I have a gamebox1 and like to play games where the sounds carries information. So I need stereo, and I need enough volume to hear what is going on in the game soundscape.
But ...
- These games can be pretty noisy and other people in the house don't want or need to be disturbed by my entertainment
- The household also includes a toddler and a couple of people with moderate to severe health issues. I need to be able to hear when I have to stop playing right now and go take care of something important.
So getting a good pair of over the ear headphones and shutting the doors (the go-to solutions for hearing your game) are not really good ideas.
Now, a couple of years ago I spotted a solution: a wearable speaker. But at the time my finances were rather tight and before they recoverered I had forgotten. Then one popped up on woot: a JBL Soundgear.
The experience of using this thing for gaming is immersive. The sound is rich and seems to emenate naturally from all around you. It's hard to believe that everyone around you isn't hearing the same thing, but if you hand the device to a friend to try out you hear essentially nothing while they're wearing it. Of course you still hear local environmental noises which isn't ideal if you are listening for a telltale footfall in-game, but I chose this route because I need to be connected to my real-world environment.
These things might not be for everyone, but I'm pleased.
1 My gamebox is a PlayStation 4. Alas, Sony cheaped out on the bluetooth audio support (in an effort either to save a few cents per unit or to squeeze a few more bucks out of the consumer by controling the supply of compatible devices. You'd find it very easy to convince me of the latter. So I also bought a Avantree DG80 USB to bluetooth audio device. Works like a charm.
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