Customer Reviews

Creative Labs HS-980 Fatal1ty Professional Series MKII Gaming Headset (Black)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I spend my time listening to music at the computer primarily to concentrate and/or drown out ambient/family noise. I also play FPS games. These headphones sound just as good as my Sony headphones and seem to fit my head better. I've only had them for a day so I don't know what the durability will be but for the price it's hard to go wrong.

Prior to these I lived in a pair of Sony MDRV6 headphones for about 11 years until they started to disintegrate. My requirements for a replacement were that they:
- should be less than $100
- needed to muffle sound when nothing was playing
- Should be over ear and closed design
- should have a normal 3.5mm audio plug (not usb)

I've bought 4 headsets to replace the Sonys and the HS-980 is the final solution.

First, I had a Logitech Clearchat headset from Best Buy. Fair on the ear design. Lasted about 6 months.
Second, I bought Microsoft Lifechat LX-3000. Flimsy and USB. Good sound.
Third, I had a pair of Plantronics 367 and they don't even compare to these ones. Plantronics way too big. Mic quality poor. Poor sound quality.

Things I really like about these:
- A bonus feature they don't mention in the spec is that the mic boom detaches.
- It's also really nice to be able to fold these flat so that I can put them in my laptop bag.
- They also work well with a normal mp3 player.
- The inline volume/mic control can be clipped onto your shirt pocket or something.

Creative makes great sound cards but has made serious mistakes over the last 15 years with most of their other products (dvd drives, mp3 players, speakers, etc). In this case they got it way right.

I've purchased various headsets over the years, several were decent but not very durable, some where durable with poor sound quality. I have had this headset for about a month and I can say that it is the single best one I've used. The sound quality is amazing, if you crank them all the way up, the sound fills the room, and when you put the headphones together, its all immediately silenced. While not advertised as noise canceling, these do a wonderful job of muffling out all the other sounds in the room.

They are also EXTREMELY comfortable, like two clouds framing your head in audio bliss. The only downside is that after extensive usage, my ears have a tendency to get a little sweaty, but if thats the only negative -- I have no complaints.

All in all, this is an excellent product, I'd recommend it both to the gamers and to someone who just wants to remove the mic and use it has high quality headphones.

First off let me say that i am not a audiphile. I cannot rattle off specs of different sound spectrums off the top of my head. But i am a gamer and i love music and movies. For my purposes these headphones are perfect. While playing Call of duty 4 it makes every bullet whizzing by clearer than other heaphones ive owned. I have a pair of Audio Technica ATHM40FS Precision Studio Headphones as well but i would take these over those.

The Fatal1ty has good bass boom too it which i love. Movies explosions are epic in their sound and music is clear and booming. The earpads are cushy, comfortable and feel sturdy. The in-line controls are well placed and come in handy.

While using Skype the mic has good clarity and sound. The person i was Skyping could hear my every word with no problems. And the mic is removable!!!

I just wish they came with a came with a carrying case or bag. But not a big deal at all. These are excellent headphones for gamers, movie and music lovers at a Great price!

Whenever I read customer reviews on products, I'm looking for information that will help me decide whether to purchase a the one I had in mind or help compare alternative to weigh out my options. Considering most reviews / feedback are by average consumers and not critics with years of audio experience, I look for general pros and cons that repeat themselves. The stars give me a general overview. You'll understand why I gave it 4/5 stars if you read my review below. Basically, the initial setup knocked it down a star, but now that it is working, it is great. With that in mind, I will do my best to give a fair and honest judgment on Creative's Fatal1ty Series Professional MKII Headset.

There were three things I had to keep in mind when I was looking for a headset: first and foremost, price is very important to me as I like to get what I'm paying for, second, what features does the headset promote compared to its competitors and third, do I want a 3.5mm connector or a USB connector?

After doing some research, I discovered the main difference between 3.5mm and USB headsets. The latter bypasses your sound card and uses its own drivers. Seeing as I had recently built a new computer and bought Creative's Fatal1ty Titanium Series sound card, I wanted to see if I could take advantage of my high end sound card. After shopping around, I discovered the 3.5mm version of the MKII. The headset boasted three features that when paired with my sound card seemed to set it apart from the competition: Crystallizer, Silencer and VoiceFX.


