Razer Barracuda V2 Pro review – An Easy Headset To Live With – WGB

The Razer Barracuda V2 Professional is a headset I’ve discovered myself utilizing for lots extra than simply video games. I’ve worn it whereas taking part in on my PS5, listening to podcasts on my telephone whereas strolling outdoors, blaring Metallica as I elevate weights and dealing at my PC. On this regard, it has taken over the job of three different audio gadgets: a HyperX headset on my PC hooked as much as an ODAC, an Arctis Professional Wi-fi wired to my TV and something related to it, and a set of Soundcore Liberty earbuds for once I’m out and about. Razer’s latest headset is doing the job of all of those presently. It’s comfy, the battery lasts ages, and having the ability to hear recreation audio and telephone audio on the similar time is a genuinely helpful characteristic that I like.

Total, the Barracuda sounds superb, and I’ve by no means discovered it disagreeable or missing. The bass and highs are the place it lacks only a tiny bit. There’s a common lack of… oomph all through the sound that the very best headsets can ship. Thoughts you, dicking round within the EQ settings like a sound engineer hooked on knobs definitely helps. A small elevate to the 125Hz and 250Hz bands introduced the drums ahead for me, for instance, in a few of my music listening. There aren’t any main points right here; the sound is sweet, and a little bit of EQ tweaking could make it higher nonetheless.

Audio is at all times the toughest factor for me to explain. I’m a drummer, there’s music on continuously round my home, and I’ve spent loads of time round gigs and bands. But discovering the phrases to explain how the audio is completely different is mind-boggling, particularly if the distinction is neither good nor unhealthy; simply completely different. Switching between headsets makes direct comparisons much more troublesome. You possibly can’t maintain one sound in your head and examine it completely with the following. I’ve heard headsets I barely choose in some conditions, however that doesn’t take away from how pleased I’m with the Barracuda’s general sound. It doesn’t fairly blow me away in any particular state of affairs, but it surely’s additionally a rattling good all-rounder as an alternative, which may be a much more precious talent in a headset that wishes to be helpful in every single place in your life. I’ve bought headsets which are higher for listening to Metallica, however they aren’t nice for video games, and vice versa.

There are 4 EQ presets: Default, Sport, Film and Music. You possibly can tweak them in Razer Synapse or the Razer Audio cellular app, and the stereo EQ profile is saved to the headset. The cellular app is glossy and simple, making it simple to alter settings and alter the EQ with out sitting at a PC. The complete Razer Synapse on PC is fairly first rate, too. There are a couple of audio enhancement choices, too: Sound Normalization, Bass Enhance and Voice Readability. The EQ choices are helpful, although when you’re the kind who can’t cease fidgeting with issues, you may end up tweaking them for much longer than meant.

THX Spatial Audio+ is a PC-only characteristic, and I’ve come round on it. I initially discovered it just a little hole and tinny within the Gears of Conflict: E-Day opening part, the place the screams of Wretches mix with about 1,000,000 different audio results, however decreasing the space setting made it sound rather more plausible. Star Wars: Squadrons exhibits how a lot enjoyable 3D audio may be, and I’ve discovered positional audio robust throughout different video games too, making it simpler to find enemies by sound. The latest Star Wars: Galactic Racer is an efficient instance, letting me pinpoint the telltale sounds of a speeder developing behind me and which facet I have to defend. You surrender just a little readability for that improved positioning, thoughts you. It’s a stable characteristic that I like utilizing.

One of the best factor concerning the Barracuda is the way in which it handles two gadgets directly. Join the two.4GHz USB-C dongle to a PlayStation, PC or Change and Bluetooth to your telephone, and you may maintain the sport taking part in whereas listening to a podcast, or do the reverse. I’ve been doing precisely that with video games like Toy Story 3: Complete Edition and Star Wars: Galactic Racer, and it’s develop into a kind of conveniences that’s onerous to surrender when you’ve used it. The wi-fi connection to the dongle has been completely flawless, and I’ve not had any issues with Bluetooth 6.0, both. Oh, and you can even use a USB-C for charging and audio as effectively.

Bluetooth multipoint lets the headset bear in mind as much as eight paired gadgets and keep related to 2 Bluetooth gadgets directly. Audio swaps between the 2 gadgets, so when you fireplace up YouTube on one and hit play, it mechanically pauses the audio from the opposite supply.

Razer lists PC, cellular, Change 2, PlayStation and Steam Deck among the many suitable platforms. I haven’t had any connection issues on PC or PS5; the PS5 picked the headset up instantly once I plugged the dongle into its USB-C port. Xbox shouldn’t be formally on the supported checklist for the USB-C wi-fi dongle however can nonetheless be related through Bluetooth.

Energetic Noise Cancellation (ANC) is one other large characteristic right here, and an particularly superior one when you like ignoring the remainder of the world. When you’re not conversant in lively noise cancellation, it makes use of microphones and intelligent audio processing to cut back the sounds round you, also called fucking witchcraft. The ANC has 4 ranges, which you’ll be able to alter within the app or through Synapse. It’s executed an excellent job for me within the health club, the place it helps me give attention to what I’m listening to whereas silencing the sound of clanking weights, horrible radio presenters and mirror-me telling me I’ll by no means appear like Chris Hemsworth. Testing it in a windy wooden was an odd expertise. With ANC off, the headset already muffled sufficient of the wind to make it comfy. Turning ANC on diminished among the background noise, however made the wind hitting the headset extra noticeable and barely higher-pitched. In equity, this isn’t a difficulty particular to the Barracuda; ANC headphones can have issues in windy environments. In any other case, it carried out effectively and let me tune out the surface world when wanted.

