These words can be found plastered all over the retail packaging in several places, and NACON is so confident in both headsets that they have included access to the required Dolby Atmos app for free in the box. The sound is a natural, high quality and for as loose as they feel, they have a nice grip that fits perfectly over the head and ears. Hassle-free, high-quality audio with Dolby Atmos support? They are very light and utilise the usual plantronics 3 size adjustment settings. The Esports version sports a stylish and sturdy aluminum build, solid overall sound quality and a good assortment of features. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. Ive been PCMags home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. Terrible the microphone didn't work other players could barely hear me. Both versions of the Rig 500 Pro are OK, but neither is great. Songs like Olivier Deriviere's "The Kid X-Mas Show" don't deafen the listener with sharp, ear-splitting electronic bells, but instead soothe the ear with slightly softer high pitches and punchier bass hits. Both come with an Xbox-specific audio cable, which features a jack designed to prevent the cord from swiveling once it's attached to an Xbox One controller, but the jack's cylindrical shape makes it a bit of a hassle to use with a laptop. It retails for. Its not nuanced enough during Gears 5s campaign to tell the player exactly where an off-screen character who is talking is standing behind them, or sell the illusion that the sounds of creaking support beams that one hears while lurking through Azuras missile silos are coming from directly overhead, but in the games versus multiplayer I had absolutely no problems discerning the location of enemies bearing down on me, especially when a quick-footed locust drone or COG soldier was in close pursuit behind me during a roadie run. Ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. The lower the low-frequency response, the stronger and juicier the bass. As for the 700 Prowell, theres just no getting around talking about that proprietary dongle. All Rights Reserved. The highest frequency that the mic can pick up. The Nacon RIG 500 Pro HX gaming headset is comfortable to wear and easy to use, but its headphones and microphone could both sound a bit better for the price. It bears repeating that RIG products are aimed at competitive gamers, so this is one area that the 700 Pro definitely has an edge. The USB Type-C features reversible plug orientation and cable direction. Where the two Rig 500 Pro headsets differ is mainly in their accessories. The RIG 500 PRO HX Gen 2 supersedes its predecessor in almost every way. Though the angular aesthetic and abundance of stylistic hexagons rage against the rest of the build's sleek, matte, black-metal minimalism, the needless shapes don't quite stop the Esports model from being wearable in public. This headset is the best I've had, they are amazing sounds out of this world a must have product for anyone's gaming experience. The cable is designed to minimize tangling. For example you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The mic also feels cheap. The headset has a tendency to underperform at the very top end, so high-pitched noises and cartoony titles dont work quite so well with those nice, heavy drivers (the specs say the headset supports a frequency response range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz). This model is loved for its increased sound isolation and the fact that it . The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the device. TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Click to enlarge. An up-pitch means the mic is live, a down-pitch means the mic is muted. Both headsets are equipped with Dolby Atmos, in case you plan to play any Atmos-enhanced games (though there are relatively few on the Xbox One, which partially defeats the purpose of HX's Xbox-centric Atmos advertising). To be honest, before starting this comparison I was most curious about NACONs claim surrounding the 500 Pro in particular, which boasts Competition Grade 3D Audio. 2023 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. There are a few weak points on this headset, and just one or two critical hits are liable to render the whole thing useless if youre not careful. For the headset's price, it would've been nice if it had sported a higher level of clarity and precision in this department, but that doesn't change the fact the Esports' approximations were quite good as-is. Gamers who have been following the RIG line of products will recall that RIG was recently acquired by NACON in 2020 from Plantronics (which is now largely known as Poly), and that RIGs street cred in the professional eSports scene stretches as far back as 2012, so when this new pair of headsets we knew that NACON and RIG werent messing around. Throwing the headset onto a nearby couch we instantly discovered the mic is the weakest part of the whole headsets design itll pick up every whisper you utter, sure, but get careless just once and it is liable to break. It became Nacon two years ago, and since then it has bought the rights to the RIG line of gaming headsets and accessories from Plantronics (which itself is now called Poly, because every company's changing their names these days). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for XBox 1 & PS4 Gaming Headset - RIG 500 Pro at the best online prices at eBay! The device has an option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device. Price. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with, RIG 500 Pro HX (also known as the 500 Pro HC), National Anime Day: Celebrating Animes Impact on Western Pop Culture, The Best Anime-Based Video Games of All-Time, Immortals of Aveum Preview: Single Player Magic FPS Power, the prior written permission of CGMagazine. The microphone sounds fine for gaming purposes and Flip-to mute is good. $120. Youre a glasses-wearer The headset includes an activation code for two years of Dolby Atmos spatial audio processing through the Dolby Access app for Windows 10 and Xbox. I purchased the Rig 500 Pro EX headset today in hopes to gain some build quality and audio quality compared to my Rig 400 HX headset but now I'm left with some issues that I wanted to know if anyone else has experienced? In addition, the ear-cushions for both models are a combination of pleather on the exterior and a breathable air-weave fabric mesh on the inside, allowing for a bit of more air flow and making long playing sessions considerably less hot and sweaty for ones ears (a much-appreciated feature now that summer is upon us). The RIG 500 pro headset is awesome the flip mic is a great feature all headsets should be using this. I put the