Canon Puts Efficiency On PressRazer Megalodon headset
Manufacturer: Razer Inc. Part number: RZ04-00250100-R3U1
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- While it may not be ideal for the casual PC gamer, the Megalodon is an incredible sounding and comfortable PC gaming headset that lets you fully customize your sound.
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CNET editors' review
Razer Megalodon headset price range: $126.10 - $149.99
- Reviewed by: Jeff Bakalar
- Reviewed on: 08/27/2009
- Released on: 06/15/2009
The good: Great sounding 7.1 surround sound headset; boom mic; comfortable; in-line control box; fully customizable surround sound and mic levels; Includes high-quality carrying case.
The bad: Won't work with Mac; USB only.
The bottom line: While it may not be ideal for the casual PC gamer, the Megalodon is an incredible sounding and comfortable PC gaming headset that lets you fully customize your sound.
We recently took a look at two wired PC gaming headsets that rest in the midrange spectrum. While the P21 from Turtle Beach performed well as a PC headset, we wish it offered an option to expand to surround sound. The G330 from Logitech also performed well--not to mention it's one of the most comfortable headsets we've ever tried. Alas, the G330 didn't offer anything other than standard two-channel stereo audio.
Last March we reviewed the Razer Carcharias, and while we found them to be the best-sounding headset we heard in a while, we still longed for the capability to play PC games in surround sound. Enter the Razer Megalodon, the company's most ambitious PC headset to date. While it may not be ideal for the casual PC gamer, the Megalodon is an incredible sounding and comfortable PC gaming headset that lets you fully customize your sound.
Right out of the box, the Megalodon reminded us of the Carcharias. You'll find both headsets carry the same basic design. The Megalodon 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. Like the Carcharias headset, the Megalodon is large though 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 Megalodon for use with other media other than gaming.
We really liked the cloth-braided wire that extends out of the left ear cup as well. Measuring in at just shorter than 10 feet, the cable provides more than ample length.
Halfway down the line is the control box for the Megalodon's 7.1 surround sound. When lit up, it looks like a prop out of a science-fiction movie, but from here you can actually tweak each channel's audio output volume in addition to adding a bass boost. The various LED lights will flicker depending on what you're trying to control. You can also toy with the headset's microphone settings. Microphone mute, sensitivity, and level can all be adjusted. The Megalodon has the Razer Maelstrom audio enhancement built in, and by hitting the Maelstrom button at the top, you can switch between 2.0 and 7.1 surround settings. The Megalodon will enter this mode automatically when given a 2.0 source.
The Megalodon can only connect to your PC via a USB port. Also, it is only compatible with Windows XP and later. That said, we did have a few issues in getting our Windows XP computer to play nicely with the headset. It took a few unplugging sessions before the right sound kicked in, but when it is properly set up, your sound properties should say Razer Megalodon.
We first put the Megalodon's 7.1 channel surround sound to the test. After about an hour with the new Wolfenstein game, we were blown away by the headset's capability to separate various channels in-ear. The explosions of grenades, the firing of World War II era guns, and the footsteps of enemy soldiers added an impressive element to the game. Just for means of comparison, we threw on the Carcharias to compare the experience and while the headset still did a good job of directing audio, nothing can touch the Megalodon's 7.1 separation. We should note that you'll need to make sure your game offers a 7.1 surround option to get the most out of the Megalodon.
Next, we tasked the Megalodon with some multiplayer rounds in Counter-Strike to test the headset's chat performance. As with the Carcharias, we had an excellent session. Our teammates reported loud and clear communication from the Megalodon.
Available for $150, the Razer Megalodon should be the only 7.1 PC gaming headset you'll ever need to buy. It's definitely a product for hardcore PC gamers and may intimidate more casual users because of its customization capabilities. If you don't think you're ready for such an investment, we have no problem recommending the Razer Carcharias instead.
User reviews
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Surreal virtualized 7.1 surround.
by darkwolf33333 on November 22, 2009
Pros: - 7.1 is flawless, highs, mids, lows and sound stage are spectacular.
