The Missing (Audio) Link
An external sound card isn’t your average,
run-of-the-mill peripheral. And it isn’t an item that naturally finds its way
onto every PC enthusiast’s must-have list. In fact, we wouldn’t exactly have to
go out on a limb to say that you might never have seen one in person.
That being said, an add-on sound adapter
can bring a number of benefits to your laptop or desktop PC. You don’t
necessarily have to hate the integrated audio built into your computer to want
to buy one, although that’s certainly a valid reason to do so. Some external
audio cards go above and beyond, with practical, useful features that can make
your headset time more enjoyable.
Extra
headphone cord length, easy volume and mute control, and DTS Surround Sound
Headphone Technology audio processing are on the BAHAMUT’s CV.
The Tt eSPORTS BAHAMUT is a USB example
from Thermaltake (usa.ttesports.com). It not only improves your PC’s audio, but
it also enhances your headset usage in a number of ways. Let’s start with the
latter.
Audio At Hand
People like buttons and knobs. Even in this
age of touchscreens, when we’re swiping and tapping flat surfaces on our phones
and tablets, there’s still something greatly reassuring about a physical
control. With onscreen controls, it’s occasionally hard to know whether you
activated them or not if nothing happens right away. In contrast, with physical
controls, you don’t need to worry about whether you touched an onscreen
“button” hard enough or long enough, nor whether you accidentally mouse-clicked
a few pixels outside it, because you felt the satisfying click of a real button
or the spin of a real knob.
With
onscreen controls, it’s occasionally hard to know whether you activated them or
not if nothing happens right away.
It’s a similar deal when you’re
representing your group at a LAN party, lying on a hotel bed watching a movie
on your laptop, or holed up in your gaming cave for some online squad action.
You don’t want to have to fumble around in
dim lighting looking for the function key that adjusts the volume. And you
don’t want to exit to the Desktop to adjust the sound settings onscreen.
The BAHAMUT’s “Battle-Dragon wheel” makes
it easy to crank the volume when you need to and turn it back down when you
don’t. Red LED indicators give you clear feedback of your current volume level,
so you don’t have to rely on the feel of an indentation on the knob in the
dark.
Also glowing scarlet are the icons on the
mute buttons for the microphone and headphones. They have separate controls to
give you more flexibility with the audio coming in and going out.
For example, at certain times, such as when
you’re eating a crunchy snack, you may want to shut off your microphone while
still being able to use your headphones to listen to what’s going on in-game.
A Longer Leash
None of us really likes to have a cable
dangling from our headphones. Probably the number-one killer of a wired headset
is an accidental yank of the cord. Yawn, stretch, and drop your arms to your
side just right yank. Alternatively, there’s our patented move of standing up
and walking away from the desk, forgetting that we’re still wearing our ’phones
until yank we’re suddenly not wearing them anymore. Cabled headphones are inexpensive,
and they come in every style, but most of us tend to begrudgingly tolerate the
cord as a necessary evil.
On the flip side of the coin, wireless
headsets have their pros and cons, too. Higher prices, smaller selection, and
battery life are among them. Also, some technologies are prone to interference
and/or connection hassles. You might even need to connect a dongle or other
device to your computer in order to transmit a signal not a big deal, but it’s
just one more thing to remember to bring along (and not lose).
Digitally
processing your audio signals with intelligent Equalizer software application
to meet your acoustic demands
Thus, wired headphones are likely to remain
the dominant form of critter attached to our craniums in the future. That being
the case, it’s a spot of good news that the BAHAMUT can make using traditional
headsets a little easier. With the additional length of its USB cable, for
instance, you’ll have more room to move when you’re wearing your headphones.
Onscreen Control
Another perk of the BAHAMUT involves its
companion software. The application lets you set custom audio equalization
settings for particular environments and uses.
For example, Thermaltake says, you can
create an EQ setting that will emphasize vocal frequencies, so you can catch
the dialogue a little more easily when you’re watching a movie. And in a gaming
scenario, you can punch up the bass of weapons and explosions, while adding
acoustic effects to make game environments that much more realistic.
Clear Sound
Part of the BAHAMUT’s allure is its pure,
strong audio. Although a few upper-tier laptops and PC mainboards come with
decent integrated audio, most decidedly don’t. The BAHAMUT can add great sound
to any system.
It’s easy to get used to the way audio
sounds on your computer, just as you can enjoy a favorite song playing on an FM
radio station in your car. But once you hear your games and media through an
advanced sound card such as the BAHAMUT, it’s like moving from your car radio
to a high-quality audio file played on a component stereo system.
Intuitive
I/O with Microphone/Speaker connectivity. The BAHAMUT
is designed with simplistic interface, and users can intuitive comprehend the
sound card with ease.
Once you hear the difference, you won’t
want to go back to your PC’s integrated audio. With the BAHAMUT, you’ll hear
instruments and musical details you didn’t notice before. In games and movies,
ambient sound cues can be more noticeable, more fully immersing you in the
fictional environment.
Thermaltake also endowed the BAHAMUT with
DTS Surround Sound Headphone Technology. This expands the soundscape you’ll
hear in your headset, making it seem as though its two drivers have multiplied
into discrete surround speakers. With DTS enabled, the BAHAMUT can more
accurately clue you in when someone (or something) is on the approach in a game
or the cavalry’s coming to save the day in a movie.
Beyond Gaming
Don’t be fooled into thinking that because
the BAHAMUT is from Thermaltake, it’s solely an accessory for PC gaming and the
like. If you often make Internet calls, such as through Skype, for instance,
you’ll find the intuitive volume knob and mute buttons indispensable. A custom
EQ setting can also help clarify voice communications.
What’s more, you can use the BAHAMUT for
powered speakers, too. Its stereo output can be expanded through DTS to sound
fuller and richer for a more exciting experience.
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Thermaltake
Tt eSPORTS BAHAMUT Specifications
§ Interface
USB
§ Channels
5.1
§ Formats
DTS Surround Sound Headphone Technology
§ Controls
Volume knob, mute
§ Connectors
Speakers (3.5mm analog stereo), microphone
§ Audio
Specs 44.1/48KHz sampling, 8/16-bit DAC channels
§ Compatibility
Win7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X
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