keanex
Keeper of The All-New Headphone Buyer's Guide
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- Feb 17, 2010
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Pros: Flip down microphone, imaging, soundstage, lively sound
Cons: Hard wired cable, lacking key accessories, primarily plastic construction
Signature: Mid-bass/lower midrange forward
Style: Circumaural Closed Back Headset
Price: ~$100 between Newegg and Amazon
The pads are removable, though they’re oddly shaped. I wonder how difficult it would be to fit third party pads, such as the HM5 pads, on the NASH 20. Unfortunately I have none laying around to test. The stock pleather pads are decent, they fully surround my ear and are rather comfortable. My ear very slightly touches the driver, though not to any point of annoyance.
The cable is hardwired to the earcup, which is quite a shame as cables are one of the few points of failure on a headphone. A simple 2.5mm or 3.5mm connection would have been fantastic. The cable feels nice, it’s a cloth cable that feels sturdy, but a removable cable is becoming standard.
The bass is elevated as a whole, but most notably in the mid-bass. This shouldn’t be a shock though, they’re a headset aimed at gamers. Elevated bass makes explosions in video games much more enjoyable, adding immersion to the experience.
The bass extends deep with the mid-bass being the most forward of any portion of the sound. I would go as far as to call the mid-bass shouty, if that’s such a thing. The tone of the bass is a bit wonky, sounding artificial at times and the decay of bass notes isn’t exactly quick. With that said, the bass somehow sounds controlled, like the guy who’s far too drunk but can still walk a straight line. Notes hit quickly, but sound a bit sluggish in dissipating.
There’s authority in the mid-bass, making electronic dance music a blast to enjoy. I greatly enjoyed the likes of Disclosure and Flight Facilities while playing Disc Jam with the NASH 20. The sub-bass is certainly present, but it lacks the authority of the mid-bass. The sub-bass is very present, but it lacks an authoritative sub-bass rumble.
Overall a bit bloomy in the lows, which isn’t ideal for music, but would sound great with explosions in a game like Battlefield.
The vocals carry some of the artificial qualities of the mid-bass, not surprisingly affecting male vocals and acoustic guitars most. There’s a bit of plastic in the sound in the lower midrange frequencies that will certainly turn away discerning listeners of alternative rock or male fronted vocals. Female vocals sound okay, though husky vocals, such as Lana Del Rey, sound phenomenal. The slightly hazy and airy qualities of the headphones make “West Coast” from Lana Del Rey a joy to listen to.
I haven’t noticed any situations where the NASH 20 added sibilance, though the highs are rather unremarkable. They’re present, but in the way that the sub-bass is. They lack sparkle in the way the sub-bass lacks umph.
With that said, I can not stress enough just how fun some tunes are listening through these headphones. Throw away a critical listening mindset for a moment and put on Destiny, Disc Jam, or Bloodborne. Now put on some Disclosure, Flight Facilities, or Bag Raiders and you’re going to have a great time. The NASH 20 have flaws, but they are a joy to listen to.
I would not recommend these to someone who valued music fidelity above all. I recommend these to the PC gamer who wants a no frills headset that sounds decent enough with music.
Cons: Hard wired cable, lacking key accessories, primarily plastic construction
Signature: Mid-bass/lower midrange forward
Style: Circumaural Closed Back Headset
Price: ~$100 between Newegg and Amazon
Disclaimer
The NASH 20 were sent to me by Chris at Mionix as a review unit. I have not been paid by Mionix for this review, nor do I have any affiliation with Mionix. I promise to be honest in my evaluations of the NASH 20 headset.Usage and Methodology
The NASH 20 have been used entirely in a quiet home bedroom setting. I have primarily used them with my iBasso DX80 as the PlayStation DS4 controller’s audio quality is lacking. I have used them casually on my computer while playing Overwatch.Accessories
The NASH 20 are packaged without accessoriesI feel that they should have come with a headset adapter for console gaming. Headset adapters are cheap, so I can only imagine that this was an oversight. I also feel that a ⅛’’ to ¼’’ adapter would have been useful as well. I have a million of them, but not every user does and they’re vital in order to maximize the sound quality when using a high-end amplifier as most have ¼’’ jacks.Build
The NASH 20 are matte black with lightly rubberized coating around, which gives a nice texture when handled. They’re almost entirely plastic, but creaking is nonexistent. It’s hard to tell the durability of a headphone during a length of a review, but I feel that some aluminum or magnesium at key stress points wouldn’t be a bad idea.The pads are removable, though they’re oddly shaped. I wonder how difficult it would be to fit third party pads, such as the HM5 pads, on the NASH 20. Unfortunately I have none laying around to test. The stock pleather pads are decent, they fully surround my ear and are rather comfortable. My ear very slightly touches the driver, though not to any point of annoyance.
