Audio-Technica ATH-PG1 Closed-Back Premium Gaming Headset with 6" Boom Microphone

Driver Diameter: 44 mm
Frequency Response: 20 – 20,000 Hz
Maximum Input Power:            1,300 mW
Sensitivity: 96 dB/mW
Impedance: 38 ohms
High max input: 1,300mW
Flexible boom microphone, with mute and volume control
Detachable smartphone cable with inline mic
Three detachable cables: 1.2 m boom mic cable, 1.2 m smartphone cable and 2.0 m extension cable
Type: Closed-back dynamic
Weight: 245 g (without cord)
Connector: 3.5 mm (1/8") gold-plated mini stereo, L-type
Type (Microphone): Condenser
Sensitivity (Microphone): -40 dB (0dB=1V/Pa, 1kHz)
Frequency Response (Microphone): 100 – 10,000 Hz
Polar Pattern (Microphone): Omnidirectional


It’s not hard to find a headset for your gaming needs these days. Seemingly every company has designed and built a headset for gaming. These headsets can range from a few dollars all the way to more than the price of a console itself and everything in between. Each headset touts its own reasons why it’s the best, its technology and why you should get it, but I’ve never had an Audio Technica headset before. So here they are, in the console gaming arena with the PG1’s.



The first thing you’re going to notice about the Audio Technica PG1’s is that they don’t look like a typical gaming headset. Many gaming headsets have that ‘gamer’ look to them, trying to be sleek and edgy, and usually with a lot of plastic; not Audio Technica though. Instead, they have more of a ‘regular’ headphone appearance to them, something you could see someone wearing at the gym, on the bus, or anywhere really, not just sitting on the couch playing video games.

The PG1’s are a closed back design, which is meant to keep more audio in the cups and la ess bleeding effect. Obviously everyone’s ears and head is different, but given the large 44mm drivers, the cups themselves fit very nicely over my whole ear; obviously your mileage may vary, but it should fit over most no problem. This also helps keep the audio contained within and over your ear, as opposed to the styles that sit on your ear and do not surround them completely, as it also helps keep distractions out of your ear, like my loud 6 year old daughter.


While I like this style much more, the one side effect that comes from this is that your ears can become warmer quicker given there’s no real ‘breathing’ room, even more so when the cushions are leather or pleather. Given that the PG1’s use pleather pads for the ear, I was weary at first, as thie style, as opposed to foam, usually makes my ears sweat after long gaming sessions (given that it’s not uncommon for me to play for hours on end). Thankfully that wasn’t the case here, and  I found there to be incredibly comfortable to wear, even when I embarrassingly spent a near full day binge watching some Netflix with them on non-stop.


That being said, pleather varies in quality, and the thin/cheap styles will tend to crack and break over time. When I get a new headset to review, I purposely take a few weeks to put them through their paces, not just for experiencing its audio, but how durable it holds up to regular wear and tear (and a little purposeful misuse to accelerate this testing). Even after about a month of using the PG1’s, I don’t notice a single crack in the pleather cups or headband at all, which is quite impressive given how much I’ve been using them.


The headset itself is very light, thus I’ve had little to no fatigue when using them for prolonged sessions. The headband itself is metal, which is a nice touch, as it adds some sturdiness to the main area that tends to start to warp over time first. The band itself is layered in pleather and is comfortable on the top of your head given its softness. The band then attaches to the cups themselves and can be slid easily to fit any size of head. What I like is that there’s no notches for sizing, so you can make incredibly minor adjustments to get that perfect fit, where headphones with the sizing notches don’t always fit exactly perfectly.

While I don’t wear glasses, many do, so I asked my wife to try them on while watching some of her shows. She didn’t notice any extra pressure against her glasses, so the cushioning is form fitting enough to wrap around most glasses arms. I initially thought that with a metal band that the pressure against one's ears would be a little tight, but that wasn’t the case here. One of the PG1’s bestselling points is its comfort, something I always look for in a headset, as you’re investing in not only a good sounding experience, but you need it to be comfortable for hours at a time. The cups can also rotate 180 degrees, so they should conform to your head just fine.