1MORE looks to make waves in the gaming industry with their new Spearhead VRX, question is… do they?
Product on Review: 1MORE Spearhead VRX
Manufacturer: 1MORE
Street Price: £209 GBP / $199.99 USD / $250 AUD
1MORE has already begun to cement themselves in the audio industry, and now they’re making a push into the gaming market. They’ve already dipped their toes into the gaming pool with last years Spearhead VR, but this year looks to be a bit different though as they are debuting three new gaming orientated headsets. Today we will be taking a look at their most premium flagship offering which is their Spearhead VRX. The VRX will be the successor to the VR and looks to improve upon the already stacked feature set.
The impressive features that carry over from the VR include, 50mm Graphene audio drivers, a frequency response of 20Hz to 20,000Hz, LED lighting control and much more. The VRX builds upon that be integrating Waves Nx head tracking which is supposed to deliver an ultra-realistic 3D audio experience. If you are unfamiliar with Waves, they are a technical Grammy award-winning company that specialises in creating state-of-the-art audio DSP algorithms, and they have worked in conjunction with 1MORE to create a the Nx feature which will be exclusive to the VRX headset. 1MORE are no strangers to working with Grammy award winners as we found with their Triple Driver earphones. This shows that 1MORE know their limits and aren’t afraid to seek others expertise to offer the best possible experience for the end user, but will all this tech translate into a coherent performance?
1MORE on the Spearhead VRX:
The stand out feature of our Spearhead VRX is the inclusion of 3D audio, instead of the usual 7.1 surround found with many other headsets. We’re using Nx technology created by a company called Waves who recently won a technical Grammy award.
Technical Specifications
Headphones
Type – Over-ear
Drivers – 50mm Maglev Graphene vibrating
Frequency range – 20 – 20,000Hz
Sensitivity – 103dB
Impedance – 32ohms
Maximum power – 20mW
Built-in volume control
LED lighting system
ENC (Environmental noise cancellation) dual mic
3D audio support
USB Cable length – 2m
3.5mm Cable length – 1.5m
Weight – 324g
Type – Over-ear
Drivers – 50mm Maglev Graphene vibrating
Frequency range – 20 – 20,000Hz
Sensitivity – 103dB
Impedance – 32ohms
Maximum power – 20mW
Built-in volume control
LED lighting system
ENC (Environmental noise cancellation) dual mic
3D audio support
USB Cable length – 2m
3.5mm Cable length – 1.5m
Weight – 324g
Packaging & First Look
Like the 1MORE Triple driver earphones we tested the box for the Spearhead VRX is superb quality; it’s very well constructed, feels solid and befits the premium price point of the headset. At the front, there is a large image of the headset with some branding in the top left corner and product information at the bottom right of the box.
At the rear of the box, there is another image of the Spearhead VRX which is surrounded by some key features of the headset. There is also an exploded view of the internal drivers which showcases its construction. Finally, at the bottom, there is a brief overview of some of the specifications.
Included with the Spearhead VRX there is a carrying bag, a single micro USB cable, one 3.5mm audio cable, a user guide, a product guide and a sticker.
Taking a first look at the Spearhead VRX and they don’t look like your typical gamers headset; 1More have taken a different approach with the styling which fits their design ethos. This appearance blends industrial stylised elements with more traditional looks, it is different, but it does work well together.
Closer Look
The top side of the Spearhead VRX features an old-school styled stainless steel split headband. Underneath that is a flexible padded section that features some subtle Nx branding; this area is coated in a PU leather which is not the best quality, it’s a bit hard and doesn’t feel up to par with the rest of the headset. The padding on the inside is also quite sparse but on the plus side, the headset only weighs 324g, so it isn’t too heavy. The inner fabric is also not the smoothest; this isn’t an issue if you have hair, but if you are bald it could cause some discomfort.
The left-hand side features a centralised cylindrical arm that splits the design in the middle. This arm is mated to a support hinge that connects to the headband, this support features the 1MORE name and is made from metal. Just above that is an illumination zone which is in the form of the 1MORE logo. The main face features a plastic covering that utilises a circular pattern; surrounding that is a LED ring and some text which illuminates. Also on the left side, there is an extendable LED bar, this glows and when the mic is activated it pulses along with your speech.
Located on the top side of the cylindrical arm are a set of ENC microphones, these mics help filter out any external noises from your immediate surroundings.
The right-hand side is identical to the left minus the extendable LED bar.
Closer Look (Continued)
The earcups are very nice, the coating is soft and smooth, and the internal padding is generous as well as supple. The opening is a good size too – though not the largest we’ve encountered there should still be a decent amount of room if you have average sized ears, those with larger may find the space a bit more limited though.
