I love using headphones when I’m gaming.
One thing that’s made my headphone powered gaming easier is the headphone jack on the PS4 DualShock controller.
With the release of the Playstation 5, and it’s new DualSense controller, a question popped into my head…
Will the DualSense controller come with a headphone jack built into it just like the DualShock 4?
I thought that I couldn’t be the only one worrying if the PS5’s controller came with a headphone jack built-in. So, I jumped online to discover an answer.
This is what I found:
So, does the PS5 controller, The DualSense, have a headphone jack? Yes, the PS5 controller does have a 3.5mm headphone jack built into it. It is located on the front of the controller, below the PS5 logo button. The Headphone jack can be used with any stereo headphones that use a 3.5mm headphone jack. Plus, you can experience the PS5’s Tempest 3D surround sound through the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the controller.
Ok, I’ve outlined a basic answer for you there. But if you’re anything like me, you probably want a plateful of juicy details for each of the points.
Well, as luck would have it, the following sections are ready to be served up…
Does the PS5 controller, The DualSense, come with a 3.5mm headphone jack?
Early in the development of the PS5 controller, when we saw leaked renders and such, I, nor the rest of the collective gaming world, saw a headphone jack.
People were worried that Sony, with the ever oppressive boot of technological progress pressing down on their neck, would decide to drop the headphone jack (Thanks Apple for putting this silly notion in everybody’s head!).
Fortunately, on a gloriously wet ‘n Welsh April the 8th 2020, Toshimasa Aoki (Director as Sony Interactive Entertainment) rose up, messiah-like, to answer the prayers of millions of PS players across the world when he Tweeted out “Still have an audio jack so you can plug in your own headsets like DS4″. At that moment, if you listened carefully, you could hear the collective sigh of relief across the PlayStation fan base.
But where is the jack located on the PS5 Controller?
The Jack is located on the front side of the controller in between the two hand grips.
This standard 3.5mm jack, enveloped by 4 metal pads with two on either side of the jack, works in exactly the same way as the DualShock 4 controller headphone jack. So you can just plug your headphones in, and away you go.
Note. The metal pads are used for charging the PS5 controller on the official PS5 controller docking station. These pads will also be used by future 1st and 3rd party peripherals.
Can I get Tempest 3d audio through the controller’s headphone jack?
Yes, you can use the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio using headphones plugged into the PS5 controller.
A Writer on the Playstation Blog settled my nerves a little by going on record to say, “On the PS5, you’ll be able to experience 3D Audio with the headphones that many of you already own, either through a USB connection to the console or by plugging your headphones into the DualSense wireless controller’s 3.5mm headset jack.“
Straight from the horse’s mouth!
So it’s a fact that you can experience the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio through the DualSense 3.5mm headphone jack.
Do You Need The PS5’s Pulse Headset To Access 3D Audio?
No, you don’t. If you’re a lover of audio like I am, then you likely want to have a better pair of cans hanging off your ears than the admittedly good Sony Pulse headset.
If you already have a good pair of headphones, they can be connected to the controller’s 3.5mm headphone jack for you to experience 3D audio.
You do not need a specialized set of headphones. Even a cheap set of $5 in-ear headphones will work with the Tempest engine via the PS5 controllers’ Headphone jack.
But it’s worth keeping clearly in mind that lower cost headphones will produce a lower quality sound. This will mean that the sound the Tempest produces will be tainted slightly by poor quality cans. And you may not get the experience Sony intended.
Therefore, if you want to get the most out of the Tempest’s 3d sound, I recommend buying the PS5’s Pulse Headset. After all, it was designed to be used with PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3d Audio.
Yes, the headset is $100 dollars. But that $100 will buy you a headset that’ll last you the PS5 console generation, and likely beyond, if you look after them.
However, it’s worth reading on as I have recommended a slightly cheaper and slightly more expensive headset that’s worth investing in further on in the article.
Does the PS5 controllers headphone jack support headphones with a built in microphone?
Yes, the PS5 controller headphone jack does support a microphone.
Playstation’s own Pulse Headset not only offers crisp audio reproduction but also provides dual noise-canceling microphones. This dual microphone setup is perfect for party coms when you’re playing in a less than perfect sound stage such as a living room or a bedroom.