The cable is hardwired to the earcup, which is quite a shame as cables are one of the few points of failure on a headphone. A simple 2.5mm or 3.5mm connection would have been fantastic. The cable feels nice, it’s a cloth cable that feels sturdy, but a removable cable is becoming standard.
Fit
The NASH 20 fully surround my ears with soft pleather pads. The pads are acceptable for a headphone of this price, no one should expect leather at this price range. They’re removable so the user can be creative in trying other pads with them if they choose so. Comfort, seal, and quality of the pads are all perfectly acceptable for this price range. I can easily wear these for two hours even while wearing thick framed glasses.Sound Quality
The NASH 20 have a powerful and surprisingly airy sound, reminiscent of being close to the speakers at an outdoor rock concert. Notes tend to linger as they drift off into the air, while providing surprisingly great imagining and instrument separation, despite the “in your face” presentation of the sound.The bass is elevated as a whole, but most notably in the mid-bass. This shouldn’t be a shock though, they’re a headset aimed at gamers. Elevated bass makes explosions in video games much more enjoyable, adding immersion to the experience.
The bass extends deep with the mid-bass being the most forward of any portion of the sound. I would go as far as to call the mid-bass shouty, if that’s such a thing. The tone of the bass is a bit wonky, sounding artificial at times and the decay of bass notes isn’t exactly quick. With that said, the bass somehow sounds controlled, like the guy who’s far too drunk but can still walk a straight line. Notes hit quickly, but sound a bit sluggish in dissipating.
There’s authority in the mid-bass, making electronic dance music a blast to enjoy. I greatly enjoyed the likes of Disclosure and Flight Facilities while playing Disc Jam with the NASH 20. The sub-bass is certainly present, but it lacks the authority of the mid-bass. The sub-bass is very present, but it lacks an authoritative sub-bass rumble.
Overall a bit bloomy in the lows, which isn’t ideal for music, but would sound great with explosions in a game like Battlefield.
The vocals carry some of the artificial qualities of the mid-bass, not surprisingly affecting male vocals and acoustic guitars most. There’s a bit of plastic in the sound in the lower midrange frequencies that will certainly turn away discerning listeners of alternative rock or male fronted vocals. Female vocals sound okay, though husky vocals, such as Lana Del Rey, sound phenomenal. The slightly hazy and airy qualities of the headphones make “West Coast” from Lana Del Rey a joy to listen to.
I haven’t noticed any situations where the NASH 20 added sibilance, though the highs are rather unremarkable. They’re present, but in the way that the sub-bass is. They lack sparkle in the way the sub-bass lacks umph.
With that said, I can not stress enough just how fun some tunes are listening through these headphones. Throw away a critical listening mindset for a moment and put on Destiny, Disc Jam, or Bloodborne. Now put on some Disclosure, Flight Facilities, or Bag Raiders and you’re going to have a great time. The NASH 20 have flaws, but they are a joy to listen to.
Conclusion
The NASH 20 are a good headset. I would have no problems recommending them to someone who likes their aesthetics and wants a no ******** gaming headset. The soundstage and imaging are great, playing Overwatch while wearing these was a blast and positional audio cues were accurate.I would not recommend these to someone who valued music fidelity above all. I recommend these to the PC gamer who wants a no frills headset that sounds decent enough with music.
