MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider has long underestimated headsets and headphones in general as gaming accessories. Then he hit the sale – Sony Inzone H9 in PS5 look – and can never go back.
For a long time I gambled like I knew it from the children’s room. Turn TV towards bed, volume at stress level; with a snotty nose and greasy fingers on the controller and fail in the first level – again and again.
The main thing is to have fun, preferably in multiplayer.
The snot went away, so the internet came into play. And thus the problem with the headsets. I was never willing to spend big money on it – even though I’m a shooter fan and such a customer who always wants to win. For a long time I was satisfied with the level of the children’s room.
I can tell if the enemy is coming from the left or the right with a €15 stereo model, right? It was important to me that my team-mates heard me well – the end. Even I ran back to the store for a can-phone-quality mic. Exchange a generic headset for another.
Money is a little looser these days, so I snapped it up for Black Friday last year. The Sony Inzone H9 was available for 219 euros. I’m not completely satisfied, but I’ll probably never buy rotten headsets for a few bucks again.
Active Noise Canceling (ANC) is just way too good.
My PS5 controller collection has also grown lately. Here you can find my assessment of the SCUF Reflex FPS and in the video you can see the unboxing of the Dual Sense Edge by colleague Benedikt Schlotmann:
DualSense Edge for the PS5 in the unboxing – our first impressions of the Pro Controller in the video
More videos
What is this feature? ANC uses sound waves to combat sound waves.
Sounds nonsensical at first, but the technology actually uses microphones to perceive outside noise and suppress it with opposing sound waves. They come from a speaker in the ear cup.
Don’t ask me about the technology behind it, but it works (via bang-olufsen.com)
But the Inzone H9 can not only switch off, but also switch on. If I’m sitting on the couch gambling, wrapped up in thundering sound effects, my fiancée Alicia can wave briefly, I press a button on the device and I get the sound from outside to my ears.
The best gaming headsets you can buy in 2023
Active Noise Canceling – Like a cloud in my ear
what makes it so good Switching on from the outside is really cool. As a result, the closed headphones seem almost open, and noises from the environment can be heard well.
But I’m really excited about switching off. I really don’t hear any sound from outside when I’m sitting at my desk and thus close to the technology.
The PS5 is not my problem. It’s audible, but not intrusive. It’s more my gaming PC – my first one and I put it together myself. Unfortunately, the part is quite loud, so a case from be.quiet can’t help either.
A few weeks ago I had such an amazing moment that opened my eyes.
I found the ANC interesting from the start, but played around with it more than using it consciously and effectively. I had an appointment to play on the PC and was there a little earlier, so I was able to try out all the ANC settings.
Without much expectation, I pushed around on the headset and could clearly hear the poorly adjusted fan of my graphics card. Then suddenly… silence.
I would have liked to see my surprised face. It was a revelation, no exaggeration. I sit next to my PC noise machine all day, it doesn’t bother me when I’m working. Sometimes when gambling. This calm was so liberating and relieving. Suddenly the fan noise was just gone, like the PC wasn’t running.
If I had to describe the feeling: It’s like a fluffy, soft cloud in my ear.
In the meantime I use the feature consciously and it convinced me that my headsets will also need it in the future. Always. Because I never realized the difference it makes to enjoy sound without background noise. Greetings from my retired PS4 jet.
What is wrong with the Inzone H9? Ironically, what I used to value most about headsets is the H9’s weak point: the microphone.
Again and again I get the feedback that you can understand me reasonably, but my voice sounds terrible. That’s why I use a different mic when we connect via Discord. The PS5 can now also take part – here you can find my conclusion.
Otherwise I am satisfied with the Inzone H9. If you have any questions about the comfort or the features of the headset, leave me a comment. Just don’t ask me for technical details!
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative for shooters, take a look at the article by colleague Dariusz Müller: audio expert designs headphones for less than €30 and I have never heard footsteps in a shooter so well