Audio breakthrough for gaming on the go
New sound isolating earphones shure sound like a good idea
One of the many side effects of pocket gaming (apart from an all-round happier demeanor and more relaxed attitude) is the sudden realisation of how bloomin' loud the modern world is.
It's only when you're sat on the tube, trying to concentrate on a quick PSP footie match, or indulging in a spot of Mario Kart at a bus stop, that you truly appreciate the incredible amount of noise created by planes, trains and automobiles. Of course, the natural reaction is to crank the volume up to try and block it out, but this really is taking a step on the road to deafsville and, besides, it still doesn't work.
The solution posed by audio experts Shure is to forget about fiddling with the volume control and focus on the headphones instead. They contend that the headsets bundled with your handheld (or your MP3 player, for that matter) may well look fab but they are unlikely to be of the best quality or particularly hard-wearing.
By contrast, Shure's new E Series Sound Isolating Headphones are designed specifically for gaming on the go and promise to be the Rolls Royce of portable audio. Featuring technology that's previously only been available to rock stars in the professional recording studio, they are jammed full of micro-drivers, mini-tweeters and teensy-weensy woofers, have gold-plated jack plugs, super strong cables and come with a 2-year warranty.
To our minds, though, the cleverest innovation is the addition of 'sound-isolating sleeves', a range of plastic and foam buds that mould to the shape of your inner-ear and naturally seal out background noise. This staggeringly simple addition enables you to cut out troublesome tube squeals or shouty phone-folk almost entirely and thus focus on the game in hand at a much healthier volume. Obviously there are certain scenarios where this isn't ideal, such as when riding a bike or walking along a street, so different buds provide different levels of noise cancellation.
As you might expect, this audio revolution doesn't come cheap, with the most affordable of the three new gaming headphones, the entry level E2gs, priced at £79 (or £69.95 via the Apple Store). The more powerful E3g (featuring high definition speakers) and E4g (with Tuned Port technology for ultra-wide frequency audio and extended bass) weigh in at £149 and £219 respectively.
In other words, that's the same price as a GBA Micro, a PSP or 2 DSs and copies of Mario Kart to play on them! However, as Shure would argue, if you're the sort of audiophile who's spent several thousand on sub woofers for your home entertainment system, why settle for second best for your portable fun?
You don't have to make your mind up just yet, though, as our resident audio junkie will be reviewing the headsets very soon. Tune in and get ready to check it out by hitting Track It!
