Mad Catz’s E.S. Pro 1 Earbuds: Competitors Only
When it comes to audio, Mad Catz has a lengthy roster with its Tritton headsets. But at CES, one of the latest audio products from the company was not a headset, but a pair of gaming earbuds. Targeted once again for the eSports player, the E.S. Pro 1 is supposed to deliver the same gaming audio performance in a smaller form factor.
The earbuds use 13.5 mm drivers and include a small boom mic on the left earpiece. An in-line microphone is also included next to the volume controls on the device’s cable. The package also two additional pairs of earbud covers so that it fits better in your ear. It uses the traditional 3.5 mm jack for input, but split 3.5 mm jacks are included for desktop PCs.
For CES, the company showed off the earbuds in use with the shooter-based Nazi Zombie Army. The sound quality from the E.S. Pro 1 is comparable to the Superhuman Hearing feature included in some Turtle Beach headsets. The highs are prominent, which allow you to hear footsteps, a few ambient sounds and even the reloading of your sniper rifle in more detail. However, there’s an apparent lack of bass, which does remove some of the dramatic effect when you fire a gun or hear an explosion.
Then again, the E.S. Pro 1 is targeted for the competitive gamer. Instead of providing an immersive audio experience, the earbuds offer the essential sound levels that is best suited for gaming competitors in Counter Strike: Global Offensive match or the Call of Duty World League. In the professional scene, using sound to your advantage can mean the difference between victory and defeat. The E.S. Pro 1 isn’t for everyone even at the relatively low price of $50, but if you’re desperately looking for some sort of edge in competitive gameplay, these earbuds could do the trick.
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Rexly Peñaflorida is a freelance writer for Tom's Hardware covering topics such as computer hardware, video games, and general technology news.
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Gam3r01 While these do look like a nice pair of buds, I see too many people that think audio makes them better at a game.Reply
It can help when you know what to do with that auditory information, but for most people even basic ear buds (which I hate) will do the job just fine.
Even if they are aimed at Professionals, not many teams will pick them up because of other sponsorship (IE Kingston, Razer, Audiotechnica etc) -
cats_Paw I dont think mad catz cares about teams, it would be a very small market.Reply
All companies are making more and more new stuff trying to increase their profits in a slowing down economy... poor bastards. -
thezooloomaster Remember folks: "gaming audio" means "shit audio". You can buy superior earphones for $10 on aliexpress or gearbest. The boom mic integrated into the earphone is interesting for being so compact; I haven't seen it done before, but I'm really not confident about the quality of the microphone either.Reply
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eklipz330 those look silly and uncomfortable. they should have added ear loops to prevent it from falling out.Reply
also, i disagree about the decent pair of headphones not making you better at games. they do if you know how to use them. and they increase immersion greatly. nothing like hearing an explosion from good speakers/headphones -
azeemtahir ReplyRemember folks: "gaming audio" means "shit audio". You can buy superior earphones for $10 on aliexpress or gearbest. The boom mic integrated into the earphone is interesting for being so compact; I haven't seen it done before, but I'm really not confident about the quality of the microphone either.
Spot on mate. Spot on. I already do that. $22 Razer Hammerhead Pros.