There are several things to consider when choosing gaming headphones. First of all, obviously, is quality of sound. This also is closely related with the fidelity and directionality of sound. In certain games, being able to actually determine where an enemy is by the sounds they make can be a much needed advantage. Secondly, there's comfort. If you're going to be playing for a long period of time, you need to be comfortable. To this end, you're looking for light weight, padding and adjustability that lets the headphones conform to your shape and not vice-versa. Gamers who play online may be looking not just for headphones, but for a headset with a microphone, so they can communicate while inside of their games. Looks are not as important, but then again, we're talking about what you're going to be wearing on your
head at your next LAN party, so perhaps some people would think aesthetics to be important. Finally, there's the cost to consider. If you find the perfect set of headphones but you'd have to sell your gaming rig to be able to afford them, then really, what's the point!?
So, starting at the beginning, the sound quality and directionality in the Cyborg 5.1 Headset is very nice, indeed. When I used them with the included sound demos and in various games, I found that I could often close my eyes and, using only the in-game sounds, I could target certain sources of sounds in the center of the screen. I'm not saying that I could target by hearing alone and actually shoot things that way, but I could discern which direction to move to face enemies or noisy props, quickly getting them to the center of my screen, where my vision could take over for more precise aim. I can see how using the Cyborg 5.1 Headset could be a great improvement over stereo headphones, changing the game audio from something that makes the game seem more realistic to something that gives you a virtual sense of hearing in the virtual world of the game.
Shifting our consideration to the comfort of the Cyborg 5.1 Headset, we find a bit of a mixed bag. The Cyborg 5.1 Headset is powered via its USB connection, so there are no batteries to add to their weight, making them a very comfortable weight. Additionally, they have "low profile, rotating cans and adjustable headband," as Saitek puts it. This is all true, but when comparing the comfort of these to the LoSt-CaUzE headphones I reviewed earlier, I can see why they feel less comfortable. The padding is less dense and is stiffer on the Cyborg 5.1 Headset, making them less forgiving and less comfortable for using for long duration gaming sessions. Do they hurt? No, but much like that feeling I get when you first take a baseball cap off, I can feel where they had been for some time after removing them. The LoSt-CaUzE headphones didn't have this effect when I used them.
I'm not big into online chatter, so when I play my games online, you're not likely to hear me say much. However, I did find the detachable noise-cancelling mic to be flexible enough to put it where I wanted it, yet stiff enough to stay where I put it. Also, the sound quality with the microphone sounded reasonable to me, even when using it with the Karaoke feature of the software that comes with the headset. I was expecting that I might hear some crackle caused by a loose connection when adjusting the headphone, since it was removable, but, surprisingly, the electronic connection stays solid when adjusting the position of the mic. I would advise removing the headphones when attaching or detaching the microphone, however, as this can cause a fairly loud pop (as would be expected). Another thing that can cause pops and/or interference is the phono-jack connection (green) used for non-5.1 sound. I was picking up some sort of cycling interference sound when I had this plug attached to my VAIO, but when I unplugged it, the interference went away. Be very careful about allowing this green phono plug to touch other metal things; this can cause loud pops and static sounds that can be quite unpleasant and even harmful if the volume is turned way up.
Ah, the aesthetic factor. I found it interesting that Saitek's documentation claims that the Cyborg 5.1 Headset's "Cyborg" logo illuminates when 5.1 sound is selected. This is technically true, but it also illuminates when the 5.1 sound is not selected. A more accurate statement would have been that the "Cyborg" logo illuminates when the USB port is plugged in. This logo is an interesting aspect of the headset's appearance; there is one logo on each ear's can, and they are different colors. In what might be a hat-tip to early 3D glasses, one ear's logo is red and the other is green. Specifically, the left is red and the right is green. I don't know if this matches up to 3D glasses' typical orientation, but the only other reference I could come up with was a Christmas color scheme, and it's rare that other gamers at LAN parties will fear or respect you for your love of North Pole Elven culture. Lit logos aside, the Cyborg 5.1 Headset looks respectable enough, but they fall short of "luxury," primarily due to the padding material. They do gain some prestige points due to their zip-up, (semi) hard-sided carrying case that comes in the package. That's a nice touch.
The in-line control panel in interesting. It has separate volume controls for the stereo in and the 5.1 surround sound in. The stereo volume control is a dial control on the top as you face the controls, while the 5.1 volume controls are a (+) button and a (-) button, which actually act as system volume controls, controlling the volume of your computer. The other two controls consist of a toggle switch that switches between the two sound inputs (stereo and 5.1 surround sound) and a toggle switch labelled "Mute.M," which is a mute control for the microphone. These controls all worked nicely, but the audio source toggle switch and the Mic Mute switch both caused a little bit of noise when they were used.
