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NZXT announces its first lineup of audio products for gamers
NZXT has announced its first lineup of audio products for gamers. The full suite includes the AER wired headset with Hi-Res certification, STND headset platform for sleek storage, and MXER audio control station.
All are designed with the clean aesthetic NZXT fans love and expect. AER is a comfortable, lightweight gaming headset available in open and closed-back designs which pairs with STND and MXER for automatic audio switching between the headset and external speakers — a simple solution that feels like magic.
AER SERIES – lightweight wired headsets
- At 291 grams, the lightweight design and Hi-Res Audio certified drivers allow users to play as long as they want with zero ear fatigue to maintain in-game spatial awareness
- Two headset designs available – AER provides enclosed audio and powerful bass, while AER OPEN boosts midrange audio and natural sound for environmental awareness
- Modular design enables left or right attachment of cable and condenser mic, to suit each user’s unique hardware set-up
- 1.8 meter cable may be plugged and unplugged easily for a seamless transition from PC to console play, and from gaming to on-the-go listening
- Nahimic 7.1 Surround – With USB connection, integrated software delivers an immersive, ultrawide soundstage through NZXT CAM
MXER – audio control station
- Precision voice/game mixing with smooth, studio-grade fader
- Nahimic 7.1 Surround – With USB connection, integrated software delivers an immersive, ultrawide soundstage through NZXT CAM
- Wolfson DAC – high-quality 24bit / 96kHz digital-to-analog conversion ensures sonic accuracy
- Automatic switching – Setting headset on the STND while MXER is connected automatically switches audio to your speakers. Removing it from the STND returns audio to the headset
STND – headset platform
- High-quality, powder-coated all-steel frame
- Automatic switching – Setting headset on the STND while MXER is connected automatically switches audio to your speakers. Removing it from the STND returns audio to the headset
Since 2004, NZXT has served as a leader in PC hardware components while expanding to offer additional products and services, including BLD, NZXT’s custom PC building service, and NZXT CAM, a free PC monitoring program. NZXT’s audio lineup is a natural next step in the company’s journey to meet the needs of gamers everywhere. Together, the audio suite makes it easy for gamers, creators and audiophiles to streamline their setup while enjoying lightweight construction, premium sound quality, and modular customization.
“At NZXT, our product development always starts by identifying a hassle gamers face that takes time away from gaming, and we saw an opportunity to bring powerful, elegant solutions to common audio issues,” said Patrick Butler, Product Manager at NZXT. “No one wants to have to follow tedious steps to switch their audio from headsets to their speakers – they want it to happen instantaneously, and our MXER and STND achieve this. Our AER headset in particular is like a Swiss Army knife — users can easily transition from gaming to listening to music in public, swap their mic and cable to be on the left or right side, and choose from open or closed-back designs.”
All NZXT audio products are backed by a two-year warranty. In addition, the lineup is compatible with any analog speaker or wired headset from brands designed for both PCs and consoles.
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Loobyluggs
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Posts: 3476
Joined: 2008-09-07
#5728912 Posted on: 11/07/2019 01:03 PM
I'm too spoilt with my 32bit DAC, 24 is just not gonna cut it for me - nice as these products are.
When are 64bit DAC's going mainstream? I know they are out there in chip form already, but nothing for consumers?
I'm too spoilt with my 32bit DAC, 24 is just not gonna cut it for me - nice as these products are.
When are 64bit DAC's going mainstream? I know they are out there in chip form already, but nothing for consumers?
yasamoka
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Joined: 2009-08-29
Senior Member
Posts: 4811
Joined: 2009-08-29
#5728950 Posted on: 11/07/2019 03:09 PM
I'm too spoilt with my 32bit DAC, 24 is just not gonna cut it for me - nice as these products are.
When are 64bit DAC's going mainstream? I know they are out there in chip form already, but nothing for consumers?
Forget 64-bit. I've heard that 128-bit is so good you don't even need headphones or speakers to hear the sound waves.
I'm too spoilt with my 32bit DAC, 24 is just not gonna cut it for me - nice as these products are.
When are 64bit DAC's going mainstream? I know they are out there in chip form already, but nothing for consumers?
Forget 64-bit. I've heard that 128-bit is so good you don't even need headphones or speakers to hear the sound waves.
