Audeze Mobius Gaming Headphones Review
When it comes to finding the right PC gaming headphones, you’ll almost always have to compromise on aesthetics, sound quality, or comfort. And anytime we get our hands on anything like the Audeze Mobius Headphones, In our detailed review, we pay notice because it’s a planar magnetic headset, which immediately raises the sound volume above that of several rival gaming headsets.
However, this headphone is more than all the high-end speakers. The Audeze Mobius has a unique 3D surround system, driven by Waves Nx, that tracks your head movement to provide an immersive audio experience that improves every game you play.
If all of that sounds fantastic, it is, but this audio experience comes at a cost: the Audeze Mobius costs $349 (£349, AU$599), putting it in a class of its own. The Astro A50 costs $299 (£299, AU$489), or the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, which costs $329 (£299, AU$449) nearest price competitors.
Although the Audeze Mobius lacks the ‘gamer’ look or vibrant LEDs, it outperforms the competition in the most important area: sound quality. As long as you have the currency, this is a gaming headset that you can use for sports, videos, and even music.
Audeze Mobius Gaming Headphones Review
Design
The Audeze Mobius feels more like a standard pair of headphones than a sports headset, with no RGB-lit branding or bright colours. The model we received for analysis is black and features grey metal bands punctuated by a black textured plastic band over the centre. Memory foam is used to cushion both the top band and the ear pads. All of this adds up to an incredibly secure headset.
The Audeze Mobius is hefty due to its premium fabrics, but not to the extent of exhausting carrying, and it’s only tight enough to feel snug. Finally, we’re including a PC game headset that can be used for hours without giving you a headache.
The left earcup has all the buttons and ports, and the side of each ear has a cool, patterned style. The power button, which you can press twice to pair with your Bluetooth gadget of choice, is on the side of the ear cup itself, and the microphone mute key is above it.
Volume and mic dials, USB-C, aux in, mic out, and the 3D audio button are also on the same ear cup’s hand. You can toggle between 3D audio on, auto, and manual by holding the button down or simply tapping it while looking forward to focusing the audio.
Listening to music is even more fun now that this function can be turned off with a button push, and we wish the Razer Nari Ultimate had something similar about its haptic feedback.
One of the strongest features is the USB-C port, which can be used to charge the device and attach it to your computer. That means we can charge this headset with our laptop battery in a hurry.
The mic is detachable, but like any other headsets with detachable microphones, it’s the weakest connection. You can bend it to fit your preferences, but it doesn’t sound as solid or well-made as the rest of the headset. In any case, we’d choose a removable mic to one that retracts into the microphone for cosmetic purposes. The Mobius, as it is today, is what you might wear outside your house if you wanted to.
Sound
There’s no denying that the Audeze Mobius sounds incredible. When we analyze a game headphone, we typically go into it knowing that the music won’t sound perfect. It is just not the case in this case.
This headphone sounds great when we’re listening to Amy Winehouse, blasting Lil Wayne so loudly that we’ll need hearing aids until we’re 40, or playing Mozart. The sound stage’s neutrality is especially shocking. Many console headphones have intense bass to the exclusion of all else. The sound signature of the Audeze Mobius is neutral, but it is crystal clear.
So what about all those game explosions? Although it doesn’t rattle our ears as much as the Razer Nari Ultimate, games (and films) sound cinematic, and we find ourselves hidden in a corner during a Battlefield V airstrike.
In particular, some styles of games, such as RPGs, sound significantly stronger due to the free and neutral soundstage. Since these games don’t depend on bass for any of their effects, the Audeze are much more immersive, and that’s before we even mention the 3D surround sound.
While this isn’t the first time we’ve seen 3D audio in a gaming headset, it’s by far the strongest – comfortably outperforming the Acer Predator Galea 500. This functions by shifting the audio when you move your ears, giving you a distinct type of ambient sound from the 7.1 virtual sound we’re used to in gaming headsets.
The impact was nothing short of amazing because we were using the Audeze Mobius with an Ultrawide gaming display. Even the 50th time trying to destroy Havel at level 1 in Dark Souls sounds new and interactive. Darkroot Basin’s crickets and waterfalls have all the atmosphere you might love.
We’ve really loved to see this function done right, and we’re proud to hear that the Audeze Mobius finally manages it. In reality, the audio quality is so fine that it more than compensates for the microphone’s shortcomings. The Audeze Mobius is a headset designed for single-player experiences, and it succeeds admirably.
Conclusion
It will be quick to state that the Audeze Mobius is one of the strongest gaming headsets available and be done with it. However, every endorsement must be accompanied by a caveat because of the high price: indeed, it sounds fantastic, but there are so many great gaming headphones for half the price.
However, you’ll have a rough time finding a game headset with decent overall audio output than the Audeze Mobius. This headphone isn’t the most bassy, and it doesn’t have the finest microphone, but it elevates in-game audio to new heights.
