You’ll be amazed at what you can do with GrammarlyGO. Sign up at grammarly.com/circuit and get 20% off Grammarly Premium. -------- What do y'all think of the AW720Hs? Let us know below! Buy HyperX Cloud Alpha S Headphones: geni.us/TviUd9 Buy SteelSeries Arctis 5 Headphones: geni.us/6gpo6LC Buy Logitech G PRO X Headphones: geni.us/kmdJ Buy an Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS-USB Headset: geni.us/IN41wv Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.
1.11 GB+ software for managing your peripherals is simply unacceptable. What Dell were smoking when they produced this we may never know. I wouldn't be surprised if it mined Bitcoin while you aren't looking.
@@SlenderSmurf Alienware is better then Dell proper but that isn’t saying much. I suppose at least it isn’t a Compaq. Those were downright suicide inducing. I mean you couldn’t even install a normal copy of Windows on a Compaq!
I loved the gaming app rant because my friend had this issue with his Razer stuff where he had to download like 5 different apps just to be able to run all of his lights. He couldn't even solve it by buying stuff that was compatible with Razer because it still required him to have the app installed and running. The only way I managed to avoid this problem was by only buying Corsair stuff so that I only had to deal with their terrible shiny lighting app. 😂
i hate razer software, it feels so predatory how its software magically tends to reinstall itself after deleting it all the time, and when you force close out of it, it reopens itself constantly. there are times where for me and my friends, razers software reinstalls itself after a few months of fully and completely deleting it and i dont know how it does it
Thats probably why they force you to download their shit, so that you are forced to stay in their eco system and only buy their products. Apple tactics at work, but at least with Apple their stuff is mostly high quality.
I do not want to defend Razer (I am not really fond of Synapse as well), but not sure what you are talking about. In the end, all you need is 1 tool: Synapse (maybe 2 if you count Razer Central, which is used to connect to an account). I am not sure where your friend "had to" download 5 apps. All apps are optional and simply clicking "do not install" is enough. Technically, you do not even need Synapse to use their devices, they are just massively gimped without it (so it is more of an "indirect forcing"). Maybe he meant the modules within Synapse, but again, most of those modules are purely optional and only needed if you want to integrate other stuff with their software. But as much as we like to moan about Razer Synapse, other tools are just as shit (like corsairs iCUE, or whatever it's called, for example), if we were really honest about it. At least, I did not encounter a single good software regarding peripherals, and I tried a lot. Again, not trying to defend Razer, I agree generally that Synapse is rubbish, and having worked for Razer Support, I can confidently tell you: even their technicians think that. It is like software that's in Beta for years now and nobody seems to care to make it more stable and usable.
5 different apps... haha nice exaggeration. Your friend probably selected everything during install. Only Synapse itself is needed. Any other installation for RGB is probably an API plugin to talk with other proprietary RGB ecosystems from other brands and is standard practice in the industry.
I like these new tests from labs, headphones might sound good to 1 person but not to others but these "optimal" sound curves can actually show us what they would sound like in real life instead of just imagining, very informative. Finally a single person at LTT speaking what he actually thinks about product, bravo clap clap 9:40
Just unfortunate that they're mostly wasting it on "Gamer" Audio Products or Brands like Sony, Apple, etc. Would really love to see some graphs for the latest by Hifiman, Sennheiser, maybe some chi-fi brands...
@@nadeoki all in due time, also those brands already have audiophiles reviewing them with similar graphs, gaming headsets on the other hand are usually stuck with "sounds good, bassy, but good" kind of reviews
@@nadeoki the audio tubers already measure those so it's honestly goods that they measure stuff that is mostly ignored by audio people provides new info instead of just repeating already known stuff
@@333dae everytime I hear a non-audiophile review a headset bassy good, I immediately know this headset has bloated bass, and they never review anything about the mid and treb LOL
They could just make sub channel/podcast with a show and include there the movie podcast and even a car podcast that is not weekly but every week there are different show that would be great
Honestly, it's overkill for 99% of the people Which doesn't mean they should buy these overpriced headsets, but most people, with the needs they have, will call it a day with something like a pair of hyperx cloud Also, some people just want something they can carry around, wireless and light Good luck carrying around a pair of studio headphones with an external mic, very practical Y'all always miss the point in which different people have different necessities and don't necessarily need the best of the best
Steel series is fine as far as a gaming headset. I struggle to play with people who use gaming headsets. Mic quality is so bad it actually ruins the experience.
The rant finally made me love Adam. He was always good, but a good passionate rant that I vibe with always makes me connect with a person on a deeper level. In fact, even if I disagree with their rant, the passion is what really matters. It shows that you care enough to show a bit more emotion, and that usually translates into their work IMO. Great review, mate! Loved it
The timeless advice of just getting decent headphones and pair it with a decent mic to create your "headset" always works. Sounds way better and no software needed.
