Review of the HyperX Cloud Orbit S gaming headset: audio all around you

HyperX Cloud Orbit S is expensive for a wired gaming headset ($ 329.99), but you pay for high-end hardware with immersive sound that will make you think it's played out loud. With 3D audio modes amplified by head tracking, games and music give the impression of filling the room with audiophile-quality sound, with your focus as your focal point.

Advantages

• Immersive and powerful 3D audio
• Soft and flexible headband and ear cups
• Clear microphone
• Good autonomy
• Precise head tracking

The inconvenients

• A little heavy
• The audio impact of head tracking varies depending on the game.
• Expensive

Verdict

HyperX Cloud Orbit S makes games and music sound like they're filling the room. The headset can be an asset in games, but the head tracking feature is more visible in some games than others.

However, for a lot cheaper, you can get a true surround sound headset (rather than virtual) or a lighter wireless headset for use on the go.

Specifications HyperX Cloud Orbit S

Driver type	Transducer plane 100mm
Impedance	Not disclosed
Frequency of response	10-50 000Hz
Style of design	Circumaural, closed
Microphone type	Unidirectional electret condenser
connectivity	3.5mm, USB Type-A, USB Type-C
Weight	0.8 pounds (368 g)
Length of the rope	3.5mm: 3.9 feet (1.2m) USB Type-A: 9.8 feet (3m) USB Type-C: 1.5m
Software	HyperX Orbit
guarantee	1 year

The Orbit S Cloud is virtually identical to Audeze Mobius in its design and features ($ 400) but without Bluetooth, a longer type A Type C USB cable (3m vs. 1.5m) and an anti-pop filter . It uses Audeze brand planar magnetic drivers. So, instead of using a magnet and a coil, they instead use a collapsible film / diaphragm, crossed by thin metal wires and magnets on either side. The current passes through these wires, making the diaphragm magnetic and allowing the magnets to move the film to produce a sound. Planar magnetic drivers are supposed to have less distortion than dynamic drivers.

On top of that, these drivers are big, with a diameter of 100 mm. In general, the bigger the driver, the louder the sound. Most of the quality gaming helmet drivers are in the 40-50mm range, so HyperX is obviously getting big and strong here. The frequency is also wide (from 10 to 50 000 Hz, compared to the 20 to 20 000 Hz of the Logitech G Pro X at $ 130), which suggests a strong production of the lowest and highest peaks.

The Orbit S Cloud is compatible with desktop computers and smartphones via USB (type C or type A). With the 3.5mm cable, it also works with the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo switch and other devices with headphone jacks. however, it will be limited to 2-channel and high-resolution audio modes (no 7.1 surround sound).

Design and comfort

The Orbit S Cloud has a sophisticated design that matches its price. It's a gaming helmet but, at least in appearance, it's made for professional gear. Its black and gray design gives a discreet and classic look, ideal for everyday, whether you're in public or locked in your play dungeon. With its larger shape, it gave my head a Rosie of Jetson Thus, it will not be confused with a trend pair of Beats or Bose, but it was passable when I moved to New York.

The memory foam headband and ear cups are both made of artificial leather. They are plump, soft and fluffy and have not made me overheat, even after hours of use. Adjustments are also easy, with the click of the headband and the ability of the ear cups to tilt and swing outward.

The outside of the ear cups and the headband are matte and velvety pieces with quality touch. All three carry a HyperX brand form and may be subject to minor fingerprints. An anti-scratch lining allows the Audeze and Waves NX logos to stay intact in the long run.

At 0.88 lb (368 g), the Orbit S Cloud is slightly lighter than the Sennheiser GSP 670 (0.9 lb.) but heavier than the HyperX Cloud Alpha (0.7 lb.) and equal to the SteelSeries Wireless Headset. Arctis 7 2019 Edition. Despite everything, the headset felt a little heavy and wide in my time with it. Although the comfortable feel of the memory foam headband against my head prevented the headphones from hurting me, it was still as heavy and slipped lower than I would prefer. If only I could make things a little tighter.

All helmet controls and ports reside in the left horn. A 3D button activates and recalibrates the 3D mode of the headset (for more information on this in the next section), as well as a port for the removable microphone. Next to this is a USB-C port for charging with one of the two cables provided, a 3.5mm port for connecting the 3.5mm to 4-pin cable (when you want to use it with a smartphone, a PS4, an Xbox One or a switch). ). The volume knobs on the headset and microphone do not have a breakpoint, but you will hear a beep when you try to exceed the average / maximum volume. The microphone volume wheel on the side also allows you to change your audio mode (7.1-channel, 2-channel or high-resolution) by pressing for three seconds or presetting the equalizer if you press and scroll. You can prevent charging the headphones during a USB connection (and save the battery of the connected device) by holding down the headset volume knob for three seconds.

If that sounds like a lot for a cup, HyperX labels most of the orders. The only ones you have to remember for yourself is that the volume wheel is the way to stop charging and the microphone wheel to change the audio mode. It's a shame, since there is currently no way to do either of these things via software, but HyperX told me that it would change in an upcoming update.

