After fizzling out in the early nineties, VR is back in a big way. Thanks to Oculus’s immensely popular Kickstarter and the strong marketing hype that followed, we now find ourselves in the year 2016 with some big players in the market. Without going into too much detail, we have Sony, HTC and a few handset manufacturers that have joined the fray that Oculus had dominated earlier on.
It’s obvious there is a viable market for accessories that can augment the standard VR equipment and Plantronics seized the opportunity to make your audible experience a whole lot more comfortable. Enter the RIG 4VR. The intended use of the headset can’t get any more obvious.
The RIG 4VR uses a suspension headband and oval-shaped ear cups with fabric cushioning. Combine this with wires and cabling arranged to come out the back of the headset, and the RIG 4VR becomes a headset solution designed to stay comfortable and out of your way when in use with a VR headset. The boom mic also uses a Plantronics traditional mechanism for muting in that it mutes outgoing chat when flipped up.
The headset is heavily marketed for use with Sony PlayStation VR but it’s not limited to that. I tested the RIG 4VR with the HTC Vive and believe it or not, the most comfortable component was the headset. I also tested it out with the Samsung Gear VR and again, it was the most comfortable part of the experience. It’s lightweight, looks sharp and comfortable. Don’t let the Playstation logo fool you, it’s compatible with anything that supports a 3.5mm jack.
Sounds come in clear but it lacks bass. If you want some oomph, you should look elsewhere. In addition, outside noise does bleed through quite easily due to the cloth-like material used as ear pads. That can be a good thing if total immersion causes you discomfort while using a VR headset. Overall, I generally like the Plantronics RIG 4VR . It sports a braided cord, it’s lightweight, and it fills in a niche market nicely with generally clear sound. It’s not a heavy hitter and that’s why I like it and would suggest it to other VR users.
The Plantronics RIG 4VR can be yours for about $69 at your favorite electronics retailer or at Plantronics’ website here.