K so my new recommendation for people going for an "affordable luxury" gaming audio setup for all 0 of the people who play FFXI and care about sound quality
Open stage - as the name suggests, feels open because the sound isn't closed in. Really great for games because it can help you pinpoint sound cues and makes the audio feel more true to life. Sacrifices bass and punchiness in the lows though.
Lower cost open stage - Drop + Sennheiser HD6xx + Qudelix 5k Bluetooth/USB amp+dac ($270ish)
Oof cost open stage - Sennheiser HD600 + Qudelix 5k Bluetooth/USB amp+dac ($400ish)
Closed stage - closed back headphones; sacrifices sound stage and that open, more realistic feel in favor of puncher bass, snappier high end. Makes the music feel "closer" to you but less wide. Will accentuate 5hings like explosions and gunfire, can be more immersive in some respects but will have a negative effect on some aspects.
Lower cost closed stage - Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 ohm, can get away without an amp ($140ish)
Lowish cost closed stage - Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 250 ohm + Qudelix 5k Bluetooth/USB amp+dac ($240ish)
Note on amps: Qudelix is a good all rounder that can drive any of these headphones but won't max them out. Will work with almost any device you hook it up to though and can turn them into "wireless" headphones. A Shiit Magni Heresy + Modi 3 combo can max any of these headphones out but will not be portable and costs $100 more.
In games like Mass Effect and FFXIV I've been enjoying the closed back phones more. But for games like Halo Infinite and Apex, the wider sound stage of open back phones has felt better. YMMV
For microphones, the Antlion Modmic sounded fine to me and the people I tested it with. Could go with a more expensive solution if you want to stream/record youtube content such as a Blue Yeti or something from Rode.
Honestly not sure why I settled for "gaming" branded shot for so long. I never understood the appeal or why people said gaming headsets were dogshit, but now that I've tried out even these entry level hifi offerings, it just makes sense.
For gaming ***like Arctis, Astro, Logitech, and Razer you're paying more for the *** tacked on features like fake surround sound, wireless, docking stations, RGB, etc.; the sound isn't ear piercing, it won't make you die prematurely or have night terrors, but... the clear, crisp and overall just more "useful" audio that I've gotten from these more powerful, well tuned sets of headphones has truly been enlightening. I've heard sounds and instruments in games and songs that I didn't even know were in them. I feel immersed and more on point in games despite not having the *** simulated 7.1 surround (which can be done via software anyway...) because of the pure resolution of the sound.
No I don't have bass that blows my eardrums apart, but I haven't found myself missing it. Turns out I don't need my jaw to rattle every time I fire a Hydra rocket at a Warthog.
There is still some appeal to gaming headsets though. There's something to be said for true wireless, mostly alright sound profiling from, say, the Astro A50s. There's also something to be said for the versatile and very affordable Cloud 2s; as someone who didn't want to spent 100s on audio ***I understand why someone else wouldn't want to spend 100s on audio ***. That being said, if you ever want to treat yourself to a new level of audio enjoyment, giving these entry level "big boy" cans and amps a shot is what I'd call a reasonably sound investment.
Tl:dr headphone good, gaming headset kind of not for the money depending on price bracket