You Need an Audiophile Gaming Headset, however Simply Not This One

Boy, gaming headsets certain are getting costly today. There’s Sony’s Inzone H9 II, which prices $350, a sum that’s greater than half the price of a 1TB PlayStation with a disc drive. Then there are much more costly choices, like SteelSeries’ Arctis Nova Elite, which prices extra than the aforementioned console at $600, although it does include a separate hub. I’m not saying these gaming headsets don’t sound good—I attempted the Inzone H9 II for myself and was impressed—however when you’re spending a several-hundred-dollar sum on a gaming headset (simply a headset for Pete’s sake), it higher be game-altering.

That’s a excessive bar for a peripheral, to make sure, however one which I believe resonates with most players prepared to tread into the ultra-premium class. That being stated, it’s a bar that can be met, as evidenced by Sony’s Inzone H9 II. Still, rising to the extent of game-changing is not any simple activity, which is why I went into testing VZR’s Model One MKII Audiophile gaming headset with a raised eyebrow. With a $360 price ticket, can the Model One MKII actually ship the products at a degree that makes the premium really feel justified? The reply… is sophisticated.

An “audiophile game headset”

Right out of the gate, VZR positions its Model One MKII as a gaming headset geared towards audiophiles. To again that declare up, it’s utilizing one thing referred to as CrossWave, the identical know-how in its earlier headset, the MK One. CrossWave is a proprietary tech that’s meant to extra carefully mimic the way in which sound naturally enters your ears. The thought right here is that with exact acoustic tuning, it delivers extra “natural” spatial audio that makes the headset supreme for first-person shooters, the place listening to footfalls and different environmental noise could be make or break.

To increase that acoustic expertise even additional, VZR has included a “Talisman” within the Model One MKII, which is a patent-pending bass diffuser that, in VZR’s phrases, “brings tighter, harder-hitting lows that make every scenario feel massive.” That bass diffuser also needs to provide you with a sign as to the place VZR supposed to enhance the sound on this iteration, which is to say, within the midrange frequencies. With much less overpowering bass, you ought to be capable of hear midranges and treble extra simply.

See VZR Model One MKII at Amazon

So, that’s what VZR meant to do with the Model One MKII. The query is, does it truly obtain these targets? The reply? Sometimes sure and generally no. In my expertise, the extent of satisfaction with the Model One MKII depended largely on how I used to be utilizing the headset. Using it the lazy means, which in my case is plugging straight into an Xbox controller (generally wired and generally not) and calling it a day, the gaming headset feels… lackluster. While I get a contact extra spatiality whereas enjoying video games like Fortnite, I wouldn’t describe the sound expertise as groundbreaking. Footfalls and gunshots are perceptible, however not fairly “wow, I’m right in the action” ranges of sound.

Similarly, plugging right into a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller and enjoying Gears of War is a advantageous expertise, however it didn’t fairly depart me feeling like spending $360 could be a good suggestion.

But this technique isn’t the hi-fi means. If you’re shopping for this headset (spending practically 400 freaking {dollars} to take action), you need to suppose like an audiophile, and audiophiles don’t use Bluetooth like some regular-ass noob. Audiophiles make the most of wires and the lossless audio they supply, along with the low latency. So, to check the headset like an audiophile would, I plugged the Model One MKII into Steel Series’ Arctis Nova Elite gaming hub, which is principally a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that’s meant to maximise sound high quality and precision. The outcome was a marked enchancment in sound high quality and total satisfaction with VZR’s {hardware}. Gears of War: Reloaded sounded a hell of much more immersive, with extra spatiality and far increased constancy sound—rock crumbling felt proximate, and enemies felt like they had been within the room.

