Ok guys, here is the Razer Blackshark V2 review. Took me awhile since I was swamped with quite a few things at the same time, and this review actually managed to push the Focal Elex and Vali 2+ reviews back a bit. In any case, here it is. I'm not all that happy with some things, like imaging and soundstage sections, but what you see is what you get.
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Razer Blackshark V2
$99
Where To Buy:
Amazon,
Best Buy
Disclaimer: I'll be real with you guys. I wasn't planning on reviewing this one. Not because it's bad (it's actually a pretty solid headset), but more because I know audiophiles, and I know that the regulars here on Head-fi don't have much, if any interest in gaming headsets that aren't done by the audiophile-centric companies. Razer is far from an audio oriented company, so I don't expect much interest in this review. That being said, there are two things that made me decide to go on and write the review. One being that this unit was on loan from a close IRL friend who isn't an audiophile and wanted to know my thoughts on it. Two being that, while most of you guys aren't going to be interested, I still feel this is a pretty good choice for a closed gaming headset, and definitely worth looking into.
So this review is for him, and those that don't have any pre-conceived notions or biases. Neither Razer nor any other company was involved here. This was done entirely on my own volition, mainly as a thank you to a friend for lending them out to me.
As always, whether products are sent to me or not, I do my best in being 100% honest with my views and opinions. If I don't like a product, I will refuse to write a review of it, or at the very least mention what I don't like about them, though I like to focus on products that people would like or at the very least are interested in. The only bias I have is to my readers. No one, Razer or otherwise, paid or asked me for anything.
Intro
Ah, the Razer Blackshark V2 (I'll just call it the V2 henceforth). Something different for once. For the better part of a few years, I've mainly been doing reviews for upcoming products or recently released products. It's been a long time since I've written about something that falls outside of that. The V2 was something I mainly looked into because, while I have an Audeze Penrose on hand, I wanted something a little more comfortable, cheaper, and could be used with my gear. The Penrose is mainly best used as a wireless headset. The Penrose also uses faux leather pads, and I miss having pads that are fabric/cloth or anything that isn't a leather variant.
A close friend of mine bought this unit for $50 (I'm wondering if the Best Buy employee accidentally charged him for a V2 X instead), and I have to say with full confidence, the Blackshark V2 is a downright STEAL at that price. NOW, when looking into the Blackshark V2, you have to make absolutely certain that it's the V2. Not the V2 X, which sounds like it would be a better version, but is actually a CHEAPER/INFERIOR model, which isn't the same as the V2. Razer, why did you name your cheaper model nearly the same as the superior model but with an X attached? Most people will think the X means BETTER. Please learn how to utilize X effectively in the future.
So yes, this is a review of the Blackshark V2, NOT the V2 X, or the V2 Pro. The easiest way to identify them is that the V2 will have the Green Razer logo on the cups, with the cable being black. The V2 X has the logo in GREY/Black while the cable is GREEN. Then there's the V2 Pro, which is the wireless version of the V2, even though the logo is NOT Green, sigh. If it sounds confusing, blame Razer.
Again, we're looking at the V2, NOT the V2 X or V2 Pro. Get it? Great. I can't attest to the performance of the V2 X or V2 Pro, so look into those at your own risk. I won't be mentioning them on this review.
Anyways, I asked my friend if I could use the Blackshark V2 for a few weeks, to see if it was worth mentioning on my guide. I would say, yes. Yes it is. I recently purchased a Philips SHP9600 because I expected them to be a better alternative. It wasn't. The SHP9600 is one of the most disappointing headphones I have heard in a long time. I'd gladly take the Blackshark V2 over it any day of the week. The SHP9600 was returned, and now I'm considering getting my own pair of V2s.
I'm far from a Razer fanboy (I own nothing else that's Razer branded), but I have to say, they have a winner here in the V2. Enough spoilers.
