It’s the battle of the 7.1 surround sound headsets, with the Logitech G35 going head-to-head with the Razer Megalodon.
In terms of features the two headsets are very close to one another. They both claim to recreate 7.1 surround-sound using their own combination of hardware and software, both include a microphone and both have built-in audio controls.
Audio Technology
In terms of technology both headsets use software to enable stereo speakers to create virtual 7.1 surround sound. Logitech use dolby Headphone 2.0 technology to drive the headset while Razer have produced their own Maelstrom drivers to do the same job.
As you can see from the table above there is very little difference between the Logitech G35 and Razer Megalodon, with the Razer just edging the G35 out with a touch more sensitivity.
Controls
Both headsets differ in how they allow you to control their features. Razer have gone for a smart inline remote-control box attached to the braided cable. The box allows you to control the volume of each of the virtual channels, as well as switch between 7.1 surround and 2.0 stereo modes. Also on the box are controls for the microphone that include volume, mute and sensitivity adjustment. The control box is the heart of the Megalodon and is responsible for all of the sound processing, so there’s no software to install. Just plug in the USB connector and you’re off.
The Logitech G35 locates all of the controls on the headset. On the left cup are three programmable ‘G’ buttons that can be programmed to interact with a variety of multimedia applications. For example, you could set G1 to launch iTunes, G2 to skip to the next track and G3 to the previous. The software allows you to store button profiles for each application and it will switch between profiles as you toggle between programs within windows. Also on the left cup is a wheel to control the volume and a button to mute the microphone. On the right cup is a single toggle that switches between 7.1 surround or 2.0 stereo modes.
The Logitech G35 requires driver software to be installed to create the 7.1 sound, and this will force a minor hit on your CPU. The software itself is nicely designed and intuitive to use.
In terms of setup the Megalodon is easiest to use as it really is plug’n’play, and the control box takes on the task of controlling the headset and the 7.1 sounds. That same box of tricks also offers the greater level of audio control, but in the heat of the moment it’s easier to smack a button on the side of your head than it is to reach out, grab a small box, then look down at it to check which of the small buttons you’re pressing. This is where the G35’s onboard buttons are best, and the programmable G keys also make it a bit more flexible than the Megalodon.
In Use
Both of these headsets are designed for gaming, so that’s how they were put to test in a blast through Call Of Duty 4. Both headsets worked very well, noticeably clearer than my old Medusa 5.1 headset. In plain old 2.0 stereo mode they provided lovely clear sound and some useful positional information, but switching on the 7.1 surround sound allowed the sounds take on much more character.
It’s almost as if the soundscape has moved from indoors to outdoors, as you get a greater impression of the magnitude of the noises around you. Shots and explosions seem to be more complex in nature, with more obvious differences between those that are close by and those that are further away.
Rather disappointingly there wasn’t much of an improvement in determining the position of a noise, leading some strength to the arguments that 5.1 and 7.1 headsets are a bit of a gimmick. Don’t get me wrong, the surround sound effects are better than plain stereo for determining their source but nowhere near the improvement that you might expect from the marketing material.
In terms of in-game sound quality the best of the two headsets is the Megalodon, offering a slightly more vibrant experience than the G35 but by the slightest of margins.
Microphones
As mentioned, both headsets come with a built-in microphone. Both can be swivelled up out of the way and both can be muted – the Logitech uses a button on the right-ear cup, the Megalodon a button on its control box. One negative point of the Logitech is that it is quite easy to catch the mute button when lifting the headset onto your head.
Feedback from other gamers suggests that both microphones offered clear audio with minimal background noise being picked up.
One trick of the G35 is that it has the ability to morph your voice into one of six presets, and while it has a bit of comedy value in the short term I can’t see it being a feature you’d make much use of.
Price
The Razer Megalodon retails at $149.99 and the Logitech G35 at $129.99. At the time of writing you can pick up a Razer Megalodon for $149.99 at Amazon and a Logitech G35 for $104.98. Clearly the Logitech G35 has the advantage here, and although the Megalodon will eventually come down in price it will always be lagging behind the cheaper G35.
Choosing A Winner
It’s not easy, and much of it will boil down to what you want the headset for. The Logitech G35 has the better range of features, while the Razer Megalodon offers slightly better sound.
