Medusa NX Core Gaming Stereo Headset
Feature
An affordable headset with some good qualities and some bad.
Affordable no-nonsense headset
Speedlink is known for their affordable and reasonably high quality gaming peripherals. They may not be the sexiest choice around, but they are usually more sturdy than some high-priced and flashier options. Medusa NX Stereo Headset is an affordable headset with some good qualities and some bad. Read forth to learn more.
Design and Features
One thing going for the Medusa NX Core Gaming Stereo Headset is its looks: no LEDs or other silly accoutrements, just stylish matte black design. The earpieces are circumaural, with the paddings made of smooth, velvety cloth. They are just the right size to envelop the ears and do not press the lobes against the skull painfully. In fact, they are very comfortable even when you are wearing glasses, which is not something that you can often write about with these sorts of earpieces. Furthermore, the cloth surfacing does not stick or get sweaty like so many faux leather paddings that I’ve had to suffer during hot summers. Extended to my above average (62) headsize, the headsets wears very comfortably. The head-padding spreads the weight nicely and I could have easily keep the set on for a good while if the pads had not begun to itch my cheeks rather tremendously.
The build quality is not excellent, but seems sturdy enough. Even though the headband extenders are made of plastic, rather than metal, they are thick enough to make you feel secure that they will not break. The set does not creak when you twist it to put it over your head. The microphone is fixed on the headset, but rotates out of the way very nicely when you don’t need it.
The set professes only a very short cable with basic 3.5 mm stereo phone plugs. These are attached to a so-called “in-line remote” that allows you to control the volume levels and sound, as well as microphone muting. This has a cable of its own, attaching to a USB port. The total length of the cable is 3.6 metres which is entirely too much if you sit by your computer; you end up with a long length of the cable just lying at your feet or on the table. Also, when you sit by your computer, you really do not need the in-line remote either. But if you put it aside and attempt to use the headset with the 3.5 mm plugs only, you will learn that you will have to lean towards your computer – the cable length is simply too short.
The main specs are as follows:
Headphones
Frequency Response: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Impedance: 32 ohms
Microphone
Microphone Type: Omnidirectional
Frequency Response: 100Hz ~ 18kHz
Impedance: 2.2kohms
Sensitivity @1kHz: -36+/-3 dBV/Pa
Gaming use
We tested the Medusa NX Stereo Headset with some PC games and the results were relatively satisfying for a stereo headset in this price range. It was slightly difficult to work out the locations of your enemies based on their sounds, but the sound effects the themselves are clear and nice – not amazing, though, but you should not really expect it at this price range.
The microphone is fine for chatting up with friends, but I would not recommend it for podcasts etc. where sound quality is more important.
Ratings
We’ve rated the Medusa NX Core Gaming Stereo Headset in a variety of categories on a scale of 1 to 10.
Looks: 7.0/10
Design and Build Quality: 8.0/10
Comfort: 7.5/10
Sound Quality: 7.0/10
Portability: 7.5/10
Our score: 7.5/10
For the price point, the headset is a good product. While the sound quality will not blow you away, it is good enough for most gamers. The build quality is good, although it is made of plastic. The comfort of use is the high point of the product, at least for a large-headed gamers but the itchiness of the ear pads may cause discomfort to some users. Portability is ok, although the dongle is an extra bother. The biggest downside is the very short cable for someone who would rather toss the dongle aside. Overall, the headset is definitely worth checking out if you are budget-conscious and value simple but good looks.