Razer Barracuda Headset

The Razer Barracuda comes boxed in a unique though informative box. The front of the packing has a clear picture which shows the headphone design to any potential buyer. Around the sides and back of the product are various specifications. Upon opening the outer box we find the headphones encased in a hard plastic shell which ensures that the kit reaches the end user in pristine condition.

Included with the Barracuda headphones are a number of leaflets. They contain promotional information, COA and a manual which explains how to connect the headphones to the system. Really for a set of headphones a manual doesn't have to be massively indepth however it is good to see that Razer have provided some excellent, clear diagrams for the novice user.

Also included with the Barracuda headphones are the following items. First up is the analogue connectors with USB plug (provides power to the amplifier/LED's for the unit) and HD-DAI converter. For those reading who are familiar with graphics cards the connector on the far left of the first picture will look familiar, it is very similar to a DVI port, so much so that there is a bright orange label attached which warns against attaching to a graphics card.

Also included is a detachable microphone(plugs in under the left ear) and USB extension cable. The average PC won’t require the extension due to the length of the built in cable however it is nice to have (and like all the other connectors is gold plated, another nice touch). The microphone itself is a bit of a problem though as it is both short and solid. Despite claims in the documentation that this won't be detrimental to the sound quality we just couldn’t get as good a volume level from this mic as the more standard (longer/more flexible) designs which come on most other headsets. There is a lot to be said for making the component detachable though, if buying the headset purely for listening then there won’t be a mic hanging around the head getting in the way.

Before we look at the headphones themselves we have a couple of other components to look at, the amplifier/volume control and HD-DAI (High Definition Dedicated Audio Interface) connector. With this unit we have control over master volume, front volume, centre volume and rear volume. This allows full configuration of the speakers and is a pretty great feature. It’s also possible to turn on the earpiece and amplifier logo lighting (blue) via a switch on this component if they are not required. The control box sits about half way down the 2 meter 99% oxygen free cable so gives plenty of flexibility with regards to positioning. As far as the HD-DAI connector goes this is the section which plugs into either a Razer AC-1 soundcard directly or into the converter shown above and then into the systems soundcard. As with the similarly designed DVI interface its a reasonably chunky and solid connector which can be screwed together for maximum stability.

The headphones themselves are very well designed. Each earpiece has a felt lining and there is a very soft cushioning strap which takes the weight of the headset. As shown in the second picture the ear muffs are also completely reversible.

Inside the unit the specifications are very impressive. First off the headphones are true 5.1 with 8 descrete drivers, 6 for mid-high frequency and 2 for bass. These are driven by the amplifiers (8) we mentioned above. The output power of the headset is 330mW with a frequency response of 1.50Hz – 20,000Hz. Impedance ratings are as follows: 1.a. Front Speaker : 64ohm b. Rear Speaker : 32ohm c. Centre Speaker: 64ohm d. Sub-Woofer : 8ohm.

Razer Barracuda in use:

Recently we reviewed what is without doubt the best soundcard we have tested to date, the Auzentech X-Meridian 7.1. For part of the testing I used the Barracuda headset and here is what i had to say about the sound reproduction of the two:

CD AUDIO: Always a thorough and demanding test we put Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon into our drive and sat back to enjoy. Throughout the session we were presented with a fantastically pure production of the album with real quality shining through from each instrument and the ability to pick out the small nuances which are so often lost when listening to the album on sub standard audio products.

DVD AUDIO – MUSIC: For this test we looked out our copy of Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band – Live in New York. The audio mix on this DVD was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Sound Mixing. The sheer number of instruments playing at any one , whilst also having numerous vocal sources, really makes for a test where we are throwing everything but the proverbial kitchen sink at the headphones. We selected 6 songs for their varied musical styles (Promised Land, Youngstown, Murder Inc, Badlands, Lost in the Flood and Jungleland) and of all the tests the results produced in this area were the most astounding. The audio produced was so real it was as if our Barracuda headphones were plugged directly into each of the instruments or microphones. A particular highlight was the Telecaster/Esquire sound produced by Bruces guitar in Promised Land and Badlands, if ever a sound reproduction by PC was mouth-wateringly good this is it. Other impressive aspects were that during Lost in the Flood it was possible to hear breaths being taken between lines as if the singer was standing right next to us and both the sharpness of the drum sounds and richness of the Saxophone solo in Jungleland.

DVD AUDIO – MOVIE: For our movie test we looked out our Matrix and Jurassic Park DVD’s. Our first test is the Galloping Galimimus scene from Jurassic Park. Using this scene we can test lower frequency sounds and positional audio as the flock of dinosaurs run past the camera with heavy thuds in numerous directions followed by some excellent roars from a T-Rex. As expected the Barracudas produced perfect positional audio in this scene and the roars, when they occur, are suitably loud and dramatic. Moving to The Matrix we have tested using the lobby scene and find a film sequence which is visually stunning, when played back through a basic audio system it is aurally impressive also. On the X-MERIDIAN/Barracuda combo as we had expected by this point sounds were further enhanced and whether it be the thud of shoes on the floor, crisp gunfire or the sharp metallic sound of empty bullet casings hitting marble each channel produces exceptional clarity.

Gaming- CSS: Every hardened Counter Strike Source player will tell you that positional audio is a must have if you are to be at the top of your game and the Barracudas create a great gaming environment. As well as having a real oomph to explosions and some cracking gunfire sound reproduction the various speakers within the muffs do a great job at letting you know where the next opponent is coming from.