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Who Is Jacksepticeye?
Jacksepticeye needs no introduction. Seán William McLoughlin, better known as Jacksepticeye, is an online personality who is best known for his vlogs and “Let’s Play” videos on his YouTube Channel.
Jacksepticeye initially joined YouTube in 2007. However, it wasn’t until 2012 when he started making videos. He started off as a small creator and wasn’t pulling off any crazy numbers during his first year.
But in 2013, Jacksepticeye was mentioned in PewDiePie’s YouTube Channel. This made his channel go viral, and his subscriber count skyrocketed to 15,000 in just four days. He has since then consistently grown his channel. He currently has a whopping 20.2 million subscribers (as of November 2020), making him one of the biggest content creators on the platform.
Jacksepticeye’s career is very similar to PewDiePie’s. They both started off as gaming YouTubers before branching off to different types of content. Jacksepticeye has done vlogs and has appeared on TV Shows along with other online personalities such as PewDiePie.
In terms of Jacksepticeye’s audio gear, he is surprisingly not using a gaming headset, unlike most gaming personalities. His two main headphones are the Sony WH1000XM3 and Philips Fidelio X2.
If you want to learn more about these headphones as well as other great-sounding alternatives, make sure to keep on scrolling.
Also, if you are interested in learning the go-to headsets of other well-known gamers such as Shroud, Ninja, Tfue, Pewdiepie and MarkiPlier, make sure to check out our dedicated articles.
Current Headphones
Philips Fidelio X2HR
The headphones that often appear on Jacksepticeye’s gaming-related videos is the Philips Fidelio X2HR. This pair is the sequel to the original Fidelio X2 but has made significant improvements to the build quality while maintaining the already great sound quality.
Just like the Philips SHP9500 that we will also be talking about later, the X2HR is a highly regarded pair in the audiophile community. And that is because of the value that it brings to the table. They have great build quality and sound quality that easily competes with offerings from Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic. It also easily crushes any gaming headset at the same price point.
In terms of the build quality, these headphones have an all-metal build with a few plastic pieces. The quality of the headphones can be immediately felt when you hold these headphones. Additionally, the ear pads are replaceable, and the cable is removable in case they break or if you want to change them with aftermarket parts in the future.
Before we move on to the sound, we would like to emphasize that these are open-back headphones. If you are not familiar with open-back headphones, then make sure to read our open-back vs. closed-back headphones article.
But essentially, open-back headphones offer a more natural and more detailed sound that is closer to full-sized speakers. The only downside is that there is no sound isolation, and sound easily leaks out of the ear cups.
Now in terms of the sound quality, these headphones are a relaxing and fun-sounding pair. They have smooth and inoffensive highs that still manage to capture the fine details on the high frequencies. The mids are best described as ethereal, especially on female vocals. And the lows are punchy and can easily give life to the sound of your music.
Gaming on these is also great because of how wide the soundstage is and how easy it is to pinpoint the location of your enemies. If you play competitive FPS titles such as CS:GO and Valorant, then you’ll love this pair.
Additionally, if you need a microphone, you can easily add an external microphone such as the V-Moda Boom Pro. The cable is removable, so adding the Boom Pro in the X2HR is pretty easy.
These headphones only have an impedance of 32-ohms, making them compatible with almost any source (including game consoles and game controllers). But of course, pairing it with an amplifier will give it a noticeable improvement. You can read more about headphones impedance and headphone amplifiers in our dedicated articles.
These headphones are not analytical and will not give the most accurate representation of your music. However, they are a relaxing pair that prioritizes enjoyment over accuracy. If that is what you are looking for, then make sure to give these headphones a listen.
Sony WH1000XM3
The other headphones that Jacksepticeye uses are the highly regarded Sony WH1000XM3 wireless headphones. These headphones have been the go-to wireless pair for both audiophiles and casual users ever since its release. Its incredible performance in the market is largely due to its well-rounded and well-implemented set of features.
Its ANC, in particular, is so good that it has set the standard for all headphones to follow. It manages to cancel out most low-frequency noise without compromising on the sound quality. It also does a great job of avoiding the strong pressure sensation that is present on most ANC headphones. The only headphones that are immediately objectively better than this are the Sony WH1000XM4, which we will be talking about later.