headset through the paces with several games, including Gears 5, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, Resident Evil 7 and more, as well as one of my fave audio test Blu-Rays, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, and found the headset to be an adequate substitute to my wireless cans in a pinch. As for the "noise-isolating design," neither headset truly has that. It can also automatically adjust to a lower bitrate of 330kbps or 660kbps to increase stability. Unknown. RIG 500 PRO HX vs 500 HX. The mic is perfectly suitable for voice chat, but this might not be the headset to use if you want a really strong signal for streaming or recording. Clear driving sounds if someone is coming from behind you you can tell where they are coming from. These microphones are designed to filter out background noise from the desired sound. The memory foam earpads are pleasantly soft, covered with faux leather around the side panels and breathable fabric for the surface that presses against the ears and the sides of the head. Control the battlefield with RIG 500 PRO HC. 50Hz vs 100Hz With its lightweight exoskeleton, precisely-tuned acoustic chambers, powerful 50 mm drivers and the first-ever RIG game audio dial delivering intuitive volume control, victory is at your fingertips. You like wired headsets Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate. As I briefly teased earlier, the RIG 700 Pro HX lives up to its promise of delivering convincing wireless 3D surround that is inarguably a step above anything the 500 Pro can offer via its wired connection. 7000Hz higher high-frequency? $145 CAD). If you dont mind an in-built cable that cannot be replaced if it breaks (a common theme in headsets that get daily use), this is a mid-tier bit of kit that will fit right in with any dedicated Xbox players setup. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. RIG 500 Pro. While they handle music and movies well thanks to Dolby Access, the real winner is the gaming . However, the HX's price makes it an easier hypothetical purchase to swallow than the Esports model. The 500 PRO EX features a durable metal headband and lightweight exoskeleton earcups. aptX HD is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that is developed by Qualcomm. The boom mic confuses me a bit still. Plantronics RIG 500 Pro Esports Edition Plantronics RIG 500HX With a detachable cable you can use alternative cables, and if the cable is pulled it will pop out instead of breaking. Both the ear-cups and headband were comfortable and easily adjustable if needed. It has slightly better sound quality for a fraction of the cost. (Plantronics RIG 500HX), Unknown. There is a control panel on the device body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to. The Esports' cups, in a resting position, touch at the bottom edges, whereas the HX's have a bit of a natural gap. The 500 PRO EX includes the RIG audio dial cable. Plantronics RIG 500HX Comfortable full-size form with earcups that fully enclose your ears. The boom mic is flexible but sturdy, and thankfully removable. At the high ranges I tested, the sound never distorted. Looking beyond multiplayer and competitive play though, its all about the 700 Pro. Thankfully, the power button sits in shallow relief against the surrounding surface (unlike the previously mentioned mute button) and can be used for reference to find the chat/game balance and volume dials, which are positioned above and below correspondingly. As of this writing the MSRP for the RIG 500 Pro HX (also known as the 500 Pro HC) and RIG 700 Pro HX are $69.99 USD (approx. New York, Devices with neodymium magnets are lighter and more powerful than those which use ferrite magnets. If youre looking for a wired gaming headset for well under $100, the RIG 500 Pro HX is a decent choice, but there are appealing alternatives. Every sound was loud, weighty and reverberated satisfyingly within the headset. Please check your email to complete your sign up. The three tiers are balanced well. I could easily tell when nearby players and creatures were running around, but the distant thunder of gunfire lacked the low-end power to give an impression of the shots' location. It's the 'loudness' of the sound that the microphone can pick up. You can easily remove the headband, but you wont find the variety of alternative colors and materials as optional purchases for headset customization. Though the cable attached to the headset promises to be resilient and damage-resistant, youll notice the connection to the headset is fairly flimsy and vulnerable: bear that in mind if youre an agitated player and often take your headset on and off it seems like a weak spot, and one breakage there could cost you $79.99 (especially given how temperamental audio cables have a tendency to be). MSRP $69.99 $34.77 at Amazon. As sometimes im nice and clear to my mates, sometimes they hear an echo. Mother's Day Gift Guide. The RIG 500 PRO HA includes a longer 1.5m audio cable with in-line volume that is ideal for PC gaming, but also works with console controllers. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. The earcups are completely separate from the black metal headband, clicking securely onto either side of the headband at one of three mounting holes. MORE: The Best Headsets for Immersive Gaming. Each earcup is made of black plastic, with geometric, skeletal designs built around circular mounting points on the outer panels. That slightly poor high-end may just be another way of saying how good the low-end is, though; the upper end of the spectrum isnt exactly bad, just not as good as what the headset was clearly designed for. Nacon Rig 500 PRO review. The Nacon RIG 500 Pro HX gaming headset is comfortable to wear and easy to use, but its headphones and microphone could both sound a bit better for the price. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source. If anything, the buzz of the bass only got better as the overall noise got louder. The device is designed in a way that allows sound to go out through the back of the ear cups, which usually have vents or perforations. The headset isolates sound effectively and provides good locational audio cues, though it's not quite as precise as one might hope. As you might have guessed, the Mute button is certainly the biggest offender of the four controls, running nearly flush to the bottom of the ear cup and is thus hard to locate. Battery. The easy-to-reach RIG game audio dial delivers fingertip master volume control when used with console controllers. The time it takes to fully charge the battery. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. SHOP Shop Shop The Exchange. 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