Build and Comfort
For a relatively budget gaming headset, I honestly wouldn't have expected much. In fact, I expected a cheap feeling, fragile unit that'd likely crumble with any sort of moderate abuse. To my completely amazement, I find the V2 to be incredibly well built, to the point I'm ashamed so many audiophile grade headphones feel like toys next to the V2s. I mean, don't get me wrong, there's a lack of weight to the unit, and materials used are mainly plastics, but I feel confident in saying if I abused the V2 with wild abandon, I wouldn't doubt them surviving with much of an issue.
The design and aesthetics of the V2 seem out of place from what I would've expected from Razer. I'm used to seeing their products attempt to stand out in sometimes garish, overly aggressive ways. Outside of some green accents on the cables leads into the headband from the cups, the V2 is quite utilitarian. It's almost bland in terms of standing out from the most basic of headsets, and I have to say, I LIKE it. It's a black headset, with only the green Razer logo and previously mentioned green cables that make the V2 stand out as a Razer product. Good on you, Razer. I like how subdued the V2 is.
Headband:
I love the headband on the V2. It doesn't feel like much. Very little in the way of weight or material here, and that makes it wonderful. The top side is some form of fake leather with a nice stitch job, and Razer etched on top.
On the bottom side that touches your head, the foam padding feels very airy, and far from dense. It merely rests on your head, leaving absolutely no hotspotting. It may not feel like a build quality marvel, but sometimes less is more. And in the case of the headband, this is among the best I have EVER felt. I find it shameful that so many companies use so many lavish materials and padding, yet their comfort levels are a far cry from something as simple as the V2's headband.
On each end of the headband are simple plastic pieces where the green cables that come from the cups go into. They don't stick out one way or another, and that's ok. The green cables are wrapped in fabric, which is a nice touch, that makes the V2 seem more premium than they are.
Now one thing I need to speak at length about is the yokes and extension mechanism. The cups merely slide up and down two thin bars on each side. There are no extension indicators here. There is very little friction as you adjust for your head size. This may sound cheap, but I have to say I really like how simple and easy to use this design is. Time will tell how long it'd hold up, and if it could potentially lose all friction, leaving the cups to loosely slide up and down these simple thin bars. Not that they will, but I can't be certain here. The act of moving the cups and down is painless and near effortless. Points for ease of use, with a huge caveat in that it may not hold up forever.
Cups:
The simple, black, plastic cups don't seem to have much in the way of density, keeping the V2 lightweight. While they don't feel substantial and weighty, they seem well built and should protect the drivers just fine. The left cup houses all the functions and controls on the V2.
On the center bottom of the left cup is the volume knob which I feel is easy to adjust. The volume control has a stop at the lowest volume, midway point, and full volume output. I didn't hear any channel imbalances at the lowest volume levels, which is great. I didn't use the volume knob much as I used the one on my amplifiers instead, and left the V2's volume knob maxed out.
On the backside near the main cable on the bottom of the left cup is a mic mute button, which you can press in to mute and depress to unmute. On the front side of the bottom near the cup in a 3.5mm mic input for the included, detachable boom mic. The input is a tad recessed and D-shaped so as to allow mainly just the boom mic to be inserted here. I attempted to use a Penrose and Mobius boom mic but they fit loosely, and not very secured. I'd advise against using anything other than the one included on the V2.
Ear Pads:
The ear pads seem to be made of a neoprene-like material that Razer labels as "Flowknit memory foam - Our new breathable weave minimizes sweat and heat build-up generated by skin contact, while the ultra-soft foam’s improved density greatly reduces the headset’s clamping force."
Whatever they are or use, I have to agree with Razer's marketing here. These are some of the most breathable pads I've ever felt on a closed headphone or headset. They're also very soft, and while I don't agree that the foam is very dense (it's not), it's very, VERY comfortable.
The driver cover is made up of soft foam as well, while I don't expect too many people to take issues with your ears bottoming out and touching the driver cover, it is very comfortable to the touch.
