We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to fix the one thing that actually ruins long PS5 sessions — hot, achy ears pressed against the driver mesh — choose Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear; if you need a place to put your headset, your controller and the rest of your desk clutter when you're done playing, choose Generic Walnut Headphone Stand. These two products are not rivals. They solve different problems, and once you see that, the choice gets easy.
• Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear — biggest strength: Ice Silk fabric over thicker memory foam with a wider, deeper ear cavity, so your ears sit inside the pad instead of pressing against the driver mesh.
• Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear — biggest trade-off: It is molded exclusively for the Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Wireless Headset (2020 version) and is not compatible with other wireless headsets.
• Generic Walnut Headphone Stand — biggest strength: A solid wood and metal stand that holds most over-ear headphones plus a common game controller, with a storage base and an 800 x 300 mm felt mouse pad included.
• Generic Walnut Headphone Stand — biggest trade-off: Headphones and controllers are not included, it does not change how your headset feels or sounds, and it is a desk organizer, not a headphone upgrade.
• Who each pick is for: Aurivor is for PS5 Pulse 3D owners chasing comfort during marathon sessions; the walnut stand is for anyone who wants their headset, controller and small accessories off the desk surface.
The Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear is a replacement earpad set, and it exists because stock cushions on the PS5 Pulse 3D headset are shallow and tight for a lot of people. Aurivor's answer is a thicker memory foam pad with a wider, deeper ear cavity. The idea is simple: instead of your ear resting against the driver mesh, it floats inside the pad. That's the difference between tolerating a three-hour session and forgetting you're wearing anything.
The material choice is the other half of the story. The skin-contact surface is wrapped in Ice Silk fabric, which the manufacturer describes as feeling cooler on touch than standard gel pads — the surface pulls heat away the moment it contacts your ear. If you've ever peeled a headset off mid-summer with damp ears, that's the specific annoyance this is aimed at. Aurivor is also careful about one thing that matters: the precision-cut foam keeps the same acoustic seal as the original pads, so the fit changes without the sound changing. No inflated audio claims, just fit.
Installation is a snap-in job with a pry tool included, made for the delicate clips on the Pulse 3D headset — wedge, lift, align, snap, and Aurivor quotes about three minutes without scratching anything. It backs the pads with a 2-year warranty and a money-back guarantee.
Generic Walnut Headphone Stand: Who It's For
This is a desk organizer first and a display piece second. The core of it is a solid wood headphone stand paired with a sturdy metal frame and non-slip feet, so it stays put during daily use. The wood grain gives it a warmer look than the usual plastic-and-rubber hooks, which is exactly why people buy walnut over black ABS. It supports most over-ear headphones, so your Pulse 3D set has somewhere to live other than the corner of your desk.
What makes it more than a single hook is the controller holder and storage base. The controller holder accommodates common controller shapes, including Xbox, PS5, PS4 and Switch controllers. The storage base takes cables, chargers, remotes and other small accessories, which is the part that actually reduces clutter — a headset stand alone just moves one object; a storage base clears a whole zone. The two pieces can be used together for a compact setup or split apart to suit your layout, which matters if your desk is narrow or your monitor arm eats one side.
You also get an 800 x 300 mm felt anti-slip mouse pad in the box, sized for gaming, work or study. That's a full desk-width surface, not a small pad. Just be clear on what you're buying: headphones and controllers are not included. This does nothing for how your headset feels or sounds. It's about where your gear sits when you're not using it.
Buy it if: you want your headset, controller and cable mess consolidated in one spot, and you like the look of solid wood on a desk. Skip it if: your only complaint is comfort or heat during play — this stand won't touch that.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for ear comfort and heat during long PS5 sessions → Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear. Ice Silk fabric and a deeper cavity target the exact problem stock Pulse 3D pads create.
• Best for desk organization and clutter → Generic Walnut Headphone Stand. Headset, controller, cables and chargers in one footprint, with a storage base doing the heavy lifting.
• Best fit certainty → Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear, but only if you own the PS5 Pulse 3D (2020 version). The stand's headphone support is broader and fits most over-ear headphones.
• Best for sound quality → neither, honestly. Aurivor deliberately keeps the original acoustic seal rather than claiming an audio upgrade; the stand has no acoustic role at all.
• Best for a mixed-gear desk → Generic Walnut Headphone Stand. PS5, Xbox, Switch, cables, chargers — it organizes all of it.
• Best for a single-purpose fix → Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear. If comfort is your one problem, this is the targeted solution.
• Best long-term coverage → Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear, which carries a 2-year warranty and a money-back guarantee. The stand's value is in its materials: solid wood, metal frame, non-slip feet.
If I owned a PS5 Pulse 3D headset and my ears were the problem, I'd buy the Aurivor Cooling Gel Ear pads. Thicker memory foam, a wider cavity and an Ice Silk contact surface address the thing that actually ends sessions early, and the included pry tool plus 2-year warranty makes it a low-risk swap. The walnut stand is genuinely nice, but it solves a different problem — and if your desk is a mess, it's the smarter buy of the two. Buy the pads for comfort, the stand for order. If you can only pick one, pick the one that fixes your actual complaint.
how to use headphones for ps5
Connect your headset to the PS5 and then adjust the fit so it stays comfortable for long sessions. If you're using the Pulse 3D Wireless Headset, the stock pads can be swapped for replacement cushions like the Aurivor set, which snaps into the same clips. Keep the headset on a stand or hook when you're done so the pads and cable aren't crushed.
how to connect headphones for ps5
For the Pulse 3D Wireless Headset, pair it wirelessly with the console using its USB adapter, or plug a wired headset into the controller's audio jack. Once connected, the console routes game audio to the headset and you can adjust volume from the headset controls. Note that the Aurivor pads are replacement cushions only — they don't change how your headset connects.
how to headphones ps5
The short version: pair a wireless headset through its adapter or plug a wired one into the DualSense jack, then set it as your audio output. Comfort matters as much as connection, since PS5 sessions run long — that's where thicker memory foam and a wider ear cavity help, and where a stand keeps the headset protected between sessions.
how to use bluetooth headphones for ps5
The PS5 doesn't support Bluetooth audio directly for most headsets, so Bluetooth models usually need a USB Bluetooth transmitter plugged into the console. The Pulse 3D Wireless Headset sidesteps this by using its own wireless connection instead. If you go the transmitter route, keep it plugged into a front or rear USB port and pair once.
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