The PS5 controller headphone jack supports any and all headphones that have a built-in microphone. So you can use Turtle Beach gaming cans, or high-end Audiophile earphones from Sony, Boze, and Harmon Kardon.
If your headset has a microphone built into it, you’ll be able to use it via the PS5 Controller’s 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
Just keep in mind, however, that a 3.5mm headphone jack is only capable of supplying power to the speakers and microphone in your headphones.
For example, if your headphones have active noise canceling, then you’ll need to charge the battery beforehand.
However, this shouldn’t be a problem, as most headphones, these days can last for many hours between recharges.
What is the best pair of headphones to use with the PS5 controller?
If you’ve already got a great headset, then you are already set to enjoy the PlayStation 5’s revolutionary Tempest audio through the controller’s 3.5mm audio jack.
However, if you want to enjoy the Tempest, but you don’t own a pair of headphones or you want to upgrade, this is the section for you.
I’ve picked out 3 headphones in 3 different budgets, so anybody can enjoy the audio the PS5 has to offer.
Let’s take a look…
Budget Buy: RUNMUS K8 Black 3.5 mm Jack Wired Over-Ear Headphones
The Chinese made Runmus K8 (Who thinks of these names?) is your typical straight out of Shenzhen electronic device.
So don’t go expecting aluminium clad aesthetics or anything.
Look past its bulky plastic frame and gaudy Las Vegas light show, and you’ll find a fine set of headphones.
They Offer punchy bass that’ll rattle your guts and treble that never wavers on the highs, the K8 offers a fantastic package of features for its $25 price tag.
Also, the microphone is of the noise canceling variety which is always a bonus.
From my experience of using a K8 (I borrowed one from a friend), they offer good sound quality at a price that won’t empty the wallet. This makes them a great gateway product for people who are on the fence about buying headphones to experience the PS5’s Tempest engine.
Plus, these headphones come equipped with a braided 3.5mm jack so it’s ready to be plugged into the PS5 controller’s headphone socket.
Also, if you’re not convinced by my summary of their worth, you can check out 21,000 5-star reviews written by other people who bought the k8 cans and loved them here. So I’m not the only one who thinks the Runmus K8 is fantastic value.
As a side note, I stayed away from fake 7.1 surround sound headphones, such as the Runmus 7.1 ( They didn’t even bother to name this one). This headphone set simulates a 7.1 surround sound set up with it’s single 50mm driver. This post-process surround simulation will negatively affect the Tempest engine’s sound. So I deliberately avoided these.
Mid-tier Buy: Sony Pulse audio cans.
Made for PS5, the Pulse Headphones come with some cracking audio drivers that deliver all the promise of the PS5’s Tempest hardware to produce unmatched on head stereo surround sound.
Though the sound, to my ears, is not as refined in the treble and mid-tones as the far more expensive WH100XM3 and XM4 Sony phones, the Pulse offers 95% of the experience at less than 40% of the cost. It’s where the smart money should be thrown.
For $100, you’ll be getting a pair of headphones that are built on all of Sony’s sound pedigree to deliver a wonderfully rich sound stage that’s perfect for the Tempest engine to step-up onto.
At the time of writing it was early days for these headphones, but they are already getting 5-star reviews from real-world users on websites such as Amazon and BestBuy.
As they are custom-built for the PS5, they are my pick for the best midrange headset to make use of your controller’s 3.5mm Headphone jack and the PS5’s tempest engine.
Additionally, the Pulse headphones come supplied with a wireless USB dongle that can be plugged directly into the PS5. This wireless dongle also supplies Tempest 3D sound.
Check out the Sony Pulse Headset and its procession of glowing reviews here.
Luxury buy: The Sony WH1000XM4 Headphones
Just for clarity’s sake, what I’m about to say is based on my own experience using the Sony WH1000XM3 headphones, not the WH1000XM4. But they are virtually identical except the newer XM4 headphones are a little more refined.
Ok, back to my recommendation….
- Best sound ever… Check
- Unbelievable base… Check
- Stunning treble… Check
- Midtones that’ll make you weep with delight… Check
- Life-like sound… Check
- Best audio buy I’ve ever made? You betcha!
These are just some of the points I wrote down when first outlining this section about Sony’s WH1000XM headphones.
