INTRODUCTION

   As most of you know now (if not all) while typing these lines CeBIT the largest electronics & PC hardware related exhibition in the EU is taking place in Hanover, Germany with countless products showcased by pretty much every manufacturer on the face of the planet. Unfortunately however that left us with two choices, either go there ourselves to cover everything happening at CeBIT up close and personal (not really that far compared to CES so it would be a lot easier to do so) or remain here, post news from CeBIT and at the same time continue our testing to keep our schedule. Well the decision was quite an obvious one (although i haven't been in CeBIT for a long time) and so for the past 6 days we've been spending quite a bit of time with the latest peripheral by Mad Catz, the F.R.E.Q.7 7.1 Virtual Surround PC Gaming Headset.

   Mad Catz is a leading global provider of innovative products for the interactive entertainment industry. Mad Catz develops and markets accessories for videogame systems and PCs under its Mad Catz (casual gaming), Saitek (simulation), Cyborg (pro gaming), Eclipse (home and office) and TRITTON (gaming audio) brands. Mad Catz also operates e-commerce and content websites for videogame and PC products under its GameShark brand, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary earphones under its AirDrives brand and publishes and distributes video/PC games. Mad Catz distributes its products through most of the leading retailers offering interactive entertainment products and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia.

   If you place the F.R.E.Q.5 Gaming Stereo Headset right next to the F.R.E.Q.7 PC Gaming Headset you will probably not be able to tell the difference between them since we are talking about two virtually identical headsets (aside a couple of tiny differences). So both headsets feature the same exact design, same metal components, same neodymium 50mm stereo drivers, same removable microphone and the same USB/3.5mm plug connectivity which actually means that the F.R.E.Q.7 can't be any worse and that's a very good thing since the F.R.E.Q.5 is one of the very few stereo gaming headsets I’d ever choose to play games, watch movies or even listen to music with. So in essence what Mad Catz did was to get the already excellent F.R.E.Q.5 optimize it by adding Dolby Pro Logic IIx 5.1/7.1 virtual surround sound technology and ship it back out as the new F.R.E.Q.7 aimed towards hardcore gamers. Of course that's not really a bad thing it's actually a very old and efficient recipe since many manufacturers tune/optimize already released products to make them more appealing to other segments of the market whether we are talking about electronics, PC hardware or even cars. The only real question is just how much better (if at all) the new F.R.E.Q.7 is compared to the F.R.E.Q.5 and that's what we will talk about in the following pages.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The F.R.E.Q.7 gets shipped inside the same box as the F.R.E.Q.5 so most of the front is made by clear plastic allowing you to see the unit prior to making your decision.

The robotic bat is once again placed at the left side of the box (F.R.E.Q stands for frequency and bats are known for their ultrasounds).

The specifications are written on a small sticker placed at the right side of the box.

The features of the F.R.E.Q.7 are written in 5 languages and showcased via several small pictures at the rear of the box.

The bundle includes the F.R.E.Q.7 7.1 virtual gaming headset, headset stand, detachable boom microphone, 2m USB cable, 1m 3.5" mini-jack cable, warranty information booklet, product guide, several Mad Catz stickers, Damage Inc. promotional paper and the user’s manual.

THE F.R.E.Q.7

The F.R.E.Q.7 is a medium sized lightweight headset (thanks to the metal components used) and is currently available in 4 different colors (red/white/black/black glossy).

As usual the Mad Catz logo is placed on the outside of both earcups.

At the very front of the left earcup we see the microphone mute button which when pressed turns on the red LED found on the edge of the boom microphone.

Right above that Mad Catz has placed the Dolby Pro Logic IIx button (enables disables virtual surround sound).

The microphone socket is also placed at the left earcup and is covered with a plastic tap.

The noise cancelling microphone itself is quite long and flexible as you can see from the above pictures.

At the far edge it has the RED LED that turns on when muted.

The audio volume control knob is placed at the lower end of the right earcup.

The PRO Gaming Audio remark is placed at the top of the right earcup.

Mad Catz has placed their logo above both earcups while on the other side we see the R/L designation.

The headband as expected can be extended on both sides up to 20cm via a total of 25 increments.

Both earcups are quite large (could be larger just like with the previous F.R.E.Q headsets) and are padded with black leather which is quite comfortable even after long periods of time. Behind the soft cloth interior padding lie the 50mm drivers paired with N38 grade Neodymium magnets (frequency response of 20Hz to 20,000Hz).

The product name as usual is placed on the exterior of the quite comfortable headband but once again it's not very easy to read.

At the end of the cable coming out from the headset you can either use the 2m USB cable (PC connection) or the 3.5mm mini audio jack (MP3 Players and smartphones).

The bundled stand is made out of plastic but it's not something really special (quality-wise) although it looks nice.

However it's got room for both the headset and the microphone tap.

SOFTWARE

Unlike the previous F.R.E.Q headsets the F.R.E.Q.7 does come with a software control panel which you will have to download from the official Mad Catz support page.

The control software however provides basic functionality since you can only adjust the volume, switch between the three available EQ presets (gaming, speech, music) and enable/disable the Dolby Pro Logic IIx virtual surround sound.

CONCLUSION

   For the past 6 days we used the latest F.R.E.Q.7 with a wide range of game titles including Planetside 2, Crysis 3, Aliens Colonial Marines, Warframe Beta and Tomb Raider to see just how much of a difference the Dolby Pro Logic IIx virtual surround mode makes compared to the regular stereo version (F.R.E.Q.5). The good thing is that right from the get go you are getting the same rich and warm bass, crisp and clear mid/highs and plenty of volume as the F.R.E.Q.5 so that's certainly a plus. Regarding the Dolby Pro Logic IIx 5.1/7.1 virtual surround mode however things get somewhat complicated since it worked extremely well with surround sound compatible game titles but with the ones that lack support the virtual surround mode made things worse and it was a lot better with it turned off. Even in some Blu-ray movies the virtual surround mode didn't work that well and gave a rather fake 3D like result. Of course that's not happening only with the F.R.E.Q.7 but with every Virtual Surround Sound headset out there (and in some cases even with "real" 5.1/7.1 surround headsets) so in the end you need to weigh the pros and cons of each unit. As for the detachable microphone although we've seen it twice in the past we did test it once again with Planetside 2 and Skype only to find out what we already knew and that's that it works as it should with good clarity and noise-cancelling (and i would still like it more had it been a retractable one).

   When i heard that Mad Catz was about to launch the F.R.E.Q.7 i knew that the price would be set somewhat high (naturally judging by the price of the F.R.E.Q.5) and i was right since the recommended price tag by Mad Catz is currently set at USD199.99 inside the USA and 170Euros inside the EU. Of course you are getting one of the highest quality 7.1 virtual surround headsets in the market as we speak (also comes in 4 different colors) that offers crystal clear audio with deep/rich bass, plenty of volume, very good positioning audio when used with games that support it, dual connectivity and a nice looking desktop stand so in a way the price is justified (although a small price cut is in order). Still although the F.R.E.Q.7 is indeed a step above the already great F.R.E.Q.5 the Dolby Pro Logic IIx virtual surround sound is far from perfect which is partially why we are giving it our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Metal Body)
- 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound (Dolby Pro Logic IIx)
- Audio Clarity (Clear & Accurate Mids/Highs - Deep Bass)
- Volume Level
- 3 EQ Presets
- Detachable Noise Cancelling Microphone
- Size
- Design
- Comfortable
- USB and 3.5" Cables
- Included Desktop Stand
- Control Software 

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- No EQ On-The-Fly Selection Button
- Virtual Surround Sound (Not Perfect With Every Game/Usage)