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They say imitation is the highest form of flattery so of course fans of Ninja have often tried to emulate their hero, from dyeing their hair pink to buying the controller that he uses in tournaments. Often overlooked, one of the most crucial pieces of equipment for any Esports player is their headset. From delays in communication to comfort levels after hours of wear, a good headset can make all the difference in the world. If you’re wondering what headset Ninja uses, you’re in luck. Here’s an in-depth look at the headset Ninja uses when gaming.
Who is Ninja
If you’re a fan of professional gaming, it’s very likely that you know Ninja. Bursting onto the scene in 2009, Ninja began his Esports career playing Halo 3. He’s been a part of many of the best teams, including Cloud9, Renegades, Team Liquid, and Luminosity Gaming. He began streaming his sessions in 2011 and would eventually break many Twitch streaming records, including becoming the first Twitch streamer to surpass 3 million followers. Many of those records were set when he began streaming Fortnite Battle Royale in 2017.
Aside from personal gaming, Ninja has done a lot of creative things to build his brand. He’s invited celebrities such as Drake and Travis Scott to join him on his streams. He performed in disguise on the Fox television program The Masked Singer and voiced a character in the 2022 film Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. He even partnered with MasterClass to create an outlet where he can give advice to aspiring video game streamers.
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What Headset Does Ninja Use?
Unlike fellow professional gamer Nickmercs, Ninja uses the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Headphones wherever he is streaming or competing in a live event. While not specifically invented with gaming in mind, these premium headphones can take your skills to the next level. Without an attached microphone, this headset would be used when playing single-player titles. As gamers could expect, the high quality comes at a steep price, with a price tag far surpassing the headsets made specifically for gaming that you’d find at the local store. That said, players can use them across platforms, moving them between their Xbox One/Xbox S/X, PS4/PS5, and PC. Additionally, these would make for a superior option when listening, mixing, or mastering music.
In the design, Beyerdynamic utilizes its privately developed Tesla driver technology. Named after famed electrical engineer Nicola Tesla, this technology is the key to the headphones’ dynamic range throughout their highs, mids, and bass sounds. This alone improves a player’s game experience, as differences in the sound of gunfire or explosions by distance can provide a vital advantage in multiplayer matchups. Knowing how much time one has before a threat arrives can greatly influence strategy and help determine when to heal, retreat, or charge.
A major difference between these headphones and ones that traditionally gamers have usually experienced is the fact that these have an open-back design. Without getting into the technical details of this design, it can be said that under the right circumstances open-back design headphones can provide sounds that are more natural and clear. Open-back headphones perform best when the user is in a quiet area all by themself. This is because open-back design headsets aren’t noise-canceling to ambient sounds and do incur a good amount of sound leakage. If you’re listening to something near someone, they will be able to hear what’s coming out of the headphones and you’ll be able to hear them. This is all at the trade-off of improved sound quality. So this would be beneficial to a gamer that is playing alone.
The DT 1990 Pro are wired headphones. While there are advantages and disadvantages to not being wireless, this may be a reason why some players will opt for a different set. Some gamers find it uncomfortable to have a wire dangling all over themselves, but that’s the only thing uncomfortable about these headphones. Designed with comfort in mind, the combination of high-tech textiles and ear pads creates a pain-free experience, even during long periods of wear.
Beyerdynamic is a German company that has made a name for itself by delivering the highest level of products while developing cutting-edge technology. The modern look, durable design, premium sound, and maximum comfort of the DT 1990 Pro are a testament to that. If you’re willing to pay top dollar and are looking up your game in any way possible, you might want to take after Ninja and get a pair for yourself.