Audeze Penrose Wireless Gaming Headset for PlayStation Mac PC and Switch (Black)

Had this thing for a few months, Sound quality is amazing, isn't too heavy, clamp force is perfect and the material that the cups are made of are really durable and soft kind of like a memory foam instead of a hard packaging foam that my pulse 3d headset had, great build quality, I'm really clumsy and rough with things and I have dropped this thing a few times and nothing has broken so far, the versatility is awesome I love having the option between wireless, bluetooth and aux, the usb wireless dongle works seamlessly on my pc, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. The software is easy to install and use, and saves the eq setup on the actual headset so you don't have to worry about having different eq setups on each device. Also the mic sounds decent and has adjustable mic volume as well as playback so you can hear yourself talking, and if you have a mic with aux playback you can just plug that into where the mic would go and your good to go for streaming or voice recording. Things that I don't like about this headset #1 having to hold down the power button to turn it on and off #2 when I go outside to let the dog out I like to switch over to bluetooth mode and hook the headset up to my phone so I can listen to music while I let the dog run around the yard, however before I do this I need to physically remove the wireless usb dongle from my pc before going outside because even though my headset is in bluetooth mode and hooked up to my phone, it still holds a connection to the wireless dongle in my pc meaning it is connected to both my pc and phone at the same time. The reason this is an issue is because when I go outside I am reasonably far away from my pc and the connection for the wireless usb dongle will go in and out, resulting in a constant "connected" "disconnected' message interrupting my music constantly. Not that big of a deal but I felt like it was worth mentioning.

After deciding I wanted to upgrade my gaming headset for PS5 to a wireless model - I decided I would splurge and spend $300 for the Audeze Penrose. BAD IDEA. The headset performed fine for the first couple months but then I would notice intermittent static and hissing, which was annoying...but whatever I can deal with it. Shortly after this my headset leather starts peelings. Worst yet: the left ear cup band that slots into the headband has become loose and now the left earcup with slide completely out of the headband and is only supported by a wire. Mind you I take great care of my headset, never once dropped, always hung up after use. Still my headset broke even with proper care. The worst part being that all these issues seems to be all over forums with breakage in the same spot and failure as I had experienced. So Audeze is fully aware of these manufacturing issues but they do not provide any helpful support. They stated they could replace my unit with a "B stock" unit for $115 plus tax/shipping. Why would I pay more money for the same unit with all these documented historical issues??? I can save that $115 and buy a headset that will last more than a year and not give a cent more to Audeze and I will be happy. Piss poor customer support for a "high end headset" what a joke - $300 down the drain.

I am going to be a little strict on this mostly because of the pricetag. I will point out I used this only on PC, so I cant speak about preformance on any other platform. After having owned a couple differnet headsets in this price category, I have a good basis for comparison. If this headset was about $100 max, I could have excused a lot of the issues, but for a $300 headset this was nothing but a dissapointment. The sound quality would have been great if it wasnt for the constant white noise. It is not very loud, but it definitely noticable. I read online that with the pc app you could disable the sidetone. Turning that off did help slightly, but not much, but it is also a feature I like to leave on so I don'e talk unreasonably loud without noticing. The Arctis Pro Wireless (about the same price) had this feature as well and had zero white noise with it. As mentioned before, there is a PC app for the headset, but it is very minimal. You can turn sidetone on and off, set the auto off timer, customize the equalizer, and change volume settings. That might sound like enough to some people, but headsets in this pricerange usually have a lot more customization. Again, I am being more harsh because the pricetag demads certain expectations to be met in my eyes. Another issue for me was comfort. Maybe for someone with a smaller head this wouldn't be an issue, but for me it felt like my head was being squeezed very hard and it gave me headaches after about 20 minutes. I wear contact, but usually use glasses at home, but this made wearing them with the headset unbearable. Over time it also made the top of my head very tender. I am not sure why, maybe the padding on the top needs to be a bit thicker. The ear padding is actually pretty good, but the tightness negated that completely. Build quality actually seemed to be pretty good. I am returning these not long after receiving so I cant talk about logevity, but they seem to be pretty sturdy. The absolute worse part about this headset, which is completely unexcusable for somthing that costs this much, is the wireless range. What is the point of a wireless headset if you cant even go to the other side of the room without it disconnecting? Even the cheeper headsets I have owned have had at least double the range of this headset. This issue was with the dongle, but I cant even speak about the bluetooth range because it refused to connect to my PC (yes my PC is compatable with bluetooth). They have a decent foundation for a good headset, but they have some serious issues to fix. Hopefully they make a 2.0 version that fixes the issues and makes it worth the pricetag.

