Razer Megalodon or the pursuit of perfect sound
Razer never ceases to amaze me . What she does? Without making much hype and not inflating an elephant from a fly, she leisurely makes products for gamers, almost every one of which becomes a hit. No, well, maybe I lied right now - from the very beginning I haven’t been following the products ... but here’s the fact that for really advanced players, Razer is number one, you probably know that for yourself.
At the beginning of the year, I reviewed the record-breaking mouse (sensitivity 5200dpi), the Razer Mamba , which had just appeared on Russian shelves. Today I’ll tell you about another interesting novelty that surprised me again. This time her name is Razer Megalodon and the first review in the world turned out to be incredibly huge, but for some reason I really want you to read it;)
Usually, for chapters containing elements of the mathematical part, I give the headings “Boring Theory”, but this time an explosive mixture of press release and Wikipedia came out, in my opinion, very interesting. But after I “tried on” the text in the article, I realized that no one could reach the review of the headphones themselves :) Therefore, first - a review of headphones, and later - an interesting story about audio technology.
Once again I draw attention to an interesting move of the company - to call their products the names of cold-blooded animals. For example, all gaming mice have the names of snakes, keyboards - spiders, and headphones - fish.
Megalodon (lat.Carcharodon megalodon) is the largest oldest shark in the world, which died out about 1.5 million years ago in the Pleistocene period and today does not occur. The body shape is not exactly known. The ancient shark probably looked like its sister great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), or differed in a serpentine body. Known for a large number of huge teeth (up to 15 cm in length) found in the oceans and mountain layers of the world and in many ways similar to the teeth of a great white shark. Megalodon reached a length of more than 12 m. And this fish weighed about 60 tons.
The novelty received such a name for a reason - the product is really unusual. But let's see what Razer Megalodon really is.
Headphones
- Reproducible frequency range: from 20 to 20,000 Hz;
- Impedance: 32 ohms at 1 kHz;
- Sensitivity (1 kHz, 1V / Pa): 105 ± 4 dB;
- Maximum power consumption: 200 mW;
- Drives: 40 mm with neodymium magnets.
Microphone
- Playable frequency range: 50 to 16,000 Hz;
- Sensitivity (-37 dB ± 4 dB 1 kHz, 1V / Pa): customizable (user adjustable);
- Signal to noise ratio: 50 dB;
- The radiation pattern is narrowly targeted.
Sound processing unit
- Controls: main sound, center, front, side and rear speakers, bass level, microphone sensitivity, microphone volume, mute / unmute microphone, turn on / off Maelstrom, reset settings;
- Cable: 3.3 meters, textile braid;
- Connectors: Gold-plated USB pin.
Agree, it looks very tempting. I pointedly pull out the box.
Perhaps, this time the well-known company “Red Cube” has something to wrap around its mustache - the packaging of the product is again beyond praise.
It all starts with the megalodon-sized black matte box, on which a glossy black logo is applied.
I open, pull out a small insert - in front of me in the thickness of the foam rubber there are two “something” - one black and fabric, the second also black, but glass.
As it turned out later, this is a case and headphone stand)
- Razer Megalodon Headphones ;
- Case for headphones;
- Stand for headphones;
- Two logo stickers;
- Papers;
- Drive.
A rubberized company logo is painted on a fabric cover, and a zipper is located around the perimeter. By moving the slider in the diametrically opposite direction, the cover opens like a shell - headphones appear in front of us, in the arms of which a special sound processor is hidden. From the inside, the cover is covered with a very pleasant to the touch fabric - I literally feel that the headphones are pleasant to be there) The
“U-shaped" headphone stand is made of glossy tinted plastic, on which fingerprints and dust are clearly visible, but it does not get any worse. Ears are hung from above, and the sound processor clings to special metal platforms.
The black matte disk contains an audio track, which we will also listen to during testing.
Among the pieces of paper - Quick start guide, Master guide, Product catalog.
This is not to say that the headset is radically different in appearance from everything that exists today ... but even in the gray crowd you will not confuse it with anything. On the left side of the headphone is a highly sensitive microphone that can be turned up and down by 270 degrees, as well as bent, zooming in or out from the mouth. There are no terrible protective “pads” on the microphone, which are on many other headsets, so active and vociferous players will have to hold on to their drooling)
The headphones themselves are made of glossy plastic, the inner (ear) part of which is made of soft fabric, and the inner part is a fairly large mesh, behind which all the electronics are hidden. In addition to the mesh, there are plastic inserts on the outer sides of the ears, gradually turning into a rim - when working in them, the company logo shines in blue.
The rim on the inside is also finished with fabric, and its outer part is a matte black material similar to leather, with the inscription RAZER. The rim is quite flexible, the mechanism for adjusting the position of the headphones will allow you to pull the headset on even the most non-standard head. In general, the design is very reliable and assembled in good faith.
From the headphones comes a braided wire, at the “end” of which is an external sound card that processes the sound, thereby unloading the processor. You can read more about the handler in the theoretical part of this article.
The device is made of glossy (nonsense!) Plastic, on which, due to active use, there are almost always prints. The reverse side is covered with a soft touch, which, to some extent, resists the free movement of the device on the working surface.
There are 5 buttons on the front surface - the first (top) is responsible for switching between 2.0 and Maelstrom modes (virtualized 7.1); the second (in the center) allows you to turn on any channels (center, front, side and rear speakers), which is unusual - usually the button in this place in (s) mutes the sound; the remaining three buttons (below) are responsible for the microphone - you can turn it off, adjust the sensitivity and sound volume level to colleagues. Built-in indicators (blue) always let you know which of the modes is currently active - very convenient. You can see the sound card operation process here .
Well, the last thing worth mentioning here is that there is a rotating wheel around the central button that controls the volume. It rotates nicely, "stepwise", the indication of the volume level with colored serifs is also very pleasant.
