Tony Hawk skating games are almost as iconic for their soundtracks as they are for their actual gameplay. It's been 21 years, and yet tracks like Add It Up by the Violent Femmes and Sonic Reducer by the Dead Boys still manage to find their way into my Spotify playlists.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 launched just last week, and while its soundtrack has had a shake-up, with only 10 tracks from the original game making their way to the remakes, it's still a tracklisting worthy of pairing with one of the best gaming headsets out there.
The music might have changed, but the soundtrack is still full of plenty of punk and hip-hop tracks that sound their best when they have the support of high-quality audio drivers and a sound that doesn't turn everything into a distorted mess if you like things as loud as possible. If you want the best audio for your future Pro Skater 3 + 4 nostalgia, I've picked out the top 3 pairs of cups that are perfect for skating music connoisseurs, no matter the console.
1. Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3
Out of all the pairs I've ever reviewed (we're approaching the three figures now), when I think 'loud', I think about the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 3 gaming headset.
The Stealth 700 Gen 3 is able to provide that ideal amount of oomph I strive for when it comes to lower audio frequencies, something that's pretty commonplace to the type of new tracks you'll hear on the Pro Skater 3 + 4 soundtracks. The bass in tracks like Outta Here by KRS-One, and Skate and Destroy by The Faction particularly lend themselves to this powerful set of cups from Turtle Beach, resulting in a sound you can feel deep down in your bones.
It helps too that this wireless headset is compatible with not just the Xbox Series X/S, but gaming PCs, the PS5, and pretty much any console you throw at it. So even if you only have the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game, you don't have to worry about any compatibility issues.
2. SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
It's hard, if not impossible, to talk about the best-sounding gaming headsets and not bring up the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, a pair of cups that have been coveting the top pick in our guide of the best gaming headsets for months now.
The Pro Wireless model is decked out with the fantastic-sounding 40mm Neodymium audio drivers that make everything sound sublime, and I should know, as these are my daily go-to cups. Even before Gang of Four was added to the newly updated soundtrack, I listened to the band and the track 'Damaged Goods' through the headset pretty regularly, and they can make the crunchy guitar tones of the post-punk icons sound their absolute best.
It also helps that while these are a bit on the heavy side, the foam cushioning on either ear is so plush that your ears won't be suffering as you skate around the new Studio 34 map added to the game and spend far too many hours reliving your Tony Hawk nostalgia.
3. Corsair Void Wireless V2
Not all of the best gaming headsets out there have to come with eye-watering price tags, which is why I wholly recommend the Corsair Void Wireless V2 for those who still want their time spent in Pro Skater 3 + 4 to sound great without forking out the same amount of cash you'd spend on real-life skateboarding gear.
The $129.99 / £99.99 pair of cups might be on the cheaper side, but Corsair chose to deck it out with custom 50mm Neodymium audio drivers. Now, large drivers don't automatically equate to the best sound, but I just like the other two headsets in this list, through my own testing, I can personally back up just how incredible this pair sounds.
The Void V2 can take the busy soundstage games like Marvel Rivals, and heighten everything from the bassy game score, to the high-octane voice lines of Galacta and more, which transfers well to the busy sound-design of skating games. That quality also pairs perfectly with the Pro Skater 3 + 4 soundtracks, and iconic tracks like The Boy Who Destroyed the World by AFI, which sound just as good as they did on the original game through these budget cups.
More of my favorite gaming headsets picks...
- Corsair Virtuoso MAX Wireless: $329.99 at Amazon
- SteelSeries Arctis Nova 5 Wireless:
$129.99$116.99 Amazon - Razer BlackShark V2 Pro:
$119.99$172.99 Amazon
Our guides for the best Xbox Series X headsets, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best PC headsets for gaming are full of more high-quality headsets worth your time and attention.
