Setup, Design & Observations
To setup the Viper V370 headset you will need a spare USB port on your PC system. You can run without using the drivers just fine, but to make any adjustments or changes other than the sample rate (which can be done via Windows Playback Devices) you will need to download the supporting software from the product page.
The headset itself is fairly sturdy due to the use of strong plastic materials, and the earcups themselves have no additional movement, nor do they fold. Despite this, on wearing we discover that they have decent flexibility and a good (not too light, not too heavy) clamp strength. The soft earpads and headband again help make the V370 rather comfortable, with no issues with comfort observed. The volume dial feels a little grindy against the plastic frame, and the Ultra Bass Response switch is rather stiff, making it difficult to turn on/off without a little extra attention.
Though there are a pair of included fabric earpads and a tool to aid in the replacing of the earpads, we couldn't find instructions on how to replace them or use them. and on several attempts we gave up for fear of causing damage to the earpads or the headset itself. It is understandable that some manufacturers might like to implement their own proprietary system to encourage the use of 1st party accessories and replacement parts (case in question earpad replacement method), but when a non-standard method is implemented, at least include instructions in either the manual, webpage, or video so that people know what to do with them included equipment.
Multimedia
On initial music listening, we found that the V370 gives a decent, clear and enjoyable range of music, though as we went through our playlist, we found that there were some details missing in the mid-tones, and the bass was rather generic sound that underlines the rest of the audio in a safe and reserved way.
During our in-game testing, we tried out the 7.1 mode, and the UBR switch, which made things rather interesting. Enabling v7.1 improved the volume, and range of audio, produced a generally better audio experience. Though spatial awareness wasn't exactly 'better', the sound was certainly widened in a rather reverb/echo way. Fortunately there is a degree of customisation regarding the surround mode, so one could tweak the settings to find a reasonable balance. The Ultra bass Response seems like a rather unnecessary feature. Some may like it, but we found that it did little to improve the richness and clarity of the bass, and simply creates vibrations that mimics a genuine bass impact. This was particularly interesting while playing some Rainbow Six: The Seige, with gunshots, and explosions having a more dramatic effect, but for general listening, UBR might be more of an annoyance that tickled our ears.
Microphone
We enjoy the auto mute feature on microphones, but as this microphone is fairly difficult to retract, its slightly inconvenient to get back into chat after you have muted it. The boom is not flexible and is rather short, and so voice pick up is rather poor. Even when set to maximum sensitivity, the microphone ends up making background noises louder than your voice, and thus is very frustrating to use.
To setup the Viper V370 headset you will need a spare USB port on your PC system. You can run without using the drivers just fine, but to make any adjustments or changes other than the sample rate (which can be done via Windows Playback Devices) you will need to download the supporting software from the product page.
The headset itself is fairly sturdy due to the use of strong plastic materials, and the earcups themselves have no additional movement, nor do they fold. Despite this, on wearing we discover that they have decent flexibility and a good (not too light, not too heavy) clamp strength. The soft earpads and headband again help make the V370 rather comfortable, with no issues with comfort observed. The volume dial feels a little grindy against the plastic frame, and the Ultra Bass Response switch is rather stiff, making it difficult to turn on/off without a little extra attention.
Though there are a pair of included fabric earpads and a tool to aid in the replacing of the earpads, we couldn't find instructions on how to replace them or use them. and on several attempts we gave up for fear of causing damage to the earpads or the headset itself. It is understandable that some manufacturers might like to implement their own proprietary system to encourage the use of 1st party accessories and replacement parts (case in question earpad replacement method), but when a non-standard method is implemented, at least include instructions in either the manual, webpage, or video so that people know what to do with them included equipment.
Multimedia
On initial music listening, we found that the V370 gives a decent, clear and enjoyable range of music, though as we went through our playlist, we found that there were some details missing in the mid-tones, and the bass was rather generic sound that underlines the rest of the audio in a safe and reserved way.
During our in-game testing, we tried out the 7.1 mode, and the UBR switch, which made things rather interesting. Enabling v7.1 improved the volume, and range of audio, produced a generally better audio experience. Though spatial awareness wasn't exactly 'better', the sound was certainly widened in a rather reverb/echo way. Fortunately there is a degree of customisation regarding the surround mode, so one could tweak the settings to find a reasonable balance. The Ultra bass Response seems like a rather unnecessary feature. Some may like it, but we found that it did little to improve the richness and clarity of the bass, and simply creates vibrations that mimics a genuine bass impact. This was particularly interesting while playing some Rainbow Six: The Seige, with gunshots, and explosions having a more dramatic effect, but for general listening, UBR might be more of an annoyance that tickled our ears.
Microphone
We enjoy the auto mute feature on microphones, but as this microphone is fairly difficult to retract, its slightly inconvenient to get back into chat after you have muted it. The boom is not flexible and is rather short, and so voice pick up is rather poor. Even when set to maximum sensitivity, the microphone ends up making background noises louder than your voice, and thus is very frustrating to use.
