Review on Razer BlackShark V2 Gaming Headset: THX 7.1 Spatial Surround Sound - 50Mm Drivers - Detachable Mic - PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series XS, Mobile - 3.5 Mm Audio Jack & USB DAC - ESL Edition by Shane Palma

I got these for working remotely, the goal was to give myself a more portable option that an XLR condenser mic with a separate USB audio interface and a scissor arm. Something I could tote around with a laptop. The Razer Blackshark V2 delivers. The audio quality on the mic is acceptable with the caveat that I spent hours in the Razer Synapse program tweaking the settings and trying to find some combination of options that I could live with. Now, I think I still sound VERY tinny compared to my more professional dekstop audio setup, but for the price, mobility, and comfort I have found these are capable of producing acceptable microphone audio quality. The biggest problem I ran into is that the mic on the Blackshark V2 doesn't pick up lower tones as clearly as higher ones, and apparently my voice is on the low side.At least I had the option to tweak the settings because before getting the Blackshark V2 I had tried the Razer Kraken V3, and there is no fixing the audio that headset produces. Those were my second Razer product ever and my first Razer headset, I was shocked they put their name on something that shoddy. If Razer hadn't been having a sale that made their products an attractive price at the time I'd never have given their headsets the time of day ever again.The comfort on these is fairly good, nothing extraordinary to me but I usually take meetings and listen to music through audiophile quality headphones and I often put custom earpads on them, so my standards are very high. These certainly exceed what I would normally expect from comfort in a set of headphones at this pricepoint, but I find them to be less comfortable than your average Sennheiser headphones. The cups are a bit more shallow with the default cups and rest closer to my ear than I would like. Replacement pads are at the top of my shopping list for these, though I do like the breathable jersey material on the outside of them.The audio quality is acceptable. I honestly haven't even considered using these to listen to music or play games, and in meetings I have much lower expectations for the audio quality others bring to the table than I do for myself. But at no point has the audio quality jumped out to me as being bad. I ran a quick 3 track audio test just now and they're very bright sounding, which is to say these seem better tuned to produce higher frequencies than lower ones. They don't spark joy in my inner audiophile, but they're not bad either. This is acceptable audio. A sound that I think most people will find agreeable unless they're especially bass hungry. For those of you who are Dankpods fans I can offer an excellent frame of reference, you can barely hear the bongo player going off in Earth, Wind, & Fire's "September" with these.One notable feature that I've not encountered before (because I have gone out of my way to avoid using headsets) but really appreciated is the sidetone. I don't like closed back headphones and stick to open backs unless I'm listening to music in a public place. And I REALLY hate talking with closed backs headphones because I can't hear myself and I feel like I'm yelling. The sidetone option these offer takes in and plays ambient noise back to me so that I can hear myself and the world around me in real time. It may seem like a silly thing to want but for those of you who feel the same as myself I can promise this is a LOVELY feature to have.