Ambient mode is basically the other of ANC: it makes use of the headset’s microphones to let outdoors sounds by, so you’ll be able to hear what’s occurring round you with out taking one earcup off. It’s helpful once you’re out strolling or when somebody wants to speak to you. It may well additionally make the identical woods sound like a horror movie as a result of it virtually appears to amplify outdoors sounds. Voices, for instance, and particularly your personal, can really feel just a little loud at first. That’s much like what I’ve heard from my Soundcore earbuds, however I might have preferred some management over the quantity of the Ambient setting. The app lets me alter ANC; Ambient doesn’t seem to have its personal stage setting. Regardless, Ambient is one other wonderful characteristic for day-to-day life, letting me work together with others with out at all times having to take my headset off—though my manners nonetheless inform me to take them off—and maintain a cautious ear out for passing vehicles, individuals developing behind me or different potential risks. And if Razer updates them to allow completely different ranges of Ambient Mode, together with even amplifying exterior sounds, I may slap them on my dad’s noggin and eventually trick him into carrying some listening to aids, the deaf previous bastard.

Consolation has been wonderful for me, too. The leatherette-covered reminiscence foam cushions give my ears loads of room, and I haven’t had an issue with the highest of my head regardless of carrying the Barracuda for lengthy classes. At 285g, they don’t really feel heavy in your head, both. My ears do get heat after some time, however not sufficient to trouble. My SteelSeries Arctis Professional Wi-fi continues to be extra comfy, because of its suspended headband and third-party cooling gel earcups, however that’s a very unfair comparability. And so they’re fairly a bit heavier, so aren’t pretty much as good for lengthy classes.

Construct high quality additionally feels good, however that is one space the place it’s not possible to guage fully since time is the one actual critic on this space. The unique Barracudas had a difficulty with the swivel joint breaking, for instance. These really feel robust and rugged. That doesn’t imply they received’t additionally break down, although. Solely time will inform.

The match is much less convincing once I’m mendacity down. The clamp isn’t robust sufficient to maintain the headset in place throughout bench presses. Sweat could make the earcups transfer round extra, too, so I’d slightly use earbuds for that form of health club session. Jogging has been effective except I bounce round excessively. There’s additionally a small design quirk when taking the headset off: the earcups lie flat towards my chest with the onerous outer panels dealing with inward and the cushions dealing with out. I instinctively need to flip them the opposite method, with the cushions towards my chest, so the motion feels backwards to me. It really works, but it surely seems and feels much less pure.

The clear black design is simple and glossy, and I like that it seems at dwelling outdoors the home in addition to at a gaming setup. The development is generally plastic, as you’d count on, however mine hasn’t creaked or felt fragile. Admittedly, they don’t scream “these value £200” once you have a look at them or maintain them, however they don’t really feel low cost, both. I might have preferred a carry case included within the field, thoughts you.

There’s just a little hidden compartment to retailer the wi-fi dongle within the earcup. I solely want Razer had made room for the included USB-A adapter as effectively, however that’s a small gripe. The detachable facet covers are held on by magnets that really feel weaker than I anticipated. I knocked off the duvet for the dongle compartment whereas taking the headset off to speak to somebody on a stroll. I discovered it once more within the woods, however I hadn’t seen it come away. It’s a minor concern slightly than a deal-breaker, although I’d be extra assured if these panels held on extra firmly.

There’s an inside microphone for calls once you’re out and about, and a removable increase mic for gaming or no matter else. The interior mic was completely serviceable once I examined it with my brother, and the increase mic has been a step above what I’d count on from a mean headset mic. My voice sounds clear, and it’s greater than adequate for on-line video games and telephone calls. AI noise cancellation does an inexpensive job of retaining background noise from leaking by, and there are three mic enhancement choices: Quantity Normalization, Vocal Readability and Voice Gate. There are additionally 4 mic EQ presets and sidetone. I haven’t felt a have to spend lengthy tinkering with any of them; the mic has executed its job with out fuss, which for me is speaking shite to my associates.

The controls are easy. There are separate volume-up and volume-down buttons on the left earcup, and so they’re simple to seek out by contact. There’s additionally a outstanding mic-mute button and the ability button, all on the identical facet. The ability button additionally handles playback, observe skipping and calls. On the opposite facet, the SmartSwitch button cycles EQ presets with a single press and connection modes with a double press. It additionally handles Bluetooth pairing. The multifunction button cycles by ANC and Ambient modes, switches to Bluetooth quantity and prompts the Bluetooth assistant. Its single-tap, double-tap and press-and-hold actions are customisable, too, so you’ll be able to assign its ANC, Bluetooth quantity and voice assistant capabilities to completely different presses—or disable any you don’t want.

Battery life has been wonderful in my use. Razer claims as much as 70 hours, and over a number of weeks of testing I’ve solely recharged the headset as soon as. Since I don’t sit with a stopwatch and time my utilization, I can’t let you know if the declare is totally correct. Utilizing ANC or Ambient will have an effect on battery life, however I’ve by no means been caught brief. Battery life is well one of many Barracuda V2 Professional’s strongest factors.

At £199.99, the Barracuda V2 Professional is dear. Yow will discover completely good headsets for much less, and I do assume there’s a little bit of a Razer tax right here. However I’ve discovered myself carrying these most days and not using a downside. They’re comfy, the sound is sweet throughout the board, the microphone is best than I anticipated, and the suite of additional options is extremely helpful—particularly having the ability to hearken to my recreation and a few music or a podcast on the similar time. Are the Barracuda’s the very best worth? Nah. I nonetheless love ’em, although.

And I wrote this entire evaluate with out making an ooh Barracuda joke. Am I maturing?