- Headset with 5.1 Digital Sound
- Three drivers per ear
- USB Connection
- Also connects to 3.5 mm sources for stereo playback
The headset is NOT as small as the previous reviewer would have you believe. I compared it to my previous headset (the Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000) and found them to be almost the same exact size--in fact, this Saitek set seems to be a BIT wider on the head. This set doesn't press against the sides of my head as much as the Microsoft headset did, which is a huge positive.
The Saitek has three input plugs: one USB and two analog (one for mic and one for headphones). The USB is only necessary if you want to use the 5.1 surround feature; otherwise, for normal stereo listening you can just plug the analog plug into your headphone jack in your soundcard. What isn't made clear is the microphone connection--the microphone DOES work through the USB connection, so the analog plug for the mic is only necessary if you're using the stereo analog plug for the headphones (you can't listen in stereo through USB connection).
Installing on Windows Vista seemed smooth. I plugged the USB cord and Vista installed the headset without ever prompting for a disc or saying that correct drivers couldn't be found. However, just to be safe, I ended up using the included software and reinstalled.
Your experience might be different, but be warned that when the headset first installed on my system, the volume defaulted to maximum level--so do as the manual advises and press the Volume (-) button until the volume is all the way down...it'll save your ears.
First I tried listening to music using the headset through the USB connection. The music sounded very nice and crisp, and the bass sounds quite good for a headset. The sound configuration tool that gets placed in your system tray is moderately helpful--it allows you to choose different equalizer settings (the Soft-Rock preset sounded best to me) and the number of speaker channels you want to hear (2, 4, 6 or 8).
The fact that this headset boasts TRUE 5.1 surround sound (as opposed to virtual surround) was one of the reasons I was interested in this headset. To be honest, I don't hear a major difference between this 5.1 and virtual surround. The rear channels just sound dampened and softer as opposed to coming from behind. With mini-speakers placed in the headset earpieces, you'd think it would be more effective than that. However, since this headset didn't cost more than virtual surround headsets, I wasn't too upset.
The "removable boom microphone" is only decent. The sound quality is not nearly as good as the sound I had with my Microsoft LifeChat headset. In fact, I had a lot of trouble getting the microphone to work at all for awhile. I ended up disabling the microphone input from my default sound device (Soundblaster X-Fi card), which isn't an intuitive thing to do. Because the microphone is removable, it works through an analog plug connection, which is THE reason why the sound quality of the microphone is so poor compared to the all-digital LifeChat headset I had before.
Overall, this is a nice headset. Music and audio SOUND fantastic, but the microphone is sub-standard compared to all-digital headsets out there. Set-up seemed a bit more tedious than it should've been, and the included instructions are poor. The Saitek website has no support for this headset yet, so if you get frustrated, you'll probably be more likely to return this set than keep on trying to get support.
Buy Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset Now
I ordered this headset in order to see if the reviews are as bad as they seem and I have to admit, they're on target as this headset was an extreme showdown.Saitek has lived up to its name as a low priced alternative to just about any external PC component like keyboards, audio devices, mice and such. It's also become synonymous with unreliable as they are cheap. As I received the package, I held it, shaking it briefly and lightly like a child at Christmas would when trying to determine its not-so eerie contents only to hear a super faint rattle. "Good!" I thought as I figured that was the sound of loosely packed manuals and other accessories.
I broke into a frenzy trying to find a reasonable way to open this box and opted for the usual box cutter. The tape soon fell as it was unable to defend itself from the onslaught of my brief and carefully made swipes. I soon unearthed the headset box from its Amazon container and lifted it. The packaging itself was partially falling apart, bent, and well held together by several upon several of those nameless clear sticker circles clearly designed to contain such a monstrous beast. Because of this I imagined my younger years when I tried to build everything with duct-tape, including a rocket and even a car wash to a car for those who were extremely pressed for time.
After I disengaged from reminiscing of my past I took apart the packaging until I was able to hold the headset in my sausage finger lined hands. As I traced over its refines like a set of mandibles attached to a millipede looking for a weak spot amongst it's prey, many thoughts filled my mind: Elegant, amazing, solid, magical, and awe-inspiring were far from the list. Instead I thought rickety, clunky, and that if I were to touch the wrong spot it would catch fire like the Ford Pinto when rear-ended.
Being a man of risk I put away my box of fears and whipped out its cabling. As I put the mic on I could hear a distinct rattling noise. It turns out something was loose in the right ear, tilting it one way made a dull cheap clacking noise when tilted fully on its side and then again when fully flipped to the other side, much like you would hear in the finest of Playskool science labs, designed to get children accustomed to the uncomfortably deep tissue massages you get for free when going through the TSA.
Eventually I slipped both ear pieces on.. or should I say Christmas ornament equipped audio mocking machines only to hear a dull off tone of magical mis-conveyance. The other ear, the one with the especially enhanced clacker sounded like the most extreme kazoo band trying to recreate the finest in Electro-Swing. This went on for a while, song by song until I had enough and was convinced that I was not man enough to handle this dangerous recluse.
Only one thing filled the destiny for that evening and that was to carefully, while highly intoxicated, put everything back together and return it with my condolences in hopes this headset can find a person of sheer steroidal-abuse manliness in order to fully enjoy such an extreme gaming experience.
Read Best Reviews of Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset Here
If you're looking for a pair of headphones that will only last you a month and a half before breaking, then you should buy these.
These sit on my desk and stay in one spot plugged into my computer all the time. They haven't received any rough treatment. And I payed special care with this pair to remove them with both hands, as my previous Creative Labs HS-980 Fatal1ty Professional Series MKII Gaming Headset (Black) broke (after EIGHT months; NOT one and a half) on the wishbone ear support on the left.
Before I go on, let me say the sound quality is actually pretty good, the surround sound, while not as good as having actual speakers positioned around the room, is good, and the mike works absolutely great. This is the only reason I've given it two stars instead of one, as the build quality is extremely poor (read: absolute junk).
So, first, they broke on the left earphone pivot about a month after I got them. I super-glued it back together and went on with my life, slightly disappointed.
NOW, they've just broken (split) down the entire left headband sizing part. The plastic split apart from the top where the metal goes in ALL the way down to the bottom to just above where I super-glued it before. I've submitted a picture as well so you can see where it broke.
I might be able to superglue or wrap it in duck tape to fix it (yet again! edit: i superglued it, but now the left earphone doesn't swivel), but I should not have to. The sound part of the headphones is (at this time) still working well. Which, isn't very helpful if you can't wear them because they're in pieces.
If I could go back and do it all over again, I'd spend an extra $20 and get something else.
Want Saitek PH06 Cyborg Speedlink Portable 5.1 USB Headset Discount?
the Cyborg 5.1 USB headset is great, there are only 2 things I found annoying with it and that was that at the beginning there was a weird static sound, but I looked on google and saw that the settings had to be changed sometimes, so I played around with the different volumes and the static is now gone, and they do start to hurt the ears after about 5-6 hours of wearing them, but a quick repositioning will help with that. In the end its a great buy, the sound quality is amazing, and the program is easy to use and understand. Of course the best part is being able to rip out the mic when your raging and throw it across the room without damaging it since it is supposed to come out.
I need something that I can put in my backpack and take on the road and not have it fall apart and this is not it.
If you are looking for a headset for home use, this might work, the sound was good, but if you plan to fold it up in its case, plan of replacing it in less than a month.
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