Skullcandy has quickly emerged as a heavy hitter of late. In addition to their acquisition of Astro, Skullcandy has cranked out a line of affordable gaming headsets that not only look pretty cool but sound fantastic as well. Recently, I reviewed the Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset and I walked away impressed. It has an MSRP of 80 dollars and I was simply blown away with the sound, comfort and overall look of the headset. The only drawback was the fact the SLYR is wired and in this day in age of gaming many prefer to go the wireless route. I pretty much fall under that category too. Well, Skullcandy has an affordable alternative with the PLYR 2 Wireless Gaming Headset. I recently sat down with the set and much like SLYR, Skullcandy’s PLYR 2 is a headset that really caught me by surprise.
When you first unbox the headset you will notice you get a handy little plug and play guide that shows you how to hook up your headset and GMX Transmitter to any Xbox 360, PS3 or PC. Setting up the headset was simple and I encountered no difficulties. The included USB power cable could have been a little longer given my current gaming set up; however, if your Transmitter only needs to be a few short feet away from your Xbox 360, PS3 or PC then you should have no issues with the length. Skullcandy calls it a “wireless” headset, but make no bones about it you will need to use the included AV wire, 2 USB cables and an Xbox Live Cable in order to use it. Yet the headset itself is wireless and charges when you plug the USB charging cable into the mixer (aka: The Transmitter). You should get approximately 15-hours on a single charge which is impressive to say the least. I have only had to charge my set once and I am easily over 25-hours of use already.
The headset itself is very sharp looking. I received the black and yellow headset for review but it also comes in black & green, and in white. Comfort wise, the PLYR 2 feels great. They are a little on the smaller side but they hug your head nicely. The cushioned ear cups and foam on the bridge of the headset provides all the necessary comfort you will need. The cans snug right onto your ears and I never felt like they would fall off even if I whipped my head back. They do not block out the outside sounds as much as I would like but there is nothing like cranking up the volume to take care of that pesky problem. The headset is surprisingly light which is perfect for those extended gaming sessions. It is also adjustable and should fit any size melon.
As you can see by the screenshots, the headset looks badass and really does not appear budget at all. The trademark Skullcandy skull branding is everywhere but it is by no means an eye sore. On the downside, the headset does not come with any stand or a case to store it. It would have been nice to have some kind of storage option, especially when in transportation or to keep it off the table, but when you consider the price I guess some things could not be included.
The headset has three EQ sound presets: Bass, Supreme and Precision Mode. It is located on the right ear pad and in the form of an adjustable slider. There is also a small 4-way joystick on the headset that adjusts game volume and microphone chat volume. Muting chat can be performed by simply pivoting the boom mic up. I certainly preferred this method of muting as opposed to fumbling around and searching for a mute button. All in all, I found the Bass Mode to be the superior mode. This was evident right from the outset when I sat down with Far Cry 3. Every little jungle sound could be heard, gunfire rang out clearly, and the in-game explosions just rocked. I also spent some time playing Madden 13 and Black Ops 2. In each instance I was incredibly impressed with the sound of the PLYR 2. I was equally impressed with the microphone. Not only could others hear my voice with no issues but I received no feedback, no static noise, and no echo. The mic essentially worked as it should.
In terms of any static or technical issues, I experienced none with the PLYR 2 headset. Considering it does not do 7.1 Surround Sound I was pleased with the sound and booming bass. Playing on Precision and Supreme mode sounds pretty good, but I cannot envision many departing from the Bass mode. This being said Precision mode is ideal for listening to music.
When you consider the fact that other high-end wireless headsets can cost you around $300 the Skullcandy PLYR 2 is incredible value for the buck. Granted they do not give you that 7.1 Surround Sound many gamers are after, but they do deliver tight highs and powerful bass that makes for a headset that will not disappoint. At around $130 the PLYR 2 is fantastic value and if you are looking for a solid wireless headset this holiday season then look no further than this great headset from Skullcandy.
