INTRODUCTION

   People who've used at least 2-3 in-ear headsets in their lives know that rarely does one model offer all audio characteristics. So although some may offer good mids they may not be as good in highs and bass. The same of course applies for the other two as well and although consumers have found a way around that issue by adjusting equalizer settings (when a software player allows that) that doesn't always produce the desired results. Some manufacturers have also tried to resolve this by bundling their very own audio player apps (in the form of downloads) with their headsets featuring several equalizer presets (and the ability to adjust your very own) which again however haven't gained much favor from consumers (especially since these can only be used with compatible device). OZONE recently took an entirely different path to solving this with their brand new TriFX in-ear Pro Gaming Headset which we've been testing for roughly one month now with surprisingly good results.

   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 a 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.

   So what workaround did OZONE use as a solution for the issue we mentioned earlier? Actually they tried something we've never seen before in the past with a similar in-ear headset so along with the TriFX they bundled two extra sets of rear covers. OZONE calls those EQ enhancers (ultra bass booster/high pitch enhancer/pure mids audio) which can help output richer bass and more accurate and detailed mids and highs (most likely due to different density dampers used). The TriFX also feature two 9mm dynamic stereo drivers (10Hz-20KHz frequency response with 16Ohm impedance), built-in noise-cancelling microphone, anodized aluminum enclosures, push-to-talk in-line controller, 3 different size eartips and durable tangle-free flat cable. OZONE seems to have launched something unique in the market although since the TriFX is considered a gaming peripheral we don't expect audiophile level audio quality from it.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES 

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 The TriFX gets shipped in a somewhat large box half of which is made out of clear plastic thus allowing consumers to check the bundle from the front.

Some of the features are listed on the left.

A picture of the product and its bundle is placed at the rear of the box (thew features are also listed here).

Contained in the box are the TriFX in-ear headphones, carrying case, 3.5mm Y-splitter (for use with PCs), two sets of silicon eartips, two sets of EQ enhancers and a quick guide.

THE TRIFX

 The thick carrying case OZONE has bundled is large enough for the TriFX, the extra eartips and EQ enhancers and the 3.5mm Y-splitter cable.

Measuring 1.2 meters in length you should have no issues with the cable of the TriFX while using it.

Using anodized aluminum enclosures was a good choice by OZONE since they look and feel very nice.

The OZONE gaming logo is placed on the exterior of both earsets.

By default the TriFX wear the high pitch EQ enhancers which you can remove to use one of the other two sets (ultra bass booster and pure mids audio).

Black and red is a good match for the red color of the aluminum enclosures but grey is not so the pure mids audio EQ enhancers don't look as good when mounted.

You can replace the default eartips just by pulling them.

OZONE has placed left and right markings just beneath each earset.

The push-to-talk in-line controller can be used to play/pause music and answer/end calls.

The 4-pole 3.5mm plug is gold plated just like the ones of the Y-splitter.

Packing several smartphones and tablets for tests while away from the office is not the easiest thing but the OZONE Rover backpack with its interior space came very handy.

CONCLUSION

   On paper the TriFX in-ear pro gaming headset by OZONE certainly looks very promising on paper but in real use it did fall somewhat short. In terms of audio quality the 9mm drivers produced good/detailed mids and highs with a relatively good amount of bass but that's not really something we haven't seen numerous times in the past so we were really hoping that the extra EQ enhancers would improve things. There's a slight change in bass levels when you swap the default high-pitch ones for the ultra bass and pure mids ones but it's only noticeable at high volume levels and with audio material very rich in bass (out of the 43 songs i listened using the TriFX only 6 stood out when swapping EQ enhancers). This doesn't change the fact that OZONE chose a unique path to make the TriFX appealing to a large segment of the market but we were hoping for more that's all. With that out of the way overall build quality is very good and a lot better than what we see with most similar in-ear headsets/earsets. Unfortunately the microphone doesn't bring anything new on the table since its performance was right on par with what we generally see from entry-level models.

   The TriFX in-ear pro gaming headset by OZONE might be somewhat different compared to its immediate competition but at the end of the day price is what it all comes down to and with a current price tag set at around USD28 inside the USA and 29Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) you won't see us complaining. Bottom line if you’re looking for a cost-effective in-ear headset like no other currently the TriFX by OZONE with its unique EQ enhancers and surprisingly good audio quality deserves our Golden Award and your attention.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Good Mids & Highs
- Interchangeable EQ Enhancers
- Tangle-free Flat Cable
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Availability
- EQ Enhancer Effectiveness