I'm back with a new product. As the title mentioned, it's a new wireless headset from Sony. It's meant for gaming and entertainment but having the Playstation brand on it means it's dedicated for gaming.
Sony's new headset is actually called Pulse and it's their second wireless headset. I haven't had the chance to buy the first although I did try it out. Suffice to say, there are a few improvements although some features are still lacking
I've never been a fan of wireless headsets with surround sound. That's basically due to the fact that the quality is totally different from wired ones. 5-6 years ago, headsets for gaming was pretty basic. Most just have stereo and quite a number fail short on their "surround sound" promise. Quality issues, clunky gear and a myriad of other problems put off consumers from buying them. Nowadays, headsets have improved leaps and bounds. Even surround sound, albeit a virtual one, is available. You can get decent 5.1 or 7.1 (virtual surround sound, let's face it, you only have 2 speakers on a headset) for less than 200 bucks. Although that's wired ones. Wireless ones tend to be in the 200-300 range if you want good quality. So I was pleasantly surprised when Sony released this headset in Singapore at a SRP (suggested retail price) of 168. Boasting many features, it's quite a feat to keep the price down and make it competitively
I mentioned that I'm not a fan of wireless headsets. Well, my previous experience was marred by crappy wireless Creative headsets in the past. Worst thing to happen was the fact that one side of the headset was rendered unusable due to me pushing it to the absolute max (I do that as a stress test sometimes on certain headsets). And I only used that headset for a couple of months! And it was so clunky and big as well that I practically kept it in some dark hidden corner of my cupboard, letting it collect dust before finally ridding of it 2 years later. Maybe I was dishing out some silent punishment but that experience was sore. I spent nearly 250 bucks on what is supposed to be a quality piece of hardware, only to be disappointed by its sub-standard craftsmanship. Due to that, I prefer to use in-ear headphones instead and I still do when I'm commuting between places in public transport.
To be honest, when I bought the Pulse, it was a leap of faith. I've read from some reviews that the headset is a good performance headset while some didn't like it due to some features which I will get back to later. I've been using it for a week and it's been going strong. Thank god for that. And thank you Sony for making products that can actually LAST. I don't know about others but my Sony hardware lasted longer than many other hardware. Even the now ubiquitous Discman lasted me for 7 years before giving out.
Pulse is a wireless virtual 7.1 headset that is meant to work with Playstation 3. Actually, it works with any other product that has a USB port. I've tested it on PS3, PC, Macbook Pro (sorry Xbox, but I don't have you so I can't test it out and many other users mentioned that it's only compatible with PC and PS3) and it works perfectly well. And this is where your question will arise: Why need a USB port when it's wireless? That's due to the headset being packaged with a dedicated USB Bluetooth dongle. If you want to take advantage of the VSS (Virtual Surround Sound), you better use it. Also, the Bluetooth in the headset does not sync with the PS3 in-built Bluetooth. Even the Bluetooth adapter on my Asus ROG motherboard in my PC and the Macbook Pro doesn't sync with it. So, better have a free USB port ready whenever you want to use it.
The packaging for the headset is simple. It comes in a dark blue box similar to the PS Vita box and it's being packaged with plastic and foam moulds. In the package, you'll receive the headset, USB dongle, a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm line jack and a manual. The line jack is meant to be used for mobile hardware such as the PS Vita and smartphones. The USB dongle also has a 3.5 mm audio port for the line so you can plug it into the dongle instead. The irritating part with the packaging (as well as some other Sony/non-Sony products) is the missing USB to mini-USB cable. I was annoyed at that fact as the cable is for charging the headset. And Sony doesn't hide that fact. In fact it states in the manual and on the box: USB to mini-USB cable is needed to charge the headset (sold separately). Annoyed? Yes. Can live with it? Yes.