Personally, if I were spending my own money but had to choose between the G35 and Megalodon I’d stump up the extra cash and go for the Megalodon. On the other hand, if it were my money and I could choose something else I’d go for a proper set of stereo headphones – namely a superior Sennheiser HD555 headset with a clip-on microphone. Much better sound quality, but without the 7.1 virtual shenanigans.
I just got the logitech G35 headset today just about 1-2 hours before reading this “battle” article. I have yet to play a game with the headset but so far I’ve noticed one thing that probably isn’t big.
It seems that my computer’s case fans are loud enough to be heard through the mic. When I record my own voice I can hear them in the background. But with voice morphing, they disappear.
I’ll add a mini review of my own in a bit and let all who read this know if I’m satisfied enough.
Hi Jose. Wow, your case fans must be pretty loud. Interesting that the morphing drowns them out, it shows how much processing is being done by the software. I look forward to hearing back about your thoughts on the G35.
Im still doubting which one i should pick.. I mean choosing a sennheiser nonono!
I’d rather pick one of these two. But there’s the problem hope someone could convince me or something…
OK Alex, even if you’re not convinced about the Sennheisers then at the very least you’ll be happy with either of these headsets, they’re both excellent. Get the Logitech G35 and put the money you’ll save towards a new game π
sounds good. But.. still not totally convinced.. but do you know if the megalodon if sound cancelling? ( The headphones sits very close to the ears)
And when the megalodon is released π
As far as I know the Megalodon doesn’t have any noise cancelling technology. Not that that’s a bad thing, as the noise-cancelling technology can actually deaden some of the sound from the headphones and reduce sound quality. Yeah, you won’t here background noise so much, but the sounds you will hear won’t be as good.
The Megalodon is out now! Razerzone says it’s in stock, and so does Amazon.
Chris, what are the headsets like after a long period of gaming?.. are they comfortable or do they hurt your ears? in the review you never said and this would be quite important
I found both headsets to be very comfortable, but one slightly more than the other. The G35’s rectangular earcups do a slightly better job of surrounding your ear so that they cup rests on your head, whereas the Megalodon’s slightly smaller round cups did rest on my ear a bit. That has the problem of pushing the top of my ear into the arm of my glasses, which after 3-4 hours can become a nuisance.
One other thing I forgot to mention is that with the Megalodon, if you lean back from your desk or turn around suddenly you can find yourself dragging the remote control box with you. Not a big problem really, just make sure you don’t have the box sat next to nice, hot coffee if you do ;). Oh dear, now I’m offering Health & Safety tips!
ey guys, i got my megalodon’s yesterday. Sound is great, but still doesn’t match up to my Shure SE530-PTH Earphones :P. they DONT have sound cancelling but i haven’t had ANY problems with background noise in the headphones or microphone, btw the microphone quality is great, and being able to swap between 2.0 to 7.1 with one button is a plus from swapping from gaming to music. The megalodons are comfortable easy to adjust and along with my other razer products deferentially worth that little bit extra $ but as everyone will say its up to personal preference. But i would buy them again in a flash! Hope that helps π
Thanks for stopping by and letting us know, Skorm!
Hi Chris,
I’m considering getting some high end headphones at the moment, and i am basically stuck deciding between the razer and the g35- i will be using it for gaming, but also for a fair amount of tv and movie watching too (both downloaded and retail blu rays). I have heard that the surround sound on the g35 is better for this- can you please give me your thoughts/advice? just need a little shove in either direction!
many thanks,
Matt
Hi Matt,
It partly depends on the type of audio you’re listening to. If it’s 7.1 blu-ray or games (not many games support 7.1) then I’d say the clarity of the Megalodon is superior, and the Maelstrom engine does a great job of differentiating between front, side and rear. However, it’s not quite so good at ‘enriching’ lower quality audio such as 2.0 and even 5.1, but the same could be said of the G35. A plus point of the G35 is that it has slightly better options for fine tuning the audio.
To be honest, if you were already thinking G35 then I’d say go for it … you won’t be disappointed.