** Summary ** They are not comfortable and the build quality of the casing isn't great. I included a link to some additional zip-over memory foam you can add to make them comfortable. The battery life is poor vs the competition and the wireless range is pretty terrible. Both of these things, I think, are a compromise for... ... the audio quality, which is absolutely superb. Big, deep bass, crisp highs, and a balanced midrange. You can crank these things very loud and there is no noticeable distortion. They use a type of speaker (driver) that is not commonly used - and the quality of the sound is extremely impressive. Exceptional audio makes its shortcomings worth it. If you are an audiophile and you like broad dynamics, these are fantastic. If you don't know what that means, go for something from SteelSeries. **Full Review** I am an audiophile and a gamer. I've done sound engineering courses, built my own amplifiers and speakers, and always enjoyed louder, full sound reproduction with balanced midrange and deep, powerful bass. I listen to lots of different genres of music and I had my own custom audio setups in my cars too. Since playing online multiplayer games, working from home, and being in a house with young kids, headphones are a go-to for me. I have used a LOT of headphones over the years, from wired Sennheiser cans (my favorite for a long time) to Sony, to Philips, to a bunch of "gaming" wired ones from Logitech and SteelSeries (Arctis Pro, excellent at everything and if you like wired, go for those for the money) et al. I have a strong preference for wireless, but the drawback is always one of two things; You either lose audio quality or you have to deal with the way Bluetooth handles bi-directional audio (i.e. when you're in a call or in a game, and you need the mic and the speakers to work at the same time). Without getting technical, Bluetooth does not do that well, and in the case of your typical Bose QC 35 II (I own a pair for travel - they are great) or Sony WH-1000xm(3/4), they will only do monaural audio when using the mic - again, a Bluetooth protocol and implementation issue. I used the excellent SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless, which use a proprietary 2.4GHz wireless setup much like these Audeze Penrose. The SteelSeries has exceptional range, two batteries for near-uninterrupted use, and they are fairly comfortable for the first year of use. But they, like every other wireless gaming headset I have tried (Logitech, Sennheiser/EPOS) have a failry poor sound stage. They're mostly weighted to a great midrange, but not much up top, and very little down low. They do, however they have exceptionally good range, where the Penrose does not. But, I am a sucker for a broad, deep, customizable sound-stage. Enter the Audeze Penrose. **The Penrose's Superpower** This is the best sounding gaming headset I have ever used. They use planar magnetic drivers (the actual speakers in the earcups) vs most others which use simpler, much more common dynamic drivers, and it shows. The sound quality is astonishing at this price point. They go super deep, like VERY deep, and very high, and you can turn the volume up loud enough to cause ear damage, all the while with no discernible distortion. There is an adjustable equalizer, but you have to connect the headset via USB and install some software - not a huge issue though, because the eq setup is saved to the headset. Sound quality is ridiculously impressive at the price point. **The Penrose's Disapointment** They are not comfortable and the build quality of the casing isn't great. The design is more-or-less akin to popular Bose or Sony Bluetooth headphones, but the plastics don't feel as high quality and the memory foam is thin, hard, and very uncomfortable. I added this, for $16: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HQGTR7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Although a little ugly, the comfort is improved dramatically and I can wear these all day, comfortably. More info on different driver types: https://www.soundguys.com/driver-types-19347/

UPDATE #2: Audeze had me send in the busted pair and sent me a brand new one. They say the hinge issue has been resolved. Really great customer support considering I was out of my official warranty period yet they still made it right. UPDATE: Little over a year later... like many other people encountered... the plastic hinge on the left side snapped randomly and, while they still work fine audibly, they're broken. It's a very cheap piece of plastic on the extenders for the ear cups... suspect everyone will run into them randomly snapping at some point. For $300, it's a hard sell to buy them a second time and will likely have reduced audio quality through a competitor but at least not have them break after a year of regular usage. Definitely the best quality audio I've ever heard in a wireless gaming headset. There are lingering reviews out there about microphone issues but, whatever Audeze did in latest firmware updates, the microphone sounds fantastic. If you have an Nvidia RTX video card - pass the microphone audio through Nvidia Broadcast for a truly, studio-quality broadcast experience. Extremely happy with my purchase. Been waiting months for it to be back in stock and purchased it, immediately, once it did. PROS: * Absolutely fantastic audio quality * Microphone sounds great * Well packaged CONS: * Tight squeeze but read they break-in eventually * Heavier than most gaming headsets due to the drivers * Would look more professional if Audeze left off the blue (green for Penrose X series) accent color. Would prefer this, personally. * Microphone defaults to pass-through audio, so you hear what you're saying. The only way to disable this is to download the Audeze HQ software/app and connect the headset via the included USB cables. * USB port is ONLY for charging / managing the headset settings. Cannot solely use the USB connectivity to listen to audio.

