Razer Carcharias PC Headset
Manufacturer: Razer Inc. Part number: RZ04-00270100-R3U1
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Carcharias is by far the most comfortable, best-sounding PC gaming headset we've tested in a while.
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CNET editors' review
Razer Carcharias PC Headset price range: $71.12 - $89.00
- Reviewed by: Jeff Bakalar
- Reviewed on: 03/12/2009
- Released on: 01/15/2009
The good: Provides a thick, rich sound; very comfortable; solid mic performance; great for gaming, music, VoIP chatting; lightweight; extra-long cable.
The bad: Boom mic isn't as adjustable as we would have liked.
The bottom line: The Carcharias is by far the most comfortable, best-sounding PC gaming headset we've tested in a while.
We've recently looked at various PC headsets, all of which boast their own unique individual features. The Able Planet PS500MM successfully provided us with more audio information when played at a lower level, while both the Creative Digital Wireless Gaming Headset and Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless Headset allowed for wireless chat and multimedia listening. Enter Razer, a company noted for its high-end quality PC gaming products, with the Carcharias headset. There's no gimmick with the Carcharias--no special feature that separates it from the rest of the pack. That said, the Carcharias is by far the most comfortable, best-sounding PC gaming headset we've tested in a while.
The Carcharias is outfitted in a stylish all-black design--from the headband right down to the boom microphone. The ear cups are large, padded, and easily fit entirely over our ears. The soft foam headband makes for an even more comfortable experience while the adjustable wire-framed sliders helped mold the headset to our head. The outer ear cups are covered in slick, dark metal grilles with the Razer logo emblazoned on each side. While the Carcharias headset is the largest of those we've recently tested, it's surprisingly lightweight, which allowed us to have extended sessions of play time and chatting.
On the left ear cup you'll find the protruding boom microphone that can swivel 270 degrees around--completely out of sight if you'd like. With that feature, we have no hesitations about recommending the Carcharias for use with other devices compatible with a simple 1/8-inch headphone jack.
We really liked the cloth-braided wire that extends out of the left ear cup as well. Measuring in at just under 10 feet, the cable provides more than ample length for just about any activity. An inline clothing clip and remote provides easy access to the volume control in addition to a microphone mute toggle. The cable terminates into two 1/8-inch jacks, one for audio and one for the in-line microphone input. While a wireless situation is ideal for conducting Skype or other VoIP sessions, you'll still have some sense of freedom with the Carcharias.
We ran the Carcharias through a series of tests, first examining its performance during a chat-based gaming session. We were a bit uncomfortable with the positioning of the boom microphone to start, as the boom itself isn't as adjustable as some of the headsets we've tested in the past. Since it's only flexible in the center of the boom, it may initially feel awkward when trying to use it. That said, we had nothing but solid results in all of our gaming matches with Counter-Strike as our teammates reported loud and clear voice chat from our player. We were very pleased with the audio performance in-game, as the Carcharias was able to immerse us into the multiplayer combat action. We were able to locate other player's locations hearing gunfire and footsteps quite easily.
Next we moved to a Skype session in which our party on the other end said we sounded clear, on par with a normal cell phone call. We then tested out the noise filtering feature on the device by playing some music in the background at a low volume. It appears the Carcharias was able to filter out most of the ambient sound, however our Skype partner complained about the noise once we increased the music's volume. We also noticed that the headset did a better job of filtering out noise that was occurring in front of us rather than commotion being made behind us. This is probably because of the noise-filtering microphone's listening location.
The Carcharias is also a solid set of headphones. We were really impressed with the overall sound quality we got while listening to various music samples and movies. The headset did a great job balancing the treble and bass in tracks off of Girl Talk's "Feed the Animals" CD and performed well during a heavier rock session we threw at it with Thrice's "Illusion of Safety" record. Movies also sounded vibrant and rich when we tried out selected scenes from "Cloverfield." Keep in mind you aren't getting true 5.1 surround from the Carcharias, but they should be more than sufficient for most listening tastes.
Overall, the Carcharias PC gaming headset is by far the most comfortable and best-sounding device we've tested in a while. Priced around $80, serious PC gamers who use voice chat in-game need to look no further. If you're going to be using your headset primarily for VoIP and you'd like to go wireless, we'd recommend looking at the Creative Digital Wireless Headset or the Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless Headset.