Hi Chris,
i was just wondering with either of these can you set them up to use just for vent? Because i know when you have onboard sound card+ another one, you can set certain programs to go through either the speakers or the headphones. an example being, you have vent through your headphones and wow volume through your speakers? Just wondering if you can do this with the way either of these headphones are setup. Thanks for your time!
Hi Nolan,
You’ll be pleased to know that the both headsets are compatible with Ventrilo (and Teamspeak) and both appear as separate audio devices within Windows, so you should be able to configure the sound as you need. I didn’t get to try this myself as the wife doesn’t appreciate the sounds of battle echoing around the house, although she still has to put up with me screaming abuse at the computer π Instead I put all sounds through the headset but reduced the game volume to ensure I can hear Vent clearly.
So Chris,do you think logitech g35 is greater than megalodon?
That depends on how picky you are about your music/film sound quality. The Megalodon has the edge in terms of absolute sound quality, the Logitech G35 wins if you want the best gaming headset of the two. Or you could just say that the G35 is better value for money? I’m sticking with the Megalodon as my preferred choice, but if you go for the G35 you’re still getting a fantastic headset.
Hey Chris,
I am currently making a computer build, and i have a 7.1 HT Striker sound card and am looking for a 7.1 headset. Although i know its not MUCH difference with the surround sound, I’ve had a cheaper 5.1 pair before and i am used to it, so it comes in pretty useful now :P. Also, there is not much price difference between high end 5.1 and 7.1.. so i figure why not?
My question i guess is: I like over ear to cancel sound, but i am not in noisy area, i don’t care about people hearing what they say either. Over all i just want good headphones to listen to games with great audio, and music (i play Age of Conan, which supports 7.1 sounds). I do care about how the mic sounds, but not that much. Is there any other headphones you suggest (i am looking towards at max 200 dollars on headset) that would have amazing sound for gaming (first priority) and music (second priority?
Sorry this is so long, thanks for reading!
Jake, there are very few 7.1 surround sound headsets available at the moment and all are USB so won’t use your soundcard. An alternative to the G35 and Megalodon is the Steelseries 5h V2 USB – but it doesn’t have a mic.
Another choice is to get something that can plug into the soundcard using 3.5mm jacks for each channel. Plenty of choice of 5.1 headsets such as the Razer Barracuda, Roccat Kave or Tritton AXPro. If you’re feeling really flush, how about the Psyko 5.1 headset at a cost of $299 (ouch!).
Or how about a premium stereo headset – Sennheiser PC350? I loved my Sennheisers, before they got squashed.
Does anyone else know of a 7.1 headset that plugs into the soundcard and not USB?
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your last reply, it was very helpful. Reading your other comments peaked my interest again, will you be getting a set of the Psyko 5.1’s for test? i am actually very interested in them, but as you mentioned at a 300$ pricetag i would like to hear a few more reviews. Thanks again for your time!
I would be interested in grabbing the Psykos for test if I can persuade someone to lend me a set. At $300 the Psykos are really pushing my usual review budget. But at that price they must be good, no-one could get away with selling a crap headset for that sort of money – could they?
What is better Senneheiser PC350 or Megalodon!
I play CSS, TF2, L4D, aand other games but those are the main ones. I also watch Blu-rays, DVDs, XVID (through VLC), and music!
What is my best choice?
I currently have an old pair of Sennheiser, dont know if I should stick with Sennheiser or hop to Megalodon since I already use a Razer mouse and mousepad!
Help PLZ!
You see, that’s a really tricky one because both are so good. Personally I’d go for the Sennheisers because the sound quality for music and films is just that bit better, thanks to the wider frequency range of the speakers (15-26,000Hz). The stereo speakers are also more than capable of reproducing positional audio for games.
Hey, I just received my Megalodon today and was wondering if there are any tips to improve the output quality of the Mic for Ventrillo use.
My wow friends have commented that I sound very ‘different’ compared to my old Audio FX Pro 5.1 by Ben Heck (which just fell apart)
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Hey Mac. One thing you didn’t say is whether ‘different’ is better or not? Did you sound like Spongebob before, and now you sound like Mr.T?
Seriously though, I didn’t have any problems as far as I know. Nobody said I sounded ‘different’ but they all commented on how much clearer I was than with my old $5 clip-on mic.
