Corsair Vengeance 1500
The Corsair Vengeance 1500 is a mixture of
different textures, colors, materials and style. The circular ear-cups have a
glossy black finish. Circular blue accents and brushed aluminum also seem to
have been haphazardly included.
The Vengeance 1500 has a loose fi t and
velour cushioning on the ear cups; we found the fi t to be quite comfortable.
However, as is the case when velour is used, overheating became an issue after
an hour of continuous use. Furthermore, we found that the cushioning was
susceptible to getting dirty quite frequently and specks of dust would cling to
the pads. As an added note, if you have sweaty ears there is no way to remove
the cushions for washing.
The
Corsair Vengeance 1500 is a mixture of different textures, colors, materials
and style.
While the Razer Tiamat delivers surround
sound by stacking up multiple drivers, the Vengeance 1500 sports a single pair
of 50mm drivers, and a built-in DSP which lets you start using the headset
without the need for an existing sound card on your computer. Dolby 7.1
multi-channel audio takes care of 3D positioning and surround sound; in other
words, you get software surround sound.
The in-line control box only lets you
control the main volume and mute the microphone. In comparison, every other
contender in the shootout at least offered preset audio profiles or the ability
to control individual driver volume. In that respect, the Vengeance 1500 is decidedly
basic.
During the course of our listening tests we
found out that these headphones had a strong central channel and tended to
emphasize the middle range of the audio spectrum. However, the rest of the
performance was a letdown. While Adele’s Melt My Heart To Stone was rendered
with a certain sense of melody, the highs were muted. Classic rock tracks, such
as Hotel California by The Eagle’s with its large dynamic range, came across as
sluggish and flat.
In
that respect, the Vengeance 1500 is decidedly basic.
The strong central channel for the Corsair
Vengeance 1500 was further evidenced when watching movies. Dialog was carried
across well but special effects lost their charm in the renderings.
Additionally the soundstage was quite constricted and the initial explosion
scene from the opening sequence of Swordfish was quite abysmal. None of the
strafing sounds of shrapnel flying across were reproduced to our satisfaction.
With any first person shooter, the
soundstage is extremely important. As could be expected from its prior showing,
the Vengeance 1500 failed to impress when handling Battlefield 3. The
headphones don’t help pinpoint the source of gunfire, and ascertaining the
directionality of sound is quite difficult.
·
Drivers: 2x 50mm
·
Frequency response:10hz to 20,000hzz
·
Audio configuration: 7.1
·
Price: $139
And the Best Gaming Headphones are …..
Razer Tiamat 7.1
Handing the Best Performance Award to the
Razer Tiamat 7.1 was an easy decision. The classic color scheme of black and
neon green never seems to go out of style. When worn, the Tiamat was also the
most comfortable of the lot. Almost as if Razer was showing off, they fitted
the Tiamat with clear coverings for the ear-cups so that everyone can see the
five drivers inside each, responsible for excellent sound. An expansive and
well-rounded soundstage delivered good directionality of sound, making the
Tiamat specifically suited for gaming. In addition, the headphones also fared
well when tasked with both movies and music. It’s certainly not the cheapest of
the lot, but you certainly get what you pay for.
Handing
the Best Performance Award to the Razer Tiamat 7.1 was an easy decision.
Roccat Kave 5.1
The Roccat Kave 5.1 misses out on being the
lowest priced contender in this roundup by a mere dollar. Nevertheless, it is
excellent value for money given the feature set and performance. The Kave also
has a foldable design, which makes them the only headphones in this shootout
which can claim portability. Armed with four drivers on each side, the Kave
delivers a natural, rounded soundstage. With decent width and height, the
headphones do make playing fi rst person shooter games more enjoyable. Much
like the Razer Tiamat, the individual volume of the different drivers can be
adjusted to tweak the soundstage to your liking.
The
Roccat Kave 5.1 misses out on being the lowest priced contender in this roundup
by a mere dollar