On the other side of the sound card, the braided wire continues and ends with a gold-plated USB connector.
One of the positive aspects of this headset is that it works without additional drivers. Those. inserted into a free USB port of the system and you're done! It would seem that such a complex system should have no less complicated software, but ... do not forget that this is just a gaming headset ... and what are the equalizers during the game. On the other hand, there is everything you need - volume, mute, microphone sensitivity, playback modes.
Actually, there is nothing left to do but to test the sound quality. I did this in games (CS, Crysis Warhead), in films (a couple of films in mkv) and in music. Well, I drove the disk that came with the kit.
Music
You can listen to music in virtualized 7.1 mode, but it will not give any contrasting result. To some extent, this even has a detrimental effect - no, the sound does not become unbearable, but somehow it dulls a little, or something ... But in normal mode 2.0 (switching to which is done with the touch of a button on the “remote control”) the sound is very even interesting. The Qemists - Stompbox , Bomfunk MC's - Freestyler and Pendulum - Slam , Voodoo people , Another Planet and Through the loop- I heard all this a hundred times and where I just didn’t listen ... but this time in almost all of these tracks I heard some new notes and details that I hadn’t even paid attention to before. It sounds really impressive, the bass is just amazing.
On the contrary, rap is not very pleasant to listen to - just a couple of tracks were enough to understand this. In " Loc Doc - Adrenaline " and " NTL - Drag Racing " in 7.1 mode, you can hear the music well, the dynamics are such that you want to dance) But against the background of this whole word it is sometimes difficult to parse, as if they were jammed. The familiar 2.0 mode corrects the situation, resulting in great music.
It is worth noting that others will more than perfectly hear what you are listening to.
Total- listening to music is better in 2.0 mode - in this mode, the headphones are no worse than many other ears tuned for this.
Movies
In 2.0 mode, these are the most ordinary movies with the most ordinary sound. Quality rips with multi-channel sound in the processing of Maelstrom are really nice to listen to. Sound space feels better than my 5.1 Microlab H-500. No, they also give a good sound (and, importantly, for a few people), but in the case of headphones, you can hear the smallest details - breathing, steps and other gasps. On the other hand, watching movies on headphones is a somewhat selfish option, it won’t work for the family circle.
I also remind you that these are USB ears, so you need to watch through a computer or laptop, and not through the receiver.
Total- Ears are perfect for watching movies with multi-channel sound individually.
Games
Actually what the headphones were designed for. Despite the fact that CS was released a long time ago and in my opinion, the soundtrack of the game is somewhat outdated, however, it is possible to understand who runs where and where it shoots without problems. Having run about as much as possible, I will give Italy and Assaut, I went into crisis. Everything is much more interesting in it - I paid attention to the sound already in the menu) During the gameplay ... well, yes, you will consider it as PR ... but the sound is really cool. Most recently, I tested the ASUS Ares gaming station with the included SteelSeries Siberia headphones.... the sound was also at a very good level, but in the case of Razer, the gaming environment is felt more carefully - you can hear where something is on, where someone is shooting and yelling. Moreover, as promised by Razer engineers, the position of the sound source can be determined quite accurately.
Total - an unambiguous set off for games.
The audio CD included in the kit contains an audio track (length of the order of 4 minutes) in English. A man telling about technology, a guy walks around from side to side around the room, clapping his shoes on the tiles with his heels ... and it would be strange if this could not be heard in the demo) A bit later, episodes of shooting, explosions and other cataclysms were inserted into the track ... and in ordinary ears it It sounds, of course, bass and generally juicy, but only Megalodon managed to understand, hear the ring and understand where it came from.
I tried the microphone only on Skype - I called my friends to evaluate the sound - they didn’t notice any fundamental differences) I sent a recording to Echo123 - it came back ... well, good sound)
Now there’s a bit of theory to understand what kind of technology this is, Maelstrom what is so unique about it and what problems with surround sound exist at the moment. I must say right away that this is an official text, so do not be surprised at the frequent repetition of technology names.
In contrast to video technologies, which over the past years have received many innovations (color screens, constantly increasing resolutions, bright LCD and plasma panels, various three-dimensional effects for home and movie theaters, etc.), for the reproduction of sound by the dominant technology since 1931 there was stereo sound.
In 1877, the famous American inventor Thomas Alva Edison invented monophonic sound reproduction and with it the phonograph - the first device for recording and reproducing sound.
A little later, in 1881, in Paris, Clement Ader first implemented the principle of stereo - on the stage of the Paris Opera Ader arranged a number of telephone transmitters, the signal from which went through wires to the cabins of the Paris Electric Exhibition. Visitors to the cabs could hear the live concert through two handsets (for each ear).
In sound recordings, the first tests in stereo were carried out in the early 1930s. - Using the volume balance between the right and left channels, you can create the effect of moving the sound source along the line between the two speakers. In fact, this is a one-dimensional technology (with one axis of movement).
In 1940, the first documented use of surround sound in soundtrack consisting of three sound channels took place.
In 1985, multi-channel sound standards were created in movie theaters to produce more realistic sound. This ensured the reproduction of ambient sounds, such as rain or crowd noise, behind the listener. Nevertheless, multichannel sound reproduction technologies remain essentially the same as stereo sound: the sound is located between two speakers with the addition of an increasing number of them (5.1, 7.1 and even 12.1 today), which gives additional axes along which you can hear the sound.
