Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Here at Ten Ton Hammer, we're all about the gamer. In our interviews, we ask the questions gamers would want to hear and our reviews are written in a way that is not only enjoyable to read, but gets to the heart of what a gamer really cares about. Being avid MMO gamers ourselves, we strive to look at any products that come across our desks with the critical eye of any hardcore gaming geek. Our favorite things are fun, explosions, sex, rock and roll, and caffeine, and if those standards aren't met, it's bad news for our review products.

The Fatal1ty headphones help things go BOOM!

But what can really hamper a gaming experience - or even destroy it altogether - is a lack of an audible BOOM when surrounded by various explosions.  Playing a game without any sound is like turning on an episode of West Wing and pressing the "mute" button. Without the witty banter - or in the case of games, the variety of sound effects and music - makes for one sad, somber gamer. However, with high quality 5.1 speaker systems available from a variety of different companies, this isn't as large of an issue as it used to be for the average gamer.

That said, the audio pitfalls are far worse for the online gamer. The online marketplace is rapidly becoming an area where in-game voice communication is a must, and speaker systems often cause a variety of echoes and feedback pitfalls for anyone using an on-the-desk style of microphone. Therefore, many gamers are forced to go find a pair of gaming headphones, and the options at the local Radio Shack are far from stellar. Believe me, I played with a pair of those headphones, and it almost brought me to tears every time I needed to go into an instance where communication was a must. Eventually I found a better pair of headphones, but that period of time in my gaming career was a dark one.

The sounds in World of Warcraft were sharp and crisp.

When the folks at Creative offered Ten Ton Hammer a chance to try out the latest edition of their Fatal1ty Gaming Headphones, we knew we couldn't pass it by. As you can expect from a "pro gaming series" type of product, the packaging and overall look of the product is sleeker than a panther on the prowl. I had a small bit of difficulty extracting the headphone from their hard plastic packaging, but a few man-grunts later and the the headset was free!

Immediately, I noticed that the cord for the headphones was longer than the anaconda from that bad B-movie that was released back in the 90s. As the standard non-USB version of the headset, I reached into the back of my computer and pushed the two prongs into the corresponding holes on my sound card. Unraveling the cord, I sat back in my Staples leather chair and waited for my first game - World of Warcraft - to boot up.

The minute I stepped into the gaming world, I noticed that the overall volume of my headphones was much, much louder than what I expected, and all of those mouth-breathers were huffing and puffing, trying to blow down my ears. Using the volume control (which also houses a "mute" toggle for the microphone), I turned the headphones down. Although I expect that the high volume was due to cranking up my onboard sound so I could hear my old headset, it was nice to have a quick headset volume minimizer that took one quick twist to turn down.

If you're looking for a nicely priced set of new headphones, the Fatal1ty Gaming Headset will certainly make all of your games sound like new.

After turning the sound down to a bearable level, I found the sound quality of the Fatal1ty headphones to be decent, even though 5.1 surround sound wasn't supported in this particular version of the Fatal1ty headsets. The sounds never broke up, even at the eardrum shattering levels that we gamers enjoy, and I appreciate hearing every twinkle and drop even when my Undead Mage is burning his enemies to a crisp.

Concerning comfort, the Creative headphones ranked right up there among the top headsets I have ever worn. The plush, velvety ear wraps and head cushion were like enjoying the comforts of a Las Vegas spa. The compression for the headphones was just about right, and the inclusion of the travel bag was a nice addition for those gamers that are constantly on the go and don't want to ruin the cloth coverings.

Despite all of the comforts, I was slightly disappointed in a few things on the headphones, but they were only small niggling concerns. First, the microphone can only be plugged into the left side of the headphones. The mute toggle on the headphones doesn't have an indicator light, so if you're gaming in the dark, make sure you haven't muted the microphone. Finally, the cord is so long that it actually causes some problems if you don't keep it out of your rolling chair's way. Some way to keep the cord wrapped would be very much appreciated.

However, at just $50 a piece, these gaming-style headphones are a great entry product for anyone who's strapped on cash but still wants to have a fiery-sounding fireballs. The Fatal1ty headphones are well-constructed, hefty, and nice-looking enough for anyone interested in a pair of gaming headphones should check this bad boy out.