In May, Sony quietly announced the
[caption]I, like many PlayStation 3 users, have been eager to get my hands on the Wireless Stereo Headset since it was announced, and now, as it is making its way to retailers, I've finally gotten my chance. Is it the perfect truly wireless solution for PS3 players on a budget or too good to be true?
The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
As one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers (not to mention the maker of the platform the headset was developed for), Sony was able to pack premium-grade features like wireless connectivity, simulated surround sound audio, and an integrated rechargeable battery into a comparatively low-priced headset.
Despite having a few key advantages to keep development and production costs down, Sony still had to cut corners to keep the Wireless Stereo Headset below the $100 mark, and it shows in terms of build quality.
Despite looking pretty slick in official product shots, the production version of the headset leaves much to be desired. The framework is thin and easily malleable. Though I obviously didn't try, I'm fairly confident I could crack the frame with only moderate force.
In reality, users are unlikely to deliberately try to break their $99 investment, but it doesn't bode well for long-term durability of the product.
Still, there are two obviously weak points users should be aware of: the ear cups and the extendable mic.
The ear cups are loosely attached to a swiveling post, which, must like the rest of the headset, is made of a flimsy plastic. The extendable microphone, which slides out from the base of the headset, is also loosely mounted, and likely to wear down or snap off entirely over the headset's lifespan.
But the design isn't without its charms, the headband adjustment mechanism feels solid and connects seamlessly with the left and right ear cup mounts, and the rounded plastic panels and brushed metal-style finish on the headband give it a futuristic feel.
Despite its odd circular design, the headset fits well during use, and the ear cups rest nicely around the ears, providing a tight seal but a reasonable amount of ventilation. The breathability of the ear cups comes at a cost, however; sound bleeding. With the volume cranked up, you won't be able to hear the environment around you, but everyone else will be able to hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions emitting from the headset. Obviously, a little sound bleeding won't wake up the neighbors as readily as your surround sound system, but it might wake your roommate or significant other sleeping nearby.
As for the on-board controls, Sony couldn't have made the design any simpler. The main volume control is a slider built into the rear left side of the frame, while a slider controlling the balance between incoming voice communications and game audio is on the front left. Power, muting, and pairing are all controlled via a clicking mechanism built into the left outer panel itself.
Holding the button down powers the device on and off, clicking it once mutes the microphone, and clicking it again unmutes it.
The initial setup for the headset is perhaps even simpler than controlling it – charge up the headset by connecting it to your PS3, plug in the included USB transmitter, and dig in. The system automatically knows to output audio to the headset once paired, and it can be used alongside your primary audio output as well – surround sound system, TV speakers, etc.
Due to the simplified setup, one would hope that there would be more in-depth controls available on the XMB, but there aren't. In fact, outside of being able to assign the headset as the default audio input and output source, there's no way to fine-tune the audio equalization or surround sound settings. On the one hand, the simplicity of the plug-and-play system is great, but for those who like to have a greater degree of control, it's a bit of a letdown.
" class="article-image-full-size"/>Wireless Stereo Headset, a new completely wireless simulated 7.1 surround sound audio solution for the PlayStation 3. While there are plenty of alternatives from Turtle Beach, Astro Gaming, Tritton, and others on the market, the Wireless Stereo Headset is the first product officially developed by Sony, and what's more, its one of the few to hit retail for less than $100.
I, like many PlayStation 3 users, have been eager to get my hands on the Wireless Stereo Headset since it was announced, and now, as it is making its way to retailers, I've finally gotten my chance. Is it the perfect truly wireless solution for PS3 players on a budget or too good to be true?
The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
As one of the world's largest electronics manufacturers (not to mention the maker of the platform the headset was developed for), Sony was able to pack premium-grade features like wireless connectivity, simulated surround sound audio, and an integrated rechargeable battery into a comparatively low-priced headset.
Despite having a few key advantages to keep development and production costs down, Sony still had to cut corners to keep the Wireless Stereo Headset below the $100 mark, and it shows in terms of build quality.
Despite looking pretty slick in official product shots, the production version of the headset leaves much to be desired. The framework is thin and easily malleable. Though I obviously didn't try, I'm fairly confident I could crack the frame with only moderate force.
In reality, users are unlikely to deliberately try to break their $99 investment, but it doesn't bode well for long-term durability of the product.
Still, there are two obviously weak points users should be aware of: the ear cups and the extendable mic.
The ear cups are loosely attached to a swiveling post, which, must like the rest of the headset, is made of a flimsy plastic. The extendable microphone, which slides out from the base of the headset, is also loosely mounted, and likely to wear down or snap off entirely over the headset's lifespan.
But the design isn't without its charms, the headband adjustment mechanism feels solid and connects seamlessly with the left and right ear cup mounts, and the rounded plastic panels and brushed metal-style finish on the headband give it a futuristic feel.
Despite its odd circular design, the headset fits well during use, and the ear cups rest nicely around the ears, providing a tight seal but a reasonable amount of ventilation. The breathability of the ear cups comes at a cost, however; sound bleeding. With the volume cranked up, you won't be able to hear the environment around you, but everyone else will be able to hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions emitting from the headset. Obviously, a little sound bleeding won't wake up the neighbors as readily as your surround sound system, but it might wake your roommate or significant other sleeping nearby.
As for the on-board controls, Sony couldn't have made the design any simpler. The main volume control is a slider built into the rear left side of the frame, while a slider controlling the balance between incoming voice communications and game audio is on the front left. Power, muting, and pairing are all controlled via a clicking mechanism built into the left outer panel itself.
Holding the button down powers the device on and off, clicking it once mutes the microphone, and clicking it again unmutes it.
The initial setup for the headset is perhaps even simpler than controlling it – charge up the headset by connecting it to your PS3, plug in the included USB transmitter, and dig in. The system automatically knows to output audio to the headset once paired, and it can be used alongside your primary audio output as well – surround sound system, TV speakers, etc.
Due to the simplified setup, one would hope that there would be more in-depth controls available on the XMB, but there aren't. In fact, outside of being able to assign the headset as the default audio input and output source, there's no way to fine-tune the audio equalization or surround sound settings. On the one hand, the simplicity of the plug-and-play system is great, but for those who like to have a greater degree of control, it's a bit of a letdown.
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