Introduction As flight simmers, most of us use a headset to converse with ATC. This is particularly true with the advancement of ATC programs that are now available on the market. I have been using a generic headset with a microphone for the purpose of flight sim, as well as online voice chatting with colleagues with programs such as GTalk. When eDimensional released this new headset, I immediate jumped at the opportunity to review a piece of hardware for a change. Installation and Documentation Installation was simple. The headset comes with three plugs attached to it. Simply plug them into the speaker jack, the microphone jack and a USB port. Documentation is a simple instruction panel on the back of the packaging. It even has a picture, so it is "Editor" proof. The Experience
There is an inline "controller" near the headset. This controller allows you to control the volume and to switch the "vibrations" on or off. There is also an intensity control wheel for these vibrations. There is a warning on the packet to "listen at moderate volume levels to avoid hearing damage". Heed this warning.
I put on the headset, cranked the volume, switched on the vibration switch and launched an MP3 to see what the sound quality was like. Have you ever been to a concert and stood near the speakers and you feel the music vibrating through your head? This is what this headset simulates. I immediately turned the volume down and adjusted the vibrations. One word describes this headset....WOW! I've used this headset with MSFS with VOX ATC deluxe installed. The clarity and quality of the voice and the interaction with ATC was fantastic. I've flown in CFS 3 with guns blazing and bombs dropping and the sensory effects are the best I've ever heard. Being able to play all these sounds and feeling the sensations within the privacy of your own head rather that disturbing those around you is just an added bonus. Once you've tried this headset, it will be hard to take it off.
The microphone has excellent sound reproduction qualities. I've used this headset/microphone combination with Adobe Audition to do some voice overs for another project I'm working on and the voice improvement and playback is a thousand times better. This is a great all-round product. Added Feature On the sides of the earpieces are 3 LED light bars that illuminate with the intensity of the volume and vibrations. While this may look "cool" to someone sitting in the same room as you, it serves absolutely no purpose to the wearer.
The headset looks like a standard stereo headset that one would listen to music with. I was amazed at how light and comfortable it was. I use this headset regularly now rather than having my audio come through my speakers. Having the ability to turn the vibrations on and off is a great feature as you don't want this effect in every application you may use this headset for. The Verdict Thank you eDimensional for coming up with an innovative exciting way to "play" online. This versatile headset is not limited to just PC gaming. It's a great audio tool for online chatting and music listening. The vibration feature adds a whole new dimension to the gaming experience and makes listen to concert recordings an experience without actually being there. The LED's? Nice idea, but I don't know who they were intended for. Perhaps to make your roommate jealous. If you are in the market for a new headset, then I recommend you seriously look into this product. It's a perfect companion for their Voice Buddy product and just as innovative as their IR Motion Tracker. |
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