Clamping Force:
The V2 is more less what I'd consider moderately low in clamping force. They aren't going to slide off your head. They feel secure enough without any feeling of real clamp. Once again, top notch levels of comfort here that would put other manufacturers to shame. That being said, these were already worn in prior to my own testing, so out of the box experience might be a little different from my own.
Cable:
The black, fabric covered cable terminates into a right angled 3.5mm TRRS plug (audio/mic channels). This means you'll need a headset splitter if you wanna use the V2 with an amplifier or regular headphone jacks that don't include mic channels. The cable itself is generous in length (6 ft). It's one of the better cables I've used from recent memory, though it is unfortunately not detachable. Razer, please get with the times, and include detachable cables on your headsets.
Weight:
Per Razer, the V2 weighs in at 262g. From personal use, I'd say the V2 weighs practically nothing when worn. You simply forget they're on. In terms of weight, that's about the greatest praise you can give to any headphone. It is simply one of the lightest feeling, full sized headphones I've ever experienced.
Final Build and Comfort Impressions:
Does the V2 feel cheap on the hand? Due to how lightweight it is, some may come to that conclusion. However, I feel the nips and tucks made to make the V2 were the right call. I personally feel they have a good build quality, and don't give me the impression they'll break from normal use.
While the V2 isn't going to win any awards in terms of build quality and materials used, it is absolutely one of the best headsets I have ever used in terms of weight, clamping force, and ear pad breathability. If weight and comfort is a top priority for you, you don't need to look elsewhere, the Blackshark V2 is a headset you can wear all day, with very little in the way of discomfort. They're that good.
Accessories
Note: As these were on loan without packaging or extra goodies, I can only go off what I see on product page and what I have on hand.
The Blackshark V2 includes a carrying pouch, the detachable boom microphone with foam piece attached, and the USB soundcard cable.
Carrying Pouch - I did not have the pouch on hand at the time of the review, but I would expect it to be like most pouches, meaning it'll be great for when you're transporting the headset and its goodies from one location to another, but don't expect any major protection.
Detachable mic - The microphone has a fairly thick, slightly flexible cable, though it doesn't hold its shape as some of the better detachable mics out there. Still, it shouldn't pose much of a problem here.
USB soundcard - The soundcard is in the shape of a cable adapter, and works as well as you'd expect. You simply plug the headset cable to the soundcard's 3.5mm combo audio/mic input, and connect the USB to your PC. Works well in a pinch if you have a really bad onboard headphone jack, though I wouldn't replace a proper dac/amp with it, unless you really want to utilize Razer Synapse and its functions. One thing worthy of note, is that the USB soundcard DOES work on the Playstation 5. However, it doesn't have enough power through the PS5 to even drive the Blackshark V2 to adequate volume levels (the V2 through the controller's headphone jack is louder). The only way I see this as a benefit is if you have an external amp that you connect to the headphone jack on the USB soundcard. Not exactly ideal, but at least it will bypass connecting through the controller which has to transmit audio through bluetooth. Still, I don't see many instance where someone interested in a Blackshark V2 will also have a dedicated amplifier just for this situation. Stranger things have been done, I guess.
Noise Control
The V2 as a closed back headset does a well at passive noise isolation. It ain't the very best I've heard in either keeping noise in or external noise out (it isn't anywhere near an actively noise cancelling headphone), but should be a great performer for most people with realistic needs for passive noise attenuation. In terms of noise leak, someone next to you will barely hear what you're listening to, but anyone with some distance won't hear much of anything. You won't have to worry about leak especially with a door between you and the next person. As for external noises, as long as you're a moderate volume listener, you won't be disturbed by most external influence, outside of things that will need specialized noise controlling headphones.
Software/Soundcard
I'll be real with you guys in saying that outside of testing purposes, I did not use the soundcard, the software, or any combination of either. I mainly used the V2 with the Schiit Hel 2, as that was all the dac/amp I needed for it. I prefer to keep things simple, and only look for things in software that add virtual surround if possible. I was mainly interested in the THX spatial audio, but came away disappointed with it, leaving the usb sound card useless for my use case. For the sake of the review, I'll breakdown the parts of the Razer Synapse software that pertains to the Blackshark V2.
