Sony is set to debut two new headphones aimed towards gamers, especially those who play long online gaming sessions or frequently use Teamspeak/Ventrilo. There are several options out there from various manufacturers such as Logitech, Plantronics, Razer, Creative Sound and others but many of the options out there have this terrible enclosed ear solution that I find uncomfortable. The new Sony DR-GA500 and DR-GA200 headsets are some of the coolest and comfortable gaming headphones I’ve ever seen.
The DR-GA500 package is really incredible, offering an external Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoder with unique Sony Virtual Phones Technology (VPT) to create convincing 7.1ch 3D surround effects. This enables the listener to precisely hear where the action is coming from. In my experiences, it is a real advantage in FPS, RTS, MMO, and other strategy games if you have a great audio system. Sometimes when I snipe in games such as Battlefield: Bad Company 2, having a nice headset can allow me to know if someone is about to sneak up and kill me with a knife. There’s also other handy features such as compression and FPS mode.
It’s important to clarify the DR-GA200 doesn’t have 7.1ch digital surround sound.
The other benefit of these headphones is the comfort aspect – padding aligns the inner portion of the headphone ensuring a comfortable fit for extended periods of time. Plus, with the unique headphone design, you still get incredible sound that doesn’t trap your ears in a cave. The Sony triple enfolding design has its origins in user research underlining the importance of ventilation and avoiding pressure on the ear.
Both models incorporate a high quality, compact boom microphone that can be muted as well.
