Razer BlackShark gaming headset launched

Aviation-style headset is in the pipe, five by five

Tarryn van der BylAugust 31, 2012

Razer has deployed its latest, greatest gaming headset – a pair of aviation-style ‘phones that will instantly boost your ability to get to the choppaaaaaah by approximately 300 percent.

According to the press stuff, the headset is “designed to look and feel like the headsets worn by attack helicopter pilots”, and features full circumaural ear cups for maximum sound isolation. The whole world could end around you, and you wouldn’t hear a thing.

“Soldiers in intense combat situations need to be fully focused with minimal distractions to take the objectives successfully and come out alive. The same goes for gamers seeking the win – and that’s what the Razer BlackShark gaming headset was built to deliver,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, president of Razer USA. “When you stop gaming to get out and about, detach the boom microphone and you’ve got the perfect sound-isolating headphones for your audio on-the-go.”

The BlackShark’s specs include:

Product Features:
Stereo sound with enhanced bass
Sound-isolating circumaural ear cup design
Detachable boom microphone for voice chat or added mobility
Audio / mic splitter adapter cable
Memory foam leatherette ear cushions for maximum comfort
40mm neodymium magnet stereo drivers

Technical Specifications:
Drivers: 40mm neodymium magnets with copper-clad aluminum voice coil
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Impedance: 29 Ω
Sensitivity @ 1KHz: 105dB ± 3 dB
Input power: 50mW
Cable: 1.3m rubber sheathed
Connector: 3.5 mm gold-plated audio + mic combined jack

Microphone:
Frequency response: 50Hz – 16KHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: 50dB
Sensitivity @ 1KHz: -37 dB +/- 4dB
Pick-up pattern: Unidirectional

Audio Usage
Devices with 3.5mm audio jack

Audio + Microphone Usage
Devices with 3.5mm audio + mic combined jack OR separate 3.5mm jacks for audio and line-in. (Works with all portable audio/mobile/computing devices including the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, Android phones, Razer Blade, Macbook Pro, and today’s newer Ultrabooks.)

Audio / Mic Splitter Adapter Usage
Devices with separate 3.5mm audio and microphone jacks. (Works with most laptop and desktop computers.)

It’s shipping out next month, and priced at $119 / €119, although no local pricing is available yet.