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

Boy, gaming headsets positive are getting costly as of late. 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 for those who’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 feel resonates with most players keen 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. Nonetheless, rising to the extent of game-changing isn’t any simple process, 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 Mannequin One MKII actually ship the products at a degree that makes the premium really feel justified? The reply… is difficult.

An “audiophile recreation headset”

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

To reinforce that acoustic expertise even additional, VZR has included a “Talisman” within the Mannequin One MKII, which is a patent-pending bass diffuser that, in VZR’s phrases, “brings tighter, harder-hitting lows that make each situation really feel large.” That bass diffuser must also 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 to hear midranges and treble extra simply.

See VZR Model One MKII at Amazon

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

Equally, plugging right into a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller and taking part in Gears of Struggle is a superb expertise, nevertheless it didn’t fairly depart me feeling like spending $360 can be a good suggestion.

However this technique isn’t the hi-fi manner. If you happen to’re shopping for this headset (spending practically 400 freaking {dollars} to take action), it is best to assume like an audiophile, and audiophiles don’t use Bluetooth like some regular-ass noob. Audiophiles benefit from wires and the lossless audio they supply, along with the low latency. So, to check the headset like an audiophile would, I plugged the Mannequin One MKII into Metal Collection’ Arctis Nova Elite gaming hub, which is mainly a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that’s meant to maximise sound high quality and precision. The end result was a marked enchancment in sound high quality and general 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 have been within the room.

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

High quality, however not all the time comfort

VZR’s Mannequin One MKII brings high quality in a variety of methods, and one of many areas you’ll discover instantly is the construct. The Mannequin One MKII feels sturdy, with a steel headstrap and a snug pleather band beneath that connects earcups comprised of heavy plastic. There’s a weight to the headset, nevertheless it doesn’t really feel burdensome in your head, which signifies that it’s balanced nicely. Earcups, which include reminiscence foam, are additionally well-padded and cozy in longer gaming periods, although they don’t essentially permit for the very best warmth dissipation.

Total, the Mannequin One MKII appears and feels prefer it’s value a number of hundred {dollars}, which is sweet as a result of it prices (checks notes)… a number of hundred {dollars}.

The mic high quality additionally holds its personal, in keeping with individuals I gamed with, and is removable, which is nice for those who’re storing the Mannequin One MKII between gaming periods 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 nicely, even when it’s not ideally positioned, which is sweet for those who occur to bump your mic mid-game and don’t have time to repair it. The mic positioning additionally holds up nicely in comparison with cheaper gaming headsets with much less rigidity.

There may be one space that I’ve to take exception with, which is the truth that the headset is wired-only. For some individuals, that will likely be superb, and there’s no denying that wires provide unparalleled low latency and lossless audio, however I can’t assist however really feel like an possibility to make use of the headset with Bluetooth can be good. I nonetheless assume, regardless of the prevalence of wires, that I favor a dongle resolution like Sony’s Inzone H9 II, which makes use of a 2.4GHz sign to transmit extra audio data and minimize down drastically on latency in comparison with common Bluetooth connections. Certain, having to plug a dongle in and maintain observe of it isn’t excellent, however frankly, neither are wires, and the previous resolution appears a hell of loads cleaner than coping with all that black spaghetti in your desk.

Talking of wires, the Mannequin One MKII comes with revamped cables for extra stability and higher audio high quality. I haven’t used the Mannequin One which 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 secure for probably the most half, although I did have some hiccups whereas plugged into my growing older Xbox controller at residence through Bluetooth. I’m going to provide VZR the advantage of the doubt and say the sign instability was the controller’s fault, given the truth that the gaming headset operated superb when plugged into different controllers with much less put on and tear.

Is that this factor actually value $400?

So, again to the unique query: must you actually spend $360 on a gaming headset? It’s arduous for me to reply that since I don’t have entry to your final financial institution assertion, however I feel for those who are going to spend that a lot, there are gaming headsets that I might spring for earlier than the Mannequin One MKII. Sony’s Inzone H9 II, for instance, has high quality sound in a dongle resolution 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 energetic noise cancellation (ANC), which the Mannequin One MKII lacks.

Additionally, Sony’s Inzone H9 II can be utilized wired through a 3.5mm cable for those who actually need to, so is there any actual benefit to purchasing VZR’s Mannequin One MKII? I’ll allow you to be the decider there, but when it have been me spending nearly $400 on a gaming peripheral, I’d need to have choices. As high-quality because the Mannequin One MKII can sound with the best setup, I discover it somewhat too confining and never as full-featured as rivals 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 happen to 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