Our perception of sound is a complex feeling that is actively looking for sources of sound events taking place in the world around us. Since we can easily determine both the direction from which the sound came and the distance to its source relative to our position, we often use our ability to hear as a source of warnings about possible dangers. However, in recent years we can see an insufficient number of any improvements in sound technologies, which leads to neglect of the proper use of these technologies in games. Conventional stereo technology only allows the user to determine whether the sound has come right or left. But with the advent of three-dimensional games, the gameplay is no longer limited to moving from side to side and jumping left and right. There is a certain gap between the possibilities of sound perception by a person and the possibilities provided in reality by traditional stereo speakers or multichannel speakers. For this reason, the potential for creating a system of natural and correct reproduction of three-dimensional sound is huge, since a person already knows how to use sounds and actively seek them in order to better navigate in the surrounding space. Try to compare what you hear at a live concert with listening to the recording of the same concert. They sound completely different, because traditional stereo technology makes the sound flat, stretching it along one line. For this reason, the potential for creating a system of natural and correct reproduction of three-dimensional sound is huge, since a person already knows how to use sounds and actively seek them in order to better navigate in the surrounding space. Try to compare what you hear at a live concert with listening to the recording of the same concert. They sound completely different, because traditional stereo technology makes the sound flat, stretching it along one line. For this reason, the potential for creating a system of natural and correct reproduction of three-dimensional sound is huge, since a person already knows how to use sounds and actively seek them in order to better navigate in the surrounding space. Try to compare what you hear at a live concert with listening to the recording of the same concert. They sound completely different, because traditional stereo technology makes the sound flat, stretching it along one line.
The first virtualized surround sound technology appeared in the 1980s. This technology is based on a sound processing method called the Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF, a transfer function that takes into account the structure of the head) and allows you to play and position any sound in space and almost anywhere. HRTF uses a method by which the brain decodes the spatial arrangement of sounds and adds spatial attributes of sound to recreate this effect. For example, when a sound comes from the person’s left side, it first falls into his left ear, and then into his right ear. This difference in time of sound arrival, called ITD(Inter-aural Time Difference) is used by the brain to locate the location of the sound source in a horizontal plane. This information is combined with the “Inter-aural Level Difference ( ILD ) between the signals coming into the right and left ear, which is formed due to the shading of the sound source by the head (due to the diffraction of sound waves caused by the fact that your head absorbs sound) to determine the position of the sound source.
The value of t represents the amount of time needed to reach the sound of the left ear. The difference between this time and the time to reach the right ear is shown in red.
Our ability to determine the location of a sound source above us or below us (its elevation angle) is explained by the fact that the brain decodes small variations of sound that occur due to its diffraction in the auricle. When a sound comes into your ear at a certain angle, it changes due to numerous reflections in the auricle before it enters the ear canal. For different elevation angles, these changes will be different. The brain will decode these small changes to obtain spatial elevation information from them. All HRTF technologies mimic these spatial signs of signals by modifying the sound with filters before it reaches your ears.
Based on these principles, you can install microphones in the human ear canal or in the dummy of the human head to measure and compare recordings of sound signals at different spatial positions of the sound source with recordings of the same sound when it reaches the auditory canal. This direct comparison gives two filters (left and right) that can reproduce sound changes to obtain its spatial perception.
Using these techniques and the filters thus obtained, HRTF technology can simulate a three-dimensional image of sound using stereo headphones or stereo speakers, without the need for systems with multiple speakers.
Due to the psychological characteristics inherent in HRTF, there are a number of traditional problems that arise in the generation of three-dimensional sound by HRTF systems.
Sound Location Front / Rear
Current HRTF technologies are not capable of reproducing sounds that are front or rear. For example, if in the recording the sound source should be located in front of the listener, traditional HRTF algorithms can spontaneously position it behind the listener. Accordingly, if traditional HRTF protocols are used, then during the game, the sound of shots that should come in front may be heard from behind, which confuses the player.
Audience Choice
Traditional HRTF protocols also have a low success rate for most listeners. Typically, for a typical user, the chances that HRTF will work for him as expected are pretty small. Most HRTF protocols today have a success rate of 20% or less, while most users do not notice any difference or, even worse, they don’t actively like the 3D sound effect created by HRTF and turn off the 3D sound function.
Loss of confidence
Traditional HRTF algorithms are also subject to a decrease in the reliability of sound reproduction during post-processing, which leads to the loss or weakening of the original audio signals. When traditional HRTF algorithms detect the spatial position of the signal source, this is very likely to lead to significant loss of reliability and, consequently, to the worst sound environment for listeners.
Poor removal of sound sources, resulting in fatigue of the listener
The sounds generated by HRTF are usually perceived as being very close to the listener's head, since in general the effect of remote sounding using HRTF algorithms is difficult to reproduce, unlike the case with the use of spaced speakers. Accordingly, HRTF leads to fatigue of the listener due to his perception of sounds as sounding “inside the head”.
Sounds above / below
HRTF is based on psychoacoustic sound localization techniques that provide only a two-dimensional sound field with headphones. Accordingly, sounds located on the Z axis (either above or below the listener) are difficult to reproduce with traditional HRTF algorithms.
In the audio industry, many manufacturers use HRTF theories to create surround virtualization technologies.
Some manufacturers offering virtualized sound solutions rely solely on the principles of HRTF and apply filters to the sound to change the phase and level of the signal to create a spatial effect. This is a very primitive process and for most listeners it does not work, because certain sounds in this case will simply be louder or quieter and only create an echo in each ear.
Other manufacturers use FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) to process a number of parameters, such as phase, level, and re-reflection of sound from the head, auricle and body of the listener. This is a more accurate method, but many of these technologies provide only simple sound filters that provide a limited number of spatial features of sound, because otherwise, the signal processor cannot handle the processing of incoming new signals.
Both of these methods produce spatial spatial sound that the listener's brain can use to locate the sound source, but they are implemented on signal processors that can only process algorithms and variables at 34 MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second, million instructions per second) .
Most modern HRTF technologies suffer from the problems mentioned above. Therefore, for most players, the virtual surround sound generated by the current generation HRTF systems is not suitable for games and does not provide an accurate surround sound environment.
