Audeze Mobius review: This gimmick-ridden headset doesn’t need the gimmicks to sound great

Audeze is the newest vaunted headphones producer to look over at the gaming headset market and suppose, “We could do that.” And why not? Gaming headsets get a nasty rap even these days, derided for subpar sound high quality and building. It’s pure that an organization famend for audiophile gear would suppose it might do higher.

The actuality, per common, is a little more difficult. The Audeze Mobius does certainly nail the constancy a part of the equation, and is one in every of the finest gaming headsets I’ve ever listened to. But it flubs a whole lot of particulars any gaming-first firm would’ve prioritized—battery life, cabling, controls, and extra.

So it is a considerably dampened debut for Audeze’s gaming ambitions. On the plus aspect, these shortcomings are comparatively simple to repair whenever you’ve already nailed the fundamentals.

This assessment is a part of our roundup of finest gaming headsets. Go there for particulars on competing merchandise and the way we examined them.

Cheap luxurious

Your first impressions of the Audeze Mobius will in all probability rely upon the way you strategy it. Yes, proper from the begin we’re in divisive territory. Here are your two choices: Given the $400 price ticket, you both strategy the Audeze Mobius as a very high-end gaming headset or as an equally low-end pair of audiophile headphones.

IDG / Hayden Dingman

Either viewpoint has its upsides and drawbacks. Personally, I fall in to the former camp and thus like its design. It’s the uncommon gaming headset you might put on out and about with out drawing too many unusual appears to be like—Audeze’s roots as a mainstream audio firm repay right here. It’s cumbersome, as all over-ear headsets are, however the traces are clear and slimming, and there’s gentle ornamentation however nothing too ostentatious—particularly in the Carbon colorway we reviewed. But, I truly like the Gold model much more. It’s flashier for certain, however the highlights catch the eye with out trying cheesy, at the very least to me.

That mentioned, it’s very plastic. Nice plastic, certain, with a soft-touch coating that lends it a premium really feel—the identical tactic Alienware used for its AW988 headset. And should you’re coming from one other gaming headset, you may not see the downside. Plastic headsets are the norm.

If you’re anticipating metallic, wooden, or different supplies generally present in high-end audio gear although, the Mobius isn’t going to lower it. Even the metallic-looking hinges are revealed to be plastic, after you have your fingers on the headset. It appears to be like fancy from afar, however the actuality is much less thrilling.

Why? Because all the thrilling bits are inside.

Plain to see

The Mobius occupies a bizarre area of interest, see: Inside the Audeze Mobius are planar magnetic drivers. Chances are, should you don’t know what these are, you don’t personal any headphones which have them. This isn’t the place for an extended technical rationalization of how totally different audio system work, however suffice it to say, planar magnetic drivers usually produce a extra exact sound than the dynamic drivers in customary headphones.

IDG / Hayden…