And speaking of its sound quality, the WH1000XM3 has a fun sound signature that emphasizes the bass. It is similar to the QC 35II’s sound signature, but it is arguably better here. The bass is punchy and clear without extending to the midrange.
Vocals are still present and not lacking in any way. Unlike other Bluetooth headphones that have a similar sound signature, the WH1000XM3 retains the clarity on the high frequencies. This makes the overall sound fairly balanced while keeping things lively.
Compared to competitors such as the Bose QC 35II, the WH1000XM3 sounds clearer and more defined. The QC35II is known to have a hollow-sounding midrange and bloated bass. The bass is also known to overextend into the midrange, further causing vocals to take a backseat. This is not the case with the WH1000XM3.
In terms of its wireless performance, the WH1000XM3 maintains a strong connection with minimal dropouts. Sony is well regarded for its wireless audio products, so this does not come as a big surprise.
Additionally, if you want to use these headphones for video editing/content creation, you can use it in wired mode. Also, the ANC still works, which can greatly help if you are in a noisy environment.
The build quality and comfort are also top-notch. The Sony WH1000XM3 is easy to carry around and comfortable for long listening sessions. The WH1000XM3 can also be folded and stored in its included carrying case.
In terms of comfort, the WH1000XM3 can easily be worn for more than 5 hours. Its battery life can also last for around 30 hours. The charging port has also been updated to USB Type-C.
Overall, the Sony WH1000XM3 is the complete package. If you want a competent wired/wireless pair with the best ANC in the business, then the WH1000XM3 should be a no brainer. But if you want the updated version, then keep on scrolling.
Alternatives
Sony WH1000XM4
The Sony WH1000XM3 has already set the bar for wireless headphones. But Sony doesn’t seem to be satisfied because they are back with the long-awaited sequel, the Sony WH1000XM4.
There aren’t too many differences at first glance. But that is mostly because of how good the XM3’s design is. Most of the revisions can be found in the tech inside the headphones.
The first major revision is the multiple device support. The XM4 now allows you to seamlessly connect and switch from one device to another. You can connect to your smartphone to answer calls, then switch back to your laptop/tablet to continue where you left off.
The ANC is also improved in the XM4. The differences aren’t big, but the improved ANC cancels out more noise and is noticeably better than the last iteration. Sony just increases the gap between its headphones and its competitors.
There is also a proximity sensor located inside the ear cups that automatically pauses the music/video when the headphones are taken off. This was a neat feature that was found on Sony’s WF1000XM3 and is a welcome addition to the XM4.
The mics on the XM4 have also been improved. The five microphones help cancel out noise during calls making your voice easier to stand out and to be understood by the person on the other end of the call.
Sony has also improved features that were already present in the XM3. Placing your hand on the right ear cup will allow you to listen to your surroundings. The headphones will automatically turn ANC off, turn the volume of the music down, and it will amplify the sound of your surroundings.
You can also configure the headphones to stop music playback when you start talking. This works quite well in avoiding accidental pauses when you are simply trying to sing along. Both of these features can be fine-tuned in the included Sony app.
Overall, the Sony WH1000XM4 is a slight improvement over the XM3. If you don’t need the bonus features, then the XM3 should be good enough for you. But if you want the best that Sony has to offer, then the WH1000XM4 will be the better choice.
Philips SHP 9500
If you want a more budget-friendly version of the Fidelio X2HR, then the Philips SHP 9500 easily fits the bill. These headphones are one of the best bang for the buck open-back pairs that you can purchase. Its sound quality alone already punches way above its price point. While it isn’t a Sennheiser HD600 killer, it still does a lot of things right and is a mainstay in a lot of enthusiasts’ headphone collection.
The build quality is excellent in this price category. Despite being predominantly built with plastic, the plastic used is high-quality and comparable with the build of other mid-tier headphones. It features a 3.5 mm detachable cable that can easily be replaced with other aftermarket cables. This also means that it is compatible with the popular V Moda Boom Pro microphone, which turns this headphone into a gaming headset.
Those features are great to have on a budget headphone, but the real star of the show here is the sound quality. The SHP 9500 has great clarity and detail retrieval. It has a smooth high-end that is well controlled and prevents sibilance. The bass is still present but isn’t as pronounced as closed-back headphones. The midrange is also a bit cessed for this pair.
