| Cyber Acoustics AC-401 Gaming Headset |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Audio | |
| Written by Dan Ferguson - Edited by Olin Coles | |
| Tuesday, 06 October 2009 | |
Cyber Acoustics AC-401 Headset ReviewAs we spend more time communicating through electronic means it's not surprising to see an increase of gadgets designed to improve the experience. When it comes to audio, most of the attention in consumer devices gets spent on the listening experience. 5.1 surround sound has become a standard, but what average user even has the capability to record in stereo? Yet the quantity of audio content produced by average users should not be ignored. Online videos, music, conferencing, chatting and gaming are on the rise. Cyber Acoustics is one company that has recognized a need for improved audio quality produced by the average user. The Cyber Acoustics AC-401 Circumaural Speech Recognition Stereo Headset uses 'Direct Noise Canceling Technology' to reduce background noise so you can be heard loud and clear. Benchmark Reviews brings out the scale to see how this headset weighs-in. Direct Noise Canceling Technology (DNCT) is similar to Noise Cancellation Technology (NCT). Noise-canceling headphones, another example of technology designed to improve the listening experience of the end user, use an external mic to listen to the ambient noise and feed the "opposite" noise into the phones thereby canceling out the ambient noise. This allows the audio from the earphones to be heard more clearly. But this won't help if the audio is already poor quality. 
Capturing higher quality sound is exactly what the AC-401 was designed to do. DNCT is designed to reduce the amount of ambient noise captured by the microphone to give clearer recordings. It has one obvious microphone, adjustable headband, padded earphones, in-line volume control and a swiveling, flexible mic boom. Since the AC-401 has only one obvious mic, how can it tell the difference between intentional noise and background noise, and does it really work? About Cyber Acoustics"The technology leader in affordable computer audio (speakers, headsets, microphones and headphones) dating back to the mid 80's, Cyber Acoustics' engineers and award winning research and development team are among the founders of the multimedia speaker industry. Every product has been designed to surpass the consumer's expectations both in terms of audio performance and in value. "Today, Cyber Acoustics is focused on music solutions, not only for the computer, but for the iPod, Zune, and other WMV and MP3 players as well. "It's about building smart equipment that is intuitive and flexible in use. It's less about wattage and frequency response rates, and more about what you know sounds great - and they just plain work the way you expect them to. "Those who demand the most - deserve the best." Headset Features
AC-401 Specifications
Closer Look: Cyber Acoustics AC-401When I first saw the mundane clear plastic packaging I became apprehensive about the performance. Mass packaging usually implies to me that a manufacturer is more concerned about quantity than quality.
Once I got the headset out of it's plastic vault I found the construction to be quite solid. The structure for the earpieces and headband are solid enough to sustain quality electronics for the lifetime of the headset. No frills adorn this gadget. If the target audience is business people in drab suits then Cyber Acoustics is spot-on. More flare is definitely needed to appeal to a more vibrant crowd. Both color and style could be improved.
The sliders used to adjust the headband size are probably the weakest part of the unit. They allow some minor twist but are otherwise very sturdy. I expect they'll be quite durable short of someone stepping or sitting on the ear pads. Each slider provides one and three eighths (1 3/8") of travel allowing for a decent size range. Despite the range the headphones still maintain a tight squeeze on the ears. This is great for smaller heads, but it may take some time for a larger head to break-in the headband.
One nice feature of the AC-401 is the swiveling microphone. The boom rotates at least one-hundred eighty degrees (180°) to allow the mic to extend from either the right or left ear. My unit rotates two-hundred seventy degrees (270°) which, since I have a tall face, is just enough to reach to my lower lip.
The solid microphone boom extends into a flexible arm which terminates with the microphone. There is enough flex to adjust to any facial contour but not so much that the arm is easily moved out of position. I will frequently use my headset for hours, toss it in a drawer of other gadgets and use it for hours more with no noticeable change in the flex arm. Closer Look Continued: AC-401As I mentioned earlier I frequently wear my headset for hours. I am impressed by the comfort provided by the headset during these sessions.
The ear pads are constructed of velvet and synthetic leather. Additionally, the ear pads have a small range of movement due to a ball-and-socket type construction. This makes for a more comfortable fit for a wider range of sizes. The padding makes the headphones easy to wear for extended sessions.
Next in line following down the cord is a 'lapel' clip. The clip can be placed anywhere on the cable to keep excess cord tidly bound to your person. This is handy in situations where I'm either moving and shuffling around a desk or when I need to frequently access the in-line volume controls. By keeping the clip near the volume I always know exactly where to put my hand.
Continuing down the cable brings up the in-line volume controls; a simple combo of volume dial and a mute switch. Users who use network conferencing and telephone or voice activated programs will find a mute switch a necessity. There are certain to be periods when recording is undesired. The volume dial also adds freedom from frequently needing to access the computer's volume controls (what a hassle). My only complaint is the distance of the controls from the headset. The volume controls are forty inches (40") from the headset eating up cord that could be valuable in reaching a far-away computer jack.