I’ve owned a pair of Sony WH1000XM3s since they were launched. They are, in my 30 years of listening to music, film, and game, the best headphones to ever clasp around my skull.
After wiring them up to my DualSense controller, the sound being pumped out of the Playstation 5 was, honestly, transcending.
I’ve listened to 3d audio and binaural demos in the past, but nothing, honestly, nothing came close to what the so-called Tempest engine was serving up for my ears. Michelin star’d platefuls of auditory excellence, that’s what it served up!.
I’ve had the fortune to regularly use Dolby Atoms both at home and in cinema, yet Dolby’s best effort came nowhere near to producing the level of immersion that the Tempest engine produced while wearing Sony’s XM3s.
It’s hard to convey in words, but the Tempest made me feel “there”.
When you normally play a game, the world is bordered by the edge of your TV. A crip cut off from the virtual to the real. Surround sound muddies that bazel barrier. Tempest, when married with these headphones, blurs the edges of where the virtual ends and reality begins. Close you’re eyes, and the sound will convince you that you’re enveloped in the game world.
With the Tempest ticking away feeding the XM3 headphones, I was there. In Call of Duty, bullets stung my eardrums with high pitched whines as they slapped loose concrete behind me. In Dirt 5, my ears vibrated as rivals revved angrily as I stole the inside line.
I felt like I could have closed my eyes and pointed in the direction with utmost accuracy where a threat, car, or object was located in relation to me, with only the 3d sound from the Tempest to help me.
Yes, the Sony pulse cans can do this, almost as effectively. But remember I said the Pulse offers 95% of the sound quality of the XM4s? Well, 5% may not sound like much of a difference, but think of it like this:
If you came up 5% short on your flight from London to New York, you’d land some 170 miles offshore in the Atlantic.
That last 5% can make all the difference.
Plus, if the sound quality wasn’t enough, the XM4 comes with industry-leading active noise canceling technology. I find this a tremendous benefit because my neighbor, who has a huge garden, is always mowing his grass. And the Sony W100XM4s completely cancels out the sound of the mower as it massacres the turf.
Also, although XM4s are wireless BlueTooth headphones, they do come supplied with a male-male 3.5mm headphone cable so you can connect them to your PS5 controller.
So, if you’ve got the money to spare, then these are the best ‘phones money can buy.
But, in all honesty, there’s no point in listening to me. After all, I’m biased. I paid £250 in PC World here in sunny South Wales for these cans so I’d obviously say they are amazing.
Instead, you should as always, form your own opinion by reading a wide variety of real user reviews such as the thousands of XM4 reviews found on Amazon.
Conclusion
For my conclusion I always like to give a quick rundown of all the major points in the article. So here’s a load of bullet points to help refresh your memory:
- The PS5 DualSense controller does have a 3.5mm headphone jack just like the DualShock 4
- The jack is found on the front of the controller in the same place it was on the DualShock 4
- You can get Tempest 3D audio through the controller’s headphone jack
- You do not need Sony’s Pulse 3D audio Headphones for the Tempest 3D sound to work
- Other headphones will work with Tempest and the controller’s 3.5mm Headphone Jack.
- The PS5 Controller’s headphone jack supports headphones with microphones
- My recommended budget headphone for use with the PS5 and the PS5 controller’s headphone jack is the Runmus K8
- My Mid-range headphone choice for use with the PS5 and the PS5 Controller’s headphone jack is Sony’s Pulse 3D audio headphones
- My pick for high-end luxury headphones for the PS5 is the Sony W1000XM4s
What Next?
I’ve just got a PS5 and I’m not sure how to effectively charge the controller. Any ideas? As a matter of fact, yes, I do have a few ideas. Hop on over to my, “how to charge the PS5 controller” to learn the many easy ways you can efficiently charge the PS5 controller.
How long is the PS5’s power cable? The PS5’s power cable is 1.5 meters long. Not long enough for you? Then check out my “How long is the PS5 power cable” article here to learn what options are available to, cough, lengthening your cable!
I was just wondering, how do I turn off the PS5? There are multiple ways to “turn off” your PS5. Slide on over to my “How to turn off the PS5” article to learn to shut ‘er down safely and confidently.