--- A decent dedicated non-USB-soundcard could certainly help also: Problem nowadays more of is the oversized graphics-cards alongside the much reduced amount of PCI-slots even on +300€-motherboards ( like generally you pretty much get only 3-slots and all of them get blocked by the graphics-card; it's been almost a decade since I was able to plug-in my "Creative Sound Blaster Audigy (2?)" into my systems ). Reason why I for one prefer non-USB-audio-devices is mainly to have a manual / non-digital audio-control; E.G. I listen on "Hifiman HE400se"-headphones via "Topping L30"-amplifier which is (DisplayPort) connected to my "Dell U2415"-monitor. Sure, "Realtek" certainly ain't unusable like they were in year 2007 ( most importantly when trying to record gameplay-footage with "Fraps" where all the recorded-audio was just super "shouty-breaking-up-shouty" on "Asus M2N"-motherboard ). EDIT: Correction, "Asus M2N" had "SoundMax"; so at least Realtek "works clean enough" unlike SoundMax ever did to begin with (at least recording-wise primarily, that is)... But I for one still would like to see more competition on the baked-in(to-motherboard)-audio-parts, especially since Realtek has been dropping support on numerous useful audio-enhancements ( most importantly to me the "Loudness Equalization"-option; fortunately that works via (AMD HIgh Definition Audio) DisplayPort / Monitor-audio-output nowadays ). ---
i love how the cap turns more the more irritated adam gets with the headset :D Also, the lab is already adding insane production value with those benchmarks for the audio which were never really quantifiable through reviews up until now.
Please in the future include a 'glasses' test. ;) Also I just got Corsair HS65 Surround (wired) ones, there are wireless options too, though I really would like a test for these too, including via labtest!
My Steeleries Arctis Nova Pro works great with no software installed. A lot of it's settings can be configured directly on the hardware interface. Yeah, it's not cheap, but it's life changing. Bonus, it just works on Linux.
Would love to see a more comprehensive measurement suite, stuff like square wave response, impulse response, distortion, group delay and isolation. Like a modified innerfidelity/rtings type deal.
The Corsair HS80 is probably one of the top 3 best wireless gaming headsets out right now and it came out in 2021. Dmitry from Hardware Canucks said it was the best sounding mic on a wireless headset and has still not found a wireless headset that can beat it for mic performance and as for the audio that is better than most wireless headsets out there. I own one myself and it sounds awesome although you do need Corsair iCUE to have the best audio experience but I don't care because I have a Corsair K100 Opto-Mech keyboard and M65 Ultra wireless as well as several Corsair components inside my PC such as their RGB RAM and CPU cooler/RGB fans and Corsair iCUE can also control Asus MOBO and GPU LED's as well as NANOLEAF and Philips Hue compatible products and I have an Asus ROG Strix 3080 and an ROG Crosshair VIII Hero Wi-Fi which both have RGB.Most of my RGB stuff can be controlled via Corsair iCUE but I have the LED's disabled for my headset
another strike for 'gaming headsets'. get a decent quality pair of studio headphones and get ANY decent separate microphone solution that works for you.
This pure and brutal honesty is one of my favorite details of LTT videos and why I recommend all your channels so much! The only thing I would love more is if you guys cut the crap and did full reviews of all the stuff you have "showcased" those are so bland in comparison and almost always leave a bad feel...
Are there any plans for you guys to take a look at cheap IEM's? There are numerous for sale online at price range of 50-100$ and I'd love a professional take on those. Love the Lab's audio setup!
You guys should definitely check out the scuf H1. I’ve got a pair with the omnidirectional mic. The only thing is that it is wired only, which is why I got it cause you don’t have to charge.
I slapped a modmic wireless on a pair of HD280 Pros that I connect to a bluetooth stereo adapter when I want them to be fully wireless. I love it. They sound great, are super comfortable, didn't cost a fortune, I can move the good microphone to any other headset I get in the future, I can make any wired headphones wireless if I don't want to use the 280s, it works on my phone without a dongle, and I don't have to install a single app to use every single feature. The only drawback is having two separate devices to charge, which is a bit of a pain, but a little bit of DIYing with a wireless charger and some micro USB cables would solve that problem pretty easily.
Can you make a headphone buying guide for the holidays? Like part 1 who has the best bloatware, part 2 which one has the best mic, then audio, then the summary!
theres a reason (aside from the fit being a little tight) my favourite headset ive had so far is the sennheiser GSP 602. literally just plug 2 3.5mm cables in, no usb stuff, no software and everything through your motherboard audio. no clunky bloatware garbage that eats your RAM
I'm rocking some GSP 600's in a GSX 1000 external AMP/sound card thing. They sound great and the mic is pretty damn good too. The virtual surround sound is also rather good. It's hard to go wrong with Sennhesier at any price point really, you get what you pay for (in my experience at least).
I have the wired 510 series version of these. I actually like them for comfort, but they just seem made for my head size possibly. Build quality i very much appreciate on these, they've lasted 2 years so far and have held up great. Logi's are just too creaky for me. I tweaked the hell out of the levels and turned some of the 'enhancement' off, but i've got them sounding really good actually if you do this, worth it. Could be very different on the wireless versions though.
Maybe a small tip for the graphs, ppl with colorblindness may not be able to distinguish them easily. Event tho this one's are pretty distinguishable. So other colors for the graphs, maybe? Anyway loved that they were included
To be honest I never thought about the proprietary software for peripherals I just thought of it as. If you have an Alienware pc your going to have command center then you but Alienware products so it stops being an issue since it’s already there to begin with. Same with ROG or Razer. They have there own software that comes pre installed then it’s simple.
I absolutely hate proprietary software, so I would never buy an Alienware PC in the first place. Especially with their terrible thermal performance and plastic design, which is hard to upgrade. That said, if you’ve already got one, I do see your point. You’ve probably already got 100GB of random Dell software in it already.
