Psyko 5.1 gaming headset actually sounds like surround

Most of the so-called surround-sound headphones I've tried can't hold a candle to a true 5.1 setup, but the cleverly designed Psyko 5.1 gaming headset comes tantalizingly close. Too bad about the weak bass.

Set for release this quarter, the Psyko headset doesn't try to cram a series of 5.1 drivers into the twin earcups. Instead, five drivers sit in the headband, and the sound travels down a series of tubes (each with different lengths) into—and around—your ears. The idea: To replicate the way that real-world sounds coming from different directions hit your ears at different times.

The result is uncanny, if not quite perfect. I tried a little "Call of Duty" action with the Psykos (gotta love the name), and for once, I had the sense that the screams, gunfire, and explosions were actually coming from behind my head—much better than the gimmicky surround sound I've heard on other headsets. For comparison's sake, I tried Turtle Beach's Ear Force X4 headset (the company was exhibiting across the way), and while the sound quality was excellent, the surround sensation was far more subtle—a little too subtle, frankly.

Pretty cool, but here's the problem: the Psyko headset is sadly lacking in bass, a fact that a PR rep ruefully admitted. Hopefully, the Psyko engineering team will get the problem licked, because they're clearly onto something.

Look for the PC version of the Psyko headset (a whopping $299, complete with amp and wires) to arrive in the coming weeks, while an Xbox 360 version is slated for Q4; a PS3 model is a possibility.