Audeze follows high-end headphone makers like JBL and Creative into the gaming world with a series of headsets aimed at gamers. And of all the gaming headsets that have covered my big head this year, the Audeze Mobius may be the most impressive sounding headset. It is also the most expensive gaming headset I've used this year, priced at $400.

The reason Mobius is such an expensive headset is that it uses high-end planar magnetic drivers rather than the dynamic drivers found in most gaming headsets Mobius is priced at $400, but some headsets cost over $1,800 This is an affordable part of the planar headset price range. If you're going to spend that much on a headset, you're probably involved in music production or are a hardcore audiophile. So if you're wondering why you don't see many gaming headsets with planar magnetic drivers, it's probably because of cost.

Headphones with planar magnetic drivers tend to have a wider and more accurate sound range than most dynamic drivers, which at the end of the day sounds incredible. In other words, the Mobius may sound great, but does $400 sound great too?

As soon as you put these bad boys on, it's easy to hear the difference in sound quality from your usual gaming headset. It's almost shocking how great games and music sound. Especially in shooters, the wide range of the Mobius' planar drivers did a great job of providing a rich and detailed soundstage; in a Call of Duty Warzone match, I could hear every gunshot that passed by my head and every footstep that crept up to my eventual demise. In Hi-Res mode, the Audeze Mobius provided the best listening experience I've had in a while.

As someone who used the Blue Ella headset for years, I know firsthand that these planar magnetic headphones can be heavy. So I was surprised at how comfortable they were, even after hours of use. I usually get a little annoyed when high-end headsets are all plastic, but in the case of the Mobius, the lighter weight makes sense because it offsets the heavier drivers and makes the whole thing more comfortable.

While I was impressed with the planar magnetic drivers, I am generally not impressed with 3D audio. However, I can say that the Audeze Mobius is one of the really well-made headsets I have tested this year. What sets the Mobius' 3D apart is its good use of Waves Nx head-tracking technology with a built-in gyroscope inside the headset; the 3D audio works right out of the box, requires minimal adjustment, and requires no calibration (as in the JBL Quantum One (in the case of the JBL Quantum One).

3D Audio has two modes: auto and manual. Auto dynamically moves the audio source to where you move your head, while Manual keeps the source in front of you. While it is cool in theory for the headset to automatically shift the audio source as you move your head, we have found that it tends to disrupt the audio balance and make the sound raspy. Manual sets the audio source to be in front of you. This makes the most sense and is a better way to use 3D audio for music and games.

The effect of the automatic 3D audio settings is that the sound pans as you move your head from left to right, which is a novelty but a really distracting way to listen to music. The real question is how many people actually use 3D audio outside of VR games.

It could be the case that this would be beneficial when playing something like Battle Royale to pinpoint where the gunfire or footsteps are coming from. Honestly, digital 7.1 surround sound already does a pretty decent job if you are trying to get audio from all angles. When playing shooters, I turn off the 3D sound.

Personally, I find 3D audio really useful in exploration games like "Death Stranding" and find it very relaxing to be surrounded by lots of ambient sounds. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I replayed the first part of "Bio 7" and found the whole experience unpleasant and creepy as I explored the decrepit murder house.

Since Mobius is Audeze's first gaming headset, there are a few new mistakes that I hope they address in the future. First, the wireless connection. Most wireless headsets provide 5GHz or 2.4GHz connectivity via some sort of USB dongle. Mobius is Bluetooth only. Don't get me wrong, the Bluetooth support is great and I like the fact that I can easily connect to my phone. The problem is that the 7.1 surround sound does not work when connected via Bluetooth. The USB-A to USB-C connection that comes with the headset is criminally short at 4 feet, which is unfortunate. For me, using a standing desk, the cable was often in the way. If I were to plug this into the rear USB port on my PC, the headset would be essentially unusable.

Nevertheless, this headset should primarily be used wired, as the battery life was only 9 hours. We were also a bit disappointed that there were only eight sound profiles and limited EQ settings. As someone who needs aggressive bass to sustain life, I was surprised that the AudezeHQ software allows for head circumference and even room ambiance when it comes to HRTF customization, but nothing when it comes to EQ settings, with only eight sound profiles.

If you're dead set on getting a gaming headset with Audeze 100mm planar magnetic drivers and Waves Nx head tracking, though, the HyperX Cloud Orbit S is literally the exact same headset as the Mobius, except for Bluetooth, it's nearly $50 cheaper at most retailers. And the HyperX Cloud Orbit S omits head tracking and is again less expensive, but offers the same excellent wired audio experience.

While the Mobius had some problems (and I hate the concept of 3D audio terribly), it remains one of the best sounding gaming headsets. The magnetic planar drivers set it apart from other gaming headsets and provide unparalleled sound quality. Its poor battery life, lack of customization, and high price make it difficult to give it a full recommendation. However, if you value gaming sound above all else and have a high-limit credit card, the Audeze Mobius will knock your socks off.