The Razer Maelstrom sound processing system (whirlpool) originates in military sound processing technologies that were originally developed for fighter pilots who needed sound alerts for approaching missiles. The Razer Maelstrom sound processing system is based on the same platform, but was designed specifically for games. The maelstrom is also designed to solve the traditional problems of HRTF algorithms in order to get a more convincing surround sound environment. The Razer Maelstrom is the result of thousands of hours of development, testing and testing that have created an outstanding surround sound platform based on next-generation HRTF technologies.
The first prototype where the new technology found application was the Razer Megalodon headphone. Processing using technology algorithms is significantly more complex than traditional HRTF methods. The position of the speakers in the headphones was determined after long hours of processing, using complex mathematical and physical theories. At the same time, the phase and level of sound, its reflection from the head, auricle and body of the listener, as well as factors such as the distance of the sound source from the listener, reverb, and other effects were taken into account.
In addition to the usual factors taken into account in HRTF technologies, Razer Maelstrom uses the original sound source plus the exact coordinates of the sound event and adds spatial features that, when processed, are converted to sound signals reproduced in the left and right channels of the headphones. When the sound is played back in the Razer Megalodon headphones then the correct sound signals are given in the left and right channels, and the user can accurately determine the position of the sound.
Compared to traditional HRTF methods, the increased processing power of the Razer Maelstrom system results in a better arrangement of sounds located in front or behind the listener. In addition, additional processing provides a more accurate surround sound environment. The new sound processing system also guarantees minimal losses in the field of reliability of reproduction during post-processing, so the game environment will be preserved as it was intended by the game developers. Similarly, the spatial outflow of audio signals has been improved thanks to improved algorithms.
In addition to this, Razer Maelstrom can virtualize the sound source and process the sound along with data on thousands of digitized auricles, ensuring that the result is spatial sound attributes that will work for most listeners. This is very important, since the spatial features obtained in traditional HRTF technologies are based on one reference record obtained on a dummy head, which is the main reason for the dissatisfaction of most listeners with traditional HRTF technologies.
Given the need to process complex algorithms in real time, one of the key aspects of the Razer Maelstrom system has been the use of a separate audio processing module, which takes up most of the required calculations. This advanced processing method uses a separate, state-of-the-art digital signal processor, which can process up to 500 MIPs, which is 400-800% more than other common signal processors, and this results in a phenomenal increase in performance compared to methods HRTF current generation.
Razer Megalodon is a gaming headset with virtualized 7.1 surround sound, designed specifically for the Razer Maelstrom system, which distinguishes it from all other gaming headsets available today. The Razer Megalodon is the most advanced gaming headset of its kind, using next-generation HRTF technology and an excellent digital signal processor with unparalleled processing power.
Since the auricle is a very complex organ that is unique to each person, we decided to position the speakers relative to the ear so that a sound field is created that will naturally be perceived by your own eardrum, taking advantage of the elaborate auricle virtualization in Razer Maelstrom. In the near-ear zone, the sound field will be the same for all listeners, but the effect of sound perception by the eardrum is more personal and will more closely match your experience of perceiving three-dimensional sounds in the real world.
The exact placement of the speakers in the Razer Megalodon headset with the advanced sound processing technique in the Razer Maelstrom system provides:
- Better sound removal
- More focused sound
- A more accurate image of virtual sound
The final result in the fidelity of the sound of the Razer Megalodon headset and in solving traditional HRTF problems is outstanding. With the exception of the problem of sounds located higher or lower, the Razer Maelstrom system definitely solves most of the problems associated with traditional HRTF technologies. Suffice it to say that Razer engineers working in the field of sound are actively engaged in real three-dimensional reproduction of sound, since the creation of a circular picture of sound is now finally available.
Pros
- Gift wrapping, presentable look;
- The kit includes a high-quality case and stand for headphones;
- Excellent build quality, materials used;
- Functional control sound processor;
- A long wire in a fabric braid;
- The device works without drivers;
- Exceptional sound quality.
Cons
- High price in Russia;
- Fixed sound card;
- The widespread use of glossy plastic;
- The central button changes modes, although it is more common to see the Mute button at this point.
As for the price, it is worth noting the following. In Russia, this headset is not yet sold, however, it is expected at a price of about 7500 rubles, which, of course, is quite a lot. Over the hill, you can already buy headphones at a price of about 150 euros.
For those who are afraid of the marvelous surround sound technology, Maelstrom can look at the Razer Carcharias headset - this is almost the same, only without new technology, and therefore without a convenient sound processor. Price - about 3500 (rubles and apiece).
Perhaps I’m doing some damage to Razer by posting eloquent reviews in the audience of my readers, which are often not much different from advertising slogans. My only hope is that you, being familiar with the quality and sophistication of Razer products, close your eyes to this and among my enthusiastic emotions and a huge theoretical introduction, filter out only the most necessary for you)
It is worth remembering that all the company's devices are designed with an eye on the players , not for audiophile musicians. Therefore, I propose to start discussing from this starting point.
I will say this - even many players may not need such a headset - they can hear a good picture on devices in a simpler class. However, for those who were previously more likely to hear the enemy than to see (and there are enough players with such levels around the world - for someone this is not just a hobby and pastime, but a job and even a profession), perhaps, they cannot find a more suitable device. It should be recognized that the name of the product the company chose is extremely suitable - Megalodon - an ancient giant shark, which in our days no one has seen - a kind of exclusive. You can read an interesting text (in English) about headphones here .
Someone will consider this a self-hypnosis, someone a regular marketing move, someone will blurt out by inertia that " for this price I will collect ...", But the fact is the fact - the sound in the new headset is really at some new level. This may not be a revolution, but still, a step forward. It is up to the game developers, but, apparently, it will not rust behind them - they are also trying in this direction.
Razer engineers are well versed in the matter and this time they did a good job providing the public with another innovative development. As they say, rarely, but aptly - once again they did not miss.
