If you were to ask me if I would spend $160 on a wired stereo headset for my PC, my instant response would be “hell no”. When you consider all the options gamers have in terms of headsets these days, $160 bucks for a wired headset that is not capable of 5.1 surround sound seems ludicrous. So when Mad Catz delivered the F.R.E.Q. 5 to my home office, I was very skeptical and went in thinking who in their right mind would drop this kind of coin into such a headset. Well after having spent the better part of the past week or so fiddling around with the F.R.E.Q. 5 I am without question impressed. The sound and comfort of the F.R.E.Q. 5 was much better than I anticipated. Not to mention the quality and durability of the headset is top notch; but a $160 bucks is still a lot of cake.
For starters, the headset is of high quality consisting of metal parts and a solid chassis. Right after I pulled the set out the box I noticed the high quality of everything, which is something that cannot be said for all Mad Catz products…well at least Mad Catz products that were released a few years ago. In the last couple of years Mad Catz has refocused their efforts towards making high quality products that do not come cheap. The F.R.E.Q. 5 certainly falls into that category. As you can see by the attached screenshots, the F.R.E.Q. 5 is a futuristic looking headset designed to match the S.T.R.I.K.E. 7 keyboard and the Cyborg R.A.T. mouse. The lightweight metal components are also adjustable, so you can give yourself quite a customizable fit. The cans even fold flat so that it can support an “around-the-neck” resting position. When it comes to durability I can’t think of another headset that has the F.R.E.Q. 5 beat. Other plastic sets will snap with ease. It would take some force to snap the F.R.E.Q. 5. The F.R.E.Q. 5 logo is displayed on the bridge of the headset while the Mad Catz logo is slapped on the ear cups. Needless to say, they are not bad looking at all.
The F.R.E.Q.5 is compatible for both PC and Mac as well as MP3 players and phones. My daughter even hooked up the headset to our Wii U gamepad as the set comes with a 3.5 mm audio cable. I should mention that on the downside you cannot use the F.R.E.Q. 5 with your PS3 or Xbox 360. When so many other headsets are cross compatible, I am a little puzzled as to why this headset did not include such abilities. I also spent some time listening to some music that was on my iPhone 5. I am not so certain the headset would be ideal for walking around or traveling as they are a little bulky; however, as I mentioned the cans fold inwards towards your chest and they are not exactly an eye sore. The headset has braided cables and it plugs into your PC’s USB port. Initially my PC (using Windows 7) did not automatically default the sound to the F.R.E.Q.5 and I had to go into the start menu, search for sound and set the default audio setting. Once that was accomplished I was off to the races.
The F.R.E.Q. 5 headset has a detachable noise-cancelling microphone that is flexible and can bend in any position you desire. The headset has 3 EQ settings as well as a mute button for the microphone. The actual controls for the headset are all located on the F.R.E.Q. 5 ear cups. On the left can you have the EQ settings: Game, Music and Chat. When the tip of your microphone lights up in red this tells you your microphone is muted. This was a nice little feature given I play the majority of my games in the dark. So it was nice to see the illuminated red light out of the corner of my eye when I wanted to mute the microphone. As far as the clarity of the microphone is concerned, I encountered no issues. My voice came through crystal clear. I did find that the microphone did not completely cancel out all the background noise but certainly did a much better job than my Astro A50’s in this department.
So how does the F.R.E.Q. 5 sound? Well much better than I anticipated. My eardrums rattled as the bass boomed from the headset. I know you have heard me say this multiple times in the past but I have say the F.R.E.Q. 5 really delivered in this area. The F.R.E.Q. 5 houses two precision-balanced extra-large 50mm drivers and the result is fantastic. Anyone who tries this headset will readily notice the bass but others will also notice the crisp highs. I mean these suckers pack a punch. Every little sound is noticeable in game and even when playing music the headset sounds are robust and features a wide dynamic range. Does it make you gaming experience much more immersive? You better believe it does.
Overall, the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 5 is a rock solid headset for your PC or Mac. They are comfortable, have a slick looking design, are durable, and the 50mm drivers deliver some of the best stereo sound I have heard in a headset to date. This being said, $160 bucks Canadian for what amounts to a wired headset that does not feature surround sound and is not compatible with my Xbox 360 or PS3 is a little steep. Price point will inevitably be an issue for many. Yet if you are looking for a headset to go with your Cyborg Mouse or S.T.R.I.K.E.7 keyboard, or you are just looking for a top notch headset for your PC that will last you years, then the F.R.E.Q. 5 is a purchase you won’t be disappointed with.
