I bet you have heard many firms and consumers praise how good virtual surround sound is. Particularly for gamers, when you purchase a quality gaming headset from a store, the first selling point they present to you is likely to be this function. However, do you actually understand what this technology is all about?
Virtual Surround Sound
Virtual surround sound is a technique that can produce an airy and spatial sound without any physical surround sound system in the nearby. The magical aspect of this technology is that it ignores the fundamental principle of acoustics.
Traditionally speaking, an audio source needs to be placed in a certain direction, and people can quite reliably identify where the sound is coming from. However, some products with a built-in virtual surround sound, such as the SOMiC G951S gaming headset, can produce sounds that allow you to feel like there are multiple directional sources simultaneously. This feeling is also the primary reason why companies employ this virtual surround sound into their gaming headset range.
Spatial awareness is vital when you are wandering in the digital world. It is not solely determined by the audio sources, but also calculated with a set of information provided by the gaming programme. Processing time, shifts of sounds, perceived sound pressure, and tone colours all play crucial roles in enhancing the players’ experience while being as accurate as possible.
Gaming headset and virtual surround sound
The most important practice for gamers regarding virtual surround sound must be gaming headsets. For examples, the whole gaming headset series from SOMiC offers this function to maximise the user experience, which complements its 40mm high-fidelity speakers.
Developing the virtual surround sound in a gaming headset is not as easy as it seems. Audio engineers must put significant efforts to simulate a surround sound setup in this limited and small hardware. Unlike a stereo sound system which is a simple two-channel setup, the virtual surround sound is mimicking as many audio sources as possible within its programming ability.
Tricking your brain into thinking that you are listening to multiple speakers is the key for this technique. For instance, it delays the sound by a tiny fraction with several other ‘tricks’. Your brain is fooled, and it thinks it is listening to more than one sources. The delay with another ‘tricks’ combination can also be utilized to exaggerate the sound so that you can pinpoint the direction much easier.
Benefits in the gaming headset
Now you can fully understand what virtual surround sound is, and how it works with a gaming headset. As a gamer and consumer, the advantages you can obtain from this type of gaming headsets are utmost important.
- Better sound quality
Firstly, because the driver and the programme are specifically designed for gaming, the headset has a natural advantage in presenting a more accurate tone to users. Companies also develop such a product to be best compatible with all PCs and consoles; therefore, it eliminates the current sound in the background that you may hear when wearing headphones.
- A precise directional audio experience
When you are playing multiplayer games such as PUBG and “Apex Legend”, you would love to identify your opponents’ positions as soon as you landed to gain a competitive advantage. The virtual surround sound will allow you to hear shifts in tones whenever enemies are getting closer, and you can clearly pinpoint their direction even they are not in sight yet. It is crucial for you to win the game while having more time to analyse your ideal next step to take.
- An overall more immersive gaming environment
The system with extra features can improve your entire gaming experience and make it more enjoyable. For example, the SOMiC G951S packs a removable mic, and it offers a seamless transition from listening to communicating with friends. Furthermore, SOMiC uses the lightest materials available for the headset frame, which makes it feel like a feather. It releases pressure from wearing it for an extended period. Everything in a gaming headset aims to serve an immersive experience for each second spent in the digital world.
Is it worth it?
Yes, it surely worth every penny. There is one more point you need to be aware of, which is the price you are paying. Some other products push surround sound way too much as their main selling point by introducing true surround sound. It is overkill, and it is not as cost-effective as the virtual surround sound. The differences between them can not be shown under most gaming circumstances.
A product like a SOMiC’s gaming headset is a bargain, with all the essential features and quality build that are also accompanied by a high affordability. It will be a good starting point to experience the virtual surround sound.
