Without being a big audiophile, I have always been careful to get myself headphones and other reputable headphones, in order to avoid any disappointment, notwithstanding the cost. However, I never took the time to take an interest in headsets on the console market. So I was playing with a "simple" soundbar, missing out on the much-vaunted 3D Audio of the new generation of consoles. When I saw the press e-mail for the RIG 800 PRO HS, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to test it all out a bit!
With RIG 800 Pro, Nacon is positioned in the high-end segment of gaming headsets. Format "proprietary" requires, the headset is available in three versions: HS for the PlayStation version, HX for Xbox and HD for PC. Small precision, the HX and HD models are offered with a "lifetime" Dolby ATMOS license. The PlayStation model is exempt for a simple reason: Microsoft has reserved (temporary) exclusivity for this technology. The price does not vary, however, since it will cost € 199,99 to get your hands on this wireless headset!
Although stamped "PlayStation", the headset works on a PC as long as you connect the USB dongle provided in the packaging. Speaking of the packaging, the latter is relatively agreed, since we find there:
- Helmet
- The docking station
- An 80cm micro-USB cable (yes yes)
- The USB-A dongle
The small notched piece of plastic can be unscrewed and reattached elsewhere
What surprises from the unboxing is its design... which I would describe as exotic, with well-marked features. Impossible to be discreet when you have the headset on your head, but its use being intended for gaming, it is free of a blutooth connection, therefore deprives itself of connectivity on most devices. Despite the omnipresence of plastic, the helmet gives off an impression of solidity and allows itself a lot of things. We can thus disengage the ear cups to adjust the height on 3 levels, which makes it possible to adapt to most heads, and twist the latter quite widely. Once screwed on the head, the helmet grips well without exerting too much pressure thanks to its foams, which allows it to be kept for a few hours without feeling any particular discomfort. Note also that the helmet ignores the RGB as is the fashion lately on the side of Logitech, JBL and other Steelseries...
The only light present emanates from the docking station of the helmet, also all plastic. The latter lights up temporarily to signal that it has been powered up, recharged and the effective connection between the headset and the dongle, which is plugged into the docking station or directly onto the console or PC. For some curious reason, the station connects via a micro-USB port. Apart from nostalgia (even if I'm not sure that many people are nostalgic for this connection), I don't see the point of using this specific format. The installation of the helmet on the station is quite easy, thanks to a small magnet system which helps the helmet to be grafted correctly. The charge on the base is however much slower than via micro-USB precisely. Count 6 to 7 hours for a full charge, for an autonomy of about 24 hours. The game sessions will therefore be done without any battery problems!
The connection between the helmet and the console is "plug & play", and works perfectly. If you have the dongle connected, simply turn on the headset via a long press of the power button and you will quickly hear a "Connected". On the PlayStation, the configuration is automatically set to use 3D audio, and you will be able to adjust this slightly via the console settings directly. On the PC side, no software is offered to adjust the parameters, which are therefore the factory ones. These work quite well. Overall, the acoustics are very good and no sound is below, the bass is present without hindering the mids, and the highs stand out well from the rest of the range, with a spatialization that commands respect. Perhaps it is linked to this famous 3D Audio from Sony, but it is clear that we experience the game differently as it becomes easy to localize the sound. Clearly, it will be difficult to go back, and the headset will delight fans of competitive FPS, no doubt!
A quick word on the microphone, which works very well. We can activate a feedback on the latter to hear what we are saying, it is welcome, and it allows you to realize its audio quality. It thus delivers a fairly clean reproduction, even if we would no doubt have appreciated a foam to avoid hearing yourself breathing as soon as the microphone gets too close to your mouth.
With this RIG 800 PRO, Nacon hits hard. Yes, the price of €199,99 means that it is not within reach of all budgets, but in return, we have very good quality equipment, which delivers powerful and precise sound, accompanied by a microphone. of good quality, and a formidable autonomy, and which allows you to play for long hours without encountering any battery problem. A very good discovery!
