Exclusive Review; PLYR 1 vs. A50
Written by Jesse Seilhan and Josh Schilling
I’ve always been a strict believer that the best accessory you can have for your gaming experience is a kick-ass headset. Spouses and significant others tend to agree as well, as they are spared from obnoxious spouts of gunfire or random Fable farts. In addition to quelling your mate, a good headset helps you further the immersion into a virtual world, or even to improve your reactions in a tense multi-player deathmatch. Whatever the reasons, eventually you will probably need to grab one, and after a few tips on purchasing a headset, we think we have the best two for you.
There are a few major choices that you will have to make when opting for a gaming headset. The first is wired vs. wireless. Do you care if you have a 12-foot cord winding from your head to your console or do you want to lessen the potential living room trip-wires by going wireless? The second choice is compatibility with all the different gaming platforms within your house. Some headsets can only be played on a particular console while others can be played on a PC as well as a 360 or PS3. The third major choice is quality. It will cost more cash if you want the Dolby 7.1 surround with a bunch of EQ pre-sets. Once you make those decisions, the choices pretty much fall in line. Turtle Beach, Skullcandy, Astro, Tritton, Rocketfish, and Afterglow are the major players in the headset market and it’s not an easy decision to find out which one is right for your own personal needs.
With that being said, here is a review of a couple of quality headsets:
The PLYR 1 is the highest-end headset from the Skullcandy brand, coming in under $200 and offering wireless audio, three preset settings, and a super comfortable design. On the side of the headset is a handy control knob that moves up to down for master volume and left to right to toggle between game and voice chat. The three sound modes (bass, supreme, and precision) are selected with a switch on the right ear and while the first node explains itself (bass means bass), the final two don’t really explain much. I was not really able to tell a difference between the modes, so I left it on the bass mode and found the balance of voice and music to be just right for all settings.
These cans are super comfortable and do not feel like you are wearing a headset when they are on. While playing Bioshock Infinite, the headset didn’t really spit out a lot of surround sound. The ambiance factor was great, but the directionally aware stuff just wasn’t as prevalent as I was hoping for. Playing NHL 14 featured a lot of the subtle sounds of the crowd and arena noise, providing some killer immersion. The voice chat from my teammates was extremely clear and our communication can directly be credited for the multiple wins we had online.
These are the best option for sneakily gaming while your significant other is asleep in bed next to you or for just watching Netflix, due to their sleek design. Even better, not once did I get any complaints from those I played Dead Rising 2 or NHL 14 with, even though I had a ceiling fan right above me. Sometimes you have no idea how good or bad your microphone is, so getting zero feedback from those online is the best kind of feedback you can get. Do not let the price tag fool you: this is a top-tier headset perfect for every console, every situation, and just about every gamer. If you aren’t a die-hard audiophile with an ear (and wallet) for perfection, the PLYR 1’s are for you.
The high-end wireless headset from Astro (now a subsidiary of Skullcandy) is widely considered the best headset on the market. With 5.8 GHz wireless connectivity along with premium 7.1 surround sound replication, the audio that is produced is butter smooth and each and every nuance is clearly recognizable. The look of the headset is solid black with orange wires coiling through the headband and adjustable metal arms that join the earpieces, and a swing-down boom microphone is attached to one side. The actual earpieces can fold down, and are fairly large. You might feel that you would need a groovy set of roller-skates if you traipse around the house with them on your head, but most gamers remove their headsets when interacting with the outside world, so the large size can be forgiven.
What sets the Astro A50’s apart from the competition is the comfort they convey to the gamer. It is easy to forget that you have a headset on your head, and I have been able to play for hours with no annoying pressures or pains. With that comfort comes compatibility with 360, PS3 and PC, and a mix-amp that lets you adjust the levels of gameplay and voice along with being able to choose between 4 different EQ modes. The only minor difficulty is the control layout on the headset. The main volume can be tricky to find in a pinch, and the tap controls on the side of the headset can be questionable, but it is nice, however, to be able to mute your mic by just swinging it up.
At $299.99, the quality of the Astro A50’s comes with one of the highest price tags of all the headsets, but the ability to heighten the gaming experience with superior sound and comfort is well worth it. It becomes a joy to put them on, knowing that the experience you are about to have is close to perfection. Couple this headset with a great game, and the entertainment value rises to a level that easily justifies the price.
Major Similarities:
The setup is identical across both devices, with optical audio in and out ports feeding audio, while a USB port is there for charging. All of these are built into the stand, although the A50 has a tiny MixAmp device that acts as the mother brain that nestles into the base of the provided stand. The branding, logo placement, and packaging are all very slick. Neither have a quick-mute button, so good luck if you have to sneeze or the girlfriend is going to yell at you about playing Call of Duty until three in the morning and you don’t want your homies to hear your verbal beatdown.
They both take a few hours to fully charge and can last a dozen or more gaming sessions until needing more juice, although your experience may vary if you’re marathoning your way through GTAV. All cables are provided in the box and a nice set of quick setup instructions should keep things simple during the first few moments. Lastly, both units make audible beeps letting you know when you have reached either end of the audio spectrum, whether that is all game audio, all voice chat, or are right in the middle.
Major Differences:
The biggest difference between these two units is the sound capacity. The A50’s deliver some of the most authentic, engrossing, and impressive sound any headphone, gaming or otherwise, can produce. The Astro cans might look slightly more daunting, but they are sculpted expertly for optimal comfort. While both feature a little beep letting you know when you’re maxed out one side of the sound spectrum or the other, the PLYRs do the same for the overall volume level while the A50s do not. The A50 is large enough to actually go over your ears, while the PLYR go on-ear, meaning some might find the larger pad more comfortable for extended playing sessions. RM