As you plug the USB soundcard to your PC, the Razer Synapse software will install itself (as well as update). For some reason, two sound devices will appear: Razer USB Soundcard, and THX Spatial Audio. If you want to utilize the software to the fullest, you'll want to use THX Spatial Audio as the sound device (even if you're not exactly using THX Spatial Audio).
Opening Razer Synapse, you'll note that the sound card will be named as Razer USB Sound Card. On the top of the program, you'll have 3 sections: Synapse, Audio, Profiles. I'll be focusing on what matters here, Audio, so select that. Under the Audio section you have a few other sections: Sound, Mixer, Enhancement, Mic. Don't worry too much about Sound, as it's mainly a redundant volume slider, a link to the windows volume mixer (also redundant), and on the right side is sound properties. Here, you can select a device to fall back on if you disconnect the usb sound card.
The areas of the software you'll want to focus on is Mixer, Enhancement, and Mic.
Mixer - Here is where you can toggle THX Spatial Audio on/off. You can have it set to Auto and Manual which allows you to select which preset of spatial audio you want per application, games, and programs.
The Presets are Game, Movie, and Music, as well as whatever custom preset you've created. Personally, I found THX Spatial Audio to not exactly work anywhere near as well as any of my other favorite surround dsps like Dolby Headphone, Waves NX, Creative SBX, Sennheiser GSX, Redscape Audio, etc. If anything, I felt THX Spatial Audio did next to nothing other than mess up audio fidelity with no benefit to positional awareness.
Enhancement - Here you'll have the options for Bass Boost, Sound Normalization, and Voice Clarity (from incoming communications, not your mic).
You'll also find the 10-band Audio Equalizer Here with 4 presets, as well as a Custom preset. You'll have a range between -12 and +12db. Plenty to tune to your preferences.
Mic - Here you can adjust your microphone with various settings.
Starting with the 'Microphone' section which allows you to adjust: Mic Volume, Mic Boost, Voice Gate, Mic Preview (to test your mic). You'll also have a section titled Enhancements where you can select: Voice Normalization, Vocal Clarity, and Ambient Noise Reduction.
Mic Equalizer - Here you can equalize the mic's output as low as 125hz up to 6khz with 4 presets, as well as a custom preset. You can adjust down or up 5db.
Mic Monitoring (Sidetone) - Here you can adjust the volume of mic monitoring or turn it off completely.
Final Software Impressions:
The bundled software that comes with the usb sound card is perfectly adequate, and usable with a variety of options. Unfortunately, there was nothing I needed from it, and immediately unplugged the soundcard, using my own gear with the V2 instead. Still, for those just starting out, the Blackshark V2 works very well with its included sound card, though with the exception of a few settings like mic monitoring, you may find it unnecessary if you like to keep it simple. There's already so many other programs you likely use with their own suite of features that makes this USB soundcard's software somewhat redundant. You can consider the software supplemental, and not necessarily essential.
Sound
I honestly didn't expect much out of the V2 in terms of sound quality. Let me clarify. Razer makes really good products. Thing is, Razer's best products tend to be quite costly. The Blackshark V2 at $100 is on their budget-side of products, which I don't think many people would expect much out of. I certainly would've expected Razer to at least double the cost for this kind of performance. Not that the V2 is competitive at $200 (it's not quite up there), but that Razer would've probably priced it that high anyways.
So imagine my surprise in finding that not only is the V2 a very competent headset, it's actually a good one, and extremely competitive at its price point. The Blackshark V2 sounds great. I may have mentioned this before, but I'd take this over a Philips SHP9600 any day of the week. It just sounds much better to my ears. Let's break it down.
Bass:
As a huge company with many gamer oriented products, one would expect Razer to target the mass market with its sound signature. That usually means, bass is gonna be an important target to hit. It needs to feel big, robust, and impactful. The problem is that many headset makers tend to go overboard in the bass department, which greatly ruins their headset's chances at being good enough for competitive play, and lacking in overall bass clarity.