- Near equal in sound
- When updated the mic is crystal clear and shines like a diamond for communication.Cons: - needs a firmware update to work properly on a 64-bit OS.
- unless turned down mic can be overly sensitive.
-not console compatible
- partially works on Macs (don't care since macs are limited in gaming)
- open; lets outside noise in.Summary: As an audiophile these cans set me up for a huge surprise. I purchased them for a bargain price thinking of reselling them for their MSRP. However after trying these ...
Summary: As an audiophile these cans set me up for a huge surprise. I purchased them for a bargain price thinking of reselling them for their MSRP. However after trying these cans out I ended up selling my Bose Quiet Comfort 3's instead. The sound stage and sound quality was easily on par with the QC3 and for $200.00 less. Watching blu-ray movies on these headphones is unreal. You feel like you are in the action. As for gaming these cans will deliver you realness never experienced in gaming before. In games like UTIII I could hear a rocket as it was approaching my back side and evade it. In Fallout 3 you can hear the reverberation of gunfire in closed spaces. As for WOW you will never have to worry about those rogue sneak attacks ever again.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very Quality Headset
by grobins23 on July 5, 2010
Pros: Very lightweight compared to my G-35. The muli speaker adjuster is really nice for online gamers.
Cons: My friends on vent always say they can hear themselves through my headset. I don't know why this is, ive tried to fix it. The sourround sound dosent sound as crisp as my G-35.
Summary: Its a very good headset, i love the feature to adjust different volumes on each side (front, sides, back) the bass is decent, the weight is great, I can wear ...
Summary: Its a very good headset, i love the feature to adjust different volumes on each side (front, sides, back) the bass is decent, the weight is great, I can wear em all day, my friends hear me perfectly. A great headset for the price, just fix the problem that my friends hear themselves.
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Simply Amazing!
by Mosesman123 on February 4, 2010
Pros: Sound quality is great and so is mic quality! I have just recently Purchased it by returning my carchias For them and i have no regrets I love the way you can customize every speaker which the control box!
Cons: Nothing yet Simply amazing
Summary: I was Looking at reviews before i purchased these headphones and they said that you need to update firmware and the mic is to sensitive, that it does not work ...
Summary: I was Looking at reviews before i purchased these headphones and they said that you need to update firmware and the mic is to sensitive, that it does not work with other games. Well i will tell you Those seem to be lies! Right out of the box I plugged it in and they blew me away you can adjust every speaker in the 7.1 and the bass, you can mess with mic sensitivity and level but right out of the box i didnt touch anything and the sound was amazing. my friends say they have never heard such a clear mic that there were no background noise and no static chrystal clear. !!! these things are AMAZING!
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Don't play older games w/ these- You'll be disappointed
by BurntSoul on November 20, 2009
Pros: -Comfortable
-Nice case
-good for laptops
-easy setupCons: -volume could be higher
-crackling mic and sound require firmware upgrade once out of the box
-Your older games that support surround sound may not be covered w/ these headphonesSummary: I'll say that the unboxing/presentation was amazing. The Megalodon comes with a sweet case for when you are traveling. Setup is as easy as plugging into a USB ...
Summary: I'll say that the unboxing/presentation was amazing. The Megalodon comes with a sweet case for when you are traveling. Setup is as easy as plugging into a USB port: no need to have a sound card. That's why it's just fantastic for laptops.
Let me also get this out of the way: The sound of the headset is just great, and for comfort - you could game with these for hours on end without issue.
I played Left 4 Dead 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (1) without a hitch. L4D2 allows for 7.1 surround sound, while CoD:MW allows for 5.1.
