Hey everyone, has summer started yet? I am back with a headset review.
I have not heard of EKSA before but they do seem to have an established budget range of headsets online.
Today I have the EKSA E900 Gaming Headset to test, a budget orientated device in a familiar design, lets see what it has to offer.
EKSA E900 Gaming Headset Specifications & Features
PC: 3.5 mm Audio Cable
PlayStation: 3.5 mm Audio Cable(to controller)
Xbox one: 3.5 mm Audio Cable(to controller)
Switch: 3.5 mm Audio Cable
Mobile: 3.5 mm Audio Cable
Headphone Sensitivity: 115dB-121dB
Headphone Impedance: 30 Ohm
Headphone Speaker Diameter: 50 mm
Microphone Type: Detachable Noise Cancelling Microphone
Omnidirectional Microphone: 6 mm
Frequency Response: 20-2000 hz
Sensitivity: -42±3dB
Load impedance: 2.2kΩ
EKSA E900 Gaming Headset Closer Look
First up we have the supplied box, a fairly no frills affair with a picture of the headset a gold sticker offering a good 2 year warranty and some I suppose gamer oriented bullet holes in the background.
A fairly informative back of the box lists the product parameters or specifications if you will, and a list of contents.
Well I am very impressed, EKSA get a massive thumbs up for packaging – here at Play3r we applaud minimising waste. Opening the box we have the pleather pouch containing the headset and accessory bag. No masses of cardboard, bubble wrap or molded plastic here, nice one. In the accessory bag we have the boom microphone, a 3.5 Jack splitter cable for mic/headphone, a manual and thank you card where you can register the 2 year warranty.
The headset itself feels to be built with pretty good materials, which is very surprising at this price point. There’s lots of soft touch materials in addition to the memory foam style soft earpads. The metal frame reminds me of the HyperX designs, it all feels quite sturdy.
Looking at the unit from the left we have the audio cable in at the bottom, microphone plugged in to a socket, an outer cup design that has three bars for the E of EKSA but otherwise no garish finish or lighting. A cute little touch is the red coiled cable going through the headband to the other earcup.
The right hand earcup is a cable-free copy of the left.
With a nod to premium branding the EKSA logo is stamped into the headband which itself is nice and squishy, so far first impressions are very good.
Looking inside the over-ear earcup we have a red lining with nice big lettering to confirm which way around the set is, helpful if the microphone is not connected. This also adds to a slightly more premium feel.
Connecting the microphone is done with an almost standard 3.5mm jack, which has an odd square end to the plastic before the jack itself, this might prevent the user connecting a standard cable however at this price point modding would not be too much of a concern.
The in-line audio control is I feel the cheapest part of this headset, however it is fully functional with a volume slider and microphone mute button. These are things that I personally normally handle using software on the PC but it’s nice to have.
The EKSA E900 Gaming Headset Review: The Verdict
Wow, it is rare that I am this impressed with a budget offering. The headset is incredibly comfortable the head clamping for me is just about perfect, moving my head around the headset stays firmly in place while feeling light. The padding on the earcups is excellent and the soft headband is great, I have no complaints at all about the fit and feel of this unit, the materials feel good to the touch and the design is pleasing. Now on to audio quality.
Music:
As usual I break out some of my favourite tunes which offer a range from heavy basslines to high pitched saxophones and trumpets, various vocalists complete what I feel is a good test for audio equipment. Out of the box this headset sounds glorious, audio quality from my onboard soundcard is good, but when hooking them up to my DAC the drivers absolutely sing. How on earth are these not at least twice the price? Bass is clear and unmuddled, high end is crisp and vocal details are all there, this easily matches many of my other headsets.
Gaming:
So we get to games, which as a multiplayer fan involves mixing with Discord. Firing up Rocket League I get a good balance of all the sounds from the music to the game sounds to the banter. Counter Strike Global Offensive requires precision in audio for footsteps and peripheral noise helping to locate enemy targets, the EKSA E900 handles it all easily offering an excellent and over a few hours very comfortable experience.
What’s hot:
- Build, Materials and Comfort
- Audio Quality is Excellent
- Microphone Quality is Excellent
- Price
What’s not:
- Microphone connector has a non standard plug
Well I think I might have a new favourite brand of headset, at the time of writing this unit is available for just under £30, I am unsure how this is possible. I reckon this headset outperforms some in my collection that retail for well over £100. The two year warranty and 30 day no-quibble return offer shows EKSA’s confidence in their product and they are correct, the materials do feel to be of an excellent quality though I will have to test the headset over time to see how quickly they wear out. There is no hesitation to offer the EKSA E900 not only our Performance Award but it gets Platinum for what I deem to be excellent value for money for an all-round great headset, well done EKSA.
Thanks to EKSA for sending a sample of the E900 Gaming Headset in for review.
The EKSA E900 is available at Amazon.co.uk with a 12% discount to the already cheap price at the time of writing.
