Наушники — Audio-Technica ATH-G1

The ATH-G1 is a closed-back gaming headset from Audio-Technica, released in Japan on July 12, 2019. It combines a full-size wired headphone with a detachable boom microphone, and once the microphone is pulled out the same unit can be worn outdoors as an ordinary portable headphone. The maker has since tied it to Immerse, a PC program that analyses the shape of each user's ears and builds a personalised spatial audio profile for games.

Key specs that matter

Large 45 mm drivers are tuned specifically for gaming. The headphone section is rated at 5 to 40,000 Hz, 101 dB/mW and 45 ohm, and Audio-Technica quotes a maximum input of 1,300 mW. Weight is about 250 g without the cable, or about 257 g with the microphone fitted. The microphone is a condenser capsule with a hypercardioid pattern, a sensitivity of -43 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa at 1 kHz) and a range of 30 to 20,000 Hz. A 2.0 m cable ends in a gold-plated 3.5 mm four-pole mini-plug, and the box also holds a windscreen and a Y-shaped splitter cable. The rated operating temperature is 5 to 40 degrees C.

Engineering and use context

Controls on the cable give one-handed volume adjustment and a microphone mute switch, so levels and chat can be changed without leaving the game. The headband is a light, high-strength metal structure, and both the headpad and earpads are made of breathable material for long sessions. The pads and headpad can be swapped by the owner, and replacement pads, headpads and a spare detachable microphone are sold separately. The hypercardioid pickup pattern rejects more sound from the sides and rear than a cardioid, which limits keyboard noise and room sound reaching team chat or a live stream. The maker also points to video calls and business chat as uses for the microphone.

Pairing

Compatibility listed by the maker covers PS5, PS4, Xbox One, laptops and any other device with a combined headset jack, all reached through the single four-pole plug. Desktop PCs with separate microphone and headphone sockets use the supplied Y cable. Thanks to its high sensitivity the ATH-G1 reaches usable levels from a console or phone output, while an external USB DAC or amplifier gives more headroom at the desk.

Alternatives

The ATH-GL3 is a lighter closed-back gaming headset from the same company, weighing about 230 g.