Pioneer Wireless Headphones – SE-DIR800C – 360 – Review

Pioneer SE-DIR800C headphones are
absolutely amazing

With the advent of the next age of
console gaming, and the potential of what the next generation of games will
bring to the table, one thing that gamers will want is the best audio they can
achieve. It’s a simple proposition, actually. Either hook up your system to your
5.1 or 7.1 digital surround-sound system and entertain all your neighbors or
find an alternative that allows you the rich aural experience without the police
pounding on your door to chat about the local noise ordinance.

In regards to the latter – enter the
Pioneer SE-DIR800C digital cordless surround headphone.

The SE-DIR800C comes with a hefty
price tag of $399 (Pioneer
Electronics Web site
)
but for that you are getting lightweight cordless headphones that carry two AA
batteries in the back of one earpiece, has integrated Dolby Digital 5.1 sound,
with an emitter unit that is compatible with Dolby headphones and Dolby Pro
Logic II as well other multi-channel sources, can be used for DVDs, games (on
the 360, Xbox, PS2 and GameCube), PCs,
TVs and other video sources, and is extremely easy to connect. How easy? Plug in
the power, connect the audio cables (the red and white cables, or coaxial cable)
and turn it all on. Adjust the volume to suit your needs.

The headset is comfortable and while
the earphones are covered in a jersey material to prevent stickiness, they do
not have a way (like all headphones) to release heat, so you may sweat after a
prolonged session of wearing them. That, however, is par for the course with any
headphones.

For those that care about such
things, the transmission range and headset playback frequency is between 12Hz
and 22kHz.

To test the headphone, two games
were used – EA’s Fight Night Round 3 and Activision’s Call of Duty 2.

Fight Night was a pleasure. Each
thud of the glove delivering a body shot was distinct and carried a heavy sound
that could almost be felt. The ring announcer’s voice echoed wonderfully in the
cavernous Madison Square Garden for the Sugar Ray Robinson-Jake LaMotta rematch,
and between the shuffle of feet on the canvas, the pants of the tiring boxers
was underscoring the battle beautifully.

Turn the volume up and there was no
peripheral noise – not white noise often associated with an analog track turned
up too high, nor the sound of machines purring nearby. All that was audible was
the sound of the game’s audio tracks, digitally rendered and smooth as silk.

On Call of Duty 2, the sound was
dynamic. You could hear the bullets moving past, the explosions were alive and
the mayhem that is part of the incredible soundtrack rang through sharp and
clear. CoD2 is as much an audio experience as it is a visual one, and the
SE-DIR800C headphones brought that alive.

Of course, games are not the only
function of the headset. The DVD of Glory Road was inserted and all the
foley work was apparent from the squeak of the floorboards, to the thump of the
ball against the hardwood and even the rock tickling the netting. Joe Satriani’s
guitar classic Surfing With the Alien has some nice effects underscoring
the riffs, and once again the headset brought the whole of it alive and made the
experience thoroughly enjoyable.

The headset sets nicely on the old
noodle, and aside from some limitations in the line of site of the transmitted
signal, using the Pioneer headphones was audio bliss. Recommend this?
Absolutely. Pioneer once again proves why it has a stellar reputation when it
comes to audio equipment.


Review Scoring Details
for
Pioneer SE-DIR800C

Pros:
Prolonged wear in the summer may make your ears sweat a little, but the sound is
never overwhelming to the point – even at full volume, that you are cringing. It
is a shining moment in gaming when you can immerse yourself in the sound and not
have others looking at you with that “can you turn that down!” expression.

Cons:
Though wireless, the transmitter does have a line of site limitation. Walking
around a corner eight feet from the transmitter will have the sound cut out
completely. The price tag puts it into the realm of the serious audiophile.

Verdict: 9.0
The price tag may be a little heavy, but these headphones are absolutely amazing
in carrying the full audio quality and rich aural experience gamers and
audiophile demand. Yes, they are that good. Pioneer has a long standing
reputation in providing a terrific audio experience and the SE-DIR800C headphone
unit carries that forward.