Is it dishonest to make use of a DAC? I don’t know; you inform me. Maybe it’s, however I additionally think about most individuals spending practically $400 on a headset could have a correct setup at house to make use of stated hi-fi headset, so in some methods, this looks like the higher option to truly assess the Model One MKII’s audio chops. Ultimately, whether or not you’re feeling happy with the Model One MKII’s sound high quality will rely largely in your setup at house. If you’re taking the lazy method and plugging this factor right into a Bluetooth controller and calling it a day, beware. If you’ve got the best interface to make the {hardware} sing, then it is likely to be definitely worth the funding.

Quality, however not all the time comfort

VZR’s Model One MKII brings high quality in plenty of methods, and one of many areas you’ll discover instantly is the construct. The Model One MKII feels sturdy, with a steel headstrap and a cushty pleather band beneath that connects earcups constituted of heavy plastic. There’s a weight to the headset, however it doesn’t really feel burdensome in your head, which signifies that it’s balanced properly. Earcups, which include reminiscence foam, are additionally well-padded and comfy in longer gaming classes, although they don’t essentially enable for the most effective warmth dissipation.

Overall, the Model One MKII appears to be like and feels prefer it’s value a number of hundred {dollars}, which is nice as a result of it prices (checks notes)… a number of hundred {dollars}.

The mic high quality additionally holds its personal, in accordance with individuals I gamed with, and is removable, which is nice when you’re storing the Model One MKII between gaming classes or if you wish to toss the headset in its included carrying case with out crunching the mic. The mic additionally picks up my voice properly, even when it’s not ideally positioned, which is nice when you occur to bump your mic mid-game and don’t have time to repair it. The mic positioning additionally holds up properly in comparison with cheaper gaming headsets with much less rigidity.

There is one space that I’ve to take exception with, which is the truth that the headset is wired-only. For some individuals, that can be advantageous, and there’s no denying that wires present unparalleled low latency and lossless audio, however I can’t assist however really feel like an choice to make use of the headset with Bluetooth could be good. I nonetheless suppose, regardless of the prevalence of wires, that I favor a dongle answer like Sony’s Inzone H9 II, which makes use of a 2.4GHz sign to transmit extra audio info and reduce down drastically on latency in comparison with common Bluetooth connections. Sure, having to plug a dongle in and maintain observe of it isn’t supreme, however frankly, neither are wires, and the previous answer appears to be like a hell of rather a lot cleaner than coping with all that black spaghetti in your desk.

Speaking of wires, the Model One MKII comes with revamped cables for extra stability and higher audio high quality. I haven’t used the Model One that got here earlier than the MKII, so I don’t have a lot of a comparability, however I can let you know that the sign felt steady for probably the most half, although I did have some hiccups whereas plugged into my getting older Xbox controller at house through Bluetooth. I’m going to provide VZR the good thing about the doubt and say the sign instability was the controller’s fault, given the truth that the gaming headset operated advantageous when plugged into different controllers with much less put on and tear.

Is this factor actually value $400?

So, again to the unique query: must you actually spend $360 on a gaming headset? It’s onerous for me to reply that since I don’t have entry to your final financial institution assertion, however I believe when you are going to spend that a lot, there are gaming headsets that I might spring for earlier than the Model One MKII. Sony’s Inzone H9 II, for instance, has high quality sound in a dongle answer that feels a hell of much more handy, and whereas it might not have the identical premium construct, it provides you much more options like lively noise cancellation (ANC), which the Model One MKII lacks.

Also, Sony’s Inzone H9 II can be utilized wired through a 3.5mm cable when you actually wish to, so is there any actual benefit to purchasing VZR’s Model One MKII? I’ll allow you to be the decider there, but when it had been me spending nearly $400 on a gaming peripheral, I’d wish to have choices. As high-quality because the Model One MKII can sound with the best setup, I discover it a little bit too confining and never as full-featured as opponents that provide customized sound profiles, ANC, and choices for wired/Bluetooth, whereas nonetheless bringing the A-game within the sound division. My recommendation? If you actually really feel such as you want a premium headset, do your self a favor and get one which does all of it.

See VZR Model One MKII at Amazon