Good luck! / Boomburum
At the beginning of the year, I reviewed the record-breaking mouse (sensitivity 5200dpi), the Razer Mamba , which had just appeared on Russian shelves. Today I’ll tell you about another interesting novelty that surprised me again. This time her name is Razer Megalodon and the first review in the world turned out to be incredibly huge, but for some reason I really want you to read it;)
Usually, for chapters containing elements of the mathematical part, I give the headings “Boring Theory”, but this time an explosive mixture of press release and Wikipedia came out, in my opinion, very interesting. But after I “tried on” the text in the article, I realized that no one could reach the review of the headphones themselves :) Therefore, first - a review of headphones, and later - an interesting story about audio technology.
Megalodon
Once again I draw attention to an interesting move of the company - to call their products the names of cold-blooded animals. For example, all gaming mice have the names of snakes, keyboards - spiders, and headphones - fish.
Megalodon (lat.Carcharodon megalodon) is the largest oldest shark in the world, which died out about 1.5 million years ago in the Pleistocene period and today does not occur. The body shape is not exactly known. The ancient shark probably looked like its sister great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), or differed in a serpentine body. Known for a large number of huge teeth (up to 15 cm in length) found in the oceans and mountain layers of the world and in many ways similar to the teeth of a great white shark. Megalodon reached a length of more than 12 m. And this fish weighed about 60 tons.
The novelty received such a name for a reason - the product is really unusual. But let's see what Razer Megalodon really is.
Specifications
Headphones
- Reproducible frequency range: from 20 to 20,000 Hz;
- Impedance: 32 ohms at 1 kHz;
- Sensitivity (1 kHz, 1V / Pa): 105 ± 4 dB;
- Maximum power consumption: 200 mW;
- Drives: 40 mm with neodymium magnets.
Microphone
- Playable frequency range: 50 to 16,000 Hz;
- Sensitivity (-37 dB ± 4 dB 1 kHz, 1V / Pa): customizable (user adjustable);
- Signal to noise ratio: 50 dB;
- The radiation pattern is narrowly targeted.
Sound processing unit
- Controls: main sound, center, front, side and rear speakers, bass level, microphone sensitivity, microphone volume, mute / unmute microphone, turn on / off Maelstrom, reset settings;
- Cable: 3.3 meters, textile braid;
- Connectors: Gold-plated USB pin.
Agree, it looks very tempting. I pointedly pull out the box.
Equipment
Perhaps, this time the well-known company “Red Cube” has something to wrap around its mustache - the packaging of the product is again beyond praise.
It all starts with the megalodon-sized black matte box, on which a glossy black logo is applied.
I open, pull out a small insert - in front of me in the thickness of the foam rubber there are two “something” - one black and fabric, the second also black, but glass.
As it turned out later, this is a case and headphone stand)
- Razer Megalodon Headphones ;
- Case for headphones;
- Stand for headphones;
- Two logo stickers;
- Papers;
- Drive.
A rubberized company logo is painted on a fabric cover, and a zipper is located around the perimeter. By moving the slider in the diametrically opposite direction, the cover opens like a shell - headphones appear in front of us, in the arms of which a special sound processor is hidden. From the inside, the cover is covered with a very pleasant to the touch fabric - I literally feel that the headphones are pleasant to be there) The
“U-shaped" headphone stand is made of glossy tinted plastic, on which fingerprints and dust are clearly visible, but it does not get any worse. Ears are hung from above, and the sound processor clings to special metal platforms.
The black matte disk contains an audio track, which we will also listen to during testing.
Among the pieces of paper - Quick start guide, Master guide, Product catalog.
Appearance
This is not to say that the headset is radically different in appearance from everything that exists today ... but even in the gray crowd you will not confuse it with anything. On the left side of the headphone is a highly sensitive microphone that can be turned up and down by 270 degrees, as well as bent, zooming in or out from the mouth. There are no terrible protective “pads” on the microphone, which are on many other headsets, so active and vociferous players will have to hold on to their drooling)
The headphones themselves are made of glossy plastic, the inner (ear) part of which is made of soft fabric, and the inner part is a fairly large mesh, behind which all the electronics are hidden. In addition to the mesh, there are plastic inserts on the outer sides of the ears, gradually turning into a rim - when working in them, the company logo shines in blue.
The rim on the inside is also finished with fabric, and its outer part is a matte black material similar to leather, with the inscription RAZER. The rim is quite flexible, the mechanism for adjusting the position of the headphones will allow you to pull the headset on even the most non-standard head. In general, the design is very reliable and assembled in good faith.
From the headphones comes a braided wire, at the “end” of which is an external sound card that processes the sound, thereby unloading the processor. You can read more about the handler in the theoretical part of this article.
The device is made of glossy (nonsense!) Plastic, on which, due to active use, there are almost always prints. The reverse side is covered with a soft touch, which, to some extent, resists the free movement of the device on the working surface.
There are 5 buttons on the front surface - the first (top) is responsible for switching between 2.0 and Maelstrom modes (virtualized 7.1); the second (in the center) allows you to turn on any channels (center, front, side and rear speakers), which is unusual - usually the button in this place in (s) mutes the sound; the remaining three buttons (below) are responsible for the microphone - you can turn it off, adjust the sensitivity and sound volume level to colleagues. Built-in indicators (blue) always let you know which of the modes is currently active - very convenient. You can see the sound card operation process here .
Well, the last thing worth mentioning here is that there is a rotating wheel around the central button that controls the volume. It rotates nicely, "stepwise", the indication of the volume level with colored serifs is also very pleasant.
On the other side of the sound card, the braided wire continues and ends with a gold-plated USB connector.
Inclusion and work
One of the positive aspects of this headset is that it works without additional drivers. Those. inserted into a free USB port of the system and you're done! It would seem that such a complex system should have no less complicated software, but ... do not forget that this is just a gaming headset ... and what are the equalizers during the game. On the other hand, there is everything you need - volume, mute, microphone sensitivity, playback modes.
