B9Scrambler
Headphoneus Supremus
Hello Head-fi and gaming community.
I wanted to leave some impressions of the Plantronics RIG, and gather the impressions of those who have used this unit since it has such little coverage, and certainly deserves at least a modicum of attention IMO. I've been using them for the better part of a month now for gaming, music, and to block out external noise while at work (more on this later) and feel I know enough about them to give you an idea of what to expect.
This headset comes with a few accessories:
- The RIG Mixer
- Two removable cables, one with an inline mic, and one with a boom mic.
- A 2.5 mm cable for connecting to an Xbox360 controller
- An adapter for connecting to a component cable (red/white)
The RIG Mixer:
First we will look at the RIG Mixer, which adds a lot of value to this headphone.
I am not sure how many other amps have this feature, but the Mixer allows you to connect a second device, whose volume can be controlled separately from the main game. This is being primarily advertised as a way to take calls while playing, without having to lose game sound and interrupt your session. The angled toggle switch in the centre of the unit makes this possible. The two nubs to either side allow you to control the game/call volume independently. Master volume is controlled by twisting the external ring around the top half of the until.
Build quality is decent, using average quality matte plastic. It certainly feels durable. While I wish it were slightly heavier, the weight keeps it steady for the most part. The only major gripe I have is the slider for the master volume. If you squeeze too much while adjusting it, it sticks and moves the entire unit. You need to grip it very lightly. Making adjustments rapidly and on the fly can be cumbersome.
Sound quality seems pretty good. The only other external device I can compare this to is the Creative Sound Blaster Recon 3D. Like the Recon, there is a slight hiss, but it is not intrusive unless listening on a very low volume, where it increases slightly with bass notes and speech. Once to a normal listening volume this issue is gone. The system has three built in EQ settings (accessed by pressing the dotted line image). They have official names, but it is easier to think of them as treble/mid/bass. They work as advertised and boost those three areas quite effectively. I tend to leave it on the 'mid' setting, as that is where the RIG needs the most help.
One thing I do like is that while it is USB powered, it still requires the headphone jack. I find that with the Recon, if I have to unplug it for any reason while gaming, I lose game sound permanently until I restart the game. Not an issue with the Mixer.
The Headset:
New we shall take a look at the headset itself.
Comfort and Build Quality:
The headset seems to be built from the same plastic as the Mixer. It is very light and has an excellent matte finish to it. The headband and earpads are cloth and breath nicely. The fabric used feels reasonably durable, certainly more so on the headband. The foam used in the earpads is decently soft.
Since they do not have a strong clamp, they are exceptionally comfortable. While the headband does not really have much in the way of padding, the lightness makes this a non-issue. I generally wear them for around 6-8 hours total while at work, and comfort never becomes an issue. I must note that while these are circumaural headphone, those with larger ears will likely find them closer to on-ear, which may cause some discomfort. I have fairly average sized ears, and these fit perfectly.
Sound Quality:
Out of the box, I found these to be quite nice. Many other reviews I have read found them to lack treble, which I completely disagree with. I find the treble to be prominent, with a nice sparkle to them that my other over-ear headphones (UE 6000, Creative Tactic) are missing. Mids are recessed, but are not overshadowed. While I find the bass to be a bit lacking for a pair of headphones aimed towards gaming, the Mixer makes up for this with the bass EQ setting. The bass is punchy, with a surprising amount of sub-bass. The sub-bass feels a bit flabby, which I actually like for gaming and movies since explosions tend to drag on a bit. That combined with the fairly wide and deep soundstage, make for a fun and immersive experience.
These definitely benefit from being amplified, as I find I have to increase the volume to near max on my mobile device to get to my standard listening volume. I primary use a Samsung Nexus S, or my old Samsung YP-K5 which I find the RIG pairs best with. I listen to my IEMs at volumes 3-4/10, and EU 6000 at 5-6/10, so having to up this to to 8-9/10 to reach a normal listening volume was somewhat disappointing. To my untrained ears, the sound signature remains similar, with slightly less punchy bass, and slightly less detailed treble.
Overall:
I certainly think these are an excellent headset. While there are better options for pure gaming or music only, I find these strike a nice balance between the two.
The included cables are nice and durable feeling, however microphonics are a bit much (flat rubber cables).
These are horrible for passively blocking outside noise. Since I work in a call centre, this has been extensively tested. You hear everything people around you say, button presses, etc. Mind, when at normal listening volumes, this becomes less of an issue. You mainly hear voices only, which is good if someone is trying to get your attention.
I am constantly surprised at how pleasant these are to listen to for long periods. The sound is not at all fatiguing, but is still detailed enough for a variety of genres (EDM, classic rock, metal are what I mainly listen to). They are comfortable, and look good (subjective of course). Mic quality is good too, which is expected given Plantronics' history in that area.
To me, certainly worth the purchase.
What do you think?
