Introduction
Razer Inc. is a company specialized in products geared towards the gaming segment. Razer was founded in 1998 by a team of marketers and engineers to develop and market a high-end computer gaming mouse, called the Boomslang, geared towards the gaming segment. Razer’s slogan is “FOR GAMERS, BY GAMERS”.
The Razer products are geared towards the gaming segment, the Razer range includes peripherals such as keyboards, mices, audio devices (headphones, headsets], mouse mats & gamepads. Razer has also released a gaming laptop, The Razer Blade and a tablet, The Razer Edge.
Official product link:
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/razer-manowar
Packaging and accessories
Like the rest of the Razer products, the headsets come packaged in a two-tone cardboard box, the color scheme features black and green.
The front side presents the headsets using a side image of it, on the lower side there are the manufacturer’s name and of the product, on the upper right corner there is the Razer logo.
The sides of the box are simple, in the middle there is printed the Razer name.
On the backside there is printed an artistic photo of the headsets, lower there are presented the features of the product in seven different languages.
Accessories
The product comes with the following accessories:
– 1x Manual
– 1x Warranty card
– 2x Razer stickers
– 1x Charging dock
– 1x USB cable
Specifications
Model: Man O’ War
Colors: Black
Headphone
Driver Unit: 50 mm, with Neodymium magnets
Impedance: 32Ω at 1 kHz
Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Inner ear cup diameter: 60 mm / 2.36 in
Connection: Wireless USB Transceiver
Cable length: 12m
Input power: 30 mW (Max)
Wireless range: 12 m / 40 ft
Wireless frequency: 2.4 Ghz
Battery life: Up to 14 hours with Razer Chroma lighting / 20 hours without Razer Chroma lighting
Microphone
Frequency response: 100 – 6.5 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: > 60 dB
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -38 ± 3 dB
Pick-up pattern: Unidirectional
Weight: 375 g
Features:
– Lag-free wireless performance audio: The Razer Man O’ War offers high fidelity gaming grade audio through lag-free 2.4 GHz wireless technology with a 12+2 meter range capability. Simply plug-and-play with the ultra-compact wireless USB adapter or use the included extension dock for the extended range of 14 meters.
– Wireless 7.1 virtual surround sound for pinpoint precision: Enhanced with the powerful Razer Surround engine, the immersive 7.1 channel virtual surround sound paired with the Razer Man O’War’s high-performance 50 mm Neodymium magnet drivers makes the battlefield around you come alive. Fully utilize the positional audio calibration feature to accurately pinpoint your enemies so you can get the jump on them before they do.
– Retractable digital mic for uncompromised vocal clarity: Concealed in the left ear cup is a versatile unidirectional digital microphone boom, which easily pulls out as needed, and adjusts to the exact position you want. Equipped with an optimized algorithm for more natural sounding and clear voice reproduction, the Razer Man O’ War’s digital microphone surpasses the capabilities of traditional analog microphones. The headset also comes with a mute LED indicator on the microphone boom so you always know when you are broadcasting.
– Quick Action Controls on the ear cups for on-the-fly audio adjustments: Armed with intuitive Quick Action Controls on the Razer Man O’ War’s ear cups, you will be in charge with ease. Adjust mic and volume levels and mute without ever fumbling with onscreen controls so you can stay focused on your target.
– Lighting Effects: Chroma Enabled – Full spectrum RGB illumination.
Visual inspection
The Man O’ War headsets have a modern design due to the unconventional shapes from the mounting system and of the headband, while the integration of the emblems and the RGB illumination is done without flashy elements.
On the side, the headsets have a circular design, the outer metallic ring is perforated being in contrast with the inner matte plastic circle, in the middle there is the Razer logo, which is RGB, illuminated
With the Man O’ War model, Razer implemented 50mm drivers, which have an impedance of 32Ω at 1 kHz.
The volume switch is placed on the right headset next to the slot for the USB wireless receiver.
On the left headset there are placed the volume switch for the microphone and the button power button. Above them there is a green LED which indicates the status of the headsets and the connection.
The headband is covered in leather, on the top part there is the Razer name engraved, also the sides of the headband are open, the band itself being held in place with the help of four plastic flexible beams.
The microphone is retractable and flexible, it is mounted on the left side of the headsets.
When muted, the end of the microphone is illuminated in red.
The headsets can function wireless however they have a 12m cable included in the bundle. It is covered in black textile sleeving and the connectors are gold plated.
Testing
The headsets have a good construction. The headband is flexible and numbered lines highlight the levels of adjustment available.
The ear pads of the headsets are covered in leather & the material is breathable, also the ear pads can be detached.
The headsets rotate at 90° thus offering more flexibility during use.
The rotating volume switches for the headsets and microphone have a secondary function, if you press on the then the volume (of the headsets/microphone) is muted.
Software
The headsets can be configured using Razer’s own software, the Synapse 2.0. This software features an intuitive interface thus being easy to use & to understand, the interface maintains the Razer color scheme, black & green.
Synapse 2.0 Calibration
Within the “Calibration” tab the user can set the position of each emulated speaker & set up the surround 7.1 sound. Each step of the calibration is explained in depth by the Synapse 2.0 software.
Audio
Within the “Audio” tab the user can change the volume and enhance certain aspects of the sound, here we find the following options: Bass Boost, Voice Clarity, Presence Level, Sound Normalization, Volume Level.
Mic
The settings present within the “Mic” tab offer the user the possibility of controlling & correcting different aspects of the microphone.
Mixer
Within the “Mixer” tab the user can change the volume of the headsets and the volume for each application that is running at that moment.
EQ
The “EQ” tab features a equalizer which offers numerous personalizing options & different profiles.
Lighting
The “Lighting” tab offers the user the possibility of personalizing the RGB illumination present on the Chroma model. The illumination options are the following: Static, Breathing, Spectrum Cycling, and Off.
The microphone performance is very good, the sound is clear without distortions and the background noise canceling is more than acceptable.
The following songs have been used to test the headsets:
– The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Soundtrack
– Daft Punk – Give Life Back to Music
– Lorde – Tennis Court (Flume Remix)
– Desire – Under Your Spell
– Daft Punk Feat Panda Bear – Doin’ It Right
– Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx – Nightcall
– Gramatik – No Way Out
– Daft Punk Feat Pharrell Williams – Get Lucky
– Gramatik – Break Loose
– Glass Animals – Toes
– Alice Cooper – I’m Eighteen
– Dan Croll – From Nowhere
– T-Rex – Get It On
– Jimi Hendrix – Foxy Lady
– Jimi Hendrix – Purple Haze
– Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son
Final thoughts
After a few weeks of regular use, I can say that the performance of the headsets is very good both wired and wireless.
The battery autonomy in wireless mode is approximately 12 hours of continuous use.
In wireless mode, the sound quality stays the same, and throughout testing, there were no interferences or interruptions.
Speaking of ergonomics, the leather cushions mold very good offering a good sound isolation and the headband evenly distributes the weight of the headsets. In addition, the flexible microphone can be retracted inside the headsets thus, it will not be in the way when the headsets are in use.
As an improvement, metal can be added to the construction of the headsets. Also taking into account the price of the headsets, it would be advised if an extra pair of cushions was included in the package.