Actually, there is nothing left to do but to test the sound quality. I did this in games (CS, Crysis Warhead), in films (a couple of films in mkv) and in music. Well, I drove the disk that came with the kit.
Music
You can listen to music in virtualized 7.1 mode, but it will not give any contrasting result. To some extent, this even has a detrimental effect - no, the sound does not become unbearable, but somehow it dulls a little, or something ... But in normal mode 2.0 (switching to which is done with the touch of a button on the “remote control”) the sound is very even interesting. The Qemists - Stompbox , Bomfunk MC's - Freestyler and Pendulum - Slam , Voodoo people , Another Planet and Through the loop- I heard all this a hundred times and where I just didn’t listen ... but this time in almost all of these tracks I heard some new notes and details that I hadn’t even paid attention to before. It sounds really impressive, the bass is just amazing.
On the contrary, rap is not very pleasant to listen to - just a couple of tracks were enough to understand this. In " Loc Doc - Adrenaline " and " NTL - Drag Racing " in 7.1 mode, you can hear the music well, the dynamics are such that you want to dance) But against the background of this whole word it is sometimes difficult to parse, as if they were jammed. The familiar 2.0 mode corrects the situation, resulting in great music.
It is worth noting that others will more than perfectly hear what you are listening to.
Total- listening to music is better in 2.0 mode - in this mode, the headphones are no worse than many other ears tuned for this.
Movies
In 2.0 mode, these are the most ordinary movies with the most ordinary sound. Quality rips with multi-channel sound in the processing of Maelstrom are really nice to listen to. Sound space feels better than my 5.1 Microlab H-500. No, they also give a good sound (and, importantly, for a few people), but in the case of headphones, you can hear the smallest details - breathing, steps and other gasps. On the other hand, watching movies on headphones is a somewhat selfish option, it won’t work for the family circle.
I also remind you that these are USB ears, so you need to watch through a computer or laptop, and not through the receiver.
Total- Ears are perfect for watching movies with multi-channel sound individually.
Games
Actually what the headphones were designed for. Despite the fact that CS was released a long time ago and in my opinion, the soundtrack of the game is somewhat outdated, however, it is possible to understand who runs where and where it shoots without problems. Having run about as much as possible, I will give Italy and Assaut, I went into crisis. Everything is much more interesting in it - I paid attention to the sound already in the menu) During the gameplay ... well, yes, you will consider it as PR ... but the sound is really cool. Most recently, I tested the ASUS Ares gaming station with the included SteelSeries Siberia headphones.... the sound was also at a very good level, but in the case of Razer, the gaming environment is felt more carefully - you can hear where something is on, where someone is shooting and yelling. Moreover, as promised by Razer engineers, the position of the sound source can be determined quite accurately.
Total - an unambiguous set off for games.
The audio CD included in the kit contains an audio track (length of the order of 4 minutes) in English. A man telling about technology, a guy walks around from side to side around the room, clapping his shoes on the tiles with his heels ... and it would be strange if this could not be heard in the demo) A bit later, episodes of shooting, explosions and other cataclysms were inserted into the track ... and in ordinary ears it It sounds, of course, bass and generally juicy, but only Megalodon managed to understand, hear the ring and understand where it came from.
I tried the microphone only on Skype - I called my friends to evaluate the sound - they didn’t notice any fundamental differences) I sent a recording to Echo123 - it came back ... well, good sound)
Now there’s a bit of theory to understand what kind of technology this is, Maelstrom what is so unique about it and what problems with surround sound exist at the moment. I must say right away that this is an official text, so do not be surprised at the frequent repetition of technology names.
Sound evolution
In contrast to video technologies, which over the past years have received many innovations (color screens, constantly increasing resolutions, bright LCD and plasma panels, various three-dimensional effects for home and movie theaters, etc.), for the reproduction of sound by the dominant technology since 1931 there was stereo sound.
In 1877, the famous American inventor Thomas Alva Edison invented monophonic sound reproduction and with it the phonograph - the first device for recording and reproducing sound.
A little later, in 1881, in Paris, Clement Ader first implemented the principle of stereo - on the stage of the Paris Opera Ader arranged a number of telephone transmitters, the signal from which went through wires to the cabins of the Paris Electric Exhibition. Visitors to the cabs could hear the live concert through two handsets (for each ear).
In sound recordings, the first tests in stereo were carried out in the early 1930s. - Using the volume balance between the right and left channels, you can create the effect of moving the sound source along the line between the two speakers. In fact, this is a one-dimensional technology (with one axis of movement).
In 1940, the first documented use of surround sound in soundtrack consisting of three sound channels took place.
In 1985, multi-channel sound standards were created in movie theaters to produce more realistic sound. This ensured the reproduction of ambient sounds, such as rain or crowd noise, behind the listener. Nevertheless, multichannel sound reproduction technologies remain essentially the same as stereo sound: the sound is located between two speakers with the addition of an increasing number of them (5.1, 7.1 and even 12.1 today), which gives additional axes along which you can hear the sound.