Its annoying to install and run so many software if you dare to buy different brands for different things. I got glorious mouse, Logitech keyboard, Sennheiser wireless headset and corsair wired headset. Thats like 4 software running in the background and for what exactly
@@MarioGoatse you can debloat everything but the command center... You technically don't even need that either. It uses nothing of my system resources and works fine. I never have issues with the software or UI.
The razer kaira wireless are great value for money. They are 100$ full price, and often on sale. They sound ok and are fully compatible with ps5 and are also BT as well as 2.4ghz
Question is are they better then the Hugo boss gaming headset? Happy to be old. My Teufel wired in ears just work. No charging. No software. No pressure on my ears. And full compatibility with pc, laptop, tablet, and phone. Can wear sun glasses without trouble. Easy to store. Works flawless since 2019. And all that under 20 bugs.
In my experience, Sennheiser/EPOS does a pretty decent job with the surround sound thing using one of their USB AMP things like the GSX-1000. Entirely in hardware, no stupid software needed to be installed.
Preach about software for hardware, my dude. Also everyone should buy a wooting keyboard. Worth the price of admission alone for a sensible software solution that is lightweight and doesnt need to or even try to run in the background at all times.
@10:00 This. This is why I buy headsets without a mic. For sound quality. And because I hate jumping through all the hoops it makes you jump through for "gaming"
I'm a dev, it's not hard, but it's also not our choice. I see a lot of blaming developers when 99.99999% of all major complaints around gaming and the industry are either from our PO/PM/BA or higher positions. I've built garbage like this before, and I certainly didn't want to. The justification is that "end users are dumb, and an all-in-one reduces confusion and support"
Dolby Atmos for gaming has so much potential. But it justreally wish it's up to the same level of integration like Apple implementation. Dolby Atmos on airpods actually have nice surround
That's what you get when you control the whole software and hardware stack. Nice, tight integration. I like how it works seamlessly between devices too and how it knows where to push the audio. So if I have my AirPods in while on my Mac, tada! If I'm using my iPhone, tada! Same with iPad.
I got a old rig 800 hd I believe it was hd not sure, headset and it sounds great has great directional audio and the mic is good too and has a tilt to mute on it it doesn't sound compressed or weird like that one does the newer mics on gaming headsets sound so bad they sound very weird with the ai thing
If you can't hear the difference between Atmos for Headphones and regular stereo you need to clean your ears and/or read up on how spatial sound via stereo works.
5:35 that's one of the reasons I went with the AirPods Max. Kinda unrelated to the video, but being able to charge while using should be a basic feature.
Honestly I am pretty concerned about how the hinges look on the alienware headset, like the arctis series of headsets had an issue of over rotating and breaking the plastic housing around the hinge. But apparently steelseries fixed this in their arctis nova series by adding rubber bumpers.. Ontop of that the design of the alienware looks kinda terrible, but that might just be me.
Would love to see a review of the G Pro X, like was mentioned at the end! I own a pair and I've always wondered if my purchase decision was a good one. So far I haven't been let down by them!
@@yonaz3334 Fair point. I guess I'm more curious as to how they stack up against other products. Especially given that the driver size between the ones reviewed in this video and the one in the G Pro X are the same.
I can pretty much guess it being very similar review to this one tbh because they tend to hate anything gaming related audio equipment and love music enthusiast ones
@@touma-san91 The BlackShark V2 (wired) is actually a pretty decently tuned headset unlike something absolute crap like this Alienware can. Just looking at the FR curve tells me that the original Black Shark v2 is leagues above here, even things like the old M50's are considerable worse tuned. Pretty neutral with a slight bass emphasis. And it has a very good mic for a headset. Not sure what the 2023 Edition is tho, not heard of it until now.
@@DanKaschel They are also biased towards recommending inferior products. Read comments on few of their recent audio gear reviews and you might be surprised how many people do not agree with them on any audio related thing. And usually give way better recommendations too for less money
@@touma-san91 I can tell from your initial comment that you're not exactly a nuanced listener. LTT is not an audiophile channel, certainly. However, I definitely trust their opinions over dissenters in the comments who, like you, seem more invested in who's right than what product is best.
Seems like Alienware software not working is only an issue on foreign systems. I have a going on 5 years old M17 and Command Center works great, while being very well optimized on the system. Doesn't crash, doesn't glitch, doesn't cause slowdowns and never intrudes after the initial setup.
I was gifted Alienware AW920H and I hate them. They look like bigger Airpods without the stem. I couldn't turn off the LED on the ear cups without downloading their app on Windows. Even though I've uninstalled the app, it keeps reinstalling itself and downloading updates without my acknowledgement.. Sound quality is awful for my taste (and I'm not an audiophile) and they put a lot of pressure on my head.
I love this kind of reviews, this is honesty, everybody knows the pain that you have to deal with when trying to look for a software from dell, the Alienware software is trash and yeah these headphones too, thanks for telling us the truth! ❤
how can it be easy to forget since 99% of gaming headsets sound like shit compared to proper headphones/iems in the same price range. It's hard to tell if all you ever used are gaming headsets but when you get used to something that sounds good you aint buying another gaming headset in you life anymore
5:54 "I want to just pull out a cable and keep clicking heads" Pretty sure they supplied a 3.5mm headphone jack for you to plug in and keep clicking heads
I have been using a wireless headset for the past three years and I have never had them die on me while gaming. That’s because you get a warning when they are on their last 30 minutes, and even then, I only heard this warning like twice thus far. I can’t imagine these don’t have that warning
I have steelseries arctis 5 and still alive even today, I just replaced the band and ear muffs as secondary when it's wet from my sweat. LOL! Totally worth it even if it's wired. He's right this alienware headset is not good enough for the price to performance and ergonomics.
