Razer Launches Hammerhead In-Ear Headphones

On Tuesday the company launched the Razer Hammerhead series of in-ear headsets, bringing super, high-quality audio to your ears, whether it's a laptop or a smartphone, without the need for bulky ear cups. They're powered by 9 mm neodymium drivers, machined out of aircraft-grade aluminum, and feature a matte, brushed surface finish. They raise the bar of in-ear headsets, and Hammerhead owners will likely never settle for less again.

The company now offers two versions: the $49.99 Razer Hammerhead, and the $69.99 Razer Hammerhead Pro. The latter Pro model sports an omni-directional microphone with an in-line remote for phone-call control whereas the regular version is for consumers who do not require a microphone for voice communication.

"The inner acoustics chambers of the Razer Hammerhead in-ear headsets feature a sonically optimized design to increase aural resonance," the company said. "Paired with high-performance, precision-tuned, 9 mm neodymium drivers, the headsets produce a sound signature packing strong bass while maintaining crystal clear mid-levels and highs."

The headset comes with interchangeable ear-tips in 3 sizes, along with an optional pair of bi-flanges to provide superior sound isolation and bass response. There's even an audio/microphone splitter adapter cable for plugging the headset into a desktop or laptop, and a solid black carrying pouch with a zipper to keep everything stored together and secured.

The big drawback however is that Razer chose not to use a braided design for the cords, and stuck with plastic in its signature neon green instead. For the price, braided cords would have provided better durability and longevity, especially for gamers who thrash around a lot or have evil cats who love to chew on expensive headsets.

Then there are the ear-tips themselves, delicate little rubbery plastic "caps" with Razer-green snaps within. To remove them, users must grip the neck of an earphone with one hand and gently pull the ear-tip downwards with another hand to remove it. Ultimately users will only be required to change ear-tips until they find the right pair and never have to switch them out again. There's also a good chance Razer will need to sell extra sets for customers who aren't' quite so gentle to the touch.

But there's no doubt Razer wasn't out to make just another pair of standard in-ear headphones. The 3.5 mm jack (audio/mic combined) is designed in a way that when the user pulls it out of a tablet, smartphone or laptop, they're not yanking on the headset by the cord and thus causing an eventual break/short. There's enough of a curved grip on the plug for the user to pull the jack out of a device without fingers slipping and damaging the cord itself.

As for the actual audio quality, Razer says it best: the headset produces a sound signature that packs a mean, earth-shattering bass while maintaining crystal clear mids and highs. It's no exaggeration. Depending on how your equalizer is set up, bass can be booming without distortion thanks to a full-bodied low-end frequency. The interchangeable ear-tips drown out the stray, ambient noises, thus providing superior sound isolation and bass response, leaving the user with crisp, rich sound. Even phone calls are easily heard without the need for cupping your hands over your ears to drown out the extra noise.

"With numerous mobile PC gaming systems emerging, peripherals that offer both great performance and portability on-the-go are what make the experience complete," says Min-Liang Tan, Razer co- founder, CEO and creative director. "The Razer Hammerhead and Hammerhead Pro’s unrivalled durability and deep bass tones are fantastic for any gamer or music listener with an active lifestyle."

According to the specs, the Pro model feature 9 mm neodymium magnets with CCAW, a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, an impedance of 16 Ω, a sensitivity @ 1 kHz of 106 dB, and input power of 1 mW @ 126 mV. As for the Pro's microphone portion, it has a frequency response of 50 Hz to 10 kHz, a signal to noise ratio of 55 dB, and a sensitivity (@1kHz) of -42 dB +/-3 dB. The cable length for both headsets is 4.27 feet.

The Razer Hammerhead Pro can be pre-purchased now from Razerzone.com for $69.99 USD, and the regular version for $49.99 USD. Both will be available worldwide in August.