RIG R5 Spear Pro HS | Impressive for the Price
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Quick Summary
The RIG R5 Spear Pro HS is one of the best value gaming headsets available. It’s 3.5 mm wired only, so it doesn’t have any fancy features. However, it has a very detailed sound signature, a decent build, and a respectable microphone.
Connectivity and Controls
The Rig R5 Spear is compatible with any device that has a 3.5 mm port. Even though it’s PlayStation branded, it works when plugged into an Xbox controller as well.
This works with PC, but it doesn’t come with a splitter cable, so you’ll need a 3.5 mm combo port. Additionally, the mic volume is quite low when plugged into a motherboard.
There are only two controls on this headset. There’s a volume slider which is well built and holds its position well. The mic is also flip up to mute. However, this only significantly decreases the mic’s volume. It is not a full mute. I will demonstrate this in the microphone audio quality section.
Headphone Audio Quality
Frequency response measurements were taken with my miniDSP EARS (not industry standard).
The RIG R5 utilizes 40 mm graphene coated dynamic drivers with a frequency range of 20 Hz - 40 kHz. These have an impedance of 32 ohms.
When playing Black Ops 7 with these, the first thing I noticed was the incredible detail and sound separation. The Logitech G Pro X 2 and Astro A50 Gen 5 also utilize graphene drivers. The RIG R5 is able to challenge those in terms of sound reproduction in footsteps, reloads, and other important sound cues even with lots of explosions going on.
However, the RIG R5 has significantly weaker bass and sub-bass potential. This headset seems made purely for competition, not immersion. I wasn’t very impressed when listening to music or single player games. There’s just no thump to the low end. The mesh pads don’t help in this regard.
Pro X 2 is with the velour pads.
The R5 has strong treble which is more pronounced than the mids and lower mids. I find these more enjoyable with some EQ to tone the highs down, but the sound signature out the box is great for FPS games.
While this isn’t my favorite sound (I prefer the Astro A50 X and Skullcandy PLYR 720), these are impressive for their price point.
Microphone Audio Quality
The RIG R5 has an average sounding microphone. It has a frequency range of 50 Hz - 15 kHz with a cardioid polar pattern. The tonality is slightly tinny, but it’s not too distracting.
The mic has a few issues. First off, it’s incredibly quiet. This requires you to boost the volume considerably and when you do, it exposes the second issue which is the background noise rejection is very weak. PC fans, keyboard clicking, and controller inputs will all be picked up very clearly.
Lastly, while the mic is flip up to mute, that doesn’t entirely mute the microphone. Audio is still being picked up, just at a much lower volume. Below is an example.
Comfort and Build Quality
The R5 is made of all plastic. The headband is adjustable in height and it has swivel inwards. The included cable is 62 inches long - almost the perfect length for my setup, but not quite long enough. The cable is non-detachable.
The ear cushions are mesh cloth and they don’t have much padding inside. They attach magnetically, so they can be replaced very easily. Considering the all plastic build, the hefty weight of 335 grams is very disappointing.
I give these a C in comfort out the box and a B for the build. I’m interested in if they will release pleather ear cushions in the future.
Verdict
The main thing the RIG R5 Spear Pro HS has going for it is the price. Definitely not the name…
I’ve yet to find a sub-$100 headset that beats this in sound quality. However, I don’t find it that comfortable, and the mic is pretty meh.
Get it if you want a good deal, but otherwise it’s not amazing.
