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There is no software included with the RUSH ER1 headset for adjusting the EQ or setting up any form of virtual surround sound so instead, I will kick off the testing by talking about comfort.
As noted in the unboxing portion of the review, the padding on the RUSH ER1 headset is quite firm so it isn’t quite as nice to wear as some of the softer headsets. The padding didn't seem to soften up after long and frequent use either. That said though, the headset isn't uncomfortable to wear. It fits nicely on the head and the ear cups are large enough to form a decent seal around the ear.
So now that we have established that comfort isn't a major issue, lets dive in to sound quality. Like with almost every other budget headset we have tested, the RUSH ER1 does not come with any custom software so there is no additional tinkering to do beyond plugging it in.
Since the price points are similar, I will be comparing the RUSH ER1 to one of Sharkoon's other headsets- the Shark Zone H10. Technical specifications between the two headsets are very similar so overall sound quality likely won't be too different.
For my game testing, I decided to test out Alien Isolation and Thief, two titles that feature quality sound design and a lot of atmospheric noise. Overall, I found the ambient sound to come across as a little muffled and not quite as clear as the Sharkoon H10.
However, one of the points I did appreciate was the bass response. It isn't the most accurate sounding in the world but it isn't particularly over powering either, which can be a problem for some budget headsets. Overall, I would say that the 40mm drivers are well tuned and balanced just right … although they do lack volume.
As always, when talking about headsets, sound quality is just part of the battle. We also need to assess microphone quality. In order to test the microphone I hopped on a few Skype and Team Speak servers.
Overall, the microphone is fine, it lacks noise cancellation though, which can be a bit of a pain if you have a fan on in the room. That said, the microphone did a fine job of picking up my voice without the need to boost it at all. I didn't encounter any distortion or annoying feedback noise.
If noise cancellation is going to be a big issue for you then you can try a third-party noise gate application, such as NoiseGator.
Overall, for £20 the RUSH ER1 is about as good as you would expect.
