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Audeze is a company known for its expensive gaming headsets. In fact, its $399 Mobius and $899 LCD-GX are the most expensive products that we’ve tested in that category. Hardcore audiophiles might not balk at those headphone prices, but that’s a bit too rich to recommend to most gamers, especially for wired models. The Audeze Penrose gaming headset allays those qualms with a much more reasonable $299 price, while still using the planar magnetic drivers that make Audeze headsets so compelling. Boasting robust audio and a price that makes the headset accessible to a wider gamer audience, the Audeze Penrose is a top-tier gaming headset that earn an Editors’ Choice award.
Familiar Design
The Penrose looks and feels almost identical to the Mobius, as it features the same flat-backed, oval-shaped earcups, wide black plastic headband, and faux leather-covered earpads and headband padding. The only visual distinction between the two models is a blue ring running the length of the earcup, between the padding and the shell (this ring is green for the Penrose X, the Xbox-compatible version). It’s a comfortable, light fit.
The left earcup holds the controls and connections. The back panel features a mic mute switch and a power button. The earcup’s bottom edge holds everything else, including the 3.5mm port for the detachable microphone, the 3.5mm port for wired use, the USB-C port for charging, separate wheels for headphone and microphone volume, and a multifunction button.
Connection Options
The Penrose is compatible with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, while the Penrose X is compatible with the Xbox One and Xbox Series S/X. Both Penrose versions work with PCs using their included USB transmitters, and feature Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, the headsets have 3.5mm ports, and include cables for wired use.
The Penrose lacks simulated surround processing, and it has no motion sensing function like the Mobius, so you won’t enjoy spatial effects with the headset on its own. It’s purely a stereo headset. Still, that doesn’t preclude system-side audio processing to produce simulated surround effects from individual games or separate apps like Windows Sonic for Headphones, Dolby Atmos for Headphones, DTS Sound Unbound with DTS Headphone:X, or Razer THX Spatial Audio.
Drivers and Microphone
Like most of Audeze’s other headphones and headsets, the Penrose doesn’t use conventional cone or dome drivers to create sound. Instead, each earcup has a 100mm planar magnetic driver that uses different engineering principles. On one hand, planar magnetic drivers usually produce high-quality sound quality across the board, with subtle and detailed highs and rich (though not booming) lows. On the other hand, these drivers tend to be much more expensive than conventional drivers, which is why this wireless stereo headset is $300, and why the most expensive gaming headset we’ve tested is a planar magnetic headset (the Audeze LCD-GX, at $900).
The Penrose’s microphone works well, with the added and rare benefit of adjustable gain thanks to the dedicated microphone wheel on the headset. Test recordings initially sounded a little poppy and fuzzy, but after some experimentation with mic gain settings I got a clear signal. Once you find the sweet spot for the microphone, both in position and gain, it will sound extremely good. Of course, we still recommend a dedicated USB microphone if you’re serious about recording or streaming, because the jump in quality can’t be readily matched by a headset.
Music Performance
The headset’s aforementioned planar magnetic drivers produces robust sound. The bass synth notes and kick drum hits in our bass test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” sounds full and deep, without a hint of distortion even at maximum (and unsafe) volume levels.
The opening acoustic guitar plucks in Yes’ “Roundabout” boast low-mid resonance and high frequency finesse, with each plink getting plenty of audible string texture. When the track properly kicks in, every element in the busy mix is easily discerned, from the guitar strums to the drums to the bass. The vocals stand squarely in the center of the mix, neither overwhelming nor being overwhelmed by the instruments. It’s an excellent, well-balanced sound.
The Crystal Method’s “Busy Child” similarly benefits from the Penrose’s range and clarity. The bass drum punctuating the mix comes through with lots of low frequency presence without sounding artificially thunderous. The electronic riffs and sampled voices are well-balanced, but the headset doesn’t reach the LCD-GX’s pristine heights. That headset renders the track so well that the titular voice sample can clearly be heard as its original phrase “get busy time” rather than a muffled “get busy child.” Of course, that’s the sort of performance you get by spending three times as much on a wired, open-back headset. For gaming headsets and headphones in this price range, the Penrose sounds very good.
Gaming Performance
For games, the Penrose sounds similarly full and detailed. I heard loads of crisp texture and clarity when shooting webs in Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered. In addition, the character dialog could be clearly heard regardless of the situation, from police dispatches to threats from nearby goons.
Likewise, the Demon’s Souls remake sounds terrifc on the Penrose. I picked up every scrape, shuffle, or bit of movement around my character, with the game’s audio processing panning the audio with the camera and demonstrating solid directionality. The thwip of distant archers came through clearly, along with mindless soldiers’ grunts and the armored slimes’ squelches. A dragon’s roar produced enough low frequency response to sound imposing, without overwhelming the incoming arrows.
An “Affordable” Audeze
The Penrose is the first Audeze gaming headset that we can unreservedly recommend. Although the Mobius and the LCD-GX are incredible products in their own right, their higher prices and wired nature make them much more suited for audiophiles than gamers. The Penrose doesn’t offer those headsets’ clarity (particularly the LCD-GX), but it delivers fantastic, well-balanced audio (minus spatial effects) thanks to its magnetic planar drivers. The Penrose’s $299 price, marvelous stereo performance, and Bluetooth connectivity make it worth your attention and earn an Editors’ Choice award.
If you want to spend a bit less money and get more features (but with audio that isn’t quite as robust), the JBL Quantum 800 and Razer Nari Essential are both excellent, Editors’ Choice-winning alternatives that offer strong performance and simulated surround sound.
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