Review
Roderick Scott 0

Plantronics RIG 500E review

Plantronics has been around for over 50 years advancing our way of life by the way of audio technology.  They have a slew of products from Bluetooth/wireless headsets to speakerphones and more.  Over the past few years, they have been expanding their reach into newer areas of expertise w/ gaming.  

They have the RIG series which is more for performance and the GameCom series which is more for durability + comfort.  They're looking to kick things off w/ their 2015 products w/ a new type of gaming headset to hit the market.  Meet the RIG 500E: their 1st modular gaming headset.  We mean modular like Project Ara modular.  Where you can upgrade parts like cups, headbands, and such.  So we're gonna let you know everything there is to know about it and whether or not if you should buy it or not.  



Design/Comfort

Plantronics RIG 500E review

The new 500E doesn't offer the high-end premium design that you may be used to from Plantronics or other companies but don't confuse it w/ being poorly put together.  It is held together w/ a high quality yet flexible plastic frame as the base, a self-adjusting headband that contours to your head w/ ease, and you choice of leatherette isolating or fabric vented earcups to snap on.  
Plantronics RIG 500E review
 
As far as comfort is involved, these were made for professionals for all-day gaming.  The leatherette cups are more so for tuning out to immersive yourself into a game.  You can use this for a few hours but the other cups are truly for an all-day gaming.  The fabric cups are vented as you can hear what's going on around you more as well as the game.  The same applies to when using these to listen to music on your smartphone where the vented ones are better for all-day wear.  

 

Sound

Plantronics wanted to make sure you had everything you needed in these gaming cans.  Powering the sounds are a pair of 40mm drivers w/ low-frequency resonators & 24-bit USB audio w/ Dolby 7.1 audio (PC gaming).  The noise-cancelling headset mic can be muted when you flip it up.
 
Plantronics RIG 500E review

Back to the 2 different kinds of earcups in regards to the sound.  Both of them sound truly great.  Not the loudest but great clarity & bass in gaming.  The fabric cups for better for me as the leatherette ones gets hot after a while.  I used Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare for testing.  Sounds great for hearing ever shell casing hitting the floor, footsteps nearby, and the sound of explosions & exo boosts.  Loving the sound that comes out of these cans. 

Plantronics RIG 500E review

Plantronics RIG 500E review grade

Truly a great & upgradeable headset for all-day gaming.  

TG 2 Cents

Plantronics made sure to create a great option for gamers w/ their new RIG 500 series.  Not only for them being a great pair of gaming headsets but for being the 1st modular & upgradeable ones as well.  For those of you utilizing the Xbox One, you'll either have to pick up a headset adapter or wait for the new controllers said to be coming at E3.  I'm looking forward to see what gamers of all kinds (form casual to E-Sports think of these).  They're definitely worth it in my opinion.  

To Buy Or Not To Buy

The RIG 500E gaming headsets are priced at $150 which is great for one w/ 2 sets of cans.  But if that's too much for you & your budget, Plantronics has 2 more versions of their 500 series.  They have the standard fabric headset w/o Dolby audio for $50 and the 500 HD w/ standard fabric headset w/ the Dolby audio for PC only for only $80.  So you definitely have affordable options.  
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Author: Roderick Scott

Father. Husband. Creative. Mild foodie. Batman in my dreams.