Despite having an intimate soundstage, the imaging is excellent. Its ability to help discern the position of sounds has helped make this a popular pair for competitive gaming. The sound signature is very pleasing and would satisfy anyone who is limited to this price range.
Overall, the Philips SHP9500 is quite possibly the best sounding pair that you can get in the budget category. Its versatility is excellent since it performs well both in music listening and gaming. It has a few things that can be improved on its sound quality, but overall, this is a competent pair that could easily belong in the midrange price category. If you are interested in a budget open-back pair of headphones, this is the one that you should check out.
Sennheiser HD 58X
If you are looking to step up from the Philips SHP 9500 and want a more accurate sounding pair, then the Sennheiser x Drop HD58X Jubilee should be your next upgrade. This headphone is a revival of the classic HD580, the headphone that started the HD6XX series. It is updated to meet the modern standards and is a lot closer to the rest of the Sennheiser HD6XX series headphones.
Once again, it has a lot of qualities that make it punch way above its price point and allows it to compete with headphones twice or even thrice its price. It has the same form factor and build-quality as the Sennheiser HD6XX with a few distinctions.
The biggest differentiating factors include a different color scheme and grill design. The different grill design is due to the modified driver that is being used here. It now has an impedance of 150-ohms, which allows it to be used even without a headphone amplifier.
The sound signature is also a bit different compared to the HD6XX. There is a slight mid-bass bump in this model that makes it a more energetic and fun sounding headphone. Aside from the low end and a few differences in the high-end, it mostly sounds similar to the HD6XX.
In some ways, it could be considered a less accurate and less analytical version of the HD6XX. It does not mean it is a worse headphone. It just has a different flavor from the famous HD600 series sound signature.
Imaging and soundstage are mostly the same as the HD6XX. This means that the soundstage is intimate but realistic, and imaging is fairly accurate. The imaging makes it an excellent pair of gaming headphones. A ModMic can then be attached to the HD58X or HD6XX to transform them into a gaming headset.
Overall, if you do not own a headphone amplifier and you want a slightly more energetic and fun-sounding headphone, then the HD58X is a great headphone for you. Considering that the difference between these and the HD6XX is not night and day, this is arguably the better value headphone.
Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro
For users who want better sound isolation but still want the rich and natural sound of open-back headphones, the best closed-back alternative is the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro. The DT 770 Pro is now regarded as a legendary pair and has been used by professionals and casual listeners since 1985. What separates the DT 770 Pro from the rest of the closed-back options is its superior imaging and soundstage.
While it may not sound as wide or as open as the open-back DT 990 Pro, the DT 770 Pro easily outperforms most closed-back headphones. This allows the DT 770 Pro to be a versatile pair that can be used in checking your mixes.
Another highlight of the DT 770 Pro is the signature Beyerdynamic build quality. The DT 770 Pro is predominantly made of high-quality plastic on most of the body with metal reinforcements on the headband and hinges. It is built to take any kind of abuse in any kind of situation.
However, take note that the cable is non-removable, and the headphones are non-foldable. The cable is sturdy, but it would have been nice to have the option to swap it out for third-party cables or replace it in case it gets broken.
Unlike other headphones for tracking, the DT 770 Pro comes in different impedances. You can read our dedicated headphone impedance article for those who are not familiar with the term impedance. But this basically refers to the power requirement of the headphones.
The DT 770 Pro comes in 32-ohm, 80-ohm, 250-ohm, and 600-ohm versions. The 32 and 80-ohm versions are perfect for tracking, especially if you are using a digital/analog mixer or audio interface that does not have a lot of power in the headphone output. But you can also opt for the higher-impedance versions if you have a headphone amplifier and plan on using the DT 770 Pro on your mixing desk as a secondary reference or plan on using it for mixing.
Overall, if you need a reliable pair for professional work or for gaming, then the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro is one of the best closed-back headphones that you can buy at the sub 300 USD price point.
Stephen is a musician, cinematographer, and headphone enthusiast who is passionate about reviewing audio equipment. He has been playing guitar for at least a decade, which introduced him to professional recording equipment such as headphones and in-ear monitors. With the help of reviews and online content, he was able to learn the ins and outs of the hobby. His goal is to give back to the community by providing quality content to help others enjoy the beautiful (and expensive) world of audio.
Favorite Headphones: Sennheiser HD660s