On the other hand, the headset offers practical clues to let you know what's going on, with a female voice that robotically says things like "activated", "aux" when you plug in cable 3, 5 mm or "USB" when unplugging. . And you can tell if the Orbit S Cloud is lit by the left-cup LED, which flashes blue when the headset is on, red when it is charging, and off when fully charged.

Audio performance: games

The Orbit S Cloud seems expensive outside, but you pay mostly for what is inside and for the remarkable audio quality that emerges.

The headset has 2 high-resolution channels and, if connected via USB, 7.1 surround modes. If you are in 7.1 or 2-channel mode, you can enable 3D sound, which enhances the surround sound effect, especially when head tracking is enabled.

When you play, 3D audio has a huge impact. It uses a Waves NX branded sound processing board to improve the accuracy of sound position by emulating the "three dimensions" of audio location, according to HyperX. The Orbit S Cloud (unlike the $ 299 HyperX Cloud Orbit) can boost this effect with head tracking, supposedly 1,000 times per second. You can create an environment that moves with you, improving your playing skills by allowing you to indicate, for example, exactly where a shooter is hiding.

You have the choice of three different 3D modes, which you modify by holding down the 3D button for three seconds:

• 3D on: 3D audio without head tracking
• 3D automatic: 3D audio and head tracking, but the center point is automatically set when your head is moving
• 3D manual: The 3D audio and head tracking, and you set a central point by pressing the 3D button once.

I played Condemn on a PC with 7.1 audio and 3D mode with head tracking. Immediately, I could tell the difference. The sounds of gargling creatures and the glowing pipes of a space station gave the impression that they were all around me. I could say that they were in front and on the left, based on the audio. On another part of the level, I knew how to wait before entering a hallway because I heard an invisible demon who was preparing a fireball on the right. During the dubious use of a rocket launcher, I heard a loud boom followed by echoes that sounded as if they were moving away and moving away.

Similarly, when I played Fallout 4I could tell that a machine gun turret was behind me, letting me spot and destroy it before it hurt.

When I disabled the 3D mode in one or the other game, the audio sounded instantly less clear and less immersive.

However, when I switched the 3D audio head tracking in Doom, I could not make an immediate difference. In Fallout 4, the follow-up of the performed head had a more visible effect, making my auricular environment move with me. While I was continuously firing my rifle and turning my head from left to right, I heard the shots more visibly in the ear facing forward, but not abnormally or worrying. The effect was smooth and made the game more realistic. This was not the case when the 3D mode was activated without tracking the head.

The utility of this is debatable. No, you do not necessarily move your head when you play. But you can do subtle movements subconsciously and the Orbit S Cloud adds a level of reality to those scenarios that you did not know you missed but that you'll know quickly. Although tracking the head is not so obvious to me when I play Condemn, it was in Fallout 4, where it was an improvement in overall sound quality and made the game more realistic.

However, the head tracking function can also be used to program key functions via head gestures. It worked well when I made a left head tilt equal to that of pressing "D" or a rotation of the head right to "Q.". In a fast game where any decision in a split second counts, it may be easier to tip your head than to squeeze buttons. Or you can simply use it as another form of seizure in addition to your hands. For example, in Middle Earth: Wa Shadowr, I made a left head tilt equivalent to pressing "W" to move forward and use my fingers to focus on the running attacks.

This feature could also be useful for people with reduced mobility, allowing them to control things by moving their heads. You can program head-turning or tilting of the left or right head or look up or down in the HyperX Orbit software (for more information on software and features). However, the software must be open to use head gestures. Note, however, that this feature was in beta when I reviewed this headset.

For console players, the Orbit S Cloud remains an asset, although it can only work in stereo mode. With 3D audio and head tracking enabled, the game's audio still seemed to play aloud and seemed more wraparound than before (especially when I moved my head).

Audio performance: music

Headphones can isolate you, but the Orbit S Cloud can make you think that the sound is all around you, which is a delight when you listen to music. Both in the subway and in my office, I had moments of fear, thinking that my music was very loud accidentally, and withstand the urge to dance in public was harder than d & # 39; ; usual.

With 7.1 surround sound and 3D audio off, the midrange was clear and crisp, as well as the treble, even at low volume. Meanwhile, the bass was still loud without being excessive or creating a thud, as you will notice in poor quality headphones. And they become seriously noisy, more than enough to cover any background noise, including that of a noisy subway station. Just note your neighbors because at about 65% of the volume, those near me could hear my music.

The addition of 3D has significantly improved the feel of surround sound by making the audio more complete and more powerful. Daft Punk's "One More Time" bass was loud and imposing, and I even noticed an acute treble beat in the background that I had never seen before.

When I added the head tracking in 3D mode, I did not notice any difference until I started to move my head and the music moves with me, in the same way as the sound if I turned his head towards a speaker. As I turned my head from left to right, there was a second when I could feel the sound moving, which I did not notice too much when I played.

