Testing

Putting the headsets to the test was simple enough. With a primary use of gaming, I decided to do just that. As the headset uses 3.5mm jacks I was lucky enough to be able to use the Soundblaster X-Fi built into my Gigabyte Sniper motherboard.

After plugging in the Tunguska Stereo I fired up a few games and set about playing. In games the Tunguska Stereo, performed admirably and had a nice sound that wasn’t overly loud or full of bass.

The microphone worked as well as I’d hoped, with everything I said being heard. The microphone itself is very secure as well and once put into position it feels as though it is not going to move anywhere.

In music the sound produced by the Tunguska Stereo was also very solid. With a nice sound produced even when listening to some of my more heavy songs, on this headset though, it was easy to hear that the audio was more focused to treble than bass, with vocals being exceptionally clear.

The Tunguska 7.1 requires a bit more from you to install, but even then you can mostly get underway by plugging it in, Windows 7 recognised the headset automatically but to get the virtual 7.1 features you need to install the included software.

Now this software may look a tad familiar if you have read my previous reviews. That is if you haven’t already noticed the similarities between these headsets and the GAMDIAS one I reviewed a short while ago.

The Xear USB Soundcard and subsequent software used here seems to be prominent in a lot of USB headsets that output 7.1 sound – but hey as the saying goes if it isn’t broken don’t fix it.

Once again I put the headset to the test in games, though this time making use of the 7.1 features of the headset and I am pleased to say that whilst I am still not a fan of virtual surround sound the Tunguska 7.1’s performed admirably. In games the 7.1 virtual audio meant that I was able to comfortably discern noises occurring behind me than in front.

In music it’s best to disable the surround sound feature however as it doesn’t improve the listening experience.

Speaking of music, the Tunguska 7.1 has a far different approach to the output, with it having a far more bassy output than the stereo model. This isn’t always a bad thing however as it certainly gives songs and explosions more oomph. Much like the GAMDIAS Eros, the USB Tunguska are able to achieve an extremely loud noise output, and once again, I had to go into the software itself and lower the limit.

There is little to say about the microphone on the 7.1 headset however, as it is the same as the stereo models, but it had a similar level of performance as that on the stereo, despite the differing connection.

Both headsets were perfectly comfortable even for prolonged periods with each ear cup being exceptionally soft, and large enough to sit around my ears rather than on them. The headband on both were perfect and not too tight allowing for a good seal to help reduce background noise, although as the volume levels go up, there is a bit of noise leakage from the headsets.