Loobyluggs
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Joined: 2008-09-07
Senior Member
Posts: 3476
Joined: 2008-09-07
#5729010 Posted on: 11/07/2019 04:36 PM
Where did you hear that from; I have not heard anything about 128 bit DAC chips?
Forget 64-bit. I've heard that 128-bit is so good you don't even need headphones or speakers to hear the sound waves.
Where did you hear that from; I have not heard anything about 128 bit DAC chips?
schmidtbag
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Posts: 4893
Joined: 2012-11-10
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Posts: 4893
Joined: 2012-11-10
#5729113 Posted on: 11/07/2019 08:54 PM
I'm too spoilt with my 32bit DAC, 24 is just not gonna cut it for me - nice as these products are.
When are 64bit DAC's going mainstream? I know they are out there in chip form already, but nothing for consumers?
Are you sure you're not confusing bit depth with sample rate? A bit depth of 24 has more dynamic range than what almost any human could possibly notice. Given sufficient equipment and a track with a lot of dynamic range (such as an action movie, or an orchestra), I think the average person could notice the difference going from 16 to 24, but I'm very confident nobody (except maybe a handful of savants) could confidently tell the difference from 24 to 32 in a blind test.
That being said, I'm sure the sample rate is why you enjoy your DAC so much. That, and the overall signal quality it produces. Sample rate determines how much detail is captured in the recording. A sample rate going from 96KHz to 48KHz is very noticeably worse. Sometimes even going from 48KHz to 44.1KHz can be noticeable.
From what I've heard (pun intended), 196KHz adds far more depth than what humans can hear. Some audiophiles ostensibly can tell the difference from that between 96KHz. I think there are DACs that go higher, but that's obviously pointless.
Side note:
I think it makes perfect sense to record audio in uncompressed 32-bit, then step down to a 24-bit FLAC or whatever - much in the same way a professional photographer edits with raw photos but will distribute their content as JPEGs or TIFFs. Once you have the audio levels normalized properly, 32-bit is utterly useless for playback purposes. I can't imagine any situation where your dynamic range will be so wide-spread that having 32-bit would retain any practical (let alone desirable) use for playback.
So, I predict 64-bit audio chipsets will never exist for commercial use. They'll probably exist for scientific and industrial purposes, though. Should a commercial one ever exist, it'll be a placebo marketing scam, like speakers that cost more specifically because they can play sounds at 50KHz.
I'm too spoilt with my 32bit DAC, 24 is just not gonna cut it for me - nice as these products are.
When are 64bit DAC's going mainstream? I know they are out there in chip form already, but nothing for consumers?
Are you sure you're not confusing bit depth with sample rate? A bit depth of 24 has more dynamic range than what almost any human could possibly notice. Given sufficient equipment and a track with a lot of dynamic range (such as an action movie, or an orchestra), I think the average person could notice the difference going from 16 to 24, but I'm very confident nobody (except maybe a handful of savants) could confidently tell the difference from 24 to 32 in a blind test.
That being said, I'm sure the sample rate is why you enjoy your DAC so much. That, and the overall signal quality it produces. Sample rate determines how much detail is captured in the recording. A sample rate going from 96KHz to 48KHz is very noticeably worse. Sometimes even going from 48KHz to 44.1KHz can be noticeable.
From what I've heard (pun intended), 196KHz adds far more depth than what humans can hear. Some audiophiles ostensibly can tell the difference from that between 96KHz. I think there are DACs that go higher, but that's obviously pointless.
Side note:
I think it makes perfect sense to record audio in uncompressed 32-bit, then step down to a 24-bit FLAC or whatever - much in the same way a professional photographer edits with raw photos but will distribute their content as JPEGs or TIFFs. Once you have the audio levels normalized properly, 32-bit is utterly useless for playback purposes. I can't imagine any situation where your dynamic range will be so wide-spread that having 32-bit would retain any practical (let alone desirable) use for playback.
So, I predict 64-bit audio chipsets will never exist for commercial use. They'll probably exist for scientific and industrial purposes, though. Should a commercial one ever exist, it'll be a placebo marketing scam, like speakers that cost more specifically because they can play sounds at 50KHz.
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Can I get 4k resolution and 240fps out of these headphones?
Do they support raytracing?
Etc, etc.