I wanted to leave some impressions of the Plantronics RIG, and gather the impressions of those who have used this unit since it has such little coverage, and certainly deserves at least a modicum of attention IMO. I've been using them for the better part of a month now for gaming, music, and to block out external noise while at work (more on this later) and feel I know enough about them to give you an idea of what to expect.
This headset comes with a few accessories:
- The RIG Mixer
- Two removable cables, one with an inline mic, and one with a boom mic.
- A 2.5 mm cable for connecting to an Xbox360 controller
- An adapter for connecting to a component cable (red/white)
The RIG Mixer:
First we will look at the RIG Mixer, which adds a lot of value to this headphone.
I am not sure how many other amps have this feature, but the Mixer allows you to connect a second device, whose volume can be controlled separately from the main game. This is being primarily advertised as a way to take calls while playing, without having to lose game sound and interrupt your session. The angled toggle switch in the centre of the unit makes this possible. The two nubs to either side allow you to control the game/call volume independently. Master volume is controlled by twisting the external ring around the top half of the until.
Build quality is decent, using average quality matte plastic. It certainly feels durable. While I wish it were slightly heavier, the weight keeps it steady for the most part. The only major gripe I have is the slider for the master volume. If you squeeze too much while adjusting it, it sticks and moves the entire unit. You need to grip it very lightly. Making adjustments rapidly and on the fly can be cumbersome.
Sound quality seems pretty good. The only other external device I can compare this to is the Creative Sound Blaster Recon 3D. Like the Recon, there is a slight hiss, but it is not intrusive unless listening on a very low volume, where it increases slightly with bass notes and speech. Once to a normal listening volume this issue is gone. The system has three built in EQ settings (accessed by pressing the dotted line image). They have official names, but it is easier to think of them as treble/mid/bass. They work as advertised and boost those three areas quite effectively. I tend to leave it on the 'mid' setting, as that is where the RIG needs the most help.
One thing I do like is that while it is USB powered, it still requires the headphone jack. I find that with the Recon, if I have to unplug it for any reason while gaming, I lose game sound permanently until I restart the game. Not an issue with the Mixer.
The Headset:
New we shall take a look at the headset itself.
Comfort and Build Quality:
The headset seems to be built from the same plastic as the Mixer. It is very light and has an excellent matte finish to it. The headband and earpads are cloth and breath nicely. The fabric used feels reasonably durable, certainly more so on the headband. The foam used in the earpads is decently soft.
Since they do not have a strong clamp, they are exceptionally comfortable. While the headband does not really have much in the way of padding, the lightness makes this a non-issue. I generally wear them for around 6-8 hours total while at work, and comfort never becomes an issue. I must note that while these are circumaural headphone, those with larger ears will likely find them closer to on-ear, which may cause some discomfort. I have fairly average sized ears, and these fit perfectly.
Sound Quality:
Out of the box, I found these to be quite nice. Many other reviews I have read found them to lack treble, which I completely disagree with. I find the treble to be prominent, with a nice sparkle to them that my other over-ear headphones (UE 6000, Creative Tactic) are missing. Mids are recessed, but are not overshadowed. While I find the bass to be a bit lacking for a pair of headphones aimed towards gaming, the Mixer makes up for this with the bass EQ setting. The bass is punchy, with a surprising amount of sub-bass. The sub-bass feels a bit flabby, which I actually like for gaming and movies since explosions tend to drag on a bit. That combined with the fairly wide and deep soundstage, make for a fun and immersive experience.
These definitely benefit from being amplified, as I find I have to increase the volume to near max on my mobile device to get to my standard listening volume. I primary use a Samsung Nexus S, or my old Samsung YP-K5 which I find the RIG pairs best with. I listen to my IEMs at volumes 3-4/10, and EU 6000 at 5-6/10, so having to up this to to 8-9/10 to reach a normal listening volume was somewhat disappointing. To my untrained ears, the sound signature remains similar, with slightly less punchy bass, and slightly less detailed treble.
Overall:
I certainly think these are an excellent headset. While there are better options for pure gaming or music only, I find these strike a nice balance between the two.
The included cables are nice and durable feeling, however microphonics are a bit much (flat rubber cables).
These are horrible for passively blocking outside noise. Since I work in a call centre, this has been extensively tested. You hear everything people around you say, button presses, etc. Mind, when at normal listening volumes, this becomes less of an issue. You mainly hear voices only, which is good if someone is trying to get your attention.
I am constantly surprised at how pleasant these are to listen to for long periods. The sound is not at all fatiguing, but is still detailed enough for a variety of genres (EDM, classic rock, metal are what I mainly listen to). They are comfortable, and look good (subjective of course). Mic quality is good too, which is expected given Plantronics' history in that area.
To me, certainly worth the purchase.
What do you think?
I noticed that was a 2014 document you linked. Unless its a diff between Canadian and american versions, but that seems unlikely.