Gamers are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest when it comes to just about anything. Whether it is the mouse they are using to tear up the enemy team, or it’s the headset that they want to hear their surroundings through when camping and waiting for their next target, gamers want something they can rely on. This, of course, can lead to paying a small fortune for the best product on the market. However, the best product on the market isn’t always the best option for you. When you factor in cost, style, customization, durability, and personal taste, some will go with the top brands at the higher prices, while many will remain in the middle to keep costs relatively low. That’s where I come in. I’m hanging out in the middle somewhere, always looking for a good deal, and when I came across the SADES A7 7.1 Surround USB Gaming Headset, I thought it would be a sound investment.

When it comes to the sound being pumped into my ears, I like to believe that I am a bit particular. Earbuds can be a pain when they are constantly falling or sliding out, and even cause actual pain within your ear if you leave them in for too long. Headsets, both over-the-ear and on-the-ear, have always been a hit or miss for me, as well. Almost to the point where finding the right headset has seemed nearly impossible. That is, until now.

Upon opening the box, the SADES A7’s impressed me with their solid build quality. Wrapped only in bubble wrap and flanked by an instruction manual and a driver install disk on either side, the weight wasn’t alarming, but it did catch my attention. The headset isn’t terribly heavy by any stretch of the imagination, but heavy enough to make you start second guessing whether or not you should be stretching your neck more often. Chances are, you probably should.

Discarding the bubble wrap, I unfastened the twist-tie keeping the cord nice and neat, and placed the headset upon my head. It was like a warm, worn glove that you’ve had for years and it’s still holding up just fine. Never has a headset fit so perfectly atop my big head. All signs were pointing to this being a great find after searching high and low for something to appease my need for good sound. I plugged the headset into my PC and watched as the tip of the microphone lit with an orange glow. Noticing the drivers had finished installing, it was time to take these things for a test run, so I queued up the DOOM soundtrack, and hit play. The initial deep, booming bass was unlike anything I had experienced with a headset before. I learned later on that this was due to the “vibration” function the headset has. The mid tones were coming through, loud and clear, and weren’t being muddied up by that deep bass. The highs were crisp, clean, and pure as could be. Everything was coming through exactly as it was intended, and nothing could have made me happier. Best $35 spent? Easily! Let’s take a look under the hood!

SPECS:

• Loudhailer diameter: 40mm
• Frequency range: 20-20.000Hz
• Sensitivity: 114+/-3db at 1 khz
• Impedance: 32 Ohm at 1 khz
• Max Input power: 20mW
• Mic Sensitivity: -40db +/- 3db
• Mic Frequency Range: 50 – 10KHz
• Mic Impedance: smaller than 2.2K ohm at 1 khz
• Headset cable length: Approx 2.0m
• Type: Over-the-ear

INCLUDED:

• 1 SADES Gaming Headset A7
• 1 User Manual
• 1 CD Driver

PROS

Wearing these an average of five hours per day for the past month, I can honestly say I have not gotten one single headache as a result of the headset. Typically, I can’t escape headsets pressing my ears into my glasses, which then press into my head, which then causes me to have headaches. Fortunately, the ear cups pivot on the SADES A7’s, allowing them to hug your ears for the perfect fit, and allowing even less noise to get past them. They aren’t noise-cancelling, but they certainly do a good job at blocking a lot of outside noise.

Speaking of noise, the sound these things produce is unreal. I couldn’t stop jumping from genre to genre of music when I first got the headset just because I couldn’t believe what I Was hearing. The lows are low and velvety, and combined with the vibration function, it’s a recipe for success. The mid tones definitely aren’t getting drowned out by the lows or the highs, and they are doing their best to bring balance to everything, and they are doing it well! The highs are doing what highs do best, bring a bright aspect to what you are listening to. The SADES A7’s do not falter here as they continually outperform my last headset, which was of a “higher quality”.

Another pro I greatly enjoy is the little control dongle on the cord. It gives users quick access to volume up, volume down, vibration on/off, and microphone mute on/off. The orange light in the center indicates that the mute is on when the light is.

Oh! They also come in blue!

CONS

While the headset itself is comfortable and can be worn for hours without fear of getting a headache, the headband can be a bit annoying. The metal bands that run along the top, when they are hit while you are wearing the headset, there is a good chance it will leave a ringing in your ears. It’s almost as if someone has taken a tuning fork, placed it inside your ear, and struck it. It’s not the worst thing in the world, and it doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, it’s not fun.

Also, while I may have stated the control dongle is a definite pro, it is also a con, but for a separate reason. The placement of the dongle, in my experience, is not very good. It either gets pinned between my side and the arm rest of my computer chair, or it gets pinned between me and the keyboard tray of my desk. There isn’t much like the volume rapidly rising when a heavier song has just come on, or you are in the heat of battle, about to get torn to shreds. Not only are your ears hurting at this point, but you’ve probably died in the game as a result of trying to scramble to turn the volume back down to an acceptable level. Thanks a lot, dongle.

The last con I have is more of an annoyance than anything. The box included a CD driver. However, the drivers didn’t work because the CD wouldn’t work. This led to me downloading the drivers from the Internet, but not finding out about a rather important tool, useful to anyone who owns the headset: The equalizer software! I didn’t get to fully experience my new headset until nearly three weeks after I received it. The good thing is, it still sounded great without the EQ, and only became better afterwards.

BOTTOM LINE

If you have been looking to upgrade your current headset, or have been looking just to venture into the realm of gaming headsets, I believe you have found the right one. Whether you are a novice, or if you are a seasoned gamer, this SADES headset will provide you with the quality sound that you desire while controlling an objective, hunting down the enemies, or just taking in the peaceful scenery of Whiterun. The SADES A7’s provide comfort, style, great sound, and all at an affordable price. It is supported by Windows XP through Windows 10, some say limited support on Mac, and no support on console. You can get yours right here to experience these bad  boys for yourself.

What say you, gamers? In the market for a new gaming headset? I have to say that this one is fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough! Especially at that price point. Let us know down in the comments what you think and if you plan on getting a pair. Before you go, be sure to check out some of our other reviews. We recently reviewed a Steam Machine and that thing is beautiful! Be sure to stay tuned to Don’t Feed the Gamers for more reviews and the latest in gaming news.