Razer Intros Battlefield 3 BlackShark Gaming Headset

[btarunr]

Razer, the world leader in high-performance gaming hardware, today announced the addition of a custom headset to its Collector’s Edition gaming peripheral suite. Inspired by tactical aviator headsets and armed with total audio immersion, the Razer BlackShark delivers the full force aural intensity of Battlefield 3, EA and DICE’s military shooter masterwork, the fastest-selling game in EA history.

Battlefield 3 is the most physical, dynamic and progressive shooter experience on the market. Now with the Razer BlackShark, gamers will be able to take to the skies feeling like a genuine attack helicopter pilot with complete circumaural ear cups designed to facilitate an authentic auditory in-game experience. Razer’s superior sound-isolating technology blocks out undesirable ambient noises and, for moments of truce, the Razer BlackShark comes with a detachable boom microphone for use on-the-go.



“The Razer BlackShark is a PC gaming headset with crisp audio and booming bass that is built for a highly intense shooter like Battlefield 3,” said Robert ‘RazerGuy’ Krakoff, president of Razer USA. “It lets you hear the gunfire, the explosions and the thunderous roar of the jets, as if you were in the heat of the battle. Designed based on headsets sported by real attack helicopter pilots, no serious soldiers on the frontlines of Battlefield 3 should be without their Razer BlackShark.”

About the Razer BlackShark Gaming Headset:
With an exclusive Battlefield 3 design, the Razer BlackShark brings forth extreme comfort for long, extended missions and top-notch sound isolation. The leatherette sealant of the headset’s ear cups cancels out unwanted ambient noise and allows players to focus on the battle audio and tactical radio chatter of the game. The amazing design of the Razer BlackShark can be showcased wherever one goes thanks to the detachable boom microphone for added portability. The Razer BlackShark Gaming Headset is a vital resource for the dynamic and intense auditory demands of the military shooter, Battlefield 3.

Price: US $129.99 / EU €129.99

Availability:
Razerzone.com – July 2012
Worldwide – July 2012

Headphones features:

• Exclusive Battlefield 3 design
• Stereo sound with enhanced bass
• Sound-isolating circumaural ear cup design
• Detachable boom microphone for voice chat or added mobility
• Audio/Mic splitter adapter cable
• Memory foam leatherette ear cushions for maximum comfort
• 40mm neodymium magnet stereo drivers
• Technical Specifications:
  o Drivers: 40mm neodymium magnets with copper-clad aluminum voice coil
  o Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz
  o Impedance: 29 Ω
  o Sensitivity @ 1KHz: 105dB ± 3 dB
  o Input power: 50mW
• Cable: 1.3m / 4.3ft rubber sheathed + 1m / 3.3ft audio/mic splitter adapter
• Connector: 3.5 mm gold-plated audio + mic combined jack

Microphone:

• Frequency response: 50Hz – 16KHz
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 50dB
• Sensitivity @ 1KHz: -37 dB +/- 4dB
• Pick-up pattern: Unidirectional

For more information, visit the product page.

[Tannhäuser]

That is a refreshing new design - VERY nice! But they should have chosen the 50mm drivers. :/

[digibucc]

i do like that design - but i could never spend $100+ on branded cans.

[Kreij]

I like the design but they should have gone with something other than "leatherette" for the ear pads. Gets kind of warm.

[tacosRcool]

why so expensive?

[FreedomEclipse]

Originally Posted by tacosRcool

why so expensive?

because they need to pay royalties to EA for allowing them to use the BF3 name on their products.




(uhh - hnnng)

[Sp33d Junki3]

I love the look of it. Very retro and the colors suit it.
But would never buy it.

[seronx]

I like the steampunk DIY look for the microphone

[lyndonguitar]

looks cool but for some reason I don't like games' names or titles to be put on my devices. that includes the keyboards and mice.

[Fourstaff]

Originally Posted by tacosRcool

why so expensive?

Depending on how good it actually is, it can either be "soo expensive!" or "omg damn cheap"

Waiting for reviews.

[Rowsol]

I know I'd get a pair of audio technica m50 over this...

[erocker]

Originally Posted by digibucc

i do like that design - but i could never spend $100+ on branded cans.