Finally, at the end of seven feet come the audio jacks. Color coded to match most computer jacks and labeled with microphone and headphone icons the jacks are easily distinguishable. More important than the plugs is the length of the cable. Seven feet allows enough cord to go around the back of my desk to reach the rear audio ports on my PC despite the forty inches taken by the volume controls. Testing & ResultsTesting MethodologySince the comfort and usability features were covered previously, testing was concentrated on the actual performance of the microphone and headphones. The headphone range was tested by playing tone frequencies from 20Hz to 20kHz and listening for any output (are your ears that good?). Headphone quality was tested on an assortment of audio devices including multiple sound-cards. The microphone was tested by recording voice from a sound-clip with a high level of background noise. The waveform was compared to an Optimus microphone without DNCT using Audacity. Both recordings used the exact same audio settings and sound clip. Test System
ResultsI knew from listening to music that the headphones had a decent bass range, but 20Hz is really low. When I played 20Hz on my desktop speakers I heard nothing so either my ears are broken or the speakers are low quality. Playing the 20Hz tone on the headset yielded a crisp sound. I could also feel the pressure waves hitting my eardrums. The 20kHz tone had the same result minus the pulsing air feeling. As far as quality is concerned I have no complaints on my Vostro. When there is no music things are quiet, and when the music plays the quality is excellent. I had similar results on other devices. The one catch with nice headphones is that you can hear the imperfections in a sound system. A poor sound-card will hiss, but that is not due to the headset. My first recording attempts resulted in quiet audio. This is mostly because I have a long face and the mic does not reach in front of my mouth. In my case I have to use Windows "Microphone Boost" to get comfortable sound volume without yelling. "Microphone Boost" has a known issue of causing a constant hiss in the audio output. This is only a slight annoyance during quiet periods and is unnoticeable while listening to nearly anything. While recording the hiss is noticeable but can be filtered out of recorded tracks. One other issue I encountered while recording occurred while using the mute switch. When pushing the slider to "Mute" or "On" there is a huge spike in the audio. I found this caused some consternation to others during conversations. As a result I rely on hot-keys to mute Windows sound rather than flip the switch. Regarding the DNCT, the image below shows the Optimus waveform on top and the AC-401 waveform on bottom.
The vertical axis represents the maximum decibel range for an audio file from positive one to negative one. The Optimus wave form was much quieter than the AC-401 so the scale was modified to compare the waveforms. The Optimus waveform shows a DC drift and higher relative noise levels. The AC-401 waveform stays centered at zero, has lower relative noise, and uses a larger decibel range. With "Microphone Boost" disabled most of the remaining noise is eliminated though some still remains. I suggested earlier that the headset only had one microphone. It may be that the AC-401 has one microphone pointed towards the user and one pointing away from the user to pick up noise. The waveform was cleaner when recording voice from my own mouth. Gaming Headset Final ThoughtsA few more things should be mentioned about the Cyber Acoustics AC-401 headset. For multi-purpose, everyday use I forget how well the headset functions until I have to use my other headphones or borrow from a friend when I'm away from home. But the AC-401 really shines in applications requiring clear audio input. For users who rely on voice recognition in a word processor or other specialized application the AC-401 excels. I'm a competitive team gamer and I rely on clear communication with my team to help us come out on top. Communication problems and distortion are quite common, and that is one place I have never had issues. While I thoroughly enjoy my headset there are a few modifications that could make the experience better. The mute button can sometimes be sticky or hard to switch in a hurry. The mute could be improved by swapping the switch out for a push button, and by removing the audio spike heard when the switch is toggled. The volume controls could also be moved closer to the headset for easier access. I would also recommend lengthening the microphone boom or making the boom length adjustable for further reach. Finally, the packaging could be more captivating. Clear plastic is not exciting, and the technical specifications may not mean much to most people. Perhaps an explanation of how the specifications and features improve performance may catch more interest.
Cyber Acoustics AC-401 ConclusionThe clear plastic packaging allows you to see the product but may mislead you to thinking this is another ordinary headset. The text is mostly technical and also does not fully convey the performance. The charcoal grey and clean lines are very simple, perhaps boring. While there is some styling the headset definitely won't draw attention. The AC-401 is good enough to use outside the office but it needs some sprucing up to appeal to a wider range of audiences. The hard plastic ear pieces and microphone boom are solid and will care for the electronics housed inside. The weakest point is the size adjusting sliders. As long as the headset is not abused these should provide no problem. Cyber Acoustics did an excellent job choosing material for the flexible part of the microphone boom. It will fit any reasonable contour and will maintain its shape with jostling. The microphone boom also rotates over 180° and can be worn on left or right ear. Despite the simplistic look the functionality was excellent. The swiveling boom, jointed and padded ear phones and adjustable headband make long sessions comfortable. The volume controls are great for quick access, but due to the noise added when using the mute switch it did not get utilized much. Both the headphones and microphone performance stand well above the crowd. The ear phones produced impressive base tones and clean pitches in the higher frequencies. Direct Noise Cancelling Technology made a difference in both the clarity and loudness of audio input. Any minor inconveniences encountered were due to lack-of-fit rather than technical performance. For $18.99 at NewEgg.com, this product should be considered a 'no-brainer' based solely on performance. Decent construction and comfort are added bonuses. The Benchmark Reviews price comparison tool also located the AC-401 for as little as $13 shipped. Individuals with a large head or long face may find an inexact fit that may affect performance. Most of the performance can be recovered using software adjustments. I had to enable "Microphone Boost" which causes a small amount of hiss that I can live with. Despite the minor weaknesses the AC-401 is a very enjoyable, well-performing device. Pros:
+ Clean Sound Cons:
- Noisy Mute Switch Ratings:
Final Score: 7.35 out of 10.Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.
Related Articles:
|
|
Comments