Thankfully, the V2 has a really great bass section. It doesn't exactly go super deep (it does go deep, but doesn't focus much on the very low end), but has a good sense of impact and speed. It's more mid to high bass energy, less low end rumble. This means the bass will better compliment competitive gaming without losing much of the musicality and fun aspects that bass brings to gaming. There isn't much in terms of atmospheric rumble or omnipotent presence. It's better at the dynamics and moment to moment impact.
There's enough to give the sound some weight, without feeling bloated or congested. The fun factor of the V2's bass is relatively high, though not as immersive as headphones that target lower bass ranges. I'd say the quantity of the mid to upper bass feels nearly spot on (if just a little more in the upper range than neutral), with equally great quality relative to how much of there is.
The V2 isn't a basshead-level headset, and it's all the more better for it. It has just enough here to satisfy people who enjoy bass, without overstepping and detracting from the other ranges. Razer did a great job here. Very fun without being overwhelming. Something along the lines of neutral bass plus a slight sprinkling of emphasis in mid to upper bass sections.
As far as frequency tests go (as to how I personally hear them, and aren't indicative of any graphs), you can hear the driver working even at 20hz, though it's not a particularly rumble-centric bass output. The bass volume really starts to climb at about 85hz and up. As stated earlier, the Blackshark V2's bass mainly excels in mid to upper bass.
That being said, there is a bit of bass distortion/ringing, not sure if it's the driver or the reflection from the cups, but through frequency testing, it can be heard up to near 300hz. It's an absolute non-issue with normal use so I wouldn't worry about hearing it otherwise.
Overall, I think the bass output and speed on the V2 is great, and perhaps even excellent, while quality is decent if not particularly amazing. While I generally prefer a headphone with more focus on the lower end of bass ranges, as opposed to the mid and high ranges (which is where the V2 mainly sticks to), I can still appreciate the snappier, less atmospheric bass, especially for a gaming headset. You ask anyone else, they'll likely tell you that's the better way to do bass if you're gonna put focus on any ranges.
Midrange to Treble:
The midrange and treble sections on the Blackshark V2 can be described mainly as neutral in forwardness, with very little in terms of dips, but with a few peaks that give the V2 a strong upper range presence. The low midrange past the bass is generally about as balanced in forwardness as I would expect from a neutral/flat headphone. It's not intimate or forward, and there isn't a lot of depth or space between you and the sound either. A good balance that doesn't specifically mask any particular details with steep dips, though it definitely highlights and enhances certain ranges. The upper ranges do have some noticeable peaks at around 3.5khz, 6khz, and near 10khz, which come off a bit hot with a bit of sizzle. The V2 is not a sleepy sounding headphone. There is some energy up top with added sharpness.
Ultimately, it's these peaks that hinder the performance of an otherwise very good sounding headset. Find ways to mitigate some of that hotness with a tube amp or subtle EQ, or you'll have to contend with some ear fatiguing sections.
Soundstage/Imaging:
The Blackshark V2 doesn't have a particularly amazing sense of space, or much in the way of amazing imaging either. It's what I'd consider about average on all fronts here (especially for a closed back headphone), which personally feels perfectly adequate for my needs. Seeing as I only really focus on soundstage and imaging mainy with virtual surround processing, I'm fine with most soundstages and imaging out there for anything that isn't completely botched. The V2 performs well with virtual surround, which is as much as I could ever ask for it. It ain't going to win awards in terms of my favorite sound presentation, but it won't lag behind the vast majority either. It's good enough, and that's all I could ever ask for. If imaging or soundstage are placed incredibly high in terms of what you desire from a headset, perhaps you may want to consider something else. The V2 is respectable here, but will not wow you.
