One of the major faults with the PlayStation VR is that the level of visual immersion isn’t complemented out-of-box with audio immersion. Thankfully for me, I have had access to the Sony Wireless Headset for a long time, so I started off with the audible depth to the interactive experience that VR offers.
The PlayStation Wireless Headset is not a cheap option, however, so many may not wish to dig further into their cash caches for such a heavy-duty headset. To answer the call, in comes the Mantis PSVR Headset, a dedicated sound peripheral for the PSVR headset. Set at half the price of the PS Wireless Headset, it’s targeting itself to be something that all PSVR owners need.
In terms of its execution, this dedicated headset fulfills its expectations in the best way. With a great deal of dedicated devices, each requires extra setup time each time they’re used. The Mantis, however, makes itself known by its convenience as it never needs setting up outside the beginning connection.
The headset is comprised of two pieces that attach to both sides of the headset, each piece with a sliding clip that holds it in position, yet also is easy to adjust. What’s better still is they can be lifted off your ears without having to disconnect them from the headset itself.
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Each earpiece folds out in case you need to hear something outside the game, and this little touch to it also makes removing and equipping the PSVR much more convenient without having to fumble with earphones or earbuds to boot.
The downside to this convenience is that the earpiece simply rests on your ears instead of covering them, and thus complete auditory immersion can suffer a bit. Volume control helps on this front, but audio does leak in and out from the earpiece, which can take you out of the virtual world.
This isn’t a complete downside, because this is a situation that runs relative to your preferences and necessities. If you have kids or pets running around, you’re going to want to know if something’s happening around you. At the same time, if you’re alone and want that full immersion, you’ll have to make sure that your surroundings are completely silent in order to capture what you’re looking for.
All of that aside, though, the earphones do a good job of delivering quality sound. Let it be known that this is more like a fancy pair of store-bought headphones that simulates bass rather than having a woofer built in. In addition, sounds have a bit more treble than I would like, but this begins to fade away as the action takes over and the ear grows accustomed.
All in all, the audio quality, especially in its circumstances, manages to maintain itself well despite not having the silencing benefit of over-ear headphones or noise cancellation of any kind.
What would have made the $50 price tag more attractive is if these earphones could be used outside of this niche application. Granted, plenty of people have spent hundreds of dollars on a dedicated headset for gaming, but those also came with all the bells and whistles and often can be used for a variety of purposes or devices.
In terms of comfort, there’s no added pressure from a second headset that comes with wearing the PlayStation Wireless Headset over the PSVR, which makes wearing the earpieces forgettable so that sound is not disrupted by discomfort or pressure from headset tension.
The earpieces themselves rest comfortably over your ear canal, and the cushions lay snugly on the helix of the ear with very little pressure, which in itself feels quite natural and comfy, thanks to being attached to the headset itself.
The price range for the Mantis VR Headset may not be ideal for some, but for others, these earpieces will be a steal. Having established headphones that never leave the PSVR is more than convenient, making this an almost necessary peripheral that rounds out one of the limitations that the PSVR hardware lacks: dedicated sound.
Available to buy from Bionik Gaming.