Go louder with superior sound with Steelseries latest elite gaming audio headset, the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro.

Coming in two versions, wired or wireless, STG received the wired model for this review.

The Arctis Nova Pro is a full over head headphone with an amplifier and GameDAC builtin on the very lengthy cabling.

The GameDac is Steelseries second gen and removes any distortion and accurately filters your audio, whether it is on the battlefield, game chat or even media like music or entertainment streaming and boosts it up to around 78% purity.

This is true for the noise cancelling boom mic which uses A.I. to adjust for environmental sound clutter.

The GameDac has 10 EQ settings that you can switch between to find your suited sound to either your preference or the game you are currently in. This can be done on the fly.

To test, I used the Arctis Nova Pro while playing Call of Duty Vanguard. Pausing the game and plugging in another late model wired gaming headset and continued playing.

Yup Steelseries are on point. The audio difference was very noticeable. Not only did it all tone down, the level of clarity dropped and it was the likes of going back to mono.

Plugging the Arctis Nova Pro back in again and continuing with my COD exploits was candy for my ears. To the likes of playing a game at the cinema (without a mega huge screen of course).

Trying a few other games, Borderlands 3, God of War on PC was magic.

Writing about the audio prowess of the Arctis Nova Pro doesn’t even get close to the experience of it.

Audio resolution is bolstered to a pleasing 96KHz / 24-Bit. We all know that screen resolution is paramount when it comes to gaming – but as Steelseries have proved, so is audio.

To really maximise the experience I do recommend you use the SteelSeries Sonar Audio Software Suite.

This will give you 360 spatial sound. Similar to Sony’s 3D Audio.

It’s not a reverb or echo effect, it instead really does immerse your senses in to the soundscape. Need to hear if someone is creeping up behind you – you sure will with the Arctis Nova Pro.

Want to feel those explosions – prepare to be blown away.

The Arctis Nova Pro can be used on PC, PlayStation 4 or 5 and Nintendo Switch and is especially designed for Xbox. The Quarry on PlayStation 5 had never sounded so cinematic before and my go-to fav Grimm Dawn on Xbox Series X got a lot more addictive.

As always your audio source will mostly reflect the output – however, the Arctis Nova Pro will maximise and elevate the sound on whichever device you use it on.

Excellent on PC and PlayStation and while the headset did ramp up the sound on the Switch, this fared less overall. To reap the full benefits of the Arctis Nova Pro use the USB connection.

There is currently no other gaming headset that can be compared to the Arctis Nova Pro.

It’s the equivalent of an expensive multi-speaker, multi-channel set up on your ears. as the 40mm drivers inside each ear cup boom out the soundscape as you play.

Unleash gaming audio as it’s meant to be, hear your game as it was meant to be heard and submerse yourself on to the battlefield.

The post Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro Gaming Headset Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

As excitement ramps up for the next generation of games consoles players across the globe are awaiting the sizeable audio developments that Sony and Microsoft are preparing for their upcoming consoles. What many are calling ‘Audio Ray-Tracing’, spatial audio will simulate game soundscapes in a fully realised 3D virtual space. Drown’s new tactile earphones are able to deliver this next-generation sound experience for players today.

Sony has announced its Tempest Engine, a unique hardware chip inside the PS5 that maps players’ ear and head shape for an optimal spatial audio experience. Microsoft are similarly pushing for ‘audio ray-tracing’ in their upcoming Xbox Series X. But why wait until the end of the year to get closer to your favourite games?

We have the pleasure of re-introducing a world first: the tactile earphones from Drown Ltd. These one-of-a-kind earphones use tactile transmission of audio waves to deliver a fully immersive gaming experience, giving players the power to perceive their in-game surrounding as if it were a real-life physical space, and delivering precise spatial awareness that gives gamers the edge they need to dominate during play.

How does it work? Drown is proud to be the world’s first audio platform to use all three audio pathways to players’ brains for deeply enhanced audio realism. Using patented waveguide technology, sound is guided to the ear canal without reflection in the outer ear, providing a fully immersive sound unlike any other.

While over-the-ear headphones lose fidelity because of the distance between the speaker and the ear, Drown transmits the acoustic vibrations directly to the nerves and cartilage in your pinnae, enriching the bass and the overall sound quality.

This technology will be one of the key features that defines the next generation of console gaming. Drown is giving players the chance to experience the power of spatial audio today.

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The post Drown Audio Tactile Earphones Deliver Next-Gen 3D Audio appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony has revamped their EXTRA BASS wireless speaker line up with the addition of the SRS-XB12, SRS-XB22 and SRS-XB32 portable speakers.

Feel the deep and punchy bass sound with the popular EXTRA BASS series of speakers from Sony. The XB22 and XB32 have dual passive radiators which work together with stereo full range speakers to enhance low-end tones and give bass a boost, despite the compact size. The XB12 uses a single passive radiator to achieve a similar effect.

SRS XB12

With LIVE SOUND mode now available on the XB22 and XB32, you can enjoy a three-dimensional music experience as if you were at a live venue. LIVE SOUND mode expands the service area of the sound via angled speakers and Digital Signal Processing technology, producing three-dimensional sound which puts you in the thick of the music as if you were at a music festival. The range is ideal for hip-hop, dance and rap music lovers with bass at the heart of their music taste.

Thanks to the easy-to-grab design and a built-in accelerometer, the XB22 and XB32 feature a Party Booster.

SRS XB22

The speakers react when you tap them and create unique lighting and sound effects. Customise your party with voice control, a new style motion control feature and an interactive party light. Simply select ‘Party Lights’ in the Fiestable app to light up your phone in time to the music to recreate the live concert atmosphere via your smartphone. Turn any venue into a party with the improved multi-colour line lighting on the XB32. With multiple colours and flashing strobe lighting effects, the XB32 gives the party a club atmosphere by syncing the lights to the beat of
the music you love.

Make it personal and customise these party functions via the Fiestable app. The XB22 also comes with single colour line lighting to liven up the party.

SRS XB32

The speakers have an IP67 rating which means that they are resistant to water and dust. The XB12 has a rubber-like coating while the XB22 and XB32 pair this coating with a washable fabric. This makes your speaker completely party proof. The XB32 and XB22 are also rustproof and shockproof so there is nothing to stop you from enjoying your music to the maximum in any location. With a new range of colours, you can party in style.

The speakers have a long battery life of up to 24 hours and a portable and compact design with a carry handle, so your music can follow you anywhere.

The XB32 can even charge your smartphone, so there’s no excuse to stop the party.

So, party on Garth!

The post Sony Go Loud at CES 2019 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.