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ASUS announces Strix 7.1 true surround sound gaming headset

by Mark Tyson on 28 November 2014, 10:35

Tags: ASUSTeK (TPE:2357)

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ASUS has added a surround sound headset to its Strix range of owl-influenced PC accessories and components. The ASUS Strix 7.1 Surround Gaming Headset is described as a "top-of-the-line gaming headset," whichoffers users "incredibly-immersive surround sound and precise positioning," thanks to its 10 discrete neodymium magnet drivers and accompanying LED-lit DSP USB Audio Station.

ASUS Strix 7.1 surround sound gaming headset key features:

  • True 7.1 surround sound: Lifelike, immersive audio with 10 neodymium magnets and volume controls for each channel
  • Plug-and-play USB audio station: Works as a USB sound card with handy in-game audio controls
  • Static and breathing lighting effects: Express your gaming style, even in the dark
  • 90% environmental noise cancellation: Clear in-game communication
  • Four game-audio spectrum profiles: Enjoy immersive audio fine-tuned for first-person shooter (FPS), racing, and action/role-playing games (RPG)
  • 110mm protein leather cushions: Highly breathable material is perfect for long gaming sessions
  • Foldable ear cups: Travel-friendly design lets you game anywhere

With five speakers per ear this headset can offer true 7.1 surround sound – perfect for games – suggests ASUS. Additionally the firm has implemented a tuned stereo mode for enjoying music and YouTube for example. Built-in nose cancellation filters out 90 per cent of environmental noise, we are told. Furthermore the headset has comfortable breathable protein leather coated memory foam ear cushions.

ASUS bundles the headset with the dedicated plug-and-play USB audio station which is basically a USB sound card, it allows quick and intuitive audio adjustment controls and shares the same distinctive Strix styling as the headset. Four preset game-audio spectrum profiles are included covering the bases of FPS, racing, RPGs and more. The audio station has controls for each audio channel and the microphone level.

Finally to "express your gaming style" users can choose various lighting modes for both the owl eyes headset and the USB audio station. Unfortunately ASUS hasn't informed us with regard to pricing and availability details of the Strix 7.1 surround sound gaming headset.

HEXUS Forums :: 10 Comments

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Posted by Roobubba - Fri 28 Nov 2014 12:01
I used to be a huge fan of the original Medusa 5.1 surround headphones - they worked very well indeed. Since those broke (they lasted me pretty well), I've not come across any 5.1 or 7.1 headphones that have impressed me. I'd be really interested to find out how well these perform, not just for the surround audio (which would need to be spot on, of course) but also the quality of the drivers they're using.
The original medusa's didn't have great sound quality, but they did position very well. I now use stereo mixing headphones (Audiotechnica M50s) which are hugely superior in quality to every 5.1/7.1 set I've tried in the past, and I have no problem pinpointing enemies in 3D (I'm a competitive FPS gamer, especially natural selection2 and that involves a *lot* of vertical axis sound positioning in addition to the horizontal plane). I use them in preference to my Roccat Kone 5.1 headset, which doesn't offer particularly great 5.1 positioning, and has pretty horrible overall sound quality to boot.

So if Asus use good quality speakers in there, and get their software implementation right, these could be next on the list to try out when my now decade-old Audiotechnicas give up the ghost (seriously, these things are amazing).

Although you have to laugh at the marketing… how does the LED lighting help to achieve ‘incredibly-immersive surround sound and precise positioning’ and what the hell are ‘110mm PROTEIN leather cushions’? :D
Posted by krazy_olie - Fri 28 Nov 2014 12:41
Sceptical about using such tiny drivers.
Posted by tribaljet - Fri 28 Nov 2014 18:14
In all honesty, I don't really have much faith on 5.1/7.1 headphones/headsets since I don't find cue processing to work as advertised. I'd rather keep using my proper quality Ultrasones fed through a decent headphone amp and an internal DAC that receives 3D processing from a secondary X-Fi device.

About protein leather, that's basically artificial leather, also known as pleather. Different people take differently to pleather, I personally found them decent enough but it all depends on the pleather's quality, but even then I wouldn't trade my velvet ones for either leather or pleather.

Regarding driver size, it really isn't a be all and end all measure since there isn't a direct correlation between driver accuracy and size.
Posted by xukex211x - Sat 29 Nov 2014 20:39
ive always assumed tiny drivers arent as reliable to be honest i prefere my turtle beach haha
Posted by Goobley - Sun 30 Nov 2014 12:56
I've yet to listen to a multidriver headset that can offer any more accurate positioning than a high end open set of headphones. When it comes down to it, most directionality in games is done via very minor time lag and lead between the sounds arriving at each ear. Sure, fully directional sound exists and works well for speakers, I don't really think it translates to headphones though.

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