I recently decided to get better headphones. Research yielded several top notch results. In the end, I had to decide between the Logitech G35 and Razer Megalodon. Since both of these gaming headsets sport similar features, I decided to go for the relatively cheaper Logitech G35 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset.

Flexibility and Comfort:

The package came with the headset, two extra headband pads, the manual, and the driver CD. Each headband pad is of different length, so it offered some flexibility in terms of head size. The headband pads are made of vinyl, which resembles leather, and is quite comfortable. The cord is made of braided material, which increases friction between the wire and surfaces, enabling the cord to stick to surfaces and not fall to the floor unnecessarily. The microphone is very flexible, and tucks away nicely when not needed; this was a huge improvement over my last headset.

Logitech G35 is a circumaural design, so the earmuffs cover the ears entirely. The muffs are soft and do a nice job canceling most surrounding noise. The part that covers the ears also rotate slightly on each direction, giving more flexibility when you move your head. The length of the headset that runs over your head can also be adjusted. Again, this headset will fit virtually any head nicely. The only problem is that it is heavy, and longer gaming sessions are likely to cause a slight headache or ear ache. Then again, most health columns recommend a break after an hour of gaming.

Hardware and Software:

Like the Megalodon, the G35 uses USB interface. The headset comes with a built in soundcard, which was a huge selling point for me, as I don’t have a decent sound card. Installation was easy. I ran the installer before plugging in the headset, and the software installed smoothly. Afterward, the software ran a 7.1 Surround Sound test, which sounded amazing. I did feel the huge difference between virtual surround sound produced by my previous headset and the “real” surround sound produced by the Logitech G35.

The software itself is very simple. Critics complained about the lack of features and a proper equalizer (other software from the internet should be able to do this for you). You can change the volume, bass, treble and microphone volume. You can also modify what your G Keys do with the software (More on this later). Finally, and interestingly, you can morph your voice. The presets are Android, Troll, Giant, Alien, Mutant and Space Squirrel voices. You can also tell the software the pitch of your voice (ranging from Lowest to Highest) to getter better results from the voice morphing technology. Again, critics argue that Logitech could have easily created more voice presets, or included a customizable morphing technology. I tested the different morphs; while they are fun for a while, it lost its appeal to me after half an hour or so.

Features and Sound Quality:

The Logitech G35 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset looks like it’s straight out of a sci-fi movie, a high budget one at that. It’s big and it’s badass. No denying that. On the left side are three G Keys, a wheel volume control, a microphone muting button, and Surround Sound button. The Surround Sound button is straight forward and switches between stereo and surround sound. The volume control is very smooth and responsive, and allows me to quickly change the volume when needed; no more scrambling to find the control on some part of the wire. The three G Keys are customizable from the software and may be set to launch music players, video players and ventrilo. You may even customize the keys to fast forward, switch to next track, mute, play, pause, and so on. You may even create different profiles for different occasions.

At last, let’s talk about sound quality. Music first. I played songs from CDs to listen to the highest quality possible. At first, I was actually confused; I thought my speakers were still turned on, but they weren’t. The music came from all around and truly surrounded me. I could immediately distinguish the quality between the G35, my old headset, and even my Logitech X-540. It is a tremendous leap. The clarity is magnificent. I did switch off the Surround Sound to listen in stereo. The notes sounded crisp and clear and I could listen to the different ones playing at once. I am by no means an expert when it comes to music, so I asked this friend of mine to test the headset. He prides himself for owning many speakers and Sennheiser headphones, and his ability to appreciate music. His reaction was very positive; however, he did say that there are better headphones for listening to music, but their price range usually starts from $300 (and aren’t surround sound). For me, the $96 G35 does more than I paid for.

So how did it fare in gaming? Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. To satisfy myself that I had my money’s worth, I tried several high end games. First stop was Left 4 Dead 2. Could I tell where the zombies were coming from? Hell yeah! And it felt good. The gun shots sounded beautiful and the wailing of the zombies could be pinpointed with a fair bit of accuracy. Thankfully, Left 4 Dead 2 supports 7.1 speakers, so I did get the best out of it. Most games today support 7.1 surround sound, so the G35 should be able to give you max satisfaction. Next, I tried Starcraft 2. Again, the sound clarity was better than in my previous headset or my speakers. Although the surround sound couldn’t really be tested in this game, I was still amazed how I could tell the direction battles were taking place in. Finally, I ran Unreal Tournament 3. My already good sense of hearing in this game picked up the sound of weapons being switched, footsteps, creaking floors, and items spawning from far away. Mesmerizing! It took my UT3 experience to a whole new level.

After the sound evaluation, I tested the microphone on skype and teamspeak, and windows recorder. While it’s nowhere near studio quality, it beats the microphone on any other average headset. My clanmates did mention that they experienced clearer quality from my end, so I’d say it’s top notch in this area too.

Conclusion:

The Logitech G35 is one of the very few 7.1 surround sound gaming headset available in the market today. With a lower price than its competition and its brand name that instills trust in many gamers, the G35 should sell abundantly. The sound quality is astounding, flexibility of the design laudable, and satisfaction guaranteed. I’ve been using it for sometime with no problem at all. Other than the occasional warming up of the ears after long sessions of gaming, I’m always thrilled by the experience this headset delivers. The Logitech G35 7.1 Surround Sound headset is an amazing piece of technology. Expect this to be on the top of the headset food chain for a while, because its features are just too damn brilliant.