I bought this for my wife, as she has always been jealous of my Audeze Mobius. The Penrose lacks the 3D special audio and 7.1 surround processing. As well I don’t think the Modius is available anymore, at least not direct from Audeze. For the money saved on the Penrose I think it’s worth. I found this particular headset “used, Like new” and I had some points so I got it for $160 after tax. It is impossible to get anywhere near the SQ of this for anywhere near the price. Have tried multiple Razer, Astro, Steelseries headsets all for the $150-200 price point, IMO they all sounded hollow and far away, the mics were all trash save for the Steelseries. Audeze is the way. Once you hear the planar magnetic drivers you will understand why people are willing to spend so much. A pro Over the Mobius is that this comes with a 2.4ghz dongle, making it super easy to use on Any device with a usb port. The mic and drivers sound exactly the same as the Mobius minus the digital processing. My wife was very very happy with her anniversary present. I am grateful that it came in perfect condition.

Update. The battery is busted, it seams to randomly choose a percentage. I thought it was the buggy phone app at first. Now i know its the headset. After a full charge it will tell me battery low and even shut off. I will turn it on again to see it at 100%. And at some point it started turning off on its own. I am pretty sure it is when i have it dual connected but am not using my phone. I was supposed to have a 90 day window to return this used product but for some reason i couldn't return it after 30 days. I was stupid enough to decide to keep it despite the few issues i knew and now there are even more issues. Its like an abusive relationship " he/she's not always like that! They're really great most of the time" i should have realized when i started saying things like that about the headset that i should have returned them. It seams also that they're done supporting it with firmware updates. This is my 6th headset in 2 months, i am looking for the best 2.4gh and Bluetooth dual function headset i can find for Playstation 5, and although there are some glaring issues i would normally instantly return for, i really like the penrose. Issues first. There is a common issue of a strange noise in the left ear that occasionally occurs. In my experience it mostly occurs in idle or low volume situations. The degree and severity vary person to person. The battery life is fairly average, i think my model might have an issue. The phone app gives me random percentages sometimes jumping from 90 to 60 to 80 to 30 to 90%. The mic input volume seems to reaet itself to a random value when powered off for a while. I keep my input at 40-50% but when i use it the next day it will be at 20% or 70%. This could be because of the adjustment wheel on the back left ear cup. The wheel could possibly be moved when i rest my head back on something however I've never actually noticed this happening as the wheels have firm secure notches. The biggest issue for me is a strange one and is intentionally designed this way from what I've heard. The Bluetooth volume is dominate over 2.4ghz volume. The Bluetooth device vokume is also hard linked to the overall headset volume so i can't raise or lower my phone volume without raising or lowering my game audio and vice versa. Luckily my phone can adjust. Individual app volume which helps me but you might not have that feature in your phone. Mic quality isn't geeat. It is average by game headset standards. Finally the wireless range is near non existent. I can turn the corner to the bathroom but i can't walk 10 step (just counted) to the kitchen to grab a drink without connection interruption. Though the Bluetooth range is slightly better than the 2.4ghz range. Now the good things. The audio, as I'm sure you've heard, is amazing. While the EQ in my opinion could be better it does work. The EQ is better at reducing frequency rather than boosting. All i can say is the audio is the best you will find and the only two headsets that come close to this are the JBL quantum 800 and the Arctis Pro. The Penrose is better but thsoe two are the only two that come close. While the mic is average the input adjustment works great. At 40% i eliminate all background noise ( family coming to talk to me, TV/game audio, my breathing, controller sounds) while stil sounding loud and audible myself (though with higher distortion than at 100% input) There is a compatible phone app to adjust EQ, input volume, auto off timer, and xbox chat mix(not playstation). While limited and a bit laggy this is a great tool and i use it every time i play. The only other headset with an app is the Turtle beach 700/600 gen 2. The battery lasts me well enough as a regular 10+ hour player. Overall, i have returned headsets for similar issues. But i really like the penrose. After using so many headsets i have found they ALL have some strange issue, usually a chosen dumb design decision like the penrose Bluetooth volume linkage and balance. The arctis 9 had imbalanced volume ear to ear and ineffective EQ. The JBL quantum had a bad mic, bad battery, and couldnt charge in use. The arctis Pro has its own Bluetooth volume issue. The Turtle Beach is a turtle beach product. The Corsair Virtuoso doesn't carry settings to console. The Razer kaira pro doesn't play Bluetooth at the same time as 2.4ghz. Maybe its the fatigue from trying so many but i think i feel most comfortable SETTLING on the penrose than any of these I've mentioned. Even if i do find the perfect headset i will always remember the penrose.

