CM Storm Pulse-R Gaming Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The CM Storm Pulse-R Headset4. Comfort and Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Today we are going to take a look at the Pulse-R gaming headset which is part of CM Storm’s Aluminium Gaming series. We recently looked at the CM Storm Mech which is the keyboard component of this series, which impressed us with its exclusive design and choice of mechanical switches.

CM Storm have been established in the gaming peripheral market for a few years now and have developed an extensive range of products to suit all users. They have chosen to follow the tracks set by Corsair, releasing a range of aluminium themed gaming products which focus on aesthetics and build quality.

Specification

Headphones

• Driver: 42mm
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20KHz
• Impedance: 50Ω
• Connector: 3.5mm headphone jack
• Cable Length: 3m Detachable Cable

Microphone

• Pick-up Pattern: Omni-Directional
• Frequency Response : 100 Hz – 10000 Hz
• Sensitivity: -42 ± 3dB (0dB = 1V/pa.1KHz)
• Signal to Noise Ratio: 60dB or more
• Removable Mic, Volume control and Mic mute

The Pulse-R is supplied in a high-quality box that reflects the high-end positioning of this product in the market. The front of the box features a large artistic image of the headset that can be found within.

Turning the Pulse-R around reveals another image of the headset which is used to illustrate the key features. The outside of the box is actually a cardboard sleeve which needs to be removed to get inside. The box itself is fairly substantial and provides a good level of protection for the headset inside.

The included accessory bundle isn’t particularly plentiful, featuring mainly necessary items. We find a detachable microphone, cable with in-line control and quick-start guide in the box.

As we mentioned earlier in the review, the Pulse-R is part of CM Storm’s aluminium range of gaming peripherals. So it’s no surprise that CM Storm have used aluminium extensively in the design of the Pulse-R headset.

Both ear-cups are clad in aluminium, in addition to some aluminium accents along the headband. These details give the headset an exclusive appearance that compliments the Mech keyboard perfectly. There are also some LED lights which illuminate the periphery of each aluminium plate, infusing even more life into the design.

The extensive use of aluminium gives the Pulse-R a very sturdy construction. We expect that with proper treatment, it could withstand a number of years of frequent use. CM Storm supply a 2-year warranty with the headset for your peace of mind.

While the head band itself is constructed mainly from plastic, it features a metal backbone which should make it fairly resilient. There is a subtle CM Storm logo etched into the top of the headband which isn’t too in-your-face.

The included microphone can be completely detached from the headset when not in use. It attaches to the bottom of the left ear cup.

CM Storm have chosen to use a detachable interface for the main headset cable. The connection in the bottom of the left hand ear cup looks fairly similar to a mini-USB connector, however it is slightly different.

The cable terminates in a USB connector and dual 3.5mm connectors for the headphone and microphone functions. This has been designed to work perfectly with the CM Storm Mech keyboard which features a hub with the required connections in the back, saving you from having to plug the headset directly into your PC.

The cable itself is cloth braided to improve durability and features an in-line control about half way down. This features both a volume control slider and a microphone mute button.

The Pulse-R uses an over-the-head design, meaning that the earpads sit around your ears and press against the sides of your head.

There is plenty of adjustment in the headband which will help you achieve the best possible fit. The headband also features a strip of leatherette-covered foam padding to help distribute the weight of the headset across your head.

We couldn’t say that the Pulse-R is the most comfortable headset that we’ve ever tested, but it’s not too bad. It features leatherette-covered foam earpads which conform nicely to the contours of your head however we found that they gripped our head a little too firmly. This caused some discomfort after a couple of hours of use.

We commenced our testing of the Pulse-R with gaming performance. After all, this is the use which the headset is designed and optimised specifically for. We commenced our gaming tests with of Duty Black Ops 2 and found that the sound-balance of the Pulse-R is well suited to FPS gaming. The bias towards the lower registers rendered explosions with impressive vigour, while ambient noises remained clear throughout.

The headset also performed well in other genres. In DiRT Showdown, the engine noises were rendered with considerable presence and clarity. The only drawback of the Pulse-R is the lack of virtual or dedicated surround-sound which negatively impacts sound-panning. The Pulse-R is no worse than any other stereo headset, but doesn’t come close to matching virtual and dedicated surround-sound headsets in this area.

The lack of sound-panning also negatively impacts the movie playback experience, however it is otherwise fairly impressive. In the opening scenes of the Dark Knight, the deep bass notes were complimented by the bass-heavy nature of the sound balance and there was a limited degree of sound panning noticeable.

Moving on to the music playback performance, we find the real strength of the Pulse-R. Sure, the slight bias towards the lower registers doesn’t suit all genres of music, however we found it preferable in most. Vocals are rendered with impressive clarity and the high and mid-tones are well balanced.

Overall we are very impressed with what the CM Storm Pulse-R has to offer. It is clear that CM Storm have invested a lot of time and effort into making this headset as good as it can be.

The Pulse-R is part of the same ‘Aluminium’ range as the Mech keyboard which we reviewed recently, and offers a similarly exclusive design. However, the Pulse-R surpasses the Mech in terms of build quality and feels sturdier than most competing headsets that we’ve tested.

We were a little disappointed with the comfort level of the Pulse-R, though. We found it applied too much pressure to the sides of our head and became uncomfortable after a couple of hours of use.

Despite the lack of virtual surround sound, the Pulse-R impressed us in our performance tests. The sound balance is particularly well suited to FPS gaming and music playback. Despite the inclusion of a USB connector, the Pulse-R can function with the 3.5mm plugs only.

It seems that the only function of the USB connector is to power the LED lighting. This means that it could be used with a smartphone or MP3 player providing there is a 3.5mm jack available.

At a price of around £55 from Scan, we feel that the CM Storm Pulse-R offers pretty good value for money. It is certainly more competitively priced than the Mech keyboard and is a great option for those people looking for stereo headset that is ideal for FPS gaming and music playback.

Pros:

• Exclusive design.
• Impressive performance.
• Good value.

Cons:

• Not the most comfortable headset we’ve tested.
• No virtual-surround sound.

KitGuru says: A great option of your looking for a high-quality stereo headset.

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