PLEASE NOTE! If you are running Windows 7, be sure to download Creative's new drivers for the Titanium sound card and the MKII headset. Without them, the Crystallizer and Silencer will not work! I cannot stress this enough. For the first week of owning this headset, I received feedback in the headset from certain games and the microphone was a mess. However, with the new drivers, everything resolved itself and I'm very happy with the product. With that said, here is my breakdown:


Crystallizer:

Wow, that is about all I can say about this feature. Seriously, I'm no audiophile, but after enabling this feature my music was crisp, beautiful, the bass booms when playing music at 320 Kbps and I get nearly zero static (There is some when the bass is really low). I tested it with several genre's to make sure: drum & bass, rap, classical, rock and alternative. All sounded pristine! Before enabling this feature, the sound quality was pretty good, and maybe slightly better than my previous Sennheiser PC 151 due to the bass. But, in reality, without the Crystallizer, the difference between the two wouldn't be enough to make me switch to the MKII's and with that being the case, I would tell you to save 50 bucks and just get the PC 151. However, turn on the Crystallizer and you instantly notice the difference. Totally worth it!


Silencer: (Make sure you read my notice above before going on)

Here is what I want out of a microphone: no static, no ambient noise, clear audio, and easily adjustable volume. As mentioned before, none of these things seemed to be happening for me. However, after doing a bunch of tweaking, I got the microphone to work and it does its job efficiently. I've had no complaints from anyone and it seems to be doing its job. It is tricky to setup though. I had to adjust settings in quite a few programs to finally get the input working correctly. Without the Silencer feature, the microphone worked OK. Nothing really special. Having said that, after enabling the feature, there was a noticeable improvement. I'm not going to say it is crystal clear and I'm not going to gush and set the bar really high. It just worked better and fulfills the above criterion. However, in comparison to my PC 151, the microphone and this feature aren't a deal breaker, but it is nice when it works. If the microphone is a huge deal to you, then some of the more expensive headsets are probably better.

The other nice thing about the MKII is that the mic is removable. When not in use, I just take it off so it doesn't get in the way. It swivels up when plugged in and doesn't really get in the way when playing. Personally though, it could be better. I tried out my friends Corsair HS1's mic and found it to be sturdier.


Voice FX:

This is a fun little feature, but I haven't really used it while in game. It does what you think it would and modifies your voice to over 15 different presets. Everything from Orc to Robot. Let's just say it works and move on. I wouldn't really say this is a deal breaker as the majority of high end headsets come with this feature or features like it.



Other Thoughts:

Durability / Comfort:

Compared to my PC 151's, the only thing I've noticed so far was that the pleather material surrounding the ear cups can heat up and create perspiration around the ear. I don't recall this ever happening with my old headset, however, I have been wearing my PC 151's since 2004, so I guarantee that I've just become accustomed to it, which I'm sure will be the same case for the MKII's. The headband is comfortable. After long play-throughs (3+ hours), I have no complaints about the comfort of this headset. As for build, I haven't dropped mine yet, but they have a steel liner through the head band, so I'm hopeful if they fall. I must have dropped my PC 151's a thousand times and their plastic headband held up just fine, so here's hoping the MKII's can do the same!

I just want to take a second to address some of the complaints/comments I found around the web concerning this headset. First, the general consensus from forums and casual buyers was that they hated the headset, despite critics giving it high marks. Common complaints are that the microphone sucks, the sound quality is sub par, the headset breaks easily, and that the 3.5mm connectors split over time. Here is what I found though, the majority of users do not pair this headset with the Titanium sound card, which dulls its edge over the competition and for the price you pay, there is too much tweaking / setup involved in order to get this headset to work correctly. This comes from my observations that most users returned their headsets a couple of days after use and the fact that they never mentioned they had the sound card in their comments.

I agree concerning the price point. For the price you pay and concerning the alternatives, when you plug it in, you'd expect to be dazzled due to the word "Professional" in the product title and the fact that this is Creative's flagship headset. However, this just isn't the case. I'm a patient person, but I do want to get what I paid for and I too had difficulties with this headset within the first week. Had I not paid only $49.99, I would have felt ripped off as well, considering nothing seemed to work. After working with it, I'm now very happy with my purchase and would buy them again.

