Good Day,
Finally my Penrose X was cleared from customs and I have tested it with a XBOX X Series during last weekend. I also have the PS version for my PS5 but havent tested too much. Before giving my brief opinions I have to say the following so as to establish a correct background for my words:
1.- I am a gamer more than 30 years, but now, due to work, I dont have too much time to play. So, everyday (and really not everyday) I dont play more than two and a half hours.
2.- My "playing room" is really small (3x2 meters) with all sort of signals because in the same large desk I have a PS5, XBOX X Series, Receiver with eleven speakers and a subwoofer, TV Decoder, a NAS, two PCs (one Notebook), ISP Modem, a Router, a Bluray Player, and Alexa system with all of the items mentioned attached to her. All I have said is not for listing what I have, but to establish that the radial interference is really dense here.
3.- Before buying Penroses, for my XBOX X Series I was using an Astro 50 Last Gen and for my PS5 a PS Platinum Headset.
Having said that, my humble opinions are the following:
1.- Talking about quality, Penrose put both, Astro and PS Headset to shame. I now can listen in games sounds I didnt know existed. Quality is superb.
2.- Wireless range is awful. Within my room no problem. But putting one step out of the room the signal is lost and I began listening "Conected" every two seconds. With my Astro 50 there was no problem walking across all my Department with only some specific spots losing signal.
3.- Head band makes a significant amount of preassure in my head and speakers in my ears. I thought it would be worse, but after two hours of gameplay I feel a little pain in my ears.
4.- Mix Chat with Penrose X is AWFUL. You have to press the Mic Dial and then, after releasing it, turn the dial. But is too difficult to set a correct position and soon you realize that you are changing Mic volume (done without pressing Dial ) instead of Mix Chat. Also I have a problem using Mix Chat. After pressing MIC Dial I dont know why but other players listen to me but I dont listen them. I have to turn off the Headphone to be back to normal. I dont know if someone else have this issue, buy I solved it using Mix Chat in Bluetooth mode with Audeze Phone app. But again, the problem doing that is the fact that the app is too slow...I mean response time is really slow...maybe due to Bluetooth connection.
5.- About Mic...no problems at all. Even friends told me they listen me more clear now than before using Astro 50.
6.- I know is a fact of personal taste but I hate Mics like the Penrose one. They are so bulky, they tend to bend, etc. I really prefer the Astro 50 one which is stiff and lifting it up mute the headphone and protect the MIC.
7.- Making calls while playing is great. But I agree there is need to be able to separate both volumes. I know there is a Firmware coming with that...hope it will be well done. But also you have to mute the Party, so as no to be listened while talking by phone, and with the X Series is a bit difficult to mute party...and then, after talking, you forget you are muted, Why not muting autimatically Party while making a Call and after finished unmute automatically again?
8.- Finally about HICs, CRACKs, etc...no problem at all. Only when navigating XBOX Interfase I listen them, but during gameplay nothing, so thats not problem for me.
Hope all of above can be useful to others. In summary I am happy with Penrose, but I agree with others...is a "gem" not polished.
