Polk Striker Pro P1 review: Strong headphones, subpar headset - sullivanyouper

Way back when I reviewed the James K. Polk 4 Shot, I said that I wanted a headset with the 4 Shot's internals but with the PC in mind. The 4 Shot was a great pair of mid-level headphones, just it wasn't an ideal gambling headset. A bevy of microphone issues and an Xbox-first design made it a race on the PC.

Enter the Polk Striker Pro P1, which is currently available on  Amazon. It's supposed to embody a PC-friendly 4 Shot. It's non quite that, though.

This inspection is part of our roundupof best gaming headsets . Go there for details happening competing products and how we time-tested them.

Half-dozen-shooter

President Pol doesn't hide the Striker Pro P1's similarities to the 4 Shot. Spell the baseline Striker P1 features rounded ears and a gelatinlike headband, the Striker Pro P1 uses the 4 Shot's squared-off earcups and a leather-tiled discase of metal for the band. The hinges are a bit bulkier simply are seemingly solid metal and super durable, especially compared to most competitors also priced at $100.

Here's the old Polk 4 Jibe. The similarities to the Striker Pro P1 are self-explanatory.

The 4 Shot's intent was gorgeous—I said at the time that the "4 Shot looks more like street wear than your typical gaming headset"—and time hasn't hurt it any. Minimal branding, quality stitching, and small enough that you North Korean won't look corresponding you accidentally clock-traveled from the 1980s. The coloured highlight is a bit stereotypical, but the understated blue-black used on the leather and metal makes dormie for IT. Just a very classy-looking headset.

But given the similarities, it's nary surprise the Striker Pro P1 also features the comparable flaws as the 4 Shot. Which is to say the earcups are really small.Yes, I equitable said that the small size was a positive. Information technology is, insofar as you can wear information technology outside without someone pointing and laughing. This is a gaming headset though, and later a few hours of use I inevitably felt the creeping Death that is sore ear cartilage, as they don't quite fit without touching at to the lowest degree unity side.

The small earcups have repercussions during play, too. Because the Hitter Pro P1 doesn't have such space between the drivers and your ears, you North Korean won't get a lot of sound directionality. Headsets like the HyperX Cloud create a space that mimics environs auditory sensation—even when they're just stereo headsets.

The Striker Pro P1 sounds flatter by comparing. Each sound is equidistant, and you father't get much of a clue whether the sound is coming from the strawma, back up, preceding, or below. This is truly just a simple two-Speaker stereophonic experience.

That's not an military issue if you're playacting games where audio doesn't gaming a crucial use in maneuver. You know, Refinement OR Enter the Gungeon Oregon Pillars of Infinity or what birth you. Those WHO play a lot of Field of battle or Red Orchestra—shooters generally, really—will regain IT much harmful.

Aside from that, the Striker In favor of P1 sounds great. Again, Polk's pedigree in not-gaming audio frequency serves them well here. I typically seize you want to use one device for all your headphone and headset needs, and the Striker Pro P1 has a warm low-finish boost that strikes a decent balance between "good for games" and "good for music"—which is what I be given to look to. IT's an completely-about upgrade from the 4 Shot, at least as far as PCs go.

Buuuut…there is Thomas More work to atomic number 4 done.

Cable conundrum

Polk makes a great pair of headphones and a subpar everything other. I put on that's due to the company's roots in the consumer audio world, and a lack of understanding about what people are looking for in a play headset.

It's a shame, because we could real use some headsets with quality audio and a Thomas More moderate design—aka Polk's strengths.

The Striker Pro P1 has major issues, though. For instance, its three cables (one for mobile, one for PC, and one for the PlayStation). All of them are coated in twopenny safe, which belies the select of the headset itself. The cabling is thin and dainty, like I'd bear on a $20 duet of earbuds. Or street-wear headphones. At a desk, I'd very much prefer a slightly thicker cable or, even better, a framework sheath like we got on the 4 Shot's Pro mic.

Worsened lul, James K. Polk neglected in-line controls over again. With the designed-for-Xbox 4 Shot, it was an vexation, but cardinal I understood. The 4 Shot was built to take advantage of the Xbox One's antecedently requisite confab accessory.

But the Striker In favour of P1? It's ostensibly for role with the PC, simply has no useful volume controls on the headset or cable length. On that point is a endorsement cable with an in-line control box, but it's intended for the PS4. You could maybe use it with a laptop, where the microphone port is always in reach, merely not if you'rhenium plugging the headset into the back of your desktop, like I am.

The little red Mute push on the bottom of the mic is your just in-cable verify.

There's a built-in Mute button on the mic, which is at to the lowest degree an melioration of sorts o'er the 4 Shot's ridiculous want of mute. Tranquilize, the lack of easily accessible book controls was a constant annoyance while gaming.

Back to the microphone for a bit: The Striker Pro P1 rectifies the horrible crosstalk issues that plagued the 4 Shot and its trifecta of shoddy mics. Rather than emulating the built-in innovation of the 4 Shot, the mic is now a semi-bendable and eradicable boom, like the 4 Shot's ultimate Pro mic.

Bill I said semi-compromising. As with many headsets, I found mic emplacemen an progeny with the Striker In favor of P1. It impartial doesn't want to hitch where I bend it. And predictably, this leads to volume issues and a lot of background noise.

The microphone itself isn't bad—a chip bass-heavy peradventur—and if you can tame it into shape, IT sounds fine. But expect it to fight you every singular step of the way.

Rump line

Formerly once again, President Pol has produced a great pair of headphones and a nice-at-best headset. I'm not disputing Polk's audio frequency expertise—quite the contrary. I cannot stress enough how incredible Polk's headsets sound compared to most gaming headsets. Like the 4 Shot, the Hitter Pro P1 is a headset I've ground myself using for mere music listening connected the way to the store, sitting connected the train, some. This is easily one of the best general-use play headsets I've tested, and incredibly takeout.

But Polk needs a PC headset. A material one, pregnant in-line (or along-headset) controls and a meliorate mike. Maybe some enthusiast cables as comfortably. If I just want excellent sound, I can grease one's palms a consecrate duet of headphones. Gaming headsets take to compete happening features, besides, and the Polk Striker Pro P1 doesn't match likewise priced (operating room flat lower-priced) competitors.

I happen myself once over again in the equal position I was in after the 4 Guesswork: anxiously awaiting the next mould from James Knox Polk. Maybe next time.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/420543/polk-striker-pro-p1-review.html

Posted by: sullivanyouper.blogspot.com

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