Others by stefan @ 2013-07-22
The Mashu stereo gaming headset from the well-known manufacturer ZOWIE features comfortable large earcups, 40mm speakers and also a non-removable uni-directional microphone. Its body is light and the earcups can be adjusted in four directions for acquiring the best fit.
At first we would like to thank CaseKing, Overclockers.co.uk and ZOWIE GEAR for offering a sample of the Mashu gaming headset for testing and reviewing.
"ZOWIE GEAR is an innovative manufacturer of competitive gaming gear, founded late 2008 with a mission to develop the best competitive gaming gear available.
We are not limited by shareholders telling us what we can or cannot do. We are a free-minded company consisting of experienced and creative individuals, united in ZOWIE on a common ground; our passion for gaming. No boundaries. No compromises. Just gaming.
ZOWIE GEAR has no ambition to become the biggest manufacturer of competitive gaming gear. We just want to be the best. If we can develop products that will increase a gamers performance by just 1%, we will do it. This is our mentality.”
Large ear-cups cover the ears, providing maximum comfort for long periods of time, blocking outside noise.
Large Ear-cups auto-adjust in four directions for the best fit on any head
Closed-type design for an optimized sound experience
Neodymium speakers offer clean and distortion-free sound
Exceptional directional sound system provides clear and precise positioning
Uni-directional microphone ensures clear and precise voice transmission
99,999% Oxygen-Free Copper cable (OFC) for a complete sound experience with lower signal loss than regular cables
Headphone:
Frequency response: 10 ~ 25,000 Hz
Speaker dimension: 40 mm
Impedance: 70 Ω
Sensitivity: 89dB +/- 3dB
Cable length: 1.2m + 1.8m = 3m
Connector: 3.5 mm
Microphone:
Frequency range: 100~10,000 Hz
Directivity: Uni-directional
Impedance: Low
Sensitivity: -47 +/- 3dB
The new gaming headset from ZOWIE carries the Mashu name, after one of the clearest lakes in the world. The packaging is composed from a medium-sized box, with only a photo of the headset in front along with the product name:
The list of features can be found on the back, written in multiple languages:
The ZOWIE Mashu comes in a black color with thin red accents on the cups and features analog connectivity options:
Because the chassis of the headset is almost entirely made of plastic, the manufacturer has managed to achieve a very low overall weight. This combined with the soft top head band will make the headset very confortable even after long gaming sessions:
Soft cushions can be also found on the large ear cups, which are adjustable in four directions for attaining good comfort:
The headset height is also fully adjustable:
On the inside we will find markings for the left and right channel:
On the top side of the head band we have a ZOWIE embossed logo:
The exterior of the cups looks about the same with one exception: the left one has the microphone built-in:
The uni-directional microphone is flexible but does not feature a mic-mute function that we did really enjoy on some of the previously tested headsets:
One audio cable comes out from every cup until they reach the cylindrical plastic component:
The headset cable ends up with the headphone and microphone jack plugs:
For additional flexibility when using desktop computers, the manufacturer has also included a braided audio cable extension:
We have tested the Mashu headset in multiple games like Star Wars: The Old Republic, Counterstrike: Global Offensive, Need For Speed Most Wanted and more while connected to a Creative Sound Blaster Titanium HD sound card. The sound resulted from the headset was clean, without distortions on both medium and high frequencies. The bass was not over-the-top when using a flat EQ, but we would easily tune it by using the software capabilities of the card. Surprisingly, the headset did not distort even when we dialed the bass setting to over 75%.
While the sound quality is impressive for this headset, we really missed some crucial features that we have seen on the previously tested products of the same type: microphone automatic mute and volume control on the wire. We are unable to deduct why these functions were omitted, but we really hope to see a revised version that will include these too.
Overall, the Mashu is surely a good gaming headset that most users will enjoy and can be also used successfully for Skype conferences, watching movies or listening to music. To get the most from this headset we also must be sure to have a good quality sound card on PCI or PCI-Express or one of the latest Z87 motherboards which have revised sound systems with good isolation from the rest of the components.
The ZOWIE Mashu can be found at Overclockers.co.uk for about £102.98 inc VAT at the time of the review.
We would like to thank again to CaseKing, Overclockers.co.uk and ZOWIE GEAR for making this review possible!