F those apps. Learned my lesson when a software update bricked my Astro A50s. Totally different scale but ended up with 800s and a mod mic. You just plug it in and it works real good. Or Qudilex strapped on for full low latency wireless!
my god, at the dolby audio test with cyberpunk, there is a constant fan blowing straight into a microphone. I though my laptop fans kicked in while watching a simple youtube video, and they were ripping at max rpm, but no, it was from the video. Why is that?
You should try the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro, which i have, and it has the best bass, even has that volume knob, which when you put volume to 100% out of 200%, sometimes only the right ear is hearable, no reason why its happening. but overhaul its great. it has a power button (Have to hold it for 3 seconds), and a physical mute toggle, with a mic plug, and a jack combo. The mic is way better than my scuffed studio mic, plus the mic is really good. like it sounds like a professional mic. and the audio quality is great, it doesnt come up with a good audio driver for recording. since the sound is diffrent when i record with OBS, its because theres a THX driver that just Makes listening to audio way better. So i recommend you should use this as daily headset.
I *feel* that rant. Oh my god. It needs to end. Not everyone needs their own proprietary software for every piece of hardware. It does not make the customer want to buy more of your products. It doesn't provide anything that we really need. It's just not. Worth. It.
8:11 I care more about your opinion than about the graphs. Seriously, think about it; If you take an early 60's jukebox playing a 7" single, and you put it next to a mid 90's cheap rack system stereo playing a CD, and you measure them, I bet ya the cheap rack system will measure better. Now ask anyone what they prefer to listen to.
Man's spitting facts about the app rant, it's out of control on every platform. I'm trying to revert to a dumbphone at the moment and it's being made harder by the fact everything wants you to use their app for the same thing that used to be doable on in any web browser. I don't want to install 30 apps. Especially when they're doing it so they can gather data, and not so you get a better experience.
You’ll be amazed at what you can do with GrammarlyGO. Sign up at grammarly.com/circuit and get 20% off Grammarly Premium.
--------
What do y'all think of the AW720Hs? Let us know below!
Buy HyperX Cloud Alpha S Headphones: geni.us/TviUd9
Buy SteelSeries Arctis 5 Headphones: geni.us/6gpo6LC
Buy Logitech G PRO X Headphones: geni.us/kmdJ
Buy an Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS-USB Headset: geni.us/IN41wv
Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.
yo
lol it's funny cause no link to AW720H
Grammarly screws up my posts worse than autocorrect. It’s terrible!
Super happy to see Short Circuit posting on the daily‼️ BOUT TIME ‼️😁💩😁
Love the app rant we all feel every single day :D
1.11 GB+ software for managing your peripherals is simply unacceptable. What Dell were smoking when they produced this we may never know. I wouldn't be surprised if it mined Bitcoin while you aren't looking.
@@SlenderSmurf Alienware is better then Dell proper but that isn’t saying much. I suppose at least it isn’t a Compaq. Those were downright suicide inducing. I mean you couldn’t even install a normal copy of Windows on a Compaq!
Just don't buy gamer gear then
100%
@@Len_M. I am honestly not quite sure what you're saying, but Alienware is Dell.
Adam completely ripping this apart killed me. 🤣🤣
I loved the gaming app rant because my friend had this issue with his Razer stuff where he had to download like 5 different apps just to be able to run all of his lights. He couldn't even solve it by buying stuff that was compatible with Razer because it still required him to have the app installed and running. The only way I managed to avoid this problem was by only buying Corsair stuff so that I only had to deal with their terrible shiny lighting app. 😂
i hate razer software, it feels so predatory how its software magically tends to reinstall itself after deleting it all the time, and when you force close out of it, it reopens itself constantly. there are times where for me and my friends, razers software reinstalls itself after a few months of fully and completely deleting it and i dont know how it does it
@@poombie Synapse is literal spyware most likely their other apps do some sketchy stuff in the background too.
Thats probably why they force you to download their shit, so that you are forced to stay in their eco system and only buy their products. Apple tactics at work, but at least with Apple their stuff is mostly high quality.
I do not want to defend Razer (I am not really fond of Synapse as well), but not sure what you are talking about. In the end, all you need is 1 tool: Synapse (maybe 2 if you count Razer Central, which is used to connect to an account). I am not sure where your friend "had to" download 5 apps. All apps are optional and simply clicking "do not install" is enough. Technically, you do not even need Synapse to use their devices, they are just massively gimped without it (so it is more of an "indirect forcing").
Maybe he meant the modules within Synapse, but again, most of those modules are purely optional and only needed if you want to integrate other stuff with their software.
But as much as we like to moan about Razer Synapse, other tools are just as shit (like corsairs iCUE, or whatever it's called, for example), if we were really honest about it. At least, I did not encounter a single good software regarding peripherals, and I tried a lot.
Again, not trying to defend Razer, I agree generally that Synapse is rubbish, and having worked for Razer Support, I can confidently tell you: even their technicians think that. It is like software that's in Beta for years now and nobody seems to care to make it more stable and usable.
5 different apps... haha nice exaggeration. Your friend probably selected everything during install. Only Synapse itself is needed. Any other installation for RGB is probably an API plugin to talk with other proprietary RGB ecosystems from other brands and is standard practice in the industry.