Sound Signature and Clarity:
The Blackshark V2 is best summed up as not particularly high in detail clarity, but good enough as a gaming headset. There's a bit of upper bass bloom, with the rest of the sound being tonally balanced, save for a few prominent peaks which aid in perceived detail in those ranges. This, to my ears comes off as slightly v-shaped, if mainly because of the mid/upper bass bloom (though honestly, it's not bassy by any stretch of the word), as well as the slight bit of excess treble. There is warmth down low, and sharp, sparkly treble. It's a sound signature that will vary on which range you're paying attention to.
Is the V2 a highly detailed headset with amazing sense of clarity? Not quite. There are a few concessions made to give the V2 a dynamic, exciting sound, which will highlight some details, and slightly subdue others. It's not a muffled, soft sounding headphone, so at the very least, you won't get a sense that it's a low-fi sounding headphone. If I'd have to rate the Clarity on the V2, I'd say it's at mostly decent to good. A passing grade, which I certainly wouldn't be upset with at the price point. I'll bring up the SHP9600 again as a headphone in its price range. The Blackshark V2 next to the SHP9600 is a detail monster in direct comparison. People seem to view the SHP9600 favorably, and I'd like to welcome them to try out the Blackshark V2. It'd blow their minds. Of course, it's not exactly a valid comparison as one is open, and the other closed, but for the money, I'd take the V2 every time. Even if I were to toss the mic away and use it as a headphone only, it'd still be worth it over the SHP9600. The SHP9600 sounds low-fi next to the V2. A shame considering how much I loved the X1 and X2. Let's just say I'd refuse to review the SHP9600.
Amplification
As a gaming headset, you really don't have to worry much about driving the V2 to good levels from nearly any headphone jack. There's enough sensitivity here that won't need much to allow the V2 to perform to it's optimal state.
As far as what kind of amp coloration would suit the V2, I believe a tube hybrid that can perhaps soften the blow of its sparkly treble would suit the V2 best, though honestly, I don't think is worth investing in. I believe the V2 should be taken as is. It sounds great for a non-audiophile headset, despite a few rough edges. If you do happen to have an amplifier, warm ones like a soft sounding tube amp will likely synergize best with the V2.
One thing to note is that if you plan on using the usb soundcard with the PS5, the PS5 doesn't supply enough voltage to it, and the V2 will sound quite a bit quieter and underpowered compared to just connecting the V2 directly to the controller's headphone jack. It's more a problem with how the PS5 supplies power to external dacs, rather than the dac's issue itself. Due to this, I don't recommend the use of the V2 on the PS5 through the supplied usb soundcard.
Microphone
^Razer Blackshark V2 mic test
I don't really have much to say about the V2's mic attachment other than it sounds pretty good. Nothing overly nasal, nor boomy, nor unnatural. Just a solid voice pickup that should serve most people well when communicating with others either when playing video games, or just chatting.
Gaming
The main reason you'd want a Razer Blackshark V2 aming headset is...well, because it's a gaming headset, right? So at the very least, the V2 needs to be able to do well for a variety of games, be comfortable for long periods, and have a good enough microphone for voice chat. Thankfully, these are all some of the V2's strengths.
The V2's sound signature is a good balance between fun and competitive orientation, not exactly excelling in either, but putting up a more than respectable fight in both cases. It's a very enjoyable headset for casual, fun types of gaming needs, and the relatively balanced detail section with energetic treble will allow the V2 to do well for competitive needs.
Gamers will likely need something super comfortable, which the V2 absolutely nails as one of the best units I've ever worn for prolonged gaming sessions. With it light weight, breathable and plush headband and ear pads, the V2's comfort is one area gamers will never have to worry about. It's an absolute joy to use, so much that I'm considering a V2 for myself.
As for performance in gaming, to give one example, in a game of Warzone, my squad of 4 were all dead except the best of us (who doesn't use virtual surround). He was prone behind a low barrier to remain unseen (though he also couldn't see in front of him). It was him vs one last squad. While 3 of us spectated, me, alongside another friend who also uses virtual surround yell "THERE'S SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!", in which he hesitated for a moment then immediately gets assassinated. The Blackshark V2 made it painfully aware that there was someone behind him. A lesser headset or headphone may have made it harder to discern front/back. As he plays in stereo, he definitely had no idea, and thought the enemy was just in front of him on the other side of the barrier.
