Competitive Gaming Equipment

Discrete 5.1 headsets (true 5.1, Dolby 5.1, DTS) have a driver in each earcup typically dedicated to each of the 6 "audio channels" in a 5.1 signal. The subwoofer isn't necessarily as important because bass notes are a non-directional sound. Although some (including me) prefer to have a dedicated subwoofer driver. In a typical discrete 5.1 headset, each earcup will have a front, center, and rear driver, arranged from front to back. The subwoofer is usually placed behind those. Sounds from the game world play from the corresponding drivers. Personally, I find this to be superior to Dolby Headphone technology. Audiophiles might disagree, their argument is that drivers must be smaller and placed very carefully within the earcup, therefore resulting in a lower sound quality (because of limited space). It's a valid argument, as I have encountered headsets where the audio quality was unimpressive (although the audio positioning was nice). I've also encountered headsets where I didn't find this to be a big issue. See the individual reviews for details.