Type – USB Headset Manufacturer – SCEA/Logitech MSRP – $29.99 Platform – PlayStation 2
Anyone who has played their PS2 online knows that there are certain things that need to be included in a headset if it’s going to be a long lasting, trash-talking peripheral. While any USB headset is compatible, it was the Logitech-crafted unit that had been packaged with SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs that most gamers used to communicate during PS2 online games. Granted, the unit was simple and it worked, which is the only thing the headset was meant to do. But you couldn’t control the volume on the unit (to battle against those players who screamed into their mic… that happened to be halfway down their throats), and you had to speak quietly or remove the headset completely if you didn’t wish to have your teammates listening in on your conversations you were having with others around you. And let’s not forget that the original headset was so easily breakable that many gamers had to replace their sets shortly after SOCOM was released.
Sony and Logitech have rectified those problems with the USB headset for PlayStation 2. With this unit you get everything that the old, flimsy set didn’t have, and some. Obviously, not only is this headset much sturdier, it’s a more attractive package too. The unit is finely crafted, well suited for long nights of SOCOM. It fits extremely well, and is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The microphone is entirely hard plastic that is only able to be positioned up and down, but contoured in such a way that the microphone will be the perfect distance from your mouth at all times. Doing this helps to eliminate those annoying breaths into the mic, and it also helps others to hear you with much better clarity. When using this headset, you hear significantly better as well, partly due to the higher quality earpiece that helps to cut off interference.
Two of the most important features to Sony’s USB Headset are the volume and mute control. Volume works in conjunction with the better earpiece to help find the optimum settings. As regular gamers on PS2 Online will tell you, sound quality is different in everyone’s microphones, and everyone talks differently. Being able to adjust your own set to easily adapt to the conditions is a godsend, and something that should be a standard. The mute function is another necessity. Simply put, the mute is another no-brainer, especially when playing with friends around you. The attractive indicator lamps light PS2 blue when functioning normally, and red when muted, all with the simple press of a sizable, easily accessible button. And you don’t need to be concerned about cord length; this headset has an extra long cord, and even comes with a clip to keep unneeded cord out of the way.
The only real knock we have against the Sony USB Headset is that the guts of the unit, as well as the volume/mute control piece, are hanging from the set, so you must have some place for these components to rest. On Xbox this isn’t a problem because all of the headset’s components are attached directly to the control pad, needing no support at all. With the USB ports on the PS2 located on the console itself, it’s a different predicament. The volume/mute control isn’t a big deal, as it can easily sit on your lap. But the headset component has to sit somewhere, because if it doesn’t, it feels as though it’s weighing the headset down a bit as you wear it. Granted, that’s partly what that extra long cord is for, but we feel that it’s at least worth pointing out.
When all is said and done, the Sony USB Headset is more than worth the price of admission, and once you have it, you won’t want to go without. The comfort and improved clarity justify the purchase, but the volume/mute control and extra long cord seals the deal. If you plan on playing your PS2 online, this is as vital as the Network Adaptor.
