Headphone Review (Razer HP-1)

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   So despite what I've read, or in some cases what I did find that was positive, I went ahead and bought the Razer Barracuda HP-1 headphones to pair with my Razer AC-1 sound card. So here's my experience, undiluted and no B.S. : 

I almost wasn't going to get them, but Newegg had them for $65 with a free game included: Quake Wars. Usually these are $100+ headphones by themselves so I said to myself "why not try them." So I did.

My very first impression was bad. The product box they came in, not the actual shipping box, was banged up and funky looking, but to the box's credit the contents were undamaged. There was also no product manual, CD or ANYTHING other that the headphones in the box. Fortunately I didn't need them.

They are indeed 'flimsy' and they do feel delicate. But they seem to hold together just fine so far. They are indeed large, but what surround sound headphones aren't. A friend commented that I could probably hear God with them on.

Through no fault of the headphones I had to finagle some electrical tape onto my case because my case's slots in the back were just a touch too small for the card so the frame touched the plug, causing some "ticking" feedback in the headphones. The tape fixed this.

It took me mere minutes to adjust the volume, balance and bass options to my desired levels and it was very easy. I know some reviewers complained about difficulty in this process and low volume levels...but I had no such trouble. Maybe it's because I actually have the Razer AC-1 soundcard the HP-1s are meant to compliment.

The sound was amazing. Just to mess around with the 3D sound, I tried something simple...TC: Rainbow 7. I was again pleasantly rewarded with directional sound. The random calls from terrorists screaming at me suddenly gave away thier positions. And this game wasn't even built for high quality sound. I can't wait to try something newer.

The mic works great and people on vent commented that I sounded clearer and different, in a good way. And unlike some people, my mic sits solidly in it's jack, it's not loose at all and doesn't fall out randomly.

So all in all, I am very happy with my $65 purchase. And to be fair I'd feel the same initially if I had bought them at full price. Now here's the kicker, if these only last a few months, I can live with that and still be happy with my $65 purchase. But if I spent $100+ and they died in 6 months I'd be upset. So at this point we'll just have to wait and see how long these babies last...here's hoping for a long and happy life.

Edited by Hammer - 06 May 2009 at 9:53am

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Hammer Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 147	Quote Reply Topic: Headphone Review (Razer HP-1) Posted: 06 May 2009 at 9:06am
	So despite what I've read, or in some cases what I did find that was positive, I went ahead and bought the Razer Barracuda HP-1 headphones to pair with my Razer AC-1 sound card. So here's my experience, undiluted and no B.S. : I almost wasn't going to get them, but Newegg had them for $65 with a free game included: Quake Wars. Usually these are $100+ headphones by themselves so I said to myself "why not try them." So I did. My very first impression was bad. The product box they came in, not the actual shipping box, was banged up and funky looking, but to the box's credit the contents were undamaged. There was also no product manual, CD or ANYTHING other that the headphones in the box. Fortunately I didn't need them. They are indeed 'flimsy' and they do feel delicate. But they seem to hold together just fine so far. They are indeed large, but what surround sound headphones aren't. A friend commented that I could probably hear God with them on. Through no fault of the headphones I had to finagle some electrical tape onto my case because my case's slots in the back were just a touch too small for the card so the frame touched the plug, causing some "ticking" feedback in the headphones. The tape fixed this. It took me mere minutes to adjust the volume, balance and bass options to my desired levels and it was very easy. I know some reviewers complained about difficulty in this process and low volume levels...but I had no such trouble. Maybe it's because I actually have the Razer AC-1 soundcard the HP-1s are meant to compliment. The sound was amazing. Just to mess around with the 3D sound, I tried something simple...TC: Rainbow 7. I was again pleasantly rewarded with directional sound. The random calls from terrorists screaming at me suddenly gave away thier positions. And this game wasn't even built for high quality sound. I can't wait to try something newer. The mic works great and people on vent commented that I sounded clearer and different, in a good way. And unlike some people, my mic sits solidly in it's jack, it's not loose at all and doesn't fall out randomly. So all in all, I am very happy with my $65 purchase. And to be fair I'd feel the same initially if I had bought them at full price. Now here's the kicker, if these only last a few months, I can live with that and still be happy with my $65 purchase. But if I spent $100+ and they died in 6 months I'd be upset. So at this point we'll just have to wait and see how long these babies last...here's hoping for a long and happy life. Edited by Hammer - 06 May 2009 at 9:53am
	"It is important to realize that any lock can be picked with a big enough hammer."

Hammer Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 147	Quote Reply Posted: 25 Jun 2009 at 12:23pm
	OK...so update. Despite treating them like fragile, brittle egg shells...they STILL broke. This is what I get for expecting atleast 6 months out of them. After first hand inspection and attempts to repair them I have deduced the headphone's structural flaw. The force exerted on the thin metal joint just above the headphone is way too strong. After trying to epoxy them back together, using a rather liberal amount of epoxy I might add, this became even more appearant as the epoxy bent and cracked under the force and causes the bottom of the headphone to flail out away from my ear rather than holding it firmly agaist it. This thin little part of the frame is PURELY responsible for holding the headphones comfortably against your head and repeated use flexes the metal back and forth untill it just snaps from metal fatigue. So I a bit peived to say the least. I really, really liked the headphones, but whoever designed the frame should be punched squarely in the taint. They didn't even last long enough for me to be satisfied with spending the $65. I got a free game, that I don't really play the game that much...yay. And I got just over a month of quality time with the headphones before they turned to sh*t. Oooooon the upside, a friend (who was aware of the fragile nature) was using then at the time and has offered to buy me new ones....I'm replacing them with these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826235007 For Great Justice!
	"It is important to realize that any lock can be picked with a big enough hammer."

Headphone Review (Razer HP-1)

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