Is the mic closer to your mouth? That can make your voice sound more bassy but can lead to ‘s’s and ‘t’s getting a bit distorted. Anyone else got any bright ideas for improving mic reception on Ventrillo?
Hey Chris.
I can’t decide between the 2 headphones. I like how the Megalodon looks a bit better than the G35. I simply need a new headset to use with ventrilo, music, and mostly games. Which one do you think is more comfortable, and which one has a better quality mic. Also wanted to know which one is lighter. Hope to hear back from you. Thanks!
Forgot to ask, which one looks like it has better durability. Thanks!
Hello Doc. For comfort I’d pick the G35 thanks to its slightly bigger cups. As for weight I think (IRCC) the Megalodon’s headset is slightly lighter, but you’ve also got the weight of the control box on the cable to take into account. It’s OK as long as the control box is resting on the desk.
For durability it’s hard to say as far as internals are concerned until both have been out a bit longer, but I think the G35 might keep its looks better in the long run. The only reason I say that is because I worry that the glossy finish of the Megalodon and its control box might start showing light scratches, whereas the matt finish on the G35 won’t have the same problem.
Hey Chris, great review! I have to say though, I’m still undecided on which to get. I like Razer products, but sometimes they tend to be a bit over rated. Logitech has done its homework from speakers to mice, but to headsets??? I had a pair of Logitech’s precision gaming headsets, and both broke after a few months, the volume nob/control became hard to turn and so I’ve kinda lost faith in their headsets. Razer on the other hand is king of advertisement, their products are always a work of art, but do they perform? I see from the table above that the Megalodon does not user Dolby, and my question to you is, how bad, if, is this? specially when listening to music or watching DVDs? Dolby is nowadays the “way” to go, sort of speaking, I mean, from sound cards, to TVs, to DVD, Blu-ray players…Dolby.
I’m sorry for such a long question I guess, but I just got done building a new rig, and I want to buy a top quality headset, but don’t want to run into any sound issues. Again, the Dolby thing worries me. And what worries me about Logitech is past experiences with their headsets. These G35s look like they won’t handle an accidental drop, while the Megalodon looks more sturdy.
Anyway, I’d appreciate you consider the points I’ve made above to give me your honest opinion. Thanks. Peace.
Hey Jose! Don’t worry about long questions, it shows you’ve put some thought into it.
You’re right about Dolby being the obvious choice, but I honestly didn’t miss it when using the Megalodon. Razer are masters of marketing and hype, but the Megalodon does meet expectations.
I didn’t try dropping the G35s onto any hard surfaces (their owner was rather keen to get them back after I’d finished) but they do feel tougher than old Logitech headsets. Will they still be as good in a few months time? Dunno, but the Megalodon is also too new to tell how it’ll hold together in the long term.
I have recently heard of some issues with the G35 and a background whine when using the mic – its supposedly a problem on certain motherboards, possibly to do with the position of the USB connection and lack of shielding on the cable (there’s a long discussion/argument about it on the Logitech forum). It didn’t happen on my PC, but maybe it casts enough doubt to push you in the direction of the Megalodons.
Hi Chris,
What is better Megalodon or Creative SB X-Fi Titanium Fatality Pro?
I have to admit I’ve never tried the X-Fi Titanium, so I couldn’t compare the two. I would expect the X-Fi to give much better sound quality, but then it’s going to depend entirely on how good the headset is that you plug into it.
Hi Chris,
I happen to like Logitech and just bought the G35. Well I was happy with it untill I found mysef taking it off my normal sized head during intermissions of online gaming. I just found it to tight to the point where it was a relief to remove. I am 5,8 180 bl. Needless to say, I plan on buying the Megelodon for this reason.
Hi Chris,
I do have a question of major concern about the Megelodons mic. Is it true to be as poor as far as the static goes? Most reviews seem to mention the mic as a negative………
Thank you for your input regarding this.
Hi Mark. I’m surprised you found the G35 uncomfortable, I had no such trouble and I have got a larger than average head. Do you have a strangely shaped skull … maybe horns or antlers? π
As for the Megalodon’s mic, I’m starting to hear of people having static problems but I didn’t have any trouble at all (I was using XP). I have heard of one fix where you can lower the mic’s sensitivity, but there are also Vista issues that Microsoft have addressed … make sure you’re on SP2 for a start, then check out this page for a couple of hot fixes to try. There’s a discussion about the Megalodon you can read here, but try not to let it put you off – you might be one of the lucky ones and have no problems at all.