The left side earcup features all the ports and connections. Built into the headset there is a mic on/off switch, volume dial, micro USB port and a 3.5mm jack input.
On the front side of the right earcup is the main microphone which is used for in-game voice chat or calls.
Software
1MORE have given the Spearhead VRX its own software which does have its benefits with the main being that the software has been tailored to work with one product rather than several. The software design is modern and features a predominately black and red colour scheme. The main page of the suite grants access to the main volume which is linked directly to the system volume, you can also adjust the microphone volume, change the level of vibration – which will be covered more in-depth later, as well as turning the ENC on or off. In addition to the above, the main page allows you to access the rest of the features which include the head tracking, lighting control and the 8-band equalizer.
Performance Testing
Setup & Observations
There are two main ways to use the 1MORE Spearhead VRX, the first and simplest way is to use the 3.5mm connection – although simple this method is quite limited and doesn’t allow you to make use of all the headsets features. The headset will work but the mic will not unless you use an audio and mic splitter. The second way is to use the USB, this approach is still simple but opens the headsets full feature set. To make the most of the headset we’d advise downloading the software as it’s a great tool for customising the way the headset looks and performs.
Using the Spearhead VRX daily is a predominately great experience which is slightly marred by one small issue and that is the built-in volume control, this isn’t very accurate and only adjusts the volume in increments of four, usually one or two is the norm, so we aren’t certain why the Spearhead is configured like this. On a more positive note, the positioning of the volume control is ideal and very easy to use, it’s also very smooth plus it doubles as a button which allows you to increase the vibration effect, this is very handy as you don’t need software to do this, but it can be linked to the software if you have it installed. Keep in mind that this feature only works when plugged into a PC via the USB connection.
The Spearhead VRX is a well-crafted headset that makes use of materials you’d expect at this price point. There is a healthy mix of both good quality plastics for weight saving and also metal for extra strength where needed. The only thing that does let the build down slightly is the headband; this feels a bit on the cheap side when compared to the rest of the headset. On the plus side the headband does do a good job a distributing the headsets mass across the top of your head and as it’s flexible, it conforms very nicely as well. The padding though is a bit scarce and what is there, is rough which could be somewhat of a downer if you have a bald head. The earcups do make up for this somewhat as the finish is smooth and soft and the internal padding is plush. Being leather though they do tend to get a touch warm after a few hours, so if you’re using them for a long gaming or streaming session, then breaks every now and then would be advised to maintain optimal comfort as these are very capable of delivering that experience. They also have a nice range of movement thanks to the rubber membrane which connects the padding to the main housing; this allows the earcups to move freely and easily. The clamping force is very adaptable as the headset isn’t too stiff, this is great as it suits most head shapes and sizes.
On the outer section of the housing, there is what 1MORE are calling a CD-like carving texture which is supposed to be fingerprint-proof, this though is only partially accurate. Pressing the surface does result in a visible print being left, however, they do wipe away with minimal effort. There is one more slight downside to this surface, and that is small bits of lint or dust getting trapped in the grooves which can be a pain to get out.
Multimedia
1MORE haven’t been pinching pennies when it comes to audio, and that is apparent with the use of a composite Graphene diaphragm and Maglev design. 1MORE have implemented a Graphene diaphragm which is paired with a larger PET layer; this introduction is supposed to result in increased fidelity, more detail and higher response speed. The Maglev feature has been designed to apparently bolster bass and improve the feel of bass reproduction which is associated with explosions, gunfire and car engines. Is this all marketing or does it genuinely work?
We first fired up some 320kbps MP3s and FLAC files with a flat eq to test out the audio, and we were immediately impressed with the speed, clarity and detail found in the treble; it’s extremely clean, smooth and the delivery is superb. It’s also open, airy and has a very impressive structure. The minute detail pickup is brilliant and barely leaves anything behind. Vocals are stellar; the tone is very natural and transmission is powerful. They possess a nice warmth and detail, but in some tracks we did note that the vocals could be quite commanding and take a bit too much away from the treble, however, this can be easily fixed with a quick tweak of the equaliser. The bass was set to flat with a 0% increase via the software, and this resulted in a flat response, this of course, lets the treble and vocal shine but does mean the sound is lacking in body, depth and impact. We found that keeping a flat eq with a 54% bump on the vibration provided a nicely balanced sound with a good mix of bass and treble; this means that there is now noticeable bass which gives the sound the body and weight that it was missing before. To get a stronger bass you could, of course, increase the percentage beyond 54%, doing so does provide that extra punch and depth but yet doesn’t take away too much from the treble or vocal. At 66% there is even more body and impact, but the rest of the sound is still strong. Taking it to 83% results in a considerable amount more power with a lot more depth, vigour and accompanying vibration. At this level though, the bass does become a bit too much and does slightly impact the treble. Also noteworthy is the fact that this vibration feature does in fact link to the 8-band eq and adjusts the 50Hz slider, so if you want are more rounded bass it would be worth tinkering with the 100 and 200Hz sliders as well.
