[section_title title=Performance and Testing]
Performance and Testing
Now we will go a little more in depth of the headphones and as this has been advertised as the worlds first in-ear gaming headset we are expecting a lot. So, after a consistent 5 hours long session and a total of 20 hours use, we have put these headphones through some rough testing. A variation of bass, treble, volume increments in both increase and decrease stages were used as well as a variation of all to check for any fluctuation in performance or any black areas that suggest to us that the compact 13.5mm drivers were not up to the task. The microphone was used on a variation of platforms and testing began from out the box to see if any modification was needed to enhance the comfort of the item.
Comfort
From out the box, the headset was ready to use and functioned as expected. Once the secure fitting system was in my ear and everything hooked up it was easy to see that this was a well designed product. The earphone style headset stopped any discomfort from larger over-ear headphones and band rub due to these aspects being nonexistent. The experience of a long gaming session was met with a still refreshing feel, just like listening to music for a few hours while traveling. There was no discomfort, aching or change of how I felt after a long session of use. The only flaw I could find with this, as preciously mentioned was that the secure system fitted my ears great yet may not in others, but alternatively they can be removed. The microphone can also be a bit of a pain as it seemed to fit very close to the face when in use so it did rub occasionally but was expected due to the compact built of the product and again, can be removed and the alternate in-built microphone at the sound box can be used. Overall, they were very easy to use and did not leave any stress on my head during or after testing. They fit well from day one and were a joy to wear compared to my other over-ear earphones which seem to rub and cause pressure sports on my head.
Sound Quality
Being a compact device, not much was expected from the advertised 13.5mm drivers and the spec seemed a little too good to be true. On the box, we were told that 20HZ ~ 20 KHZ was the min/max frequency response but in reality we expected much less. Testing was on a variety of high quality .WAV, .MP4 and other HRA files as well as a variation of platforms, from smartphones to PC’s. We began out of the box to listen to high bass music and a variety of current chart songs, with a shock we was met with a great listening experience. From hard hitting bass drops to a vast variety of classical tunes, every note fell easy on the ears and made for a great audio experience. The only note we would have to add would be that some songs did sound a little flat, more rock and heavy metal tracks but this could be down to the format that was used. The device works well with smartphones, PC’s, laptops, iPod and MP3 devices meaning that regardless of the platform, there were no problems encountered. An addition was that no drivers were required for use on computer based platforms so the Plug&Play feature clearly worked perfectly.
Microphone Quality
The microphone was good, not fantastic but still very much usable. A balance needed to be found with this product, between quality, size, performance and cost. The quality did seem to lack on some platforms like PC and laptop, most likely due to the compact style of the headset but it was still was usable and clear. Basically, don’t expect a Blue Microphone Snowball for this price! The quality can be said for both microphones on this headset so bare that in mind if you are looking to start high quality YouTube Vlogs or similar.
Gaming Use and Day to Day Use
On a day to day use scale, the headphones were great. Removing the microphone and using the headphones for music was hassle free, then once home from work a microphone could be added and gaming commence. The transition between social life and work life was easy enough, the compact size of a good quality headset was very much welcome in all aspects. Waking up, the headphones were placed into the travel case for use on lunch breaks then tucked away into my backpack for use when home. Lightweight and conversion wise, this is the ideal product for those of you who want a value product for everyday use.
Comfortable for long gaming sessions, lightweight and easy to set up, the in-ear design and external boom microphone are a fantastic feature for any player. No more need for flat hair bands across your head or overheating ears from hours of headset use as the in ear design keeps the headset on your ears without the need for a bulky design. The boom mic was a bit of a nuisance as it does lay close to the face but did not interfere when using with a PC. Drivers are not required for use with computer platforms so once the 3.5mm converter cable (included) is added to the set up, gaming can commence. The microphone is good but not amazing, add a bit of lag or a bad Teamspeak/Ventrillo host and you may have a few issues when communicating with your teammates.
