Most audioXpress readers will remember the Montreal, Québec, startup Ora Graphene (Ora Sound), which promised to boost audio reproduction with its pioneering GrapheneQ membrane technology. In 2018, the company launched (and successfully shipped) a proof-of-concept headphone design that clearly demonstrated the superiority of its GrapheneQ diaphragm.
Now, apparently a larger company such as Logitech has recognized the value of graphene and the technical merits of Ora's GrapheneQ, when compared with simple Graphene deposition coatings, which is what is normally made available in the market by known OEM/ODMs promoting graphene. This makes the new Logitech G PRO X 2 Lightspeed Gaming Headset the first fully commercial product to become available with this technology, promoted for the virtues of its detail accuracy and fast response for strategic gaming by the so-called "professional gamers".
"Designed and tested with top esports athletes, the new PRO X 2 headset features all new, revolutionary PRO-G Graphene Audio Drivers, making it the pinnacle of gaming audio and a must-have headset for the most discerning and competitive players," the company states.
"The core philosophy of the Logitech G PRO Series is about creating gear that meets the demanding needs of professional esports athletes and competitive gamers," says Chris Pate, Principal Product Manager, Logitech G PRO Series. "With PRO X 2, we've achieved a groundbreaking level of performance by redesigning our PRO-G drivers with Graphene audio technology. With our use of graphene, we can create a driver that is both incredibly rigid and, at the same time, almost impossibly lightweight. This delivers high fidelity sound with extremely low distortion, giving pros the performance they need to play to their maximum potential."
In these demanding gaming environments, for hardcore enthusiasts and the so-called "esports," where actual money is (sadly) involved, clarity of sound and communications are critical factors that influence winning. Being able to hear the slightest audio cue and communicate with teammates makes all the difference. The new PRO-G Graphene Audio Driver that Logitech specified has been engineered with a 50mm graphene diaphragm featuring a live edge suspension that the company says delivers the intended added benefits.
"The new driver delivers improvements in sound reproduction accuracy, time to signal accuracy and distortion reduction, allowing players to identify audio objects more clearly, and more quickly discern their location as objects move relative to the player," Logitech states.
In addition to the Graphene drivers the PRO X 2 headphones are improved with the dedicated Lightspeed low-latency wireless protocol (a dedicated wireless protocol over standard 2.4 GHz requiring a dedicated USB dongle) plus Bluetooth, and wired connections (3.5mm Aux). With Lightspeed, users will get up to 50 hours of use on a single charge and a consistently robust wireless connection range of up to 30m.
Everything in the design of this headphones has been carefully considered, starting with the durable yet lightweight aluminum and steel frame, a rotating, durable hinge, and swappable earpads in leatherette and velour. The 6mm cardioid microphone on a detachable boom arm features advanced