INTRODUCTION

   Currently in the market there are countless headset models available from a large number of manufacturers and in several different configurations from plain stereo ones and virtual surround ones (again based on dual drivers) all the way up to real 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound ones that feature up to 8 drivers (4 in each earcup) for the best possible positioning audio both in movies and games. Of course much like most things (especially electronic devices) each model type has a different focus group/audience and so although stereo ones are extremely popular amongst audiophiles, DJ's and professionals in general virtual and real surround sound ones are mostly welcomed by casual and hardcore gamers around the world. However there are also stereo gaming headsets our there for people who belong to neither one of the mentioned groups and just want a cost-effective headset to casually play games and listen to music a job which just might be the right one for the ONDA ST stereo gaming headset by OZONE.

   OZONE Gaming Gear, is an European brand of gaming peripherals that revolves around the concept “It’s all about Evolution”. OZONE is a brand created by and for gamers, the evolution is part of our gaming life, we all want to improve and evolve into a better gaming contender. OZONE is committed to the development, engineering and evolution of innovative gaming peripherals with an unique style and the best performance, to allow gamers to exceed their limits and become the best. It’s all about evolution. In the recent years the gaming industry has developed into the ultra-competitive arena that we see today, and the gamers have also developed into a more demanding, sophisticated and exigent consumer. There is an ever increasing demand for better design, increase number of functions and higher performances. Due to the development of newer and better gaming peripherals, the market has suffered a transformation. New segments of high performance gaming accessories have grown to become more specialized and subdivided. But this change in the market has also come accompanied of an increase in the price levels of those products. OZONE provides customers a wide range of gaming peripherals. Everyone from the occasional user to the professional gamer is ensured to find a OZONE product at a reasonable price which will fit their requirements to enjoy their favorite games.

   Although relatively new in the industry OZONE has already released a wide range of headsets but since the ONDA ST happens to be one of their entry-level models we didn't expect to see stellar features and specifications. Still it does offer two 40mm drivers (featuring a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz with an impedance of 32Ohm and 117db-/+4 sensitivity), a removable and quite flexible Omni-directional microphone (54db-/+3 sensitivity), in-line volume controller, good design, low-weight and what appears to be one of the most comfortable headpads we've ever seen. Of course none of the above specifications and features indicates just how good the ONDA ST is in terms of audio clarity/quality so as usual we took it for a spin for a total of 8 days while mostly playing games like PlanetSide 2, HAWKEN, Simraceway, Metro Last Light, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition and of course our all-time favorite Mass Effect 3 to find out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The front of the box in which the ONDA ST arrived in looks like a canvas thanks to the red splashes all over and the large product picture in the middle. Clear plastic is used on a section of the front from where you can take a look at the left side of the headset.

Over at the left side OZONE has placed the main features of the ONDA ST.

Moving at the rear we see the specifications of the ONDA ST printed in 8 languages right beneath a wireframe of the headset used to showcase its main features.

Unfortunately the bundle (if we can even call it that) includes just the headset and the removable Omni-directional microphone.

THE ONDA ST

The ONDA ST stereo gaming headset is not only very light weighing just over 300g but it’s also small and looks nice.

To showcase just how small the ONDA ST is we placed it right next to our favorite Jabra REVO wireless headset.

Both the company name and logo are placed on the exterior of both earcups.

On the lower front end of the left earcup we see the microphone port.

As you can see the Omni-directional microphone is quite flexible (not as flexible as some others but that's not something you will need).

L/R markers are placed in the interior above each earcup.

Through 8 increments on each side the headband expands a total of 3cm on each side.

The ONDA ST also features large and soft cushions which are quite comfortable (certainly not the best we've seen).

As mentioned previously the headpad is very thick and soft so it should be quite comfortable.

The product name is placed ontop of the headpad.

Via the in-line controller you can mute the microphone and adjust the volume levels of the stereo drivers.

Now what i didn't expect with the ONDA ST (since it's an entry level headset) was to see a braided cable paired with gold plated 3.5mm jacks but i was wrong so kudos to OZONE for that.

CONCLUSION

   After using the ONDA ST Stereo gaming headset for well over 10 hours both while playing several game titles, listening to music and watching movies our opinion is somewhat mixed since it falls short in regard to mid/highs especially when watching movies and listening to instrument-rich audio tracks. However what the 40mm drivers lack in terms of depth and clarity for both mids and highs they make up with a very good amount of bass which will certainly please some people (it did me). Also there are many things we certainly need to take into account when testing a headset and the fact remains that OZONE has produced a good looking light-weight stereo headset that's very comfortable (even after 2 hours of gameplay we had no neck/head issues), has a removable Omni-directional microphone (although the quality was not extremely good on the receiving end - not a very good background noise filter), has an in-line controller and it's quite good in terms of build quality.

   Although the ONDA ST Stereo gaming headset falls in the entry-level category and thus it's audio performance is far from impressive with a current price tag set at USD46.69 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 32Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) there are only a handful of headsets we are aware of that could perhaps match it. Overall there are probably more available stereo headsets around the same price point (USD40/30Euros) than any other price point in the market (due to a very large number of OEM manufacturers) but OZONE has really managed to produce a headset that although far from perfect actually delivers a very good punch for the money and that's why we give it our Golden Award.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- Design
- Size/Weight
- Removable Omni-Directional Microphone
- Good Bass
- In-Line Controller
- Comfortable Padding
- Braided Cable/Gold Plated Jacks
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Average Mids/Highs
- Microphone Could Be Better