People who prefer to play video games using a controller often favor wired headphones, as you don’t have to worry about charging the batteries in a Bluetooth headset. This doesn’t mean that wired headphones need to have worse audio quality, as proven by RIG’s R5 Spear Pro HS headphones.
RIG produces some of the best headphones on the market for a variety of different platforms. The R5 Spear Pro HS is designed specifically to be used with the PS4 and PS5, as well as being compatible with a PC.
Being wired, the R5 Spear Pro HS is intended for use with the DualSense or DualShock controller on PlayStation systems. However, it’s fully compatible with the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, though it needs to be activated via the system itself.
So, how does the R5 Spear Pro HS compare with other offerings on the market? It’s got the RIG pedigree, but does that necessarily translate into quality?
What’s In the R5 Spear Pro HS Box?
As the R5 Spear Pro HS is wired and doesn’t have any associated drivers or apps, it has significantly less clutter in the box. All you receive is the headphones and a separate set of magnetic ear plates.
The R5 Spear Pro HS retails for £69.99, so it’s a shame that it lacks a carry case. While the box it comes in can technically serve this function, it’s clunky to take in and out. The addition of a small carry case for people who like to take their setup to an event would have been appreciated.
On the plus side, the minimal content means there’s very little setup. You don’t have to bother with apps to get it set up properly – you just plug in and it’s ready to go.
The headset itself comes with a 1.5m cable that’s already connected to the headset. This has plenty of room for anyone using a controller, while not being too long or getting in the way.
How’s The Audio Quality Of The R5 Spear Pro HS?
Now we get to the important part: how do they sound? The audio quality of the R5 Spear Pro HS headphones is stunning. The headset uses something called graphene audio drivers, which improve the audio clarity, making it easier to distinguish between sounds. This is even more effective when using the PS5’s 3D audio technology, where sounds can come from multiple directions simultaneously.
Indeed, this is why the headset is wired and not Bluetooth – the developers wanted something guaranteed to work in an esports environment. While wireless is a desired quality to have, as you don’t run the risk of damaging wires and ruining the headset, it has the drawback of having more ways to screw up and stop working, which can cost you in the middle of a game.
Using the headphones, I played a multitude of PlayStation 5 games during my testing period, and the jump in quality is noticeable from just listening to audio via a TV. I almost had a heart attack during the opening sequence of Alan Wake 2, could better distinguish sounds in the overworld of Horizon: Zero Dawn, and better appreciated the masterful soundtrack of Deltarune.
But What About The Mic & The Plates?
The headset comes with a microphone that automatically mutes if you lift it. The audio quality of the speech was also crystal clear, which is vital when playing multiplayer titles where teamwork (aka, shouting commands at your friends) is necessary.
Along with the liftable mic mute function, the headphones also have a small lever that you can reach down to increase or lower the volume. If you need to instantly mute the game because of some real-world intrusion, then you can quickly flick the switch and turn it off without needing to mess around in-game.
One optional feature that doesn’t add a great deal to the headset, but looks cool, is the magnetic plates that are applied to the outside. The base headset has RIG logos on the ears, but you can cover this with magnetic plates with the PlayStation logo on them. This is an incredibly easy process to do, with the plates able to be peeled off whenever needed. If someone wanted to modify or customize the plates with a team logo, then it would be really easy to do with the R5 Spear Pro HS.
The ear cups are extremely comfy, with memory foam that molds itself around your ear. These are also easy to remove for anyone who likes to clean or needs to replace them. The headband features a padded lining and can be easily resized by adjusting the fit. These are very basic qualities of all headsets, but they need to be outlined, as comfort is just as important as the quality of the headphones.
Closing Comments: Score 9/10
The R5 Spear Pro HS is a no-nonsense headset that’s ideal for people who just want a great headset without messing around. There’s minimal setup needed: you just plug it in and you’re ready to go, with a noticeable quality boost from the start. This is the ideal headset for any pro or wannabe pro gamers, especially for team-based titles, as the mic quality and ability to tell sounds apart are highly desirable, for shooters, and this product delivers in spades. While the lack of some extra bits in the box (like a carry case) and the absence of any wireless option are frustrating, they don’t detract from what is one of the best headsets on the market, especially for PlayStation owners.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
