Razer Megalodon - for most people, just mentioning the name Razer is enough to establish an opnion about the quality of the product. That's because the brand name is almost synonymous with professional gaming. But as we had previously seen with the Razer Spectre, Razer Banshee, Razer Marauder and Razer Nostromo, that's not always the case. In fact the recent StarCraft II and TRON branded series turned out to be less than spectacular, which we have come to expect from every Razer product.

Which means the Megalodon not only has to fill the shoes of the previous champs in the series, but also has to go the extra mile to clean the brand's name of the tarnish which the aforementioned products left behind.

The Megalodon is certainly equiped for the job - promissing 7.1 channel virtual surround sound along with a superior noise cancelling headset and an attractive design, the Razer Megalodon looks poise to be ranked among the best of the best in PC gaming audio. On paper that is. Almost all tech enthusiasts know that gadgets rarely perform as advertised and the actual experience can vary greatly. Which brings us to the purpose of this review - jump on in after the break to see if the Razer Megalodon indeed have what it takes to win the crown.

One look at the package and you can tell that the Megalodon was meant forexcellence. It comes with a little box-like control unit which is used to control all the aspects of its performance. Other features include a USB connector and a neat-design which is pretty comfortable. Also, it doesn't require any kind of driver. It is recognized by Windows as Razer Megalodon as soon as it's connected. Now let's have a look at the specs.

Specifications

Headphones

Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 HzImpedance: 32Ω at 1kHzSensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): 102 dB ± 4dB at 1 kHzMax. Input Power: 200 mWDrivers: 40 mm, with neodymium magnets

Microphone

Frequency Response: 50 - 16,000 HzSensitivity (-37 dB ± 4dB @1kHz, 1V/Pa): Variable (user adjustable)Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 50 dBPick-up pattern: Unidirectional

Audio Processing Unit

Master volume, center speaker, front speakers, side speakers, rear speakers, bass level, mic sensitivity, mic leveling, mic mute, Razer Maelstrom on/off, active/standby toggle, resetCable: 3.3 meters, Braided Fiber SheathConnector: Gold-plated USB

Design

The Razer Megalodon is made of a light-weight plastic material like the previous headsets. It has large circumaural ear cups which are leather coated to provide maximum comfort and makes it wearable for an extended amount of time. It also provides better noise cancellation.

The headband is very comfortable and is covered by a normal fabric.

The microphone can be rotated upto 270 degrees. But it doesn't bend in any other direction so the distance from the lips is hard to minimize.

One of my favorite things about the Megalodon is its control unit. It is amazing how all the features from Volume management to Microphone sensitivity are packed into one small control unit. It is pretty easy-to-use. We can switch from 2.1 to 7.1, adjust all the channels' volumesseparatelyand together, adjust microphone level and sensitivity, and mute or unmute the microphone with a single button.

The wire is about 3 and a half meters long and has a Gold-plated USB connector which supports all kinds of USB ports. However, there is no extension cable included in the box.

Other content includes a carrying case, a manual, a catalog of other Razer products and a sticker for your casing.