Stylish Gaming Headsets

17/07/2008

Headset On, Game On

The growing sophistication of both games and gamers mean many are looking for more from their headset. Whilst a cheap, tinny pair or even your PC speakers might have got you by a few years back, the advent of voice commanded and increasingly sophisticated games means gamers are seeking out higher vocal and sound clarity from their gaming headset. So what’s out there and what should you consider?

Why a headset when gaming?

Why a headset and not speakers? Stereo separation is the simple answer. It’s so much better with a decent headset, which means you can gauge much better where a sound - and character - is coming from. But there are other reasons. Many games now allow voice commands which add a new dimension - Tom Clancy’s forthcoming Endwar let’s the gamer instruct troops and hear enemy soldiers communicating, giving a strategic edge. To make the most of what is quite an impressive technology (the Clancy game reportedly can cope not just with different languages, but different accents) you need a decent microphone, utilising noise cancelling technology, and great sound clarity. Clans* have already cottoned on to the advantages voice commands offer and this is a development which can only become more pervasive.

Which gaming headset?

OK, so how are you going to use your headset? If you want to game whilst chatting on VoIP then you might want to opt for a USB with integrated sound card model rather than one with a traditional 3.5mm jack, so that you can keep your speakers plugged in. Similarly, do you want a one ear (Monaural) set that’ll let you hear what’s going on around you or a two ear (Binaural) which submerses you in the game experience and cuts off any distracting noises? Do you want to be able to use your speakers with an MP3 player too?

Serious gamers are often in for the long haul so think comfort. Which headset wearing style do you prefer, in the ear or over the ear headsets? A flexible microphone boom will allow you to optimise voice transmission (leading manufacturer Plantronics recommends two fingers width between mouth and microphone). Sound quality is important, particularly on bass notes - you want to live those kabooms and capture those stealthy footsteps and clicking safety catches coming from behind.

What’s out there?

For seasoned gamers one manufacturer stands out - Plantronics. Plantronics has gone one stage further with the Pulsar 590A and Pulsar 590E by adding Bluetooth technology to add to the engineering excellent in these gaming specific headsets. Both feature up to 10 hours listening time for extensive game play.

The popular Pulsar 590E stereo headset seamlessly switches between your Bluetooth enabled games console or other device and your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone so you can have to miss a call when wearing this headset. This is an excellent headset for the increasing number of people who use their Bluetooth stereo mobile phone for both communication and entertainment, and who expect excellent audio quality and wearing comfort whilst they do so.

A Sound Choice

At the end of the day only you can weigh up which headset is best for your gaming lifestyle so take a little time to think through how, for how long and where you will typically employ yours. It could make the difference between winning and losing which is way more important than the taking part!

See our range of Gaming Headsets.

Note:

*Definition of Clans - "In computer and video gaming, a clan (sometimes also referred to as a guild) is a group of players who regularly play together in a specific multiplayer game. These clans can range from a group of a few friends to many many more."