Now step back and play Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2, F.E.A.R. or Doom 3, and your experience will be less than optimal. The reason? Well, the older games are looking for a sound card with sound card drivers, it seems. An older Razer product, the Barracuda HP1 - or Turtle Beach's Ear Force HPA2 have multiple cables that connect directly to your 5.1 sound card (for both front and back speakers, plus the sub). Not being able to hear surround sound on older games that support it is a major drawback to me. I've used the Barracuda headsets since they came out and I've had no issues with them whatsoever for any game available on the market (unfortunately they snapped in half, so I am now searching for headphones again). If there were issues, it would be because of the sound card only. After losing quality in sound with the older games on these newer headphones, I'm sorry to say that I will be sending them back and purchasing the older Barracudas. -
Excellent crystal-clear 7.1 sound. Good separation.
by ImperialOne on September 1, 2009
Pros: Comfortable. Distinct sound separation. The control pod that houses the processor is quite handy. Who would have thought USB-mediated sound to be this good? A tribute to whoever wrote the algorithms for Razer.
Cons: The mic is very sensitive. The previous reviewer should have tried to lower the voice-activated sensitivity or use a push-to-talk function. My experience with VOIP and TeamSpeak was superior, but not a the premium you are paying for these headphones.
Summary: For those with desktop replacement laptops or PCs playing games with a poor sound card or an integrated sound card...the Maelstrom processor does all the work, and its worth ...
Summary: For those with desktop replacement laptops or PCs playing games with a poor sound card or an integrated sound card...the Maelstrom processor does all the work, and its worth the price. If you have a good Creative Sound card (oxymoron these days, people should check out ASUS or M-Audio). Otherwise, the comfort and design etc, can be found in cheaper headsets.
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Great sound... if only the microphone was useful.
by ahrensy on July 21, 2009
Pros: - Sexy. They look sweet as. Great aesthetic design.
- Extremely lightweight.
- The speakers and 7.1 surround processing-unit are the best in a set of headphones I have ever listened to.
- 2D-stereo mode produces amazing replication of music.Cons: Cons:
- The microphone is a full-range mic, and produces too much static. Your friends on ventrilo will mute you.
- Every now and then, the device stops working, including the speakers!
- Customer Service heavily avoids honoring the warranty.Summary: The sound-processing unit is amazing, and coupled with the well-balanced speaker drivers, these deliver some of the richest, most accurate 7.1 virtual surround sound I have ever heard in ...
Summary: The sound-processing unit is amazing, and coupled with the well-balanced speaker drivers, these deliver some of the richest, most accurate 7.1 virtual surround sound I have ever heard in a headset...
But the microphone is a complete disaster. I bought these for gaming... multiplayer team-environment gaming... Below is an example of a Ventrilo conversation after getting the mic to almost work to a legible standard:
"Static-noise anyone?... Wait can you even hear my voice?"
(pause)
Response: "Dude whoever you are you're producing way too much static to hear you. Go buy a better headset".
Thoughts: (**** I payed US$300 for these inc. shipping, what could be better than these?)
Answer: My $40 headset that came free with my Dell Monitor is more effective overall for my 3D-gaming needs.
Overall, this makes the product *not* preferable for gaming... or any other purpose that requires a set of speakers and a microphone.
It fails to function reasonably as a headset: A device that sits on your head, reproduces sound, AND reproduces your voice for VoiP purposes.
Overall Conclusion:
The most expensive failure of a headset ever encountered.
The first Razer product I have not been overwhelmingly happy with.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Razer Inc.
- Part number: RZ04-00250100-R3U1
- Description: The Razer Megalodon is a 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset designed specifically to incorporate the Razer Maelstrom Audio Engine, making it the definitive headset for gamers today. Utilizing next generation HRTF technologies and a superb DSP with unheard of processing power, the Razer Megalodon is the most advanced audio headset of its kind.
General
- Product Type Headset - 7.1 channel
- Recommended Use PC multimedia
- Additional Features Microphone on/mute switch,
Volume control,
Gold-plated plug Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor Ear-cup
- Headphones Technology Dynamic
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode 7.1 channel surround
- Response Bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Sensitivity 102 dB
- Impedance 32 Ohm
- Diaphragm 1.6 in
- Magnet Material Neodymium
- In-Cord Volume Control Yes
Microphone
- Type Built-in - On-cable
- Microphone Operation Mode Uni-directional
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Response Bandwidth 50 - 16000 Hz
- Signal-To-Noise Ratio 50 dB
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included Headphones cable - Integrated - 11 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