I like these new tests from labs, headphones might sound good to 1 person but not to others but these "optimal" sound curves can actually show us what they would sound like in real life instead of just imagining, very informative. Finally a single person at LTT speaking what he actually thinks about product, bravo clap clap 9:40
Just unfortunate that they're mostly wasting it on "Gamer" Audio Products or Brands like Sony, Apple, etc.
Would really love to see some graphs for the latest by Hifiman, Sennheiser, maybe some chi-fi brands...
@@nadeoki all in due time, also those brands already have audiophiles reviewing them with similar graphs, gaming headsets on the other hand are usually stuck with "sounds good, bassy, but good" kind of reviews
@@nadeoki the audio tubers already measure those so it's honestly goods that they measure stuff that is mostly ignored by audio people provides new info instead of just repeating already known stuff
@@rawrmonster6782 shoutout our brother dankpods
@@333dae everytime I hear a non-audiophile review a headset bassy good, I immediately know this headset has bloated bass, and they never review anything about the mid and treb LOL
Adam dropping bombs on bloated whatever-launcher apps right here, LOVE IT
I'd like to watch Adam, Dan and maybe James sitting on one table and then, they discuss anything about audio stuff.
Audiophilantropy
They should trial a WAN show episode for that
They could just make sub channel/podcast with a show and include there the movie podcast and even a car podcast that is not weekly but every week there are different show that would be great
Dan thinks hes an audiophile.
With Riley as the relatable non audio savvy host.
1.1gb there are full up to date GUI OS that are under that. I hope it has some HD video tutorial and/or demos accounting for 90%.
Thank you for the software rant Adam. You speak words of true wisdom 🤣.
"My GPU Drivers want to launch my games too" man, I feel you brother
Once again, Alex continues to be right regarding how to go about buying headsets. Don’t get gaming audio gear, get used music audio gear.
Honestly, it's overkill for 99% of the people
Which doesn't mean they should buy these overpriced headsets, but most people, with the needs they have, will call it a day with something like a pair of hyperx cloud
Also, some people just want something they can carry around, wireless and light
Good luck carrying around a pair of studio headphones with an external mic, very practical
Y'all always miss the point in which different people have different necessities and don't necessarily need the best of the best
Agree. I got a 660s. Love it.
But those have cables most of the time and then you also have to get a mic
I rather just get 1 wireless headset
I love the ksc75 for gaming, for 20 dollars you get crisp highs for perfect footstep reproduction and a huge soundstage
Steel series is fine as far as a gaming headset.
I struggle to play with people who use gaming headsets. Mic quality is so bad it actually ruins the experience.
Adam, thank you for your service o7 Your suffering on our behalf is appreciated on behalf of all GamersTM with standards. I really love your reviews
You are a man of the people. We need more of your reviews.
you don't like the 1tb of bloat that takes up 95% cpu usage, 99% disk usage, 69gb ram usage, and makes your gpu run at 100c? you're odd
holy hell adam GET THEM
extremely cathartic watching adam tear these apart on every point that matters when i'm looking at headphones. good stuff.
The best rants on Short Circuit. Informative, focused on the product, well-structured, perfect!
Oh my god, please let this guy host more. That rant near the end was great, and I want to hear more rants on tech stuff like this.
The more I see Adam hosting videos the more I have come to appreciate him. More Adam please!
No thank you.
The rant finally made me love Adam. He was always good, but a good passionate rant that I vibe with always makes me connect with a person on a deeper level. In fact, even if I disagree with their rant, the passion is what really matters. It shows that you care enough to show a bit more emotion, and that usually translates into their work IMO. Great review, mate! Loved it
yes!!
As a software developer, his rant is amazing and I fully endorse it.
The timeless advice of just getting decent headphones and pair it with a decent mic to create your "headset" always works. Sounds way better and no software needed.
---
A decent dedicated non-USB-soundcard could certainly help also:
Problem nowadays more of is the oversized graphics-cards alongside the much reduced amount of PCI-slots even on +300€-motherboards
( like generally you pretty much get only 3-slots and all of them get blocked by the graphics-card;
it's been almost a decade since I was able to plug-in my "Creative Sound Blaster Audigy (2?)" into my systems ).
Reason why I for one prefer non-USB-audio-devices is mainly to have a manual / non-digital audio-control;
E.G. I listen on "Hifiman HE400se"-headphones via "Topping L30"-amplifier which is (DisplayPort) connected to my "Dell U2415"-monitor.
Sure, "Realtek" certainly ain't unusable like they were in year 2007
( most importantly when trying to record gameplay-footage with "Fraps" where all the recorded-audio was just super "shouty-breaking-up-shouty" on "Asus M2N"-motherboard ).
EDIT: Correction, "Asus M2N" had "SoundMax";
so at least Realtek "works clean enough" unlike SoundMax ever did to begin with (at least recording-wise primarily, that is)...
But I for one still would like to see more competition on the baked-in(to-motherboard)-audio-parts, especially since Realtek has been dropping support on numerous useful audio-enhancements
( most importantly to me the "Loudness Equalization"-option;
fortunately that works via (AMD HIgh Definition Audio) DisplayPort / Monitor-audio-output nowadays ).
---
I installed that Alienware Command Center once for my Alienware monitor and it took up 28GB of RAM that caused my game to crash constantly.
That sounds like a hardware fault tbh
I have it on my AW laptop and it uses virtually no ram...