Hi Chris.
I must certainly be rather boring to say again that, but I hesitate always between both headsets. ^^ The quality difference a lot is it really so big between G35 and Megalodon? And is G35 really more comfortable?
The technology 7.1, even if it is not perfect, is better on which helmet? And the spatializing?
As for the microphone, it has been said that the “jamming” is rather annoying for Megalodon, is it true?
I ask all those questions because it would be the headsets which I would like to keep as long as possible, where from the research for the quality.
Thank you indeed for your help, and have a nice day. ^^
PS: Sorry for my english, it is not my strong point for a Frenchβ¦ ^^β
Thanks Chris,
Yes I am an Allian…lol oh well after reading all the bad write ups from the site you refered me to, I am doomed wih no luck. I don’t have a buck & half to waste!!!
Bonjour Julien!
Both headsets are good quality (they should be at this price) so you shouldn’t have any problems there. I did find the G35 more comfortable but if you don’t wear glasses then the Megalodon should be OK. The 7.1 works well but not much better than a 5.1 headset, and that’s not much better than a good quality stereo headset, but of the two the Megalodon is the better. I didn’t have any problem with the Megalodon’s microphone. Others have but I think most of those who have exchanged their faulty headsets have had the problem fixed.
Either of these headsets are great for gaming, but I still think a set of Sennheiser stereo headphones for the same price will give you a better experience.
@Mark – like I just said to Julien, have you looked at a set of Sennheisers?
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your answer, which not bad helped me, now I know that it would be better to look a bit more everywhere else to have something good.
I thus followed your advice and I inquired for Sennheiser HD 555, and I found it with a microphone for 121 euros, charges included (about 177 dollars).
By knowing that I can have a G35 for 103 euros ( 150 dollars), I wonder if I make a bargain β¦ If the quality and the comfort sound better to the HD 555, I think that my choice is made, but I prefer to have the opinion of somebody who knows of what we talk about. ^^
Here we are, itβs a complicated enough affair, so thank you still for the time which you pass to help me! ^^
Ciao!
Oh, I also forgot to say that a French site of comparison prevents that the HD 555 misses a little of power in the basses, and thus proposes K141 MKII of AKG, which is, according to them, the opposite of Sennheiser in term of basses and pointed (not sure of the right meaning).
Have you already tested it? If yes, is they, as it was said in the site, have only very few differences?
Thank you a lot of your help, promised I stop my questions. ^^
Hi Chris,
Really nice of you to follow up, thanks! I am sticking with the G35. The software is great, as I have found to be with all my logitech products. Infact I just
ordered the G9X Laser Mouse too. USB works for me, and if I am not mistaken
(Sennheisers) do not have USB?
Thanks again!
You’re right Mark, the more expensive Sennheisers don’t support USB and even the PC 350 gaming headset requires a soundcard connection. Some of their cheaper headsets have USB connectors, but then you’re missing out on the wonderful sound quality of the more expensive Sennheiser headsets.
Don’t know if you realised, but Sennheiser do offer a USB adapter – but it ain’t cheap at over $50!
Hey Chris,
After reading all Reviews, I’m not still quite sure about wich Headset Should i pick, I’m mostly Playing COD5, COD6, L4D, and few games more, sometimes I watch HD Movies and Listen LP Music but I’m almost always Playing games and with this headset i might join vent.
Wich of them should i pick up, I like the G35 but i want sound quality and the most thing i like about it its the morph voice changer thing and the macro utility.
I like razer I’ve Tarantula keyboard but i don’t like the idea of volume control falling every time around, and i saw a video review in Youtube and a guy with the static problem i had $10 a headset with that problem once and i don’t want to spent $150 on a headset without mic,
and i mostly play More than 6 hours, all I’m looking for its a nice Gaming headset with good quality sound with a nice mic for games.
Help me out with this! please.
how does the g35 and Razer perform on COD6? Thanks!!!