Two-dimensional hearing
Our perception of sound is a complex feeling that is actively looking for sources of sound events taking place in the world around us. Since we can easily determine both the direction from which the sound came and the distance to its source relative to our position, we often use our ability to hear as a source of warnings about possible dangers. However, in recent years we can see an insufficient number of any improvements in sound technologies, which leads to neglect of the proper use of these technologies in games. Conventional stereo technology only allows the user to determine whether the sound has come right or left. But with the advent of three-dimensional games, the gameplay is no longer limited to moving from side to side and jumping left and right. There is a certain gap between the possibilities of sound perception by a person and the possibilities provided in reality by traditional stereo speakers or multichannel speakers. For this reason, the potential for creating a system of natural and correct reproduction of three-dimensional sound is huge, since a person already knows how to use sounds and actively seek them in order to better navigate in the surrounding space. Try to compare what you hear at a live concert with listening to the recording of the same concert. They sound completely different, because traditional stereo technology makes the sound flat, stretching it along one line. For this reason, the potential for creating a system of natural and correct reproduction of three-dimensional sound is huge, since a person already knows how to use sounds and actively seek them in order to better navigate in the surrounding space. Try to compare what you hear at a live concert with listening to the recording of the same concert. They sound completely different, because traditional stereo technology makes the sound flat, stretching it along one line. For this reason, the potential for creating a system of natural and correct reproduction of three-dimensional sound is huge, since a person already knows how to use sounds and actively seek them in order to better navigate in the surrounding space. Try to compare what you hear at a live concert with listening to the recording of the same concert. They sound completely different, because traditional stereo technology makes the sound flat, stretching it along one line.
HRTF: Virtualized Surround Sound
The first virtualized surround sound technology appeared in the 1980s. This technology is based on a sound processing method called the Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF, a transfer function that takes into account the structure of the head) and allows you to play and position any sound in space and almost anywhere. HRTF uses a method by which the brain decodes the spatial arrangement of sounds and adds spatial attributes of sound to recreate this effect. For example, when a sound comes from the person’s left side, it first falls into his left ear, and then into his right ear. This difference in time of sound arrival, called ITD(Inter-aural Time Difference) is used by the brain to locate the location of the sound source in a horizontal plane. This information is combined with the “Inter-aural Level Difference ( ILD ) between the signals coming into the right and left ear, which is formed due to the shading of the sound source by the head (due to the diffraction of sound waves caused by the fact that your head absorbs sound) to determine the position of the sound source.
The value of t represents the amount of time needed to reach the sound of the left ear. The difference between this time and the time to reach the right ear is shown in red.
Our ability to determine the location of a sound source above us or below us (its elevation angle) is explained by the fact that the brain decodes small variations of sound that occur due to its diffraction in the auricle. When a sound comes into your ear at a certain angle, it changes due to numerous reflections in the auricle before it enters the ear canal. For different elevation angles, these changes will be different. The brain will decode these small changes to obtain spatial elevation information from them. All HRTF technologies mimic these spatial signs of signals by modifying the sound with filters before it reaches your ears.
Based on these principles, you can install microphones in the human ear canal or in the dummy of the human head to measure and compare recordings of sound signals at different spatial positions of the sound source with recordings of the same sound when it reaches the auditory canal. This direct comparison gives two filters (left and right) that can reproduce sound changes to obtain its spatial perception.
Using these techniques and the filters thus obtained, HRTF technology can simulate a three-dimensional image of sound using stereo headphones or stereo speakers, without the need for systems with multiple speakers.
Traditional HRTF issues
Due to the psychological characteristics inherent in HRTF, there are a number of traditional problems that arise in the generation of three-dimensional sound by HRTF systems.
Sound Location Front / Rear
Current HRTF technologies are not capable of reproducing sounds that are front or rear. For example, if in the recording the sound source should be located in front of the listener, traditional HRTF algorithms can spontaneously position it behind the listener. Accordingly, if traditional HRTF protocols are used, then during the game, the sound of shots that should come in front may be heard from behind, which confuses the player.
Audience Choice
Traditional HRTF protocols also have a low success rate for most listeners. Typically, for a typical user, the chances that HRTF will work for him as expected are pretty small. Most HRTF protocols today have a success rate of 20% or less, while most users do not notice any difference or, even worse, they don’t actively like the 3D sound effect created by HRTF and turn off the 3D sound function.
Loss of confidence
Traditional HRTF algorithms are also subject to a decrease in the reliability of sound reproduction during post-processing, which leads to the loss or weakening of the original audio signals. When traditional HRTF algorithms detect the spatial position of the signal source, this is very likely to lead to significant loss of reliability and, consequently, to the worst sound environment for listeners.
Poor removal of sound sources, resulting in fatigue of the listener
The sounds generated by HRTF are usually perceived as being very close to the listener's head, since in general the effect of remote sounding using HRTF algorithms is difficult to reproduce, unlike the case with the use of spaced speakers. Accordingly, HRTF leads to fatigue of the listener due to his perception of sounds as sounding “inside the head”.
Sounds above / below
HRTF is based on psychoacoustic sound localization techniques that provide only a two-dimensional sound field with headphones. Accordingly, sounds located on the Z axis (either above or below the listener) are difficult to reproduce with traditional HRTF algorithms.
Modern generation of HRTF technology
In the audio industry, many manufacturers use HRTF theories to create surround virtualization technologies.
Some manufacturers offering virtualized sound solutions rely solely on the principles of HRTF and apply filters to the sound to change the phase and level of the signal to create a spatial effect. This is a very primitive process and for most listeners it does not work, because certain sounds in this case will simply be louder or quieter and only create an echo in each ear.
Other manufacturers use FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) to process a number of parameters, such as phase, level, and re-reflection of sound from the head, auricle and body of the listener. This is a more accurate method, but many of these technologies provide only simple sound filters that provide a limited number of spatial features of sound, because otherwise, the signal processor cannot handle the processing of incoming new signals.
Both of these methods produce spatial spatial sound that the listener's brain can use to locate the sound source, but they are implemented on signal processors that can only process algorithms and variables at 34 MIPS (Millions of Instructions Per Second, million instructions per second) .
Most modern HRTF technologies suffer from the problems mentioned above. Therefore, for most players, the virtual surround sound generated by the current generation HRTF systems is not suitable for games and does not provide an accurate surround sound environment.
