Are Surroung Gaming Headphones BS?

[Biblob]

Linus Tech Tips posted this video recently where they tested on their crew a series of gaming headphones and a stereo headphone with software processing. They tested if the participants could accurately detect where the sound was coming from while being blind-folded.

At least, it's entertaining to watch.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Well, yeah. In their limited testing it turned out that a good stereo headphone with software programming worked best.

What do you think about this? Please share your experiences and opinions

 

[Tene]

Yeah, what I know from experience is the capacity of headphones to deliver a proper imaging is way more important than anything else for competitive gaming, and that is something they essentially degrade by widening the soundstage and adding reverb with "virtual surround". A proper in-game audio design is what is important, when HRTF is created by or in adequacy with the sound designers of the game it might give better directional cues, that's what I feel about the Cs:Go "HRTF" or the Overwatch "Dolby Atmos" settings, but surround softwares which weren't implemented specifically for the game usually just makes everything sound bigger and blurrier.

I loved the Hellblade experience simply because the sound design was great by itself. If only they cared a little more about sound design in games... I feel like it's often overlooked.