Sony DR-GA500

For its first dabble into the world of gaming headsets, Sony has obviously released a '7.1' model—the ultimate marketing ploy that's sure to attract many an uninformed user. The DR-GA500 headset is basically the same as Sony's GA200 stereo headset, but with an added 3D surround sound effects module. Instead of repeating ourselves, we recommend you read our review of the GA200 for more information on the headset itself. Here, we'll just be outlining what the additional audio module brings to the GA500.

Design: outsized processing module

To read about the headset's design, please go to our review of the GA200. Here, we'll just be reviewing the 3D surround sound module that comes with the GA500. This plastic box is about the size of a paperback novel, and is home to all the settings and connections needed for hooking the headset up to your PC. 

It has several sockets, but the module itself is designed to be connected to a computer via USB—a very popular connection for this type of headset. However, for some inexplicable reason, Sony has also decided to include five mini-jacks for direct connection to the computer's sound card, should you wish to do so.

However, unless your computer's USB ports are seriously overloaded, these connections will be pretty much useless, and their only real purpose seems to be to push up the product's price. Direct connection to the sound card simply can't rival a digital connection when it comes to producing a clear, clean output. You'll also have to unplug your speaker set if you want to connect the headset in this way.

The front of the module features controls for selecting and changing the various audio modes. Strangely, a gain potentiometer is hidden around the back of the unit.

Audio Quality: stick with stereo

The processing module allows users to choose between several modes that aren't available in the standard GA200 model.

One switch is for selecting the audio input: USB, stereo, 5.1 or 7.1. Sound is then transmitted directly with no equalisation. However, if you choose a multi-channel source, the headset doesn't just downmix the sound to stereo, but instead processes the output with a surround sound treatment that's far from convincing. Plus, as is the case with most manufacturers, this processing affects the accuracy and quality of the overall output.

A second switch allows you to add a 'surround sound' or an 'FPS' effect to the output, both of which are quite simply awful. In fact, it sounds a bit like you're in a cellar or a cave, which isn't particularly nice.

The last switch is for compression. Compressing an audio track greatly reduces its dynamic range—the difference between the lowest and highest volumes. It's a consequence that's noticeable straight away in games, as any slight remaining notions of positioning in the soundscape disappear completely. The gain potentiometer works partly for compression and partly to set the volume of the analogue entries. However, there's already a volume control on the headset's remote, as well as on the computer!