If you are looking to be WOW'ed and have everything work as expected when you plug it in, may I suggest the SteelSeries 7H, Corsair HS1, or Sennheiser PC 350. Also, opt for the USB versions unless you have a high end sound card for 3.5mm. If you are looking for a headset to make it through the long haul and sound good, I can't comment on this headset yet, but my Sennheiser PC 151's lasted a good 5 years. If you are looking for an above average headset, pick this one up if you can for $50 or less. If you have the Titanium sound card from Creative, $65 is a good price for this. You will not regret it.

As for the connectors coming apart and frame breaking, I haven't had this headset long enough to vouch for this. I'm hoping these will last me a while. I'm not expecting the longevity of my PC 151's, but hopefully a year. I'm pretty careful with my stuff. I have a Labrador that sleeps in my PC room when I play games, so there is the chance he will knock them on the floor when he wants attention, but that hasn't happened yet. As for the connectors. I don't mess with them generally, but when I do remove them, I grasp the connector by the head, and not the cord. I REALLY wish Creative had created a break away point for the headset though. That would decrease the chances of breaking the connectors. My PC rests on my desk, so the cord does not hit the floor. I did this specifically so I don't run over the cord, which happened ALL THE TIME with my old headset. That is the main reason why the mic stopped working.

I've own this headset approximately a month and upgraded from a Sennheiser's PC 151 headset. I loved my PC 151's, but the microphone died on me and I wanted to upgrade to something a little more high end. I bought my MKII's for $[...], which is the prefect price point for this headset if you ask me. Considering the alternatives out there, I wouldn't buy this for $[...]. Maybe $[...], but no more. If it wasn't for the price and the features that come with my sound card, I probably would have gone with one of the alternatives mentioned above.

Happy gaming!

The sound quality is really good definitely better than my everglide S500's (which aren't phenomenal but were VERY cheap on woot). They have a lot more bass than normal headphones which is a plus in my book. The inline volume/mic control is nice. They do tend to squish my ears after a while which can become uncomfortable but my ears do stick out a little so it could just be me. I like the detachable microphone BUT for some reason something has begun to rattle after a month or two in the left cup even though I have NEVER abused these things. I have not dropped/banged them on anything so I am not sure if I just got a bad set or what. If there was no rattling I would give these things 5 stars.

I've owned this headset now since Sept 2010 - 9 months as of writing. I hope that my review as someone who has owned this headset for an extended period of time proves more useful than those who review this "Glass Cannon" within a month of purchase, while it still operates at 100%.

For the first two weeks, they were awkward to use. The cups rotate and flail and contort to positions comparable to images within the Kama Sutra. The ear cups, when worn "properly", are almost completely noise-cancelling. Without mic feedback (hearing yourself speak through the headset), they feel very much like a sensory deprivation device. However, that period of adjustment is short-lived and easily forgotten.

The next 8.5 months of usage, I found these to be the best headset I've ever used. Compared to Logitech, Panasonic, Plantronics, and several other off-brands that I've used, these take the award for performance under $100.

*Sound: 4/5 :The bass levels are high, but that could be good or bad so I won't comment on it. The sound quality was overall very good otherwise.

*Mic: 3/5 :The microphone is detachable. I found this to be very useful, and often removed it rather than keeping it rotated away. The construction on the mic boom seemed solid for a detachable mic. It also bends for customized placement. The volume of the mic was quite low, which is to be expected of a mic without USB connectors. Max volume plus 30dB Mic Boost was required for decent audio levels. Unfortunately, the Mic Boost added background "fuzz". I would have given a 5/5 if USB mics did not exist. I would have given 4/5 for lack of USB, unfortunately this mic does not compare even to other non-USB mics. So I give it a 3/5.

*Comfort: 4/5 :While awkward at first, the plastic in the headset will eventually bend and form to fit well. The cups seem to contain a foam that does not deteriorate quickly, and continued to provide a soft resistance that conforms and provides a comfortable fit. I decided to take a star off from Comfort because they do not dissipate heat well, and provide no air flow (part of the noise-cancelling sensory deprivation I mentioned earlier). I don't think I need to mention why air flow and heat dissipation are necessary.