Enough about annoyance, more on the product. Aesthetically, it's a very sleek hardware. There's plenty of metal on the outside and very big drivers. 50 mm to be exact. The Playstation logo is etched on the exterior of the drivers and it looks much better than its predecessor. Extending the headset is a breeze and it feels sturdy. The only thing I don't like is the fact that it doesn't have an option for different types of material on the drivers. As of right now, it's your usual headset material which is leather. After a few hours, you'll definitely feel uncomfortable and if you're one to sweat aplenty, then get ready to have wet headsets after a long session of gaming.
Feature-wise, there's many. They have a VSS button available if you need it when watching movies. There's the usual slider for volume although it's slightly different. The slider is split into two. One side is for sound while the other is for microphone. So you can adjust the levels of both to accomodate your gaming volume. i tend to have it slightly higher on the sound when it comes to online FPS while movies, single player games and music, I just raised the slider all the way to sound. A very nice feature although I do prefer to have a pure volume slider instead. It also has a BassImpact slider to ramp up the bass volume. When I tried it out watching the Avengers, I can really feel the bass thumping on the temples of my head. Even when I was watching youtube and some streaming videos where bass is prominent, I can actually feel the bass itself. I normally put it at medium where it's acceptable, although it's a good feature that Sony made by utilizing a slider form. All the usual buttons are there as well. There's a power switch and a mode switch button. The mode switch is interesting. When I press the button, a nice lady will say Action. This means I'm in a mode for action games where different sounds are clear. When I press it again, it says Shooter. You can guess what it means. This is a pleasant feature on the headset as the different modes do help. I play Counterstrike Global Offensice often so Shooter mode is a must. Never have I felt so intense hearing clear footsteps from another player running. Movie mode was a charm as well, especially if you utilize VSS or virtual surround sound. This is where Sony really stands out. There's a clear distinction in the location of sounds whether it'll be at the left back or right front. Even though it's virtual and not actual, I feel Sony has made a commendable job. When I tried it out in movie mode, with VSS on and watching the Avengers Blu-Ray, it felt like watching in a cinema. If you have a PC that utilizes Dolby Digital, you'll be amazed by the clarity of the sounds. I also liked the fact that I can actually hear speech clearly during the chaotic scenes. Add BassImpact and you have your own private home theater. Expect headaches after using the headset as well.
The 3.5 mm audio line is decent but I felt Sony could have done better. The stock cable isn't pure craftsmanship. When I plugged it into my iPhone or Vita, sometimes, the sounds became lower or one side of my headset suddenly went silent. Better to invest in a good quality cable if you want to listen to good quality music on the go. Wouldn't you want to tote around a Playstation headset that has no mic and looks cool plugged into a Vita?
The mic is actually hidden and it's part of the drivers. Although it's an improvement from the previous one, I think Sony could have used removable mics like how CoolerMaster did with their CM e-sports line. The mic does actually work pretty well although you may have to speak louder than usual for others to listen to you properly
One aspect that Sony could definitely improve on is for clear bright words on the headsets. Many of us do tend to play in the dark and it was a hassle for me at times to locate certain things without looking at it. It's a gripe actually but small details like this can actually mean a lot to many people. Imagine playing in a frentic online FPS and with BassImpact in max and all the other features turned on. You'll be distracted playing it and suddenly, you may be playing in a different area where it's smaller and you need more discernible audio. You need to switch certain features off and most of the time, you'll definitely forget the locations of these. by then, you'll be dead as we all know online FPS is all about speed. So, Sony, can I have like lighted or glow in the dark words on your future headsets?
Overall, I think it's a very good investment for a wireless stereo headset that can give you virtual surround sound. Costing less than SGD 170 and packed with good features, it's really a good buy. If you can forgo certain little details such as the USB cable, leather pads and the dongle, it's an affordable headset. I for one will be using this for both my PC and PS3 considering how easy it is to setup. It definitely is a plug and play product.
I'm forgoing my breakdown of scores as I think overall score is a much better representation. Quite a number of you guys have mentioned it so I'm skipping it entirely and going straight to overall score. Plus, it'll force you to read my post if you wanna know more about certain aspects. Just kidding.
Overall score: 4.5/5
Cheers and thanks!
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