I was recently given the opportunity to try out one of EKSA’s latest gaming headsets, more specifically the EKSA StarEngine Pro headset. Boasting a sci-fi appearance and claiming to deliver rich sound and noise cancellation for under $100, those are bold claims from any manufacturer.
Straight out of the box, I found the EKSA StarEngine Pro headset to be hefty in weight, albeit the build quality felt very sturdy and were amongst some of the nicer headsets I have tested. The headband is made of soft leather and metal while the earmuffs have plush leather padding and rigid plastic. Also included in the box is a choice of connection cables, soft carrying bag and removable microphone with sound dampener.
Wearing the EKSA StarEngine Pro headset, I found that the earmuffs surrounded my ears comfortably and did not cause any unnecessary ear sweat in longer wear sessions. The band held the headset comfortably and firmly to my head without being so tight that it caused a headache; however, harder shakes of the head could cause the headset to come off.
The EKSA StarEngine Pro headset offered a few different options for users looking to use them on different platforms. For cases where the standard 3.5 mm aux plug will not work, such as on some smartphones or laptops, there is the option of using the included USB-C to USB-C cable or even an adapter to use USB-A. Users who opt for USB connections get the added bonus of having a green LED glow on the sides of the earmuffs. Unfortunately, this option does not work over the 3.5 mm aux port.
“Wearing the EKSA StarEngine Pro, I found that the earmuffs surrounded my ears comfortably and did not cause any unnecessary ear sweat in longer wear sessions.”
On the EKSA StarEngine Pro headset itself, users will find a volume wheel for adjusting volume, lighting control and microphone mute button. I personally prefer a volume wheel for volume control as it lets me truly control just how loud or quiet I want my sound to be without fiddling with buttons and hoping to find a good volume.
While listening to music with the EKSA StarEngine Pro, I found they generally delivered a very rich and enjoyable experience. The high tones were clear, crisp and produced sounds I have generally only heard on higher priced headsets. Bass tones, while deep, were maybe a little too deep and overwhelming at times. While music was still pleasant to listen to and I regularly found myself turning to the EKSA StarEngine Pro as just a pair of headphones, individual preference may vary. I am certainly no professional audiophile, that being said though, I definitely enjoy high quality sounding music whenever possible.
“I personally found that the EKSA StarEngine Pro performed incredibly well given its low-price tag.”
In calls and online gaming sessions, friends and other players all said I sounded very good through the microphone. Wind noise or external noises were generally cancelled out with the microphone dampener with little to no difficulty. At the same time, other players sounded great through the earmuffs. When not chatting, in game, I was easily able to hear approaching enemies or external noises from the game. The EKSA StarEngine Pro headset overall delivered a truly immersive experience when gaming.
Noise cancellation was definitely an area where the EKSA StarEngine Pro thoroughly impressed me. In many louder environments or places with a larger amount of background noise, the EKSA Star Engine Pro headset was effortlessly able to cancel out any unwanted sound such as barking dogs or crowds of people in a coffee shop. Users should have no problem sinking themselves into their game while wearing the headset.
Though in my testing, I was only able to test the EKSA StarEngine Pro headset over PC in a handful of different games, discord, iTunes etc. Individual experiences on game consoles or mobile platforms will likely vary. I personally found that the EKSA StarEngine Pro performed incredibly well given its low-price tag.