Agreed.. I'd buy them if they didn't have some game banded on them. I think they look great and I'd put out some money to try them out.

I especially like the cabling.

[cadaveca]

MY $20 Sony MDR-XD200's have better specs? These looks nicer by far though!

[manofthem]

Originally Posted by tacosRcool

why so expensive?

Originally Posted by FreedomEclipse

because they need to pay royalties to EA for allowing them to use the BF3 name on their products.

And because they are a Razer product, always expensive

[Fourstaff]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

MY $20 Sony MDR-XD200's have better specs? These looks nicer by far though!

Since when did we start comparing specs on earphones?

Originally Posted by erocker

I especially like the cabling.

I like that too, oldskool cabling is always the best

Reminds of of Sony MDR-V6 and Sennheiser HD25-II

[THE_EGG]

Yuck looks like they found it in a long lost WW2 bunker or something.

That's only my opinion though. I have also found (at the cost of my own hard-earned money) that getting one decent set of headphones is better than getting a gaming headset. But only if the headphones are decent because usually they will sound tinny in games and if you turn the base up you will get vibrations and distortion.

[Dippyskoodlez]

“It lets you hear the gunfire, the explosions and the thunderous roar of the jets, as if you were in the heat of the battle. Designed based on headsets sported by real attack helicopter pilots, no serious soldiers on the frontlines of Battlefield 3 should be without their Razer BlackShark.”

Unless they come with a fist that punches you in the side of the head whenever you fire, I'll be using my Sennheisers

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by Fourstaff

Since when did we start comparing specs on earphones?

Since impedence and frequency response matter?

[Dippyskoodlez]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

Since impedence and frequency response matter?

Wait, these things make noise? I thought they were decorative.

About all its useful for, atleast

[XNine]

I really like the whole look to them, save for the BF logo on the top (and yes, I'm I play BF3 like a crackhead). The thumbscrews and overall look is pretty sexy.

Wonder how they perform? Anyone here doing a review on them?

[Tannhäuser]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

Since impedence and frequency response matter?

Impedancy doesn't say anything about the sound quality.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by Tannhäuser

Impedancy doesn't say anything about the sound quality.

A speaker is an electrical circuit. Combined with the strength of the magnet, voice coil size and type (including number of winds), cone shape and makeup, it matters. The "specs" don't reveal the full capability, but they can be very very important.





Yeha, the physical make up of a headphone, it doesn't matter.

[Tannhäuser]

Dude, I know this. But the spec in the impedancy-department ALONE doesn't say ANYTHING! So it doesn't matter! It's like the "Up to 600 ohm to deliver professional studio-headphones" on the marketing side at Creative Labs, selling their Recon 3D Sound Blaster-Card with sentences like these. It means nearly nothing.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by Tannhäuser

Dude, I know this. But the spec in the impedancy-department ALONE doesn't say ANYTHING! So it doesn't matter! It's like the "Up to 600 ohm to deliver professional studio-headphones" on the marketing side at Creative Labs, selling their Recon 3D Sound Blaster-Card with sentences like these. It means nearly nothing.

Nearly nothing, yes. You need all of teh info, including the enclosure shape, etc...not a simple thing, for sure.


The big thing about impedence, for me, really, is it can tell you how large of an amp you need to properly push the cans. Some on-board PC audio just isn't capable of properly driving a lot of cans.

I play electric guitar, like 35 years now. My life is spent on tweaking amp design and creating speaker break-up. Any guitartist that gets into the "Quest for Tone" will do the same thing.

The specs don't reveal all...sure. BUt more than half the info given already is jsut that...specs.

[Tannhäuser]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

The big thing about impedence, for me, really, is it can tell you how large of an amp you need to properly push the cans. Some on-board PC audio just isn't capable of properly driving a lot of cans.

Yeah, but ... come on. We're talking about equipment for gamers. This Razer-thing comes with an impedancy-spec around 30. My Sennheiser PC350 goes at 150 Ω - which is a huge value on this sector. And even for that an onboard-solution is enough (I guess). (Should be doing some researching for the specs of a Realtek-chip now ...)