The movie watching experience is sublime – with the right settings. If you leave the eq flat, then the bass does somewhat underwhelm as it did for music. However, if you go into the eq and tweak the same sliders as you do for music and the bass transforms, the depth is now deeper, there is more punch and more vigour. This extra emphasis in the low end really helps with giving explosions, gunfire, the sound design and the score more purpose. The midrange reproduction is brilliant, and all the little details can be heard; the clarity is excellent, and the soundstage is very impressive which provides you with brilliant spacial awareness and creates a great atmosphere. Vocals were again a strong suit with dialogue coming through very clearly and with plenty of detail.
Another impressive feature is the Maglev vibration, it wasn’t that enjoyable for music, but it does shine when it comes to watching movies. If you’ve ever watched Baby Driver and listened to the first car chase you’ll be aware of the helicopter overhead; usually, you can hear this just fine, however, with the vibration on, you could feel the impact of it, it’s a very odd sensation, but it adds to the whole experience and draws you into the film that much more. It’s the same with the phasers and score in Star Trek, sometimes though – like in Rogue One, the effect needed to be turned really down as some of the sound design – especially explosions caused the vibration feature to distort quite heavily. So getting it right is a real balancing act depending on what movie you’re watching, some allow the effect to be turned up and others you’ll need to tone it down. However, if you aren’t a fan of this feature it can be turned down or even off, but doing so does impact the low end which is a bit of let down as without it on the bass becomes less powerful, deep and potent. There really needs to be a way to turn this feature off without it impacting the bass, but as it is a hardware feature that may not be a solution.
Finally to gaming and again they impressed. Like for movies and music, the bass did require a bit of a bump to provide more life in the sound which was more useful for solo titles. With a flat eq the bass just lacks impact, and if you want to feel gunshots and explosions then you need to activate the Maglev vibration feature. This bolsters the bass and provides much more presence and impact which adds a new dimension to the title you’re playing. The spatial audio produced by the drivers is impressive as its broad, tall and really all-encompassing, this really creates a superb atmosphere and helps improve immersion so that you can sink deeper into the game. Detail production is superb and they barely leave any stoned unturned when it comes to sound design. Bear in mind that this is with a flat eq and slight bass bump, but if you want even more from the experience then we’d suggest using the gaming default profile, this boosts the bass and heightens the treble for an even stronger experience.
For online competitive these again deliver; even with a flat eq, the headset provides impressive quality in the treble that makes them superb for keeping check on your enemies position. This is then built upon with the Spearheads ability to pick up minute detail and deliver them in a manner that is very beneficial, things like footsteps and guns loading or swapping are very clear and can easily be identified. Again the spatial audio on offer is impressive which further heightens the overall experience and helps when trying to pin-point battles in the distance. Bass again takes a back seat which is great as it helps you focus more on the treble. Of course, if you are missing that bass kick, you could give the eq a little tweak which doesn’t actually impact the treble that much at all – depending on how much you tweak the sliders. It still manages to maintain the same characteristics as before, but the overall sound becomes fuller, again depending on how much bass you add.
Headtracking is another solid feature – especially if you game using VR. The Waves Nx integration is very welcomed and does work extremely well. Unfortunately, we couldn’t put it through its paces in VR, but the effects in non-VR games are impressive. Essentially you turn your head, and the software tracks your heads position and changes the volume and source of the sound depending on the orientation of your head. So if you turn your head from left to right, the sound will shift and follow your head as it turns increasing the more you turn. This works great in solo titles as you can highlight details by simply turning your head towards the source of the sound, this adds a whole new dimension to the game and adds an extra layer of realism. However, it isn’t all good as for competitive titles this can turn into a negative. By that we mean that this effect heightens the volume at one side but then reduces the other, this means if you are surrounded, it makes it hard to attempt to locate someone at the right of you if you turn your head to the left. This means that if someone were to flank from that side, you would be unaware or struggle to hear them clearly. So it does have its benefits, but online competitive isn’t it. The Waves Nx application was more designed for VR and we could see the benefit it would have there.
Microphone
The microphone on the 1MORE Spearhead VRX is built-in and is a pin-hole style, this keeps the mic out of your way and can’t distract you when gaming. For the microphone capture, we set the volume to 100% via the settings as the volume is very low, the headset was also connected via USB and meant that we couldn’t increase the gain using Realtek HD. We also tested the mic with ENC off and on, that way we could see if it works as advertised.
