Gaming experiences and da MIC
Gaming
Here, we try out the headset in a variety of titles from the last couple of years. All of these titles have been selected (by me) for their strong sound design, and should be able to show off a good headset well. All games were tested using a custom EQ set by myself, and any engine enhancements (i.e. those offered by Asus' Sonic Studio) were turned off.
Battlefield 1
Battlefield 1 is a popular title, no doubt, and it is a common theme amongst DICE titles that sound design is usually impeccable. The hectic battles of WW1 depicted in the game feature numerous explosions, bullets whistling over your character's head, and often the shouts/screams associated with a pitched battle. With a custom EQ, the game sounded excellent. Enemy movements were clearly discerned when they should have been, and I could reliably use sound to locate threats and friends alike. The sound was, I should note, very clear even with Windows' volume set to 100%. This was a constant throughout the gaming tests, though I should note that my ears couldn't really cope with 100% volume at all times. A testament to the headset was being entirely able to use 'surround' to locate threats, despite the unit having no Dolby 7.1 support.
Doom (2016)
Continuing the recent trend of rebooting titles with their original name (not confusing at all), the 2016 release of Doom is very different from Battlefield 1's approach. Then again, it is a markedly different style of game. Even the game's opening menu thumps with heavy rock guitar and bass, and throughout the levels, the fast-paced action is backed by the same tunes to get the blood pumping. As a similar story to below, I liked the experience so much I ended up playing the start of the campaign for nearly three hours. The tracks sounded excellent with each aspect clearly discernible, and - as a guilty pleasure - the crackling hum of firing the BFG was immensely satisfying. Never has massed demon culling been so entertaining.
To refer to my earlier minor gripe regarding comfort, I did play Doom for this entire time without being uncomfortable. I was certainly engrossed enough that my earlier issues didn't bother me, but on exiting the game I did realize my ears were both warm (understandable) and a little sore.
Project Cars
A racing game to break up the pace. The sound is vital to a game/sim which aims to replicate as much as possible the sensation of driving, as much can be garnered from what the driver hears. The headset was able to provide a very satisfactory experience, and the difference between the throaty growl of a V12 against the more tinny 'rasp' of a V8 was nice to hear. I only intended to perform a few runs with the headset on Project Cars, but I ended up 100% engrossed in a near 20 lap run around Brands Hatch in an Audi R8 V10... testament, I think, to the experience being a positive one. It's also a small point, but being able to hear the vehicle begin to 'let go' (in terms of grip) is critical without the more detailed feedback from a dedicated gaming/racing wheel. The headset was able to report this satisfactorily.
The Microphone
I tested the microphone in a 1 on 1 chat in a private channel, as well capturing a spoken sentence that I read aloud from a note. These audio clips were then played back played back using Audacity, to keep things on an even keel. Using the included two-way adapter (again braided, by the way), I turned off the automatic enhancement my PC's software attempted to do, relying solely on the capture from the microphone. The recorded sound was fine, but that is really all that can be said. The sound was perfectly clear, but a fair amount of background noise still leaked into the recording, despite the noise canceling claims. Despite this, some short work in Audacity is all that is needed to filter out much of the ambient noise. After this was done, the recording quality was very crisp and 100% fit for purpose for a sub 60 USD product. For most people, it will more than adequately fulfill the job at hand. For those wanting a more premium recording experience, I would suggest a dedicated entry-level USB microphone.