Hi Sunk. Haven’t tried COD6 yet, but I’m going to pick it up soon! If you like the macros then perhaps you should go for the G35, it is a handy feature. Not every Megalodon has had the static problem, you may be lucky and have no static at all (mine was fine), but if you don’t want to risk it you should get the G35.
Hey chris,
Ive been browsing for a new headset and ive narrowed it down to the G35, the megalodon and the PC-350. Now im a heavy gamer and game quite frequently for a long time over 5 hours. Wich would you recommend for me?
That’s a tough call, Patrick, as they’re all are excellent headsets. One big difference with the PC-350 is that it’s not a USB connection, it plugs directly into your soundcard – is that a problem? (See above where I mention the VERY expensive USB adapter). Also, the PC-350 is just plain old stereo rather than virtual surround, so produces a more natural sound but some would argue that it’s not as good for gaming (I’m not one of them).
If you really want virtual sound you will enjoy both the Megalodon and G35, but if you’ll be happy with stereo then I would definitely recommend the PC-350. And don’t go thinking you can’t do accurate positional audio with just two speakers … try some of these for fun (especially the virtual haircut).
Thanks chris,
I Do like the idea of surround sound but if its just a gimmick and not a serious feature then I don’t think its worth buying. :S
I have had a pair the Sennheiser PC166 headset for almost 3 years now. I played FEAR, UT3, BF2, Cod4, Combat Arms (lol), and Now MW2 (Cod6). Im now looking to buy an over the ear headset as my pc166 rest on the ear, and its now starting to take its toll on muh ears lol. Pretty soon i’ll be looking liekone of those mean mug cage fighers (wich may not be such a bad thing, ppl wont wanna mess with me hehehe). But anyways, I know razer and logitech both have good products, tho I havent tried any of their headsets. Im just posting to vouch for Sennheiser and their SOUND QUALITY. Dont even think twice that a stereo headset aint no good for gaming. Thats absolutely untrue. Just for a quick back ground of my gaming experience, I lead the top ranked CTF team in FEAR, and now am leading one of the top ranked Teams in MW2. We’re competing in neweg wanfest (won our last 6 matches) and soon MW2 tournaments. We’re undefeated thus far in TWL, and are starting competition in XPL as well. Im not trying to brag, or make my ‘epeen’ look big. Im just trying to starte that im an above average gamer, and I can honestly say that Sennheiser headsets f*cking rape. My next headset will be the pc350, wich will go nicely with my xfi. And I think if u have the xfi titanium with the pc350.. ur laughing. Sennheiser all the way. <=== Huge paragraph π
Hi Chad, thanks for spreading the Sennheiser love!
so are the sennheiser HD 555’s better than say the G35? I mean I like the look of the HD 555’s more than the G35’s but I like the isolation and 7.1 surround option on the G35’s. I am looking for something not strictly for gaming but not just for music either. I want the middle grounds I don’t much care for the mic as I already have a good $200 one. anyway any thoughts would be greatly appreciated Chris.
Hi ethicks, sounds like you want the Sennheisers to me! Seeing as you’ve obviously got a good mic it would seem a shame to rely on a (probably inferior) attached mic, and yes, the sound from the HD555s is superior.
Does the HD555 still produce good sound positioning when in-game even though their stereo? Thanks…
Yes, they will. With good stereo headphones you’ll still be able to pinpoint the direction of movement. It reminds me of the first game I played that really used stereo sound to great effect – the original Thief. Even with a set of cheap stereo headphones it was amazing how you could track the guards through the sound of their footsteps.
a really amazing headset if your looking for gaming + music for a cheap price would be the new razer orca and it also look amazing π (plugs into ipod, also with no mic)
p.s i would actually go for the razer over the HD555 any day of the week, i looks like the designed them while they were sleeping, really really ugly.
the razers look sexy with the blue LEDS as well.
but also the Logitech would be amazingly reliable being a logitech, also it would match the g9x mouse (which im using)
but im thinking of buying the Megalodon just because they have personalty and would stand out on the game flood, and 7.1 and 2.0 is a bonus π
I have the razer megalodon. It’s a VERY nice headset,
but 1 thing
in my case, the mic gets the noise from the headset..
others will notice some kind of echo.
i used it with Teamspeak and Xfire.
so i guess its razer’s fault.
if not? and u have fix?
tell me plz