@@nadeoki Or....and hear me out; The version this person had was plagued by bugs (like a memory leak).
It sounds far fetched, I know.
@@nadeoki Sounds more like a memory leak in poorly coded software.
i love how the cap turns more the more irritated adam gets with the headset :D
Also, the lab is already adding insane production value with those benchmarks for the audio which were never really quantifiable through reviews up until now.
Please in the future include a 'glasses' test. ;)
Also I just got Corsair HS65 Surround (wired) ones, there are wireless options too, though I really would like a test for these too, including via labtest!
I have one too. Best mic on the market in that price range, and they sound good
The brutal honesty here, I love it.
Same with Dan's recent video complaining about the Sonos S300 limitations.
Keep it up, love the work.
My Steeleries Arctis Nova Pro works great with no software installed. A lot of it's settings can be configured directly on the hardware interface. Yeah, it's not cheap, but it's life changing. Bonus, it just works on Linux.
I have the old Arctis Pros they're awesome headsets
Would love to see a more comprehensive measurement suite, stuff like square wave response, impulse response, distortion, group delay and isolation. Like a modified innerfidelity/rtings type deal.
The Corsair HS80 is probably one of the top 3 best wireless gaming headsets out right now and it came out in 2021. Dmitry from Hardware Canucks said it was the best sounding mic on a wireless headset and has still not found a wireless headset that can beat it for mic performance and as for the audio that is better than most wireless headsets out there. I own one myself and it sounds awesome although you do need Corsair iCUE to have the best audio experience but I don't care because I have a Corsair K100 Opto-Mech keyboard and M65 Ultra wireless as well as several Corsair components inside my PC such as their RGB RAM and CPU cooler/RGB fans and Corsair iCUE can also control Asus MOBO and GPU LED's as well as NANOLEAF and Philips Hue compatible products and I have an Asus ROG Strix 3080 and an ROG Crosshair VIII Hero Wi-Fi which both have RGB.Most of my RGB stuff can be controlled via Corsair iCUE but I have the LED's disabled for my headset
Almost canceled my order for the Audeze Maxwells but your review of these changed my mind and I'll just wait for the Maxwells to arrive.
That rant tho, so good
Someone had to say it, thank you!
9:38
another strike for 'gaming headsets'. get a decent quality pair of studio headphones and get ANY decent separate microphone solution that works for you.
Super happy to see Short Circuit posting on the daily‼️ BOUT TIME ‼️😁💩😁
This pure and brutal honesty is one of my favorite details of LTT videos and why I recommend all your channels so much! The only thing I would love more is if you guys cut the crap and did full reviews of all the stuff you have "showcased" those are so bland in comparison and almost always leave a bad feel...
The tongue twister bit was gold even Tho the mic was subpar 7:16
Are there any plans for you guys to take a look at cheap IEM's? There are numerous for sale online at price range of 50-100$ and I'd love a professional take on those. Love the Lab's audio setup!
You guys should definitely check out the scuf H1. I’ve got a pair with the omnidirectional mic. The only thing is that it is wired only, which is why I got it cause you don’t have to charge.
11:56
I see you're a man of culture as well
The best shortcut to task manager (
I slapped a modmic wireless on a pair of HD280 Pros that I connect to a bluetooth stereo adapter when I want them to be fully wireless. I love it. They sound great, are super comfortable, didn't cost a fortune, I can move the good microphone to any other headset I get in the future, I can make any wired headphones wireless if I don't want to use the 280s, it works on my phone without a dongle, and I don't have to install a single app to use every single feature.
The only drawback is having two separate devices to charge, which is a bit of a pain, but a little bit of DIYing with a wireless charger and some micro USB cables would solve that problem pretty easily.
Can you make a headphone buying guide for the holidays? Like part 1 who has the best bloatware, part 2 which one has the best mic, then audio, then the summary!
dude thank you for the brutal honesty. These types of reviews hopefully lead to actual good change.
theres a reason (aside from the fit being a little tight) my favourite headset ive had so far is the sennheiser GSP 602. literally just plug 2 3.5mm cables in, no usb stuff, no software and everything through your motherboard audio. no clunky bloatware garbage that eats your RAM
I'm rocking some GSP 600's in a GSX 1000 external AMP/sound card thing. They sound great and the mic is pretty damn good too. The virtual surround sound is also rather good. It's hard to go wrong with Sennhesier at any price point really, you get what you pay for (in my experience at least).
7:56 is the money shot 😅 much appriciated
The rant part was all real but 10:28 to 10:41 is what all company since so many years need to listen to because theses words are 100%
I have the wired 510 series version of these.
I actually like them for comfort, but they just seem made for my head size possibly. Build quality i very much appreciate on these, they've lasted 2 years so far and have held up great. Logi's are just too creaky for me.
I tweaked the hell out of the levels and turned some of the 'enhancement' off, but i've got them sounding really good actually if you do this, worth it.
Could be very different on the wireless versions though.
Maybe a small tip for the graphs, ppl with colorblindness may not be able to distinguish them easily. Event tho this one's are pretty distinguishable. So other colors for the graphs, maybe?
Anyway loved that they were included
Love this guy, absolutely need to have him do more of these videos
To be honest I never thought about the proprietary software for peripherals I just thought of it as. If you have an Alienware pc your going to have command center then you but Alienware products so it stops being an issue since it’s already there to begin with. Same with ROG or Razer. They have there own software that comes pre installed then it’s simple.
