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To test the Duel TMA-2, I used it for over a week, every day. This meant using it while gaming, listening to music and watching videos. I also used it with the different earcups and cables installed to get a feel for the differences that the headset's modular nature can provide.
I'll start with the different earcups, as in my experience, they made a big difference to both comfort and audio quality.
A majority of gaming headsets use over-ear cups, so I started with those and found the Duel TMA-2 to be very comfortable with them attached. The cups' cushioning is quite thick, so the sides of my head didn't feel pressured at all, while the leatherette covering is also very soft and breathable.
However, I did not get on with the on-ear cups at all. For starters, their cushioning is so thin, to the extent where it felt like there wasn't anything between the speaker units and my head – it was very uncomfortable to say the least. Secondly, and while this may not affect that many people, I found the on-ear cups actually interfered with my glasses and created a lot of uncomfortable pressure on my glasses' frame. I did not experience this with the over-ear cups so it is obviously related to the shape of the on-ear cups.
Now, moving on to sound quality, the different earcups actually made quite a big difference here – which may surprise some people. With the over-ear cups installed, the sound is definitely bass-heavy but it is still generally quite clear and warm. The on-ear cups, though, drastically affect the sound – to my ears, everything sounds muffled and muddy, while the high-end also gets painfully sharp.
As such, I did most of my listening with the over-ear cups as I found them to be more comfortable while also providing better audio. In this state, the headset is very good for gaming – the bass-heavy mix works well with FPS and RPG games as gunfire and battle scenes sound very close and intense. I also had no issues wearing the headset for a few hours at a time while gaming.
However, listening to music with the Duel TMA-2 is less satisfying. This is mostly due to the bass which dominates the mix – and I know this is quite typical of a gaming headset, but considering the Duel TMA-2 is made by AIAIAI, a headphone specialist, I was expecting a more balanced mix. As it is, music just lacks any subtlety and, to some extent, detail.
What I mean is, if you're listening to music that isn't EDM or heavy metal, the high-end just gets lost as the bass utterly dominates the mix. For example, I listen to a fair bit of acoustic singer-songwriters and, when using the Duel TMA-2, the vocals lack the clarity I am used to, while the acoustic guitars are definitely muddied by this headset.
Lastly, I want to talk about the Duel TMA-2 boom mic. There have actually been quite a few reports of dodgy mics, and my sample was actually delayed while Fnatic sorted the issues. However, I did not experience any issues with the mic dropping out while gaming – or any issues at all, really – so it seems Fnatic has sorted that out. Overall, the mic is clear and crisp and I have little to complain about. It does sound a little ‘nasal-y' but I have heard far worse in my time and this is definitely one of the better gaming mics.
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