Okay Geek Farm
Psyko 5.1 Gaming 'phones Take You Into the Experience
Ricardo Trejo
"Probably the best audio I've ever heard in a game, period"; if you're talking to me and I'm gaming with these guys on, well, blame the Psyko 5.1's, not me. Honestly, I don't wear headphones all that often when gaming, but there are certain games and experiences where you need to absolutely hear everything; Gears of War and Modern Warfare 2 just to name a few examples. Their "unique" and intimidating design is what first drew me in, and I'm sure that's the first thing you noticed too when you saw the image above, but are they actually good?
I first sampled some music, which sounded alright but I immediately turned my attention to a little Halo 3 action, since c'mon, these are gaming headphones. What blew me away right off the bat was that when a bomb went off behind me I KNEW that it was behind me. I was like, wait... what? The headphones create a volume difference depending on the direction in which the sound is coming from. Another thing that caught my eye, or ear in this case, was 0 latency. When I fired my gun, you better believe I heard bullets spraying the second my finger clutched the trigger. Using a special trick, if you will, these Psyko's make you feel like you are in a room in itself that's covered wall to wall with massive speakers. This one small addition to the hardware outside of the game makes the gameplay experience really come alive, throwing you right into the action.
But at what cost do these monsters demand for such great sound when it comes comfort? To be brutally honest, nothing. The ear cups pivot open and closed, are fully adjustable, and the whole thing doesn't feel like it's biting down on you - it's soft and cushiony; hence all the "protection" placed within the headset, always keeping you right in the sweet spot.
They're a hot ticket right now, being one of CNET's best of CES finalists, and if that wasn't enough their site is already sold out completely out of them. Get your pre-orders in now for the next batch coming up in March for just $299.
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