COOLER MASTER MASTERPULSE

Comfy convertible cans

WE GENERALLY DON’T USE extended theme park analogies to describe PC peripherals, but rarely has a headset ever taken us on a rollercoaster ride like this one did. We started sweating in the queue. The MasterPulse’s prime gimmick, a set of neodymium-magnet mounted plates, which click on to the outside of each ear cup, is a new experience. Properly installed, the plates infer a closed back design; removed, the headset converts to a semi-open configuration, and activates Cooler Master’s Bass FX tech for a far fatter sound. Two distinct sounds in one headset, with a completely analog way of converting from one to the other. Either this is a feat of audio engineering, or something we really don’t want to be riding.

And so we strap in. Cooler Master has definitely got the construction right— getting the MasterPulse nestled on your skull is a highly pleasant experience. The ear pads are generous, soft, and easily encompass the biggest ears and the oddest-shaped skulls, despite the stiff, fixed construction of the headband. Floating padding, with five individual squishy nodules, does a great job of securing the headset to your scalp without any noticeable pressure, and the lightweight aluminum construction only helps long wearing. The only way these aren’t going to sit comfortably is if you favor the half-on, half-off configuration— popular in the prank-filled MaximumPC office, because the isolation of full cans does a number on one’s ability to hear ongoing shenanigans—in which case, the tightness of the headband is going to crush your ear cartilage. An edge case, but one to be aware of.

CABLE GUY

We should mention the cable at this point, which is a little disappointing. Not for its in-line mic and analog volume control, although relegating the mic to a tiny pinprick on the top of the cable module does, for all the acceptable quality of voice capture, make it seem like a massive afterthought. And not for its color—a pleasing deep red— or its coating; slightly rubbery and pretty good at not transferring physical noise into the earphones. No, it’s the length, or lack of it. A shade under four feet, or slightly more if you use the included four-pole to 2x three-pole adapter, just isn’t enough for most desktop PC configurations. It’s barely enough to use this headset hooked up to a phone in your pocket.

The listening experience is where the rollercoaster analogy really comes into play, because we hit a ton of high-speed ups, downs, and loop-the-loops with the MasterPulse. First listen is like that terrifying first drop of a steel coaster, particularly with the side plates removed: A massive blast of bass overwhelms your senses. You lurch into the first corner, and put the side plates back on; the bass subsides, but only just. There’s not a massive chasm of difference between the two configurations, apart from a slightly more hollow sound with the Bass FX tech deactivated. At first listen, everything is a little muddy; there’s no remarkable high point to the sound stage. But then you settle in for the ride, and things aren’t quite as terrifying as they first seemed. Long-term listening isn’t offensive, it’s almost fun. There’s a bouncy quality to the plate-clad sound, at least. It’s rich enough in bass to suit gaming very well, if not flat enough for audiophile music listeners, and it goes plenty loud without any noticeable distortion.

This is entertaining, then, but not the best ride in the park by any means. Its $70 MSRP puts it only about 20 bucks away from our perennial headset comparison, the HyperX Cloud II, and that’s leagues ahead in terms of features, performance, and long-term enjoyment. If, however, you can get a cut-price ticket—we’ve seen the MasterPulse listed by major retailers as low as $29.99—then you’re going to have a lot of fun. –ALEX COX

Cooler Master MasterPulse

PULSE Comfortable construction; customizable sound; can be found cut-price.

REPULSE Muddy sound stage; short cable. $70, www.coolermaster.com