Ottime cuffie con suono meraviglioso.L unica pecca a mio avviso è il bilanciamento del volume della chat vocale con il suono del gioco:non si può bilanciare se non chiedendo ai compagni in di abbassare il volume del loro microfono..o almeno io ho risolto cosí il problema visto che l' app sul Cell in questa circostanza non aiuta perchè non permette tale bilanciamento!Per il resto suono meraviglioso!!!!!🤩🤩

not comfortable at all for long session sound quality is very good

Excelente tanto pra musica quanto pra jogos. Áudio limpo com graves detalhados e sem chiados. Bateria dura bastante. Microfone muito bom.

Unos audifonos que sin duda superan en calidad de sonido a muchos de mayor precio de nivel audiófilo. No soy gamer y no los adquirí para ello, fué por sus características y capacidades técnicas en calidad de audio. Para escuchar música son una delicia para el oido. El detalle, nitidez y amplitud de reproducción es de primer nivel, como mencioné, mejor que muchos de gama audiófila del rango de hasta $500 dólares. Superan por mucho la calidad de sonido de cualquiera de gama "consumer" de la marca que elijas (bose, sony, apple, etc). Esos transductores plannar de 100 mm generan en verdad sonidos que otros no se pueden dar el lujo. Te aseguro que escucharás en las mismas canciones sonidos que no habías detectado antes de estos audífonos, Escucharás toda la gama de frecuencias con una nitidéz impresionante. Con el equalizador de 10 bandas que puedes ajustar en AudezeHQ los conviertes en el tipo audifonos que mas te agrade, sí debes invertirle tiempo a esa equalización, pero una vez logrado te sorprenderá en cada canción y tienes 5 memorias para seleccionar dependiendo el tipo de música a escuchar. No distorsionan con nada y tienen un volumen más allá de lo que necesitarás. Ahora pasando a los puntos malos, el transmisor wifi a veces admite mucha interferencia, por lo que es incómodo usarlos en zonas cercanas al modem que use 2.4ghz. además el rango de alcance es malísimo, pues si te alejas mas de 3 metros se comienza a perder la señal, aunque existe la opción de bluetooth, que tiene mejor alcance aunque si se percibe un poco la disminución de la nitidéz del sonido. Con el cable de 3.5 mm se conserva la alta resolución pero disminuye el nivel de volumen un poco y tienes la incomodidad del cable, aunque si vas a estar sentado disfrutando de la música no es ningún inconveniente. No tiene ningún control de mutimedia cuando de música se trata, así que tienes que usar tu celular, tablet o PC para seleccionar tus canciones, aunque puedes adquirir un cable de 3.5 mm y lightning en el otro extremo con micrófono y controles multimedia que te dan ese control sin necesidad de sacar tu iphone para ello. Los colores gamer que traen en las almohadillas los audifonos a mi parecer son horrendos, pero lo puedes solucionar comprando repuestos de almohadillas que traen la orilla de color gris y mejoran totalmente la apariencia o unas almohadillas wicked cushion en color negro que le puedes adaptar y cubren la parte azul y los hacen ver aún mucho mejor y son más cómodos como en las fotos que presento aquí. Otro inconveniente es que la aplicación AudezeHQ no funciona en Iphone, así que si quieres ajustar o hacer alguna modificación a tus EQ, o simplemente ver el estado de la batería, tendrás que conectarte con el cable a tu Mac o PC. Si tu telefono es android no tendrás este problema, aunque he de decir que con los 5 EQ que quedan grabados y puedes cambiar desde los audifonos no hay mucha necesidad de entrar a la APP. Como generalmente es cualquier aparato de grandes prestaciones, son algo pesados, aunque te acostumbras después de un tiempo de usarlos. En resumen puedo recomendarlos ampliamente para escuchar música con una calidad suprema, sin necesidad de comprar unos audifonos de $500 dólares y un amplificador por separado, a pesar de todos los inconvenientes que representa no tener controles para ello ni funciones como cancelación de ruido, microfono integrado o batería de larga vida.

Had the Penrose, the sound was awesome but the headset had multiple problems. Some batches were made with sub par plastic that would snap/shear from fatigue in less than a year. Sent the Penrose in for warranty. Audeze was out of Penrose stock and backlogged with Maxwell orders and so I had to wait three months for my replacement. However, they sent me a Maxwell instead for wait. Receieved them today. They are awesome and an improvement over Penrose in every regard. If you're reading this review I give the Penrose 4 stars and the Maxwell 5. Thanks to Audeze for their customer service.