RIG 400HA Precision Audio and Chat Performance Gaming Headset for Xbox and PC Gaming with Dolby Atmos for Headphones 3D Audio – Removable Active Noise Canceling Mic – Classic Black

These are going to be a love or hate scenario for most
Product tested: RIG 400HAProduct tested using: Custom PC-Windows 10 with AE-7 Sound Blaster sound card & Sound Blaster Command software.Sound sampled: video games, Twitch Streaming, Pandora music app.Price at time of review: $24.99 (purchased on sale/discount-original list price $49.99).* Microphone was not tested.*Included 2 year Dolby Atmos subscription was not activated or used.Initial impression: Headphones are styled towards gamers, very lightweight, and constructed almost entirely of plastic and fabric. Cord is not braided and on the short side, is not removable from headset, and contains a microphone on/off switch and sound volume slide control.COMFORT & FITAs mentioned these headphones, I think, you will either love or hate them. I found the fit to be poor, very tight, and fatiguing to the top of the head. For reference, I wear a S/M sized Flex Fit hat. These headphones may not be for people with larger heads. The head strap (that rests on top of the head) is a flexible plastic material with a fabric sleeve. The fabric resembles a backpack strap. Even with the fabric sleeve, I could feel the plastic strap over my head causing discomfort. I found it to be more bearable by wearing a hat. Ear pads are a memory foam type material, comfortable, but on the small side; barely fitting my entire ear. Due to the size and design of the headset, it did cause inward pressure on both ear pads which is not desirable for long gaming sessions.SOUND QUALITYThis is where I found these headphones to be a paradox. In gaming, these headphones have clarity, adequate bass, plenty of volume, but something is off. Something sounds accentuated. I have had the opportunity to test many, many headphones in a variety of circumstances and I still cannot quite explain how these are ‘off’ in regard to sound. Using the Sound Blaster Command software, tweaking a variety of settings, I just could not get these headphones to sound ‘right’ in games, music, or Twitch. In music and Twitch these headphones become flat, almost like a monitor headphone, but have a narrow sound stage, sounding fragile with very high treble and lacking bass. I will do more testing without an amplifier in order to give a more apt description of the sound quality. NOTE: these headphones do not require an amplifier to function at their maximum capability.These are closed back headphones, which by design, have some noise dampening capabilities to outside environments. However, if I had to rate the noise dampening, it would be 2 of 10 (ten being complete noise-canceling).Overall, due to the list price, discomfort, and inconsistency in regard to sound, I do not recommend these headphones, even at the sale price. However, this is just a personal opinion. Please read through multiple reviews to get a comprehensive idea if these may be something you’ll purchase. Three out of five stars at the discounted price. Two out of five stars at the listed price.