Audeze Penrose VS Arctis Pro Wireless

Fooah on 01/08/2021 - 11:26

Hi Ozbargain-

Would like some input from people that have bought or have experience with these two headsets.

Currently rocking some old Astro a50s that are ready to be laid to rest.

I have narrowed my next headset choice down to two-

Audeze Penrose ($399)
Arctis Pro Wireless ($450)

Before I begin, if I could get the Arctis Pro for sub 400 I would jump all over that!

These are my current pro/cons.

Arctis Pro-
-Great connectivity, Bluetooth, inputs everywhere
-Battery system, dual and always able to recharge while using wireless.
-Great range
-Interchangable ear cups

Penrose-
-Easier setup/less wires (just a dongle and not a DAC
-By all reports, better sound quality
-Cheaper (We are on Ozbargain afterall)

Am I missing anything? Would love to hear your input before I commit to another 5 years of headset use!

Thanks

Poll Options

  • 8
    Arctis Pro Wireless
  • 3
    Audeze Penrose
Gaming

Comments

  • Pelicannn on 01/08/2021 - 14:11
    +3

    I own Arctis 7 Wireless and by god the best headphones I have used. The dual channel audio where you can mix the volume of chat and game on the fly is something I couldn't game without these days. Battery life is excellent and they are comfortable even after a few hours of use on the head.

    Sound quality is alright for a gamer like me but I am not sure they would be up to scratch of most audiophiles, however I would expect the Pro to sound better for the price.

    • zorbo01 on 01/08/2021 - 21:30

      I also have the Arctis 7 headset and would highly recommend it.

    • spook290 on 27/08/2021 - 16:06

      +1

  • Sleuth on 02/08/2021 - 12:57

    Beware the clamping force of Audeze Penrose is notoriously strong. It has been likened to a medieval torture device. This is even referenced by Audeze themselves

  • Ryugen on 04/08/2021 - 08:34
    +1

    Two great choices, I've had the pleasure of owning (still do in a box) a pair of Arctis 7s and my main headset now being the Audeze Penrose. I bought the Penrose to see what fuss was with Planar Magnetics. Hopefully the below helps you in your decision:

    TLDR: If your primary use for them is gaming and not much else, Arctis would be my choice here. If you plan to primarily use them for music / video consumption + gaming, the Penrose sound quality is VERY nice.

    Audeze Penrose: Sound quality is amazing, definitely my best audio headset I've ever had (that said I'm no audiophile). Battery life I can get a solid 8 - 10 hours before having to chuck in the charging cable. Quality feels decent, all plastic but doesn't feel flimsy. Comfort wise, I can wear them through multi hour gaming sessions and it doesn't really phase me. I've seen / saw the memes around the weight of Audeze headsets and the clamping force, they are definitely heavier than others I've had but was fine for me. Software support is fine but looks very primitive. Software will do most of your controls including EQ but the aesthetic just looks bad and can get a little confusing on first use.

    Mic is detachable which is nice when you don't need to speak. Sound quality through Discord is as good as it will get through Discord. I've never had to record my audio purposefully. Lowkey records mic audio for league replays and my voice comes through crystal clear so I guess there is that.

    My biggest gripe with this headset is in the 2.4ghz range. With my Arctis, I could easily stream music from my PC to the headset and walk around all corners of the house no problems. The Audeze reception range is comparatively VERY short, with a mix of walls I'd give it maybe 5meters. If you're on the verge of connection range where it dips in and out, there is a lot of audio distortion that frankly gets uncomfortable + the constant "CONNECTED" and "DISCONNECTED" prompts.

    It does advertise Bluetooth connectivity which I've honestly never used as because of the bulk and the aesthetic (the coloured stripe makes it too gamey for daily wear). It does NOT do dual connection, you choose wireless or BT or AUX.

    Arctis 7 (NEVER HAD THE ARCTIS PRO SO SOME OF THIS MIGHT NOT RELATE): Probably the best gaming headset, ever…period. Everything just worked, mic quality was great, audio mix feature was helpful in the few times I've had to use it. A pet peeve was the receiver being on a wire ending in this round hub thing but might not bother anyone else (unsure what the DAC situation would be like, personally I don't see a point as it's easy enough to adjust volume on the headset / in windows. I've never, mid game, thought to myself HMMM a different audio profile is going to make this better either.). Software was a pleasant experience to use and just made sense. This all makes logical sense as Steelseries is primarily a gaming peripheral company. Audio quality is fine, does it's job and to most people is probably more than you will ever need.

    If I were to redo my choice I'd probably have stuck with my Arctis 7s and saved myself $399 as I'm primarily a gamer but the few times I've used it for music (even signed up to Tidal to try lossless music), I've definitely appreciated the higher audio quality.

    Hope this helps, any questions chuck it below and I can try to answer.

    • Fooah on 09/08/2021 - 09:37

      Hi Ryu, thanks for the reply.

      Ended up going with the Penrose just for the reason of I couldn't get the Arctis pro's for a decent price.

      Hoping the sheer audio quality is enough to weigh up the cons of this headset. Will leave a comment here with my review for future possible purchasee's .

      • exit on 25/08/2021 - 21:11

        Any update? Thinking of making the jump the Penrose as well despite its flaws hoping that the firmware update will fix any issues people complained about.

        • Fooah on 25/08/2021 - 21:15

          Hey,

          Penrose is a great set of headphones, best quality sound I've personally experienced in a set.

          Wireless range is ok, I can go to the kitchen and back with no issues (one of the things people seemed to gripe about)

          Mic is pretty average, ended up getting a desk mic with a gift card!

          Bluetooth dual wireless is pretty awful in my experience, volume control and the mic usage is poor. Bit disappointed with this and a big advantage to the Arctis Pro's (having dual input, eg PC and PS5 at the same time)

          Battery is good, can't run them flat in a single day of working/gaming. Maybe in 2 big days but even then. getting atleast 10 hours out of a charge.

          Overall, they are probably worth $400, but have their flaws considering the price. I emailed Audeze to see if a low hiss in the headphones is normally and they replied with a basic yes. Not sure if it is worth the RMA to try another set, having to think about it.

          • exit on 25/08/2021 - 21:20

            @Fooah: Yeah the main concern is the hiss - I can imagine it would be incredibly annoying.

            I'm going to purchase regardless and probably RMA and sell off if it still has that issue since work is partially reimbursing it. Thanks for the input!

          • Ryugen on 27/08/2021 - 10:08

            @Fooah: I get the hiss too but only on first start up, goes away pretty quickly once other sounds are played.

            • Fooah on 27/08/2021 - 11:11

              @Ryugen: Noticed this too Ryugen, think I'll keep them. I think it is just how the planar tech seems to function.

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