First, we’ll go over the sound with the ENC off, and the quality is good, bass pickup is decent which means that your voice won’t sound too thin, mid-range clarity is solid as is the tonal quality. There also is no sign of voice clipping or distortion which is great as your voice comes through very clearly. There is some noticeable background noise pickup but it’s not at a level that is overly distracting nor does is ruin the overall quality. When pronouncing words with “S” sounds there is no sibilance, and there aren’t any plosives either. As a whole, the mic without ENC active is quite good, although not the best out there, it is highly usable for voice chat or in-game communications.
Activating the ENC does eliminate the background noise present in the audio pickup, it does have a negative effect on the overall quality though. It appears to add an artificial tone to the sound which makes your voice sound quite robotic, the clarity is also somewhat impacted which is not a good thing, it is still clear, but at a reduced level to the previous test – without the ENC on. If you have a very noisy background this feature could be great for you as it does remove a lot of the noise present – even though the quality suffers, it is still passable for everyday use. To improve upon this 1MORE could introduce a form of adjustment to allow the user to tweak the level of ENC, this would allow us to turn the ENC up or down depending on how much background noise there is in your immediate surroundings.
Illumination
The illumination implementation is more on the conservative side and is done in a manner that is quite tasteful. There are three main areas of lighting; there is the logo on the hinge support, the disk around the housing and finally the light bar. All the zones are linked together and can’t be changed independently, also they don’t sync up to any other products with illumination, this would be a welcomed update, especially if you are a fan of having the colours and effects match across your entire range of peripherals.
As for the actual illumination, it’s solid; the lighting is bright, there aren’t any glaring hotspots, the illumination fill is good, and there aren’t any areas that are dimmer than the others. The colours are not the most vibrant and are lacking a bit of saturation so they don’t really pop. You have to keep in mind that 1MORE only introduced lighting into their lineup with the Spearhead VR, so for a second generation product, it is actually good.
Conclusion
To say that this is the second gen product from 1MORE they really have done a superb job, although not perfect, the Spearhead VRX is a very impressive headset. It begins with the packaging which like their other products is very well done, and although it doesn’t impact the decision-making process, it is nice that this in an area that isn’t overlooked.
The design and build are again top notch. The design may not be to everyone’s taste, but they haven’t gone over the top with it, and the headset is attractive to our eyes. The build is mostly great with blends of metal and plastic, yet the cheap feeling headband does slightly detract from this. The headband could impact comfort in some use cases, especially if you have no hair. The earcups though are great, the internal padding is soft, and plush and the outer leather material is very smooth. They do get a touch warm though which is a bit of an issue for long gaming or streaming sessions. Another complaint we had was with the volume control wheel, it is smooth, but it only appears to change the volume in increments of four and sometimes it doesn’t register input at all.
The real standout attribute is the sound and all the tech. Firstly the sound is impressive, it’s detailed, clear, punchy when it needs to be and has a highly impressive soundstage. The rest of the sound features include the head tracking which is brilliant; unfortunately, we couldn’t test it for VR, but for solo games, it worked very well and created an interesting atmosphere. There is also the Maglev feature which lets you feel bass, again not everyone will like it, but it does add a new element to how we perceive audio. It isn’t perfect though as its level is tied directly to the software eq and means that if you turn up, the feature it increases the bass and vice versa. This could be an issue if you just want extra bass but don’t want the accompanying vibration.
1MORE have really done an amazing job with the Spearhead VRX, and if you can live with the few flaws, you’ll get a headset that is not like any other on the market.
Spearhead VRX can be purchased for the following figures: £209 GBP / $199.99 USD / $250 AUD
1MORE have outdone themselves with Spearhead VRX; they’ve used their expertise in the audio industry and fused it with some impressive technology to create a fully featured headset that delivers an excellent audio experience.
Pros
+ Superb audio quality
+ Highly impressive feature set
+ Well built and lightweight
+ Good quality microphone
+ Well thought out software
+ Work on multiple platforms
+ Comfortable
Neutral
+- Maglev vibration feature may not suit everyone’s taste
+- Cheap feeling headband doesn’t fit the rest of the headset
+- Premium price
Cons
– Built-in volume control wheel isn’t the most accurate
+ Superb audio quality
+ Highly impressive feature set
+ Well built and lightweight
+ Good quality microphone
+ Well thought out software
+ Work on multiple platforms
+ Comfortable
Neutral
+- Maglev vibration feature may not suit everyone’s taste
+- Cheap feeling headband doesn’t fit the rest of the headset
+- Premium price
Cons
– Built-in volume control wheel isn’t the most accurate
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