I absolutely hate proprietary software, so I would never buy an Alienware PC in the first place. Especially with their terrible thermal performance and plastic design, which is hard to upgrade. That said, if you’ve already got one, I do see your point. You’ve probably already got 100GB of random Dell software in it already.
Its annoying to install and run so many software if you dare to buy different brands for different things. I got glorious mouse, Logitech keyboard, Sennheiser wireless headset and corsair wired headset. Thats like 4 software running in the background and for what exactly
@@MarioGoatse you can debloat everything but the command center... You technically don't even need that either. It uses nothing of my system resources and works fine. I never have issues with the software or UI.
2:03 You sounded like James Woods finding a piece of candy lol
The razer kaira wireless are great value for money. They are 100$ full price, and often on sale. They sound ok and are fully compatible with ps5 and are also BT as well as 2.4ghz
Question is are they better then the Hugo boss gaming headset?
Happy to be old. My Teufel wired in ears just work. No charging. No software. No pressure on my ears. And full compatibility with pc, laptop, tablet, and phone. Can wear sun glasses without trouble. Easy to store. Works flawless since 2019. And all that under 20 bugs.
Aight now I wanna see Adam take a look at the Audeze Maxwell's
In my experience, Sennheiser/EPOS does a pretty decent job with the surround sound thing using one of their USB AMP things like the GSX-1000. Entirely in hardware, no stupid software needed to be installed.
Nice video, have you tried Sony NS7.? I use for gaming when I don't need a mic or when everyone is in bed.. It's a Dolby Atmos neckband..
Preach about software for hardware, my dude. Also everyone should buy a wooting keyboard. Worth the price of admission alone for a sensible software solution that is lightweight and doesnt need to or even try to run in the background at all times.
For the mic quality, razer's new headphones (i forgot the model) have insanely great mic
@10:00 This. This is why I buy headsets without a mic. For sound quality. And because I hate jumping through all the hoops it makes you jump through for "gaming"
I'm a dev, it's not hard, but it's also not our choice. I see a lot of blaming developers when 99.99999% of all major complaints around gaming and the industry are either from our PO/PM/BA or higher positions.
I've built garbage like this before, and I certainly didn't want to. The justification is that "end users are dumb, and an all-in-one reduces confusion and support"
Dolby Atmos for gaming has so much potential. But it justreally wish it's up to the same level of integration like Apple implementation. Dolby Atmos on airpods actually have nice surround
That's what you get when you control the whole software and hardware stack. Nice, tight integration. I like how it works seamlessly between devices too and how it knows where to push the audio. So if I have my AirPods in while on my Mac, tada! If I'm using my iPhone, tada! Same with iPad.
I got a old rig 800 hd I believe it was hd not sure, headset and it sounds great has great directional audio and the mic is good too and has a tilt to mute on it it doesn't sound compressed or weird like that one does the newer mics on gaming headsets sound so bad they sound very weird with the ai thing
Glad you recommended alternatives at similar price points, thanks 👍
Thanks for the review I was thinking about getting these. Only because they were offering those and a mechanical RGB keyboard 120$.
I love how the rant was almost the longest segment in the whole video lmao. Absolutely warranted tho
Should also look at the AW510k keyboard. Honestly would love to hear you rant about this one.
6:10 That segway was better than the ones Linus does nowadays, damn
If you can't hear the difference between Atmos for Headphones and regular stereo you need to clean your ears and/or read up on how spatial sound via stereo works.
You need to make a UA-cam short of this rant, best thing I've seen in awhile.
The clicks on Cyberpunk may be a game issue at certain audio formats because on my "very good" DAC and headphones at 32b/384000hz happens too.
5:35 that's one of the reasons I went with the AirPods Max. Kinda unrelated to the video, but being able to charge while using should be a basic feature.
You guys should do a review of the audeze maxwells, I'd love to see what you guys would have to say about those
or Rode's Beloved infamous Re-install of the NTH-100 with a Microphone attached.
It's the best "Gaming Headset" without being "gaming"
Honestly I am pretty concerned about how the hinges look on the alienware headset, like the arctis series of headsets had an issue of over rotating and breaking the plastic housing around the hinge. But apparently steelseries fixed this in their arctis nova series by adding rubber bumpers..
Ontop of that the design of the alienware looks kinda terrible, but that might just be me.
Yes, in Sennheiser I trust for headsets.
There's lots of white noise during the Dolby Audio testing segment, editing error or something else?
Loved your software rant! Well said! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Would love to see a review of the G Pro X, like was mentioned at the end! I own a pair and I've always wondered if my purchase decision was a good one. So far I haven't been let down by them!
If you like them it was a good buy.
man's looking for ppl's opinion on a product he bought...
@@dontmatter4423 yeah?
@@yonaz3334 Fair point. I guess I'm more curious as to how they stack up against other products. Especially given that the driver size between the ones reviewed in this video and the one in the G Pro X are the same.
@@T0DD "I've always wondered if my purchase decision was a good one"
🧠🤡
I love the realness of the rant. Keep it up! Tell it how it is!
@13:30 there is some hissing noise that stops later in the end part of the video probably around @15:03 .
Can you unbox, test the new Razer BlackShark V2 Pro 2023 headphones?
Thanks!
