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We have collected 3 reviews of the Sony DR-GA500. Experts rate Sony DR-GA500 5/10. Reviewsor.com helps you find reviews, best prices, user reviews of the Sony DR-GA500 and Sony Headsets.
Sony's DR-GA500 gaming headset is quite unlike anything we've seen before, with a sci-fi look possibly inspired by the high-tech orbital menus found in computer games. It's a credit to Sony that they feel light and comfortable, too - if you don't mind looking like you've got some sort of brain scanner perched on your head. Included with the headset is a Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoder, which can be connected to either a USB port or the 3.5mm analogue outputs on your soundcard. Although connecting a decoder to your soundcard may seem counterintuitive, its purpose is to transfer its surround output to those futuristic cans. We had our doubts about Sony's ability to deliver 7.1 sound when we realised that the headphones connect via a stereo 3.5mm jack, which is - naturally - only capable of delivering two channels of sound. But somewhere between the decoder and the headphones, Sony has just about got it to work. It's not quite the same effect you'd get from a proper 7.1 channel speaker system, but it's probably as close as you'll get from a stereo headset. Those all-important bad guys' footsteps seemed to come from behind us, and even ambient sound seemed richer.
For its first dabble into the world of gaming headsets, Sony has obviously released a '7.1' model—the ultimate marketing ploy that's sure to attract many an uninformed user. The DR-GA500 headset is basically the same as Sony's GA200 stereo headset, but with an added 3D surround sound effects module. Instead of repeating ourselves, we recommend you read our review of the GA200 for more information on the headset itself. Here, we'll just be outlining what the additional audio module brings to the GA500. To read about the headset's design, please go to our review of the GA200. Here, we'll just be reviewing the 3D surround sound module that comes with the GA500. This plastic box is about the size of a paperback novel, and is home to all the settings and connections needed for hooking the headset up to your PC. It has several sockets, but the module itself is designed to be connected to a computer via USB—a very popular connection for this type of headset. However, for some inexplicable reason, Sony has also decided to include five mini-jacks for direct connection to the computer's sound card, should you wish to do so.
Feel like you’re not completely immersed in your favorite FPS games? Sony aims to change that with their new DR-GA500 7.1 gaming headset. But does its sleek and sexy design try to cover up a mediocre sound? Upon first glance, you’ll notice that the design is anything but ordinary. Around each headphone are three separate foam pillows that encase your ear and rest on your head. This design is aimed at prolonged sessions to ensure maximum comfort. They aren't necessarily uncomfortable per se, but I found that this unique design just feels strange and doesn’t get better over time. The extra air flow it gets due to this design prevents ears from getting overly sweaty, which is nice. The one thing I loved was the fold away microphone which until I looked at the manual, didn’t even notice was there. The sound varies depending on how they’re used and what equipment you have which I’ll touch on later. They can be plugged in as standard headphones that have both a 40mm headphone jack and microphone jack. The sound is fairly high quality, but it doesn’t reach its full potential until the signal processing box is plugged in and configured.