User reviews
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Feels great, poor quality mic
by steve_groden on October 5, 2011
Pros: I game online and am prone to wear headsets for hours. I have used 10+ headsets over the years and this one is by far the most comfortable for extended use. The sound is great.
Cons: The mic failed after a year or so.
Summary: I was disappointed with the quick mic failure. I paid full retail for this item and expected it to last. That being said this product is so comfortable that I ...
Summary: I was disappointed with the quick mic failure. I paid full retail for this item and expected it to last. That being said this product is so comfortable that I am buying a replacement knowing that it may fail again. Comfort is key, many of these headsets hurt my ears or head after a couple of hours.
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Compared to others this is garbage
by Jagg125 on October 3, 2011
Pros: -Good sound quality
-unique designCons: -Scratchy mic
-prone to failure in the short term
-Price is not good bang for your buck
-high chance of mic failure in less than 1 yearSummary: This headset has really, really, really, turned me away from Razer and all of it's merchandise since #1 thing it has failed to work twice in one year. And ...
Summary: This headset has really, really, really, turned me away from Razer and all of it's merchandise since #1 thing it has failed to work twice in one year. And no it was not due to software failure and I got my refund sure, but this is the THIRD time have had to bring this pathetic piece of swill just to have them give me another and have it happen again. I CLEARLY SAY the way this mic costs your better off buying from a different company other than sony or logitec since both are also out for the paper in your wallet and I hope this review points you away from giving this Greedy company your money. I'm also not some person who goes out of their way just to give bad review. This headset it 100% not worth 70$ I would price it out to be approximately 20$ just from the sheer amount of plastic they wasted to make it look nice.
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Great headset, feels durable when using it!
by syflox on April 18, 2011
Pros: -Nice headset adjustment system, you can get the most accurate size to fit your head
-Sound quality is greatCons: -Microphone has some static
Summary: If you have 70 bucks lying around the house, and is interested in buying a new headset, I recommend this headset!
Summary: If you have 70 bucks lying around the house, and is interested in buying a new headset, I recommend this headset!
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Excellent for PC Gaming
by mk81ting on February 5, 2011
Pros: The ear cushions / padding feel great. They are very light so I can wear them for hours during long gaming sessions.
The mic sounds good. I love the cord too it is not some cheap wire, it is wrapped in a black fiber that looks pretty slick.Cons: None. I have not found anything about this product that I don't like.
Summary: Best headset I have used to date. Worth the money. Would buy again.
Summary: Best headset I have used to date. Worth the money. Would buy again.
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Fantastic headset.
by hoff57 on January 18, 2011
Pros: - very comfortable, I've worn it for 4hrs+ with no trouble
- great sound, detailed highs, great lows but not overpowering.
-mic works fantastic, even though the position might feel awkward
- no noise cancelling, great if you have kids or are gaming.Cons: -sliders move easily and feel weak, keep it out of your backpack.
-aesthetically ugly because it is so HUGE!
-a tad bit pricey to not have 5.1 surround, but keeps things simple with standard headphone jacks.Summary: This Headset is perfect for gaming, and also good choice if you have kids you need to pay attention to. I've had it for a year and can say ...
Summary: This Headset is perfect for gaming, and also good choice if you have kids you need to pay attention to. I've had it for a year and can say its the best headset I've owned. if you can find it under $70 buy it NOW!
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Details i've never heard in certain songs!
by groodal on December 1, 2010
Pros: Very powerful sound, plays whole register and also very reich and detailed sound. i've listened to Kings of Leon, Bon Jovi and also Dance/Techno music. suddenly i'm sitting with my eyes closed, just listening.
i'm using an AV reciver to power these.Cons: Mic could be more adjustable and also the preasure against ears.
Summary: Super detailed sound with the right amplifier! i suggest everyone that owns theese to try it through a good amplifier and not some crappy onboard PC soundcard!
Summary: Super detailed sound with the right amplifier! i suggest everyone that owns theese to try it through a good amplifier and not some crappy onboard PC soundcard!
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Excellent quality, very comfortable.
by fugaki on January 20, 2010
Pros: SO COMFORTABLE! It's like wearing a velvet pillow, I love these things. The sound quality is amazing too, and the mic is very good.
Cons: Said on the package somewhere that there was some kind of noise reduction or cancellation, but it does not block anything. Mic is not as adjustable as I would have thought, but even weirdly placed it picks up sound very well.
Summary: Excellent, I would recommend these to anyone with the money to buy them.
