

They use carbon drivers, just like the B&W PX8 S2, so I’m wondering:

Could they sound somewhat similar while being more comfortable?

Maybe THESE are the right headphones?

Sony Inzone H9 II

I’ve read they’re good and comfortable.

What do you think?

Would they actually be better than the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 I currently own?

Fractal Scape

I’ve read they also have a pretty strong clamping force and aren’t very comfortable.

Open-Back Headphones?

Should I consider open-back headphones?

My concern is that I might disturb or wake up my small children if I play late at night or watch movies in bed.

Other Suggestions?

What else should I consider?

Crazy Final Option 😂

Use the C81 dongle with my AirPods Pro Gen 2…

…and sell/return both the Maxwell 2 and the Bose? 🥹😄

One Last Thing

I’m excluding the Astro A50 from the start because the design is way too “gaming-oriented” for my taste.

PLEASE HELP ME! 😅