I can pretty much guess it being very similar review to this one tbh because they tend to hate anything gaming related audio equipment and love music enthusiast ones
@@touma-san91 yeah they're totally biased against shitty headsets
@@touma-san91 The BlackShark V2 (wired) is actually a pretty decently tuned headset unlike something absolute crap like this Alienware can. Just looking at the FR curve tells me that the original Black Shark v2 is leagues above here, even things like the old M50's are considerable worse tuned. Pretty neutral with a slight bass emphasis. And it has a very good mic for a headset. Not sure what the 2023 Edition is tho, not heard of it until now.
@@DanKaschel They are also biased towards recommending inferior products. Read comments on few of their recent audio gear reviews and you might be surprised how many people do not agree with them on any audio related thing. And usually give way better recommendations too for less money
@@touma-san91 I can tell from your initial comment that you're not exactly a nuanced listener.
LTT is not an audiophile channel, certainly. However, I definitely trust their opinions over dissenters in the comments who, like you, seem more invested in who's right than what product is best.
Seems like Alienware software not working is only an issue on foreign systems. I have a going on 5 years old M17 and Command Center works great, while being very well optimized on the system. Doesn't crash, doesn't glitch, doesn't cause slowdowns and never intrudes after the initial setup.
Actually you can use XM5 charging with the aux cable, Is not the best quality, but it can save you
I was gifted Alienware AW920H and I hate them. They look like bigger Airpods without the stem. I couldn't turn off the LED on the ear cups without downloading their app on Windows. Even though I've uninstalled the app, it keeps reinstalling itself and downloading updates without my acknowledgement..
Sound quality is awful for my taste (and I'm not an audiophile) and they put a lot of pressure on my head.
I love this kind of reviews, this is honesty, everybody knows the pain that you have to deal with when trying to look for a software from dell, the Alienware software is trash and yeah these headphones too, thanks for telling us the truth! ❤
Sometimes it's easy to forget how bad some headphones can be tuned
how can it be easy to forget since 99% of gaming headsets sound like shit compared to proper headphones/iems in the same price range. It's hard to tell if all you ever used are gaming headsets but when you get used to something that sounds good you aint buying another gaming headset in you life anymore
Absolute 10/10 rant. Every point was valid. This needs to be spoken about more.
5:54 "I want to just pull out a cable and keep clicking heads" Pretty sure they supplied a 3.5mm headphone jack for you to plug in and keep clicking heads
Cyberpunk tends to fuck up the sound sometimes. I think it has something to do with the game engine not being compatible with certain sound drivers.
I have been using a wireless headset for the past three years and I have never had them die on me while gaming. That’s because you get a warning when they are on their last 30 minutes, and even then, I only heard this warning like twice thus far. I can’t imagine these don’t have that warning
Gsp 370 100 har battery is amazing
Bro I can’t even speak when I play Xbox I can only hear how tf I do this
I have steelseries arctis 5 and still alive even today, I just replaced the band and ear muffs as secondary when it's wet from my sweat. LOL!
Totally worth it even if it's wired.
He's right this alienware headset is not good enough for the price to performance and ergonomics.
I LOVE the salt & that rant was AMAZING.
F those apps. Learned my lesson when a software update bricked my Astro A50s. Totally different scale but ended up with 800s and a mod mic. You just plug it in and it works real good. Or Qudilex strapped on for full low latency wireless!
my god, at the dolby audio test with cyberpunk, there is a constant fan blowing straight into a microphone. I though my laptop fans kicked in while watching a simple youtube video, and they were ripping at max rpm, but no, it was from the video. Why is that?
love the rant!! friends dont let friends buy dell, ever. or gaming headsets, just say no!!!
You should try the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro, which i have, and it has the best bass, even has that volume knob, which when you put volume to 100% out of 200%, sometimes only the right ear is hearable, no reason why its happening. but overhaul its great. it has a power button (Have to hold it for 3 seconds), and a physical mute toggle, with a mic plug, and a jack combo. The mic is way better than my scuffed studio mic, plus the mic is really good. like it sounds like a professional mic. and the audio quality is great, it doesnt come up with a good audio driver for recording. since the sound is diffrent when i record with OBS, its because theres a THX driver that just Makes listening to audio way better. So i recommend you should use this as daily headset.
it has the best bass..god.. does it have good mids & Highs ? razor headphones are notorious to have the shittiest audio
I *feel* that rant. Oh my god. It needs to end. Not everyone needs their own proprietary software for every piece of hardware. It does not make the customer want to buy more of your products. It doesn't provide anything that we really need. It's just not. Worth. It.
8:11 I care more about your opinion than about the graphs.
Seriously, think about it; If you take an early 60's jukebox playing a 7" single, and you put it next to a mid 90's cheap rack system stereo playing a CD, and you measure them, I bet ya the cheap rack system will measure better. Now ask anyone what they prefer to listen to.
The way it handled his treatment, this thing is gonna last years
Man's spitting facts about the app rant, it's out of control on every platform. I'm trying to revert to a dumbphone at the moment and it's being made harder by the fact everything wants you to use their app for the same thing that used to be doable on in any web browser. I don't want to install 30 apps. Especially when they're doing it so they can gather data, and not so you get a better experience.
"There is something thats like crackling"
Yea thats a Cyberpunk issue. Happens to me with wireless headsets as well.
Why are there so few headsets with volume buttons instead of a wheel? Your clothes (hoodies and collared shirts) constantly move the volume wheel :(
Where did you get the Noctua hoodie and where can I get one?!!
reminds of when I had my corsair virtousos they decided to start charging for the EQ, they started charging people to EQ them