Here are some technical details about typical surround sound headphones. 

Some models have discrete drivers for all the components of a full surround system. There’s a  center speaker for dialog.  You have front speakers which output the normal stereo sound we are accustomed to hearing. Then you have two rear speakers for the surround sound. Finally, you have a dedicated subwoofer for the lowest bass sounds.

In some newer model headphones, all those speakers are actually present inside those large ear cups. If you take the cover off the headphones, you will see a center driver, a front driver, a surround driver and a sub driver. All these drivers are spaced apart so you get enough of a separation of sound to mimic the sound coming from a home theater loudspeaker system.

Do these surround sound headphones actually work? Yes, according to reviews. They are very popular because they actually work very well. A downside is that they are pretty heavy, though.

To round out the package, most headphones come with a multi-channel usb audio adapter. This adapter plugs into your usb port and drives all the channels of the surround headset.

If you do any gaming on your PC, surround sound headphones are a worthy investment.    Most gamers make do with a two speaker rig.  If you have a good set of headphones that have surround sound, your enemy is in real trouble. You will be able to hear them coming from a mile away and you’ll know exactly where they are coming from.

These headphones are not for everybody as they can be a bit bulky and heavy, especially the ones with all the electronics in the headsets themselves. The effect is so uncanny, don’t be surprised if the other players accuse you of cheating. Is it cheating to be using every available technology advance to our advantage? I certainly don’t think so and neither should you.