That example alone would've been enough to let me know the V2 is a competent gaming headset, as I had no issues being able to tell where enemies were located relative to my point of view (with the use of Creative SBX surround). More thorough testing did not change my mind on what I feel was great overall gaming performance out of the V2. It may not blow anyone away, and it won't best any higher end headphone, but to those interested in the V2, rest assured, you won't have much to complain about it's very good to great gaming performance. If I had to give any critiques, it'd be that if you want something purely for competitive gaming, the V2 wouldn't be the most ideal choice. It'll still do well, but I'd opt for an open-backed, detail oriented headphone instead.
Personal Recommendations
Media:
I think the Blackshark V2 is a headphone that can be used for a variety of genres, use cases, media, what have you. It's not going to be the best headset to use for any one thing, but it is good enough for what I'd say works as an all around, all purpose headphone. It isn't for critical listening. it is for those who don't place the highest importance on dissecting the most microscopic of subtleties. Just put them on, enjoy whatever you're listening to, and that's that.
Practicality:
While it is quite lightweight, and extremely comfortable for all day use, its form factor and, protruding volume knob, and inability to fold and collapse, makes it hard to recommend as a portable headphone. As such, I think the V2 serves best as a transportable headset that you can take to a coffee shop or to an office, and even library. The internal noise leak is fairly minimal, though in terms of external noises, the passive noise isolation is good, but not on the level of blocking train or plane noises, or any place with a very high amount of external noise. Of course, as a headset, it is perfectly best at home, where you can leave the mic attached and communicate with others.
Who Is It For?
The easiest answer I can come up with, is that the V2 is for those looking for a closed back, super comfortable, gaming oriented headset that aren't too worried about critical listening. Non-audiophiles, or newborn audiophiles will likely find happiness here, due to its engaging, fun, and decently balanced sound. The sound is quite good at its price range, with punchy, lively but decently controlled bass, sparkly, energetic treble, and what I'd consider an inoffensive midrange.
Likes and Dislikes
Likes:
- Punchy bass without being bloated
- Overall Comfort
- Simple, but seemingly durable build
- Volume knob
- Microphone quality
Dislikes:
- THX Spatial Audio was a disappointment
- A bit of harshness in the some treble ranges
- Non-detachable cable
Indifferent:
- USB Soundcard (I'd recommend use your own dac/amps instead, though it works in a pinch)
- Software (I prefer simple options physically on headsets instead of relying on software)
Final Impressions
As I may have stated earlier, I wasn't going to do this one, but in a way, that would've been a disservice to what is actually a fairly solid product by Razer. Sure, audiophiles may have outgrown this kind of headset, and they'd likely choose something like a Philips SHP9500 with a V-moda boompro or other microphone cable attachment, but I feel this is a perfect entry point for anyone looking for an undeniably solid gaming headset, with all bells and whistles included, all for a very accessible price.
It comes with its own soundcard/dac/amp, a software that has its uses due to a suite of features some may want to utilize, and a very good microphone. I can never understate just how comfortable it is for all day comfort, and that alone may make the V2 worthwhile, even if you're looking for the most basic essentials out of the Blackshark V2.
It's not going to best any of the better headsets I've reviewed, and if you're more serious about audio performance, I'd steer you towards something like a Sennheiser PC37X or even better, a PC38X by Drop instead, though they cost quite a bit more. Still, the V2 comes in at a fairly low price, is easier to come by (even locally), and works well as a closed back/passively noise isolating headset, which my better recommendations can't achieve as they are open backed.
To sum it up, if you're looking for a closed-back, budget friendly headset with a great sound, really stellar comfort, and all the features you'd need without any extra purchases, the Razer Blackshark V2 is a surprisingly great headset overall.
