Razer Headset RZ04-00720200-R3M1 Battlefield3 Razer BlackShark Gaming Retail

Kade7596

New Head-Fier
Pros: Price; build quality of everything but the cable; Kick-you-in-the-head bass; clear mids and highs with some tweaks
Cons: Low product availability -- may be hard to find; physically weak cord was somehow completely severed while left unattended.
I joined minutes ago JUST to leave a positive review of the Razer Blackshark headset to balance out the negative ones here... and the reason I joined to leave this review is that I just received the first headphones I've ever spent more than $100 on: V-MODA's Crossfade Wireless.
 
After reading so many reviews praising the Crossfade M-100 and Wireless's 'v-shaped sound' and 'powerful bass,' I was expecting something similar to or better than what I had in my Razer Blackshark Expert 2.0 headset before its cord was mysteriously severed on a vacation. My impression of the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless so far is that I'll never pay over $100 for headphones again. I had found the Blackshark headset for $60 refurbished and it was like new and even with the Crossfade Wireless now in-hand, I still miss the Blackshark headset and I should've replaced it for another $60 instead.
 
My Razer Blackshark headset wasn't the model pictured. Mine was the black, chrome, and green model called Razer Blackshark Expert 2.0. That model isn't already reviewed here, and the "Battlefield" model is just an aesthetic difference.
 
Now, despite what some of the other reviews here say of the Razer Blackshark headset, I wouldn't say the mids and highs are drowned out by the bass at all. In fact, all frequency ranges -- EQ'd to taste -- sounded more than clear enough while the bass remained the highlight of the headset's sound. I was using only a small, inexpensive portable amplifier (Sound Blaster E1). The detachable microphone's sound quality was also good (but not Blue-level excellent) according to VOIP listeners I spoke to and my own testing.
 
TL;DR: If you want the bass in your headphones to kick you in the head (something I appreciate), the Blackshark headset is perfect. I have yet to listen to headphones with stronger drivers... sadly.
 
Back to the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless as a frame of reference for the Blackshark headset... I won't say I'm entirely disappointed in them, but I will call them overpriced at anything more than $150. I paid $270 (10% off the $300 MSRP). The sound quality is, to my ear, not worth $200 more than the Blackshark headset I had just before these and I was VERY let down by the bass produced by the Crossfade's 50mm drivers. Naturally, I tried to amplify the bass using various EQ settings and 'bass boost' settings on the E1, but that just resulted in muddy distortion. I was unable to achieve the head-kicking bass of the Blackshark headset. This was part of a promotion wherein I also received a "free" BoomPro microphone (which I am also not entirely happy with; the mic's 'boom' arm is a bit too short and doesn't hold its position well) as well as 3D printed custom ear cup 'shields.' The shields are nice and should always be included in the MSRP of $300. Outside of this promotion, I'm pretty sure V-MODA charges extra for 3D printed shields.
 
Val really sold the whole 'artisan audiophile' thing in interviews, here on Head-Fi, elsewhere, etc. and so I gambled with my $300. I wish I weren't disappointed in the bass, but I am. Very much so. They just aren't as powerful as the drivers in Razer's Blackshark Expert 2.0 headset and no amount of amplification gets them there. At this point, I'm dying to be proven wrong because I love the build quality and aesthetic of the Crossfade Wireless headphones as well as the Bluetooth capability to a lesser extent (any headset can be made Bluetooth wireless)... If someone wants to convince me that I the Crossfade Wireless just need a stronger amplifier, I'm willing to be reasoned with... but the fact that they 'hit their limit' and became muddy and distorted at high volume with the bass cranked up via EQ + amplifier leaves me difficult to convince.

#!~Kade
Dallagen
Dallagen
I recommend trying out the Phillips X2s

peperico

New Head-Fier
Pros: nice deep bass, clear middles, mediocre tops
Cons: can feel tight if you have large ears, needed a bit of care initially
overall, a decent piece of kit for 90 pounds. fairs good in games (i find the noise cancelling mic great, others say they hear me very very clearly, all the time) but finds true love with music. running off computer with sound blaster zxr's and well pleased with clarity and all-roundness. can't compare with my akg k712's - but hey, the k712 pro is in a league of it's own and never leaves my house :cool:

ccaian

New Head-Fier
Pros: Sexy, somewhat comfortable, good mic.
Cons: Sound
The sound for these cans suck. Without any eq settings, the bass clearly overpowers the mids and highs. I tried lowering the lower frequencies, but what I got was even worse. The mids and highs sounded distorted and lack some serious detail. It also sounded wrong, listening to my favourite songs made me sick. It is like it wasn't balanced or something, and the mids and highs sounded really weird and is extremely harsh. It also has that really bloated sound. I can't explain it too well, you'll have to get it yourself and try it out. 
 
Overall I think its best to stick to gaming with these headphones, cause its absolutely rubbish with music.
streetdragon
streetdragon
Are these even any good for gaming? That HD598 in your profile picture would do a lot better in terms of competitive gaming. (except for the mic part)
OmarSy
OmarSy
Lol no, these are horrid with gaming.
The 598's have a professional and classy timeless look while the blacksharks really are just a gimmick.
0/10 wouldn't even game with.
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