The Orbit S Cloud looks good enough to go, but it is limited to the stereo channel when you use the 3.5mm cable with a smartphone. It's not a problem if you have a phone with a USB-C port, but with an iPhone SE, I wanted to be able to make things stronger, especially when I walked past a jackhammer I could hear over my jams. But since 3D modes and head tracking still worked, the surround sound effect was always present.

Voice chat

To scream about your virtual foes, strategize with your teammates, attend a work meeting or just chat with Mom (have you called yours recently?), The Orbit S Cloud has a removable microphone. Many gaming headsets are equipped with them, but the Orbit S 'mic Cloud is also unidirectional. So it only picks up the sound on one side and has a noise canceling and anti-pop filter to combat the loud sound produced by sounds such as b or p. I made a video call with a person wearing the headset and his voice was clear as the day. With the music in the background, I could still hear his voice at the top, and when he was silent, I could also hear the music softly. Phrases full of pop potential, such as "Bees Cook Peas" – ran smoothly and without any muffled noise or distortion.

The voices also remained clear and warm during a videoconference with my colleagues at Tom's Hardware. At maximum volume, there was no distortion or bursting from my colleagues who were enthusiastically discussing their itinerary of the day. Even at low volume, a colleague seemed to be in the same room as me, while he was at the other end of the country. I've also been able to suppress the echo of another talking editor in his living room by slightly changing the inter-aural arc of the headset software.

Battery life

To use HyperX with a PC, you must connect to a Type A or Type C port, which will also charge the headset (unless you disable it). This means that in normal use, the headset was in charge without me realizing it, and I never had to do everything in my power to charge it.

HyperX claims that the Orbit S Cloud lasts 10 hours at 50% of the volume, for example, when it is connected to a PS4 controller, Xbox One or to the headphone jack of a smartphone, or if you do not wish not that your device is charging the headset. During my time with the headset, which included use with a PC (with charging disabled), a controller and a smartphone at varying volumes, the headset lasted about 15.5 hours.

Features and software

The free helmet software, HyperX Orbit, is virtually identical to that of Audeze Mobius.

It has an HRTF (head-based transfer function) control panel, which allows you to adjust the 3D sound to your liking. The ear-to-ear arc is supposed to match the distance from one ear canal to the other, going from the back of the head. The room ambience slider adjusts the reverb in 3D modes. As mentioned earlier, playing with the inter-aural ambient arc and ambience sliders has made some noticeable differences, so it is helpful to correct them; they are not just for the show.

The right side allows you to quickly switch between 3D modes and recalibrate for head tracking. Below you will see information about your headset if it is plugged in. Unfortunately, there is no way to view or change your audio mode (7.1, high resolution or 2 channels) via the software. At the time of writing, this can only be done by holding the microphone volume knob down. However, HyperX said that the company would add a flip-flop to the software in a future update.

This scary head in the middle moves with yours to demonstrate head tracking and works accurately in real time. The software allows you to easily program head gestures using the values ​​of the pitch, yaw and roll sensors. You can associate gestures, based on the amount of movement in degrees, alphanumeric characters, numbers of Shift, Alt, Ctrl, F1 to F12 and top rows. Twitch mode allows you to make a gesture to nod your head up / down, waving left / right or shaking your head left / right.

The software also gives you access to seven sound profiles (Default, Flat, Step by step, Ballistics, Music, Racing, RPG and Warm), but you can not change them. Meanwhile, the Device Information section gives you an overview of the headsets layout, as well as a section for downloading the latest firmware.

Accessories and configurations

Each Cloud Orbit S headset comes with a removable microphone, three cables (braided USB-C to USB type A, USB-C to USB-C and 3.5mm) and a simple HyperX black drawstring pouch. The headset has only one color.

HyperX also has the Cloud Orbit helmet, which costs $ 30 less but has no head tracking.

Bottom line

The HyperX Cloud Orbit S delivers outstanding audio quality with 3D head-tracking modes that make you feel like a room full of sound. Players will enjoy long play sessions thanks to the clean and clear sound of all volumes and modes. 3D audio enhances immersion to the extent that you can indicate the direction of an incoming enemy. Head tracking amplifies this and can even be used for game entry, freeing your hands for other mischief.

To save $ 30, you can opt for the HyperX Cloud Orbit, but it lacks a follow-up head. If you do not move much head or if you are not the most competitive player looking for all levels of benefits, including the most detailed audio, you can probably live without follow-up of the head. In the meantime, you can get a true 7.1 headset with its Asus Strix 7.1 at a lower price than the Orbit S Cloud ($ 170) or even a high-end wireless gaming headset, the Sennheiser GSP 670, for a little more ($ 350)

But to achieve a new level of virtual surround sound and high-end 3D audio with a boost for games, you'll need the Orbit S Cloud and its striking head tracking.

Image Credits: Tom's Hardware

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