Turtle Beach has long been a pioneer in personal digital audio. The new Ear Force AK-R8 is no exception. Released just days ago, the perfectly tuned, surround sound USB headphones are self-proclaimed to be the pinnacle of PC gaming headphones.
While headphones and sound cards have traditionally been considered separate items, the Ear Force AK-R8 multi-speaker headphones and USB interface are designed to work as an integrated system to enhance the unique surround sound capabilities of the headphones.
What is unique about the AK-R8 is the ability to tweak the surround sound to your exact liking then saving those settings for future use. The Turtle Beach headphones provide five independent 10-band equalizers for the two front, two surround and center speakers, allowing individual customization so given all the 3D games on the market it’s important not to underestimate the value of getting the exact sound you want during game play.
Some of the bullet point/features include:
- True 5.1 surround sound from 8 speakers
- Ability to monitor outside sounds while wearing headphones
- USB audio interface with multi-channel amplifiers
- DSP sound environments with presets
- High-fidelity large-diaphragm drivers
- Dual sub-woofers for deep vibrating bass
- Professional grade, durable construction
- Super comfortable ear cup and headband design
- 10 band, 6-channel EQ
- Ambience effects
- Positional and removable boom microphone
- Built-in stereo microphones
The USB audio interface, which drives the multi-channel headphones, also features separate 5.1 or 7.1 analog and digital outputs. In addition to the headphones and the USB interface, the AK-R8 includes a USB cable, an optical S/PDIF adapter for connecting to home theater equipment, an installation CD and a quick-start manual. The AK-R8 are compatible with Windows 2000, XP or Vista.
You can purchase the Turtle Beach AK-R8 Surround Sound Headphones for $150 at retail stores or directly from Turtle Beach.
