One of the chief advantages of electronic gaming is the ability to immerse yourself in a rich multi-sensory environment.  19 inch monitors are beginning to seem small compared with some of the 22” + screens now on the market.  Most computers some with at least stereo sound and there is a dizzying choice of after-market speakers.  Having surround-sound with four, five, or more speakers can be immensely enjoyable but not everyone has a private gaming den where they can crank the sound with impunity.  There is also a class of gamer who stole into the hobby with games like Thief, where precise, stereoscopic sound is an integral aspect of their gaming strategy.  For both of these types of gamers, headsets are the preferred method of delivering an audible experience.

I first began enjoying headphone-delivered sound while playing Thief on my laptop as I went on business trips.  Hiding in the shadows, listening tensely as a guard’s footsteps approached, hesitated, then moved on is an experience I still relish.  Sneaker –shooters aren’t the only gaming genre where subtle audio cues enhance the gaming experience.  For the last year many of The Wargamer’s readers have been playing on our Call of Duty 4 hardcore server and most of us quickly adopted the Dead Silence perk that almost completely muffled the sound of footfalls in the game.  Almost is the operative word.  Under the right conditions it was possible to hear even silenced footsteps, and of course anyone inexperienced enough to join our server without using the silent perk was almost guaranteed to  be chum in short order. 

The best method of detecting stealthy opponents was to have as quiet a gaming environment as possible and to use headsets.  On those occasions where I was gaming downstairs using my laptop’s built-in speakers as the family watched a movie, the vets on the server ate me alive.  On the other hand, when I was able to game in a quiet environment after everyone was asleep and I was able to slip headphones over my ears – that’s when my survival chances increased to maximum.  For some of us, high quality audio isn’t just an option, it’s a requirement to boosts our in-game performance.

Not all headsets are created equal.  Gamers can spend very little on an inexpensive headset that will do OK, others may spend well over a hundred dollars on a high quality one.  The Razer Piranha is a mid-priced headset aimed squarely at the hardcore gamer seeking an edge over the competition.

The packaging for the Piranha is typical of Razer products.  It’s attractively yet securely packaged, includes instructions (simple in this case – plug and play), a certificate of authenticity, collateral for other Razer products, and lastly has a couple of stickers to plaster on a laptop, door, PC case or whatever to announce you’re part of that elite group of Razer hardware users. 

The headset itself is substantial.  Picking it up it feels durable.  It comes with all the trimmings one would expect of a higher end hardware peripheral. The cord is bound in a heavy duty wrap and extends 10 feet – more than adequate to reach a desktop unit hidden away under a desk.  The mic is housed in a significant boom that suggests a defiance of abuse.  About 30 inches from termination the cord splits into three smaller cords: the 3.5 mm jacks for the mic and sound, and a USB hookup that powers the light where the volume and mute controls are located.  The cynic in me immediately jumped to a conclusion that having a USB connection only to power the light in the audio switch was overkill…until I started gaming in the dark.  Most gamers who I know enjoy their hobby best when it’s both quiet and dark.  The lack of distractions allows for more attention to be paid to the game.  Gaming in the dark has its drawbacks, that’s why many of us use backlit keyboards.  The usefulness of having the Piranha’s switch illuminated was immediately apparent when I turned off the lights.  It’s convenient!  I didn’t have to fish through four feet of extra cord to find the volume and check the mute – it was glowing right there in front of me.

The rest of the headset is equally well thought out.  The headset fits snugly, but not uncomfortably, so that gamers who tend to bob and weave their heads when they game won’t lose it.  The earphones pivot to fit pretty much any pair of ears.  The boom of the mic is robust enough to not wear out any time soon.  The earphones have glowing logos which also glow, assisting in locating them in the dark.  In short, the headset is well designed. 

The sound quality is excellent.  Bass and treble tones all are clear, and the technical specs, while beyond my ken in terms of understanding from a practical standpoint, are equal to pretty much anything else out there.  I’ve used the Piranha to both game and listen to an iPod and the results are superior to any other headset I own (not a lot, but four is enough to make a comparison).   I like it.  The 10’ cord needs to be wrangled if the headset follows a laptop around, but most gamers playing FPS titles are using a desktop and the length is easily an asset for that setup.  There are cushions around the headphones which not only make it comfortable to wear, but double as a modest sound barrier to extraneous noises.  The mic is noise cancelling but since I try to limit the surrounding noise when I game, I wasn’t able to test this aspect. 

I have previously gamed with lower priced headsets.  After about a year or so of use, I had to replace one because the mic’s boom simply wore out.  A second headset, with some care, has lasted longer but still wore out.  A third one,  bought at a midrange pricepoint and marketed specifically for travelers with its own case saw the housing around the volume/mute switch wear out after just a couple of months of light use. 

I haven’t used the Piranha but for a couple of months.  I’ve used it under what I would consider normal conditions – it follows my laptop around the house and sometimes journeys into the library for some desktop gaming, too, and it is none the worse for wear.  As a result, I draw the conclusion that headsets in general may offer a kind of “pay me now or pay me later” conundrum.  The +/- $20 headsets I have owned wore out fairly quickly – a year or so.  Their sound quality is adequate for gaming but unimpressive.  My single experience with a $40 headset was that it bordered on a piece of junk – sound quality was little different from the cheap ones and it was fragile.  The Piranha appears to be destined for a significantly longer lifespan.  Without an equal amount of time to use/abuse it I’m forced to speculate, but the overall quality of components suggests to me that it will probably outlive any previous headset I’ve owned.  The higher sound quality and overall design make the Piranha easy to recommend.  Comfortable for extended gaming sessions, and durable gamers who are seeking a headset that they can use and won’t need to replace anytime soon should find the Piranha will give their gaming an extra bite. 

Tech Specs (from the Razer Website)

    *  True-to-life audio quality with superior clarity and bass

    * Adjustable, noise-filtering microphone for clearer in-game communication

    * Comfortable, ergonomic and adjustable earphones suitable for prolonged use.

    * In-line remote control with convenient volume and microphone muting adjustments

    * Single-sided cable for hassle-free usage

    * Durable braided fiber cable protection

    * Internet telephony compatible

    * Compatible with most major operating systems

    * Usable with CD, DVD and digital audio players (via 3.5mm minijack)

Specifications

Headphones

Freq. response: 18 – 22,000 Hz

Impedance: 32 Ohms

SPL (@ 1 kHz, 1 Vrms): 114 dB

Cable: 3.0 meters

Microphone

Freq. response: 80 – 15,000 Hz

Sensitivity (@ 1 kHz, 1V/Pa): -38 dB

Impedance: ~2 kOhms

Pick-up pattern: Uni-directional