INTRODUCTION

   I don't know if it has something to do with the increasing number of professional gaming teams coming out around every corner (a trend i will probably never figure out) but so far inside the first 6 months of 2013 we've witnessed the introduction of more gaming headsets than we did during the entire 2012. Personally i enjoy using headphones while listening to music but they are not my primary choice/preference when watching a movie or playing games (I prefer my complete A/V surround sound systems for that) although i have to acknowledge that a good gaming headset can be of extreme use especially if you are not living alone and you don't want to disturb others while playing your favorite game title which is exactly why i have assigned one gaming headset for each of my gaming systems including my main Toshiba Qosmio laptop. Today’s review is about one such product and more precisely the SHOCK Dynamite Orange Gaming Headset by our friends over at Tt eSPORTS.

   “Challenge is the game” highlights the philosophy to bring out gamers’ addiction in gaming and the ambition of reaching to the extreme. Tt eSPORTS, a gaming obsessed division from Thermaltake, is uniting gamers from all over the world in a unique & fascinating eSPORTS culture, inherited the spirits of Thermaltake, is an energetic, powerful, bold and intelligent challenger who never says “no” to the extreme competition. We do not only provide gamers the ultimate gaming gears but also fulfills the passion to achieve the ultimate success. Thermaltake has been a well-known brand in the gaming & DIY market for PC Chassis, Coolers and Power Supplies PSU for many years. The brand personality of unique, aggressive, vivid and stylish makes Thermaltake an expert in creating exciting things and fascinating environment for gamers and enthusiasts. Tt eSPORTS inherited the brand personality with unique and creative design by observing users’ behaviors and requirements. The fan cooling design on Tt eSPORTS Challenger keyboard demonstrate the brand spirit. It is the worldwide first keyboard with fan cooling function that could dry your hand sweats and blow tension away during cut-throat competition.

   It doesn't take more than just a quick look at the specifications sheet to figure out that with the SHOCK Dynamite Orange Gaming Headset Tt eSPORTS aims to win over the entry level segment of the market and so exactly like every other mid-end gaming headset out there it produces stereo surround sound via two 40mm drivers (20Hz-20KHz frequency response). The SHOCK Dynamite Orange also features a somewhat long and flexible bi-directional microphone (non-removable, 100Hz-10KHz frequency) assuring clear communication between you and your friends during small or even massive online gaming sessions. So let's take a closer look to see exactly what the SHOCK Dynamite Orange by Tt eSPORTS brings to the table.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The SHOCK Dynamite Orange Gaming Headset gets shipped inside an medium sized black/orange painted box with a clear plastic window at the front allowing the buyer to see the left side.

Moving at the right side we see the specifications list along with a chart showing the bass frequency response.

As usual listed at the rear we see the features of the unit showcased with the help of three small pictures.

The bundle offers pretty much the basics and so aside the SHOCK Dynamite Orange Gaming Headset you are also getting a carrying cloth pouch, quick installation manual and two product warranty related papers.

THE SHOCK DYNAMITE ORANGE

The SHOCK Dynamite Orange is a medium sized headset with hard plastic as its primary material.

To showcase exactly how large it is i placed it right next to the quite larger AX Pro surround sound headset by TRITTON.

The Tt eSPORTS logo is placed on the exterior of each earcup but unfortunately they are not illuminated.

The bi-directional noise cancelling microphone can be flipped when not used and features a frequency response of 100Hz-10KHz and a sensitivity of -45dB/+-3dB.

Left, Right markings exist on both sides of the headset.

The SHOCK Dynamite Orange gaming headset features large earpads entirely made out of fabric.

The headband extends roughly 3cm on both sides but unfortunately there are no indicator markings.

The headband pad is sufficient in size and is covered by leatherette.

Just like the exterior of the earcups the exterior of the headband is also made by glossy plastic and as usual the Tt eSPORTS logo is imprinted on it.

Both earcups fold inwards to make it easier to store, carry and use in LAN parties.

Tt eSPORTS has equipped the SHOCK Dynamite Orange with a 3 meter braided cable and an inline controller featuring a volume control knob and a microphone mute switch.

As expected both 3.5mm connectors are gold plated.

CONCLUSION

   Normally i test gaming headsets with several online games like Planetside 2, World Of Tanks and HAWKEN but since we received GRID2 and StarCraft II Heart Of The Swarm last week (yeap we did fall behind on the StarCraft II front) we used these two titles instead along with Metro Last Light to test the SHOCK Dynamite Orange Gaming Headset for a total of 5 days. Results were quite mixed as expected from a mid-end gaming headset so although it produced a good amount of bass (could be better had Tt eSPORTS used larger drivers but for 40mm ones it was quite good) and clear mids i can't say the same about highs since they felt just way too weak. The noise cancelling bi-directional microphone also worked quite well when we used it with Skype but we've used other higher quality (and far more expensive) headsets in the past that offered way better audio clarity for the other end. One of the strong points of the SHOCK Dynamite Orange is its weight and earpads since these two allowed us to use it continuously for many hours without neck or ear pain. The current color availability (above picture) is also a plus and certainly not something we see from other manufacturers (the green version is also compatible with consoles). 

   Price matters a lot when we test headsets and with a current retail price tag set at USD50.93 inside the USA (Purchase Directly from Amazon.com) and at around 35Euros inside the EU (Purchase Directly from Amazon.co.uk) the SHOCK Dynamite Orange Gaming Headset by Tt eSPORTS is a real bargain. Certainly its specifications and features sheets are not the best out there and in the end you are getting a stereo headset but since i do prefer stereo ones than virtual surround ones (very few exceptions apply) i don't consider that as something bad. On the other hand my favorite gaming headsets are all "true" 5.1 ones that cost 4 or more times over and thus belong in an entirely different category. That being said Tt eSPORTS has once again designed and manufactured a gaming headset that combines good performance with a very appealing price tag and that's why we are giving it our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Design
- Good Bass/Mids
- Noise-Cancelling Omni-Directional Microphone
- 3m Cable
- Gold Plated 3.5mm Connectors
- Foldable Design
- Color Variety
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Weak Highs
- Stereo (For Some)