*Durability: 1/5 :I would have given these -2 stars if such a rating existed. As the review title states, this headset really is a Glass Cannon. They are constructed from very poor quality plastic. The headset overall feels very flimsy, and without care, could easily break on your first usage. My headset was lucky to have lasted 8 months because of the great care I took in them. Being one of the more expensive headsets I've purchased, I made sure to treat these as if they were my children. Unfortunately even with the hands of a surgeon (an expression), mine began to break down very quickly. The cord began to twist and contort, curling itself into a fetal position. Even with various attempts to re-straighten the cord, it eventually shortened to nearly half its original length through loops and twists. But, expecting a short in the wire to be this headset's downfall, one fine summer day the plastic connecting the headband to the left earcup snapped as I turned my head to the left. Looking at the severed limb, it's obvious why the break occurred. No more than 3mm of contact area connects the band to the earcup. The plastic seems to be about .75mm wide, 4mm long. And there is no white discoloration, evidence of strain on plastic. Instead, a pure black snap. I would imagine under standard usage and care, this break would have occurred around 4 months after purchase. That or a short in the wire, as I was expecting. Because of the clearly evident poor quality of plastic and manufacturing of this product, I give the bare minimum 1 star. And that's a freebie. I won't be wearing this model headset ever again, for fear of splintering plastic lodging into my ear canal.

Which leaves me at my last, self-submitted attribute rating:
*Customer Support: 2/5 :I have contacted Creative about replacing my headset (not that I would wear it again, but more for restitution). They have refused to honor their warranty, claiming that my damaged headset is due to standard wear & tear and not manufacturing or labor defects. I would agree the break is from wear & tear, but clearly a poor manufacturing process resulted in low grade plastic and structural weak points conducive to the headset's overall poor quality. I believe Creative should be responsible for releasing such a poor product onto market. I give them 2/5 stars because they responded to my email.

And finally, a note about the marketing behind this product. It has been labeled as the Fatal1ty series, named after a professional gamer who, by Creative's claims, helped design this headset. The quality of this product is clearly below the standards of any gamer who most certainly uses a headset for a large portion of the day. I simply cannot accept the fact that a gamer would approve of the quality of this product. If Johnathan Wendel really did approve of his name being plastered all over this product, I truly hope his contract with Creative provides him with 12+ replacement headsets per year.

Pro: decent headphone, good sound quality. Look and feel very durable and comfortable. Great noise canceling.
Con: can be a little hard to adjust so that i wouldn't create pressure on the temple(when wearing it for a long time).

I got these mainly because I wanted a pair of decent gaming headphones that had 3.5mm plugs vs USB.

These are a really nice pair of headphones. But, while the mic is flexible and removable it's too flexible and does not seem to reach far enough from the left ear pad to your mouth to give good voice sound quality especially if you're doing voice recognition, flight sim voice interaction, etc. The mic also "wobbles" becuase it's made of a very light flexible rubber type substance. Once you do get it positioned, it tends to move and you lose voice volume/quality.

Overall, these are very good quality headsets, light, comfortable and the sound quality is excellent for the price. However, you may want to consider other headphones if you do a lot of voice work using the mic.

PN

Many people have said that this headset does not sound that well without a soundcard or the soundcard the product is made to go with. I myself must say that this is not altogether true. I do not have a soundcard device, and the headset sounds great. The only thing I can say about it being filled with too much bass is that, well, technically, it is. I got used to it in about 30 minutes, though. Also, I do not believe you should run into this sort of issue if you have a custom built computer. The reason I say that is because most motherboards come with either realtek HD audio codecs, or something equivalent to that. With this, you can customize using Natural Bass, and even turn it down. I personally enjoy the bass, as I play the bass :P, love dubstep music/house/trance, etc. For gaming, the headset does NOT have too much bass. Allowing for this kind of bass is the best thing you can have. Turning it down/not having that bass is not necessarily a good thing: if you play a game with explosions or anything that would be 'loud', having that bass allows for no crackling sounds or glitches in audio.

As for the durability, what I have found myself doing in response to the addressed concern regarding durability is simply folding the headset up and setting it on my desk when not in use. And also not letting anyone in my family use it :P. Other than that, I have not had any problems whatsoever.

The sound was great, and the bass was great, and they were marginally comfortable, but I treated these headphones really well and just a few months after I purchased them one ear died on me! Creative support could have salvaged the problem, but they are AWFUL!!!! The company required me to have a serial number located on a box that I did not keep and so I was denied service. I couldn't even contact them.

as far as the "marginal comfort" comment, start out kind of comfortable, but don't stay comfortable as long as the my Siberia V2 headset

bottom line: great sound, terrible support, sort of comfortable, questionable durability

save yourself my frustration and get the siberia v2 for 75 dollars, much better headset even if you lose some of that pounding bass