Summary: Excellent, I would recommend these to anyone with the money to buy them.
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If you can afford, this is a must buy.
by spritebud on August 12, 2009
Pros: Very comfortable, durable. Looks fancy. Mic has great sound. Inline volume/mute is handy with the clip on the back. Cord is EXTREMELY durable.
Cons: The ear adjustments are fully fluid making it hard to keep them in place if you aren't wearing them.
Summary: I was very apprehensive about the price tag on these, but it is certainly worth it. I use them for gaming and music, having no problems with either of them. ...
Summary: I was very apprehensive about the price tag on these, but it is certainly worth it. I use them for gaming and music, having no problems with either of them. The mic gives great sound without clustering your face, very nice if you are like me and like to look around the screen.
The ear cups are very soft and comfortable. I've have many pairs of headphones and they all have one problem: hurt my ears over my glasses. These have NO problem with that at all. I've worn them for hours and I've had no problems with any sport of pain.
The padding in the band is soft enough to keep it from hurting the top of your head, but hard enough to keep it from moving around.
The cord is a bit of a hassle for me as i use them on the go all the time, but a good zip tie and it was not a problem. The plugs are gold plated for a good connection, and they lock into plugs very well. Never had them pull out of anything unless i wanted them to.
The sound quality is wonderful and very rich. It doesn't go as loud as I sometimes would like them to but the bass more than makes up for the lack of pure volume. In shooting games you can hear everything from sneaking footsteps behind you, to distant gun shots echoing off the area walls. In shooters is where they truly shine. The volume lets you hear footsteps and echos while not making it too loud to use your favorite "mini-cannon" on whatever poor soul crosses your path.
For music these give you full sound, but lack the volume if you like to kill your hearing like i do. They are loud enough for everything, but i like to make it so loud people around me can hear it too.
For casual games with voice chat these are great. I used it for EverQuest's new voice chat option, and was able to hear their voice, and the game without problems.
Some of the lesser downsides is that the cloth on the ear cups attracts fur and hair, so they get dirty somewhat quickly. The wires for the head cups are smooth and easy to adjust but don't have any sort of locking on them. I regularly let these hang around my neck to listen to music and things around me, and the ear cups slide down.
The "bottom-line" is: if you are looking for headset with a mic. Stop here. Get these. Be happy. There is no other option if you want the best. -
Razer has hit one out of the park with this headset.
by moparmyk440 on March 27, 2009
Pros: Excellent comfort,Great sound, Very good quality feeling pice of equipment. Can use for hours with no discomfort. Fits big Bucket headed people like me. Very nice and Looooong connection cord. Also does not tie up a USB port since it uses std plugs
Cons: A bit pricey. At 70+ dollars other manuf. offer a stereo hi fi set but cannot match comfort levels you will get with this set. I would like to see this set at $50 and a full hi-fi usb stereo set using same frame from Razer for surround at this price
Summary: If you want a great sounding headset that is very very comfortable and well made and don't mind paying the price for it this headset is for you. Full ...
Summary: If you want a great sounding headset that is very very comfortable and well made and don't mind paying the price for it this headset is for you. Full ear surround cups keep your head from feeling the squeeze. I have used it on extended gaming sessions and after hours of play it does not hurt your ears. Also for its size you would expect it to be heavy since it looks bulky compared to others... This is not the case this headset feels very light during use. some have complained about the plastic bezels on the earmics on this set but they lend to the light weight.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Razer Inc.
- Part number: RZ04-00270100-R3U1
- Description: The Razer Carcharias is a circumaural gaming audio headset designed for extended hours of gameplay with superior gaming audio, clarity and bass. The Razer Carcharias is a complete and comfortable gaming communications package that gamers can wear for hours on end.
General
- Product Type Headset
- Recommended Use PC multimedia
Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor Ear-cup
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Response Bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Sensitivity 102 dB
- Impedance 32 Ohm
- Diaphragm 1.6 in
- Magnet Material Neodymium
Microphone
- Type Boom
- Microphone Operation Mode Mono
- Sensitivity -37 dB
- Response Bandwidth 50 - 16000 Hz
- Signal-To-Noise Ratio 50 dB
- Audio Input Details Uni-directional - 50 - 16000 Hz
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ),
1 x Microphone ( Mini-phone 3.5 mm ) Miscellaneous
- Cables Included Headset cable - 10 ft
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Razer Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Razer Inc.
- Address:
900 Fort Street Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813