Razer Maelstrom Sound Processing System - The Next Generation of HRTF Technology
The Razer Maelstrom sound processing system (whirlpool) originates in military sound processing technologies that were originally developed for fighter pilots who needed sound alerts for approaching missiles. The Razer Maelstrom sound processing system is based on the same platform, but was designed specifically for games. The maelstrom is also designed to solve the traditional problems of HRTF algorithms in order to get a more convincing surround sound environment. The Razer Maelstrom is the result of thousands of hours of development, testing and testing that have created an outstanding surround sound platform based on next-generation HRTF technologies.
The first prototype where the new technology found application was the Razer Megalodon headphone. Processing using technology algorithms is significantly more complex than traditional HRTF methods. The position of the speakers in the headphones was determined after long hours of processing, using complex mathematical and physical theories. At the same time, the phase and level of sound, its reflection from the head, auricle and body of the listener, as well as factors such as the distance of the sound source from the listener, reverb, and other effects were taken into account.
In addition to the usual factors taken into account in HRTF technologies, Razer Maelstrom uses the original sound source plus the exact coordinates of the sound event and adds spatial features that, when processed, are converted to sound signals reproduced in the left and right channels of the headphones. When the sound is played back in the Razer Megalodon headphones then the correct sound signals are given in the left and right channels, and the user can accurately determine the position of the sound.
Compared to traditional HRTF methods, the increased processing power of the Razer Maelstrom system results in a better arrangement of sounds located in front or behind the listener. In addition, additional processing provides a more accurate surround sound environment. The new sound processing system also guarantees minimal losses in the field of reliability of reproduction during post-processing, so the game environment will be preserved as it was intended by the game developers. Similarly, the spatial outflow of audio signals has been improved thanks to improved algorithms.
In addition to this, Razer Maelstrom can virtualize the sound source and process the sound along with data on thousands of digitized auricles, ensuring that the result is spatial sound attributes that will work for most listeners. This is very important, since the spatial features obtained in traditional HRTF technologies are based on one reference record obtained on a dummy head, which is the main reason for the dissatisfaction of most listeners with traditional HRTF technologies.
Given the need to process complex algorithms in real time, one of the key aspects of the Razer Maelstrom system has been the use of a separate audio processing module, which takes up most of the required calculations. This advanced processing method uses a separate, state-of-the-art digital signal processor, which can process up to 500 MIPs, which is 400-800% more than other common signal processors, and this results in a phenomenal increase in performance compared to methods HRTF current generation.
7.1 Razer Megalodon Surround Gaming Headset
Razer Megalodon is a gaming headset with virtualized 7.1 surround sound, designed specifically for the Razer Maelstrom system, which distinguishes it from all other gaming headsets available today. The Razer Megalodon is the most advanced gaming headset of its kind, using next-generation HRTF technology and an excellent digital signal processor with unparalleled processing power.
Since the auricle is a very complex organ that is unique to each person, we decided to position the speakers relative to the ear so that a sound field is created that will naturally be perceived by your own eardrum, taking advantage of the elaborate auricle virtualization in Razer Maelstrom. In the near-ear zone, the sound field will be the same for all listeners, but the effect of sound perception by the eardrum is more personal and will more closely match your experience of perceiving three-dimensional sounds in the real world.
The exact placement of the speakers in the Razer Megalodon headset with the advanced sound processing technique in the Razer Maelstrom system provides:
- Better sound removal
- More focused sound
- A more accurate image of virtual sound
The final result in the fidelity of the sound of the Razer Megalodon headset and in solving traditional HRTF problems is outstanding. With the exception of the problem of sounds located higher or lower, the Razer Maelstrom system definitely solves most of the problems associated with traditional HRTF technologies. Suffice it to say that Razer engineers working in the field of sound are actively engaged in real three-dimensional reproduction of sound, since the creation of a circular picture of sound is now finally available.
Control weighing
Pros
- Gift wrapping, presentable look;
- The kit includes a high-quality case and stand for headphones;
- Excellent build quality, materials used;
- Functional control sound processor;
- A long wire in a fabric braid;
- The device works without drivers;
- Exceptional sound quality.
Cons
- High price in Russia;
- Fixed sound card;
- The widespread use of glossy plastic;
- The central button changes modes, although it is more common to see the Mute button at this point.
As for the price, it is worth noting the following. In Russia, this headset is not yet sold, however, it is expected at a price of about 7500 rubles, which, of course, is quite a lot. Over the hill, you can already buy headphones at a price of about 150 euros.
For those who are afraid of the marvelous surround sound technology, Maelstrom can look at the Razer Carcharias headset - this is almost the same, only without new technology, and therefore without a convenient sound processor. Price - about 3500 (rubles and apiece).
Still with me? :) total
Perhaps I’m doing some damage to Razer by posting eloquent reviews in the audience of my readers, which are often not much different from advertising slogans. My only hope is that you, being familiar with the quality and sophistication of Razer products, close your eyes to this and among my enthusiastic emotions and a huge theoretical introduction, filter out only the most necessary for you)
It is worth remembering that all the company's devices are designed with an eye on the players , not for audiophile musicians. Therefore, I propose to start discussing from this starting point.
I will say this - even many players may not need such a headset - they can hear a good picture on devices in a simpler class. However, for those who were previously more likely to hear the enemy than to see (and there are enough players with such levels around the world - for someone this is not just a hobby and pastime, but a job and even a profession), perhaps, they cannot find a more suitable device. It should be recognized that the name of the product the company chose is extremely suitable - Megalodon - an ancient giant shark, which in our days no one has seen - a kind of exclusive. You can read an interesting text (in English) about headphones here .
Someone will consider this a self-hypnosis, someone a regular marketing move, someone will blurt out by inertia that " for this price I will collect ...", But the fact is the fact - the sound in the new headset is really at some new level. This may not be a revolution, but still, a step forward. It is up to the game developers, but, apparently, it will not rust behind them - they are also trying in this direction.
Razer engineers are well versed in the matter and this time they did a good job providing the public with another innovative development. As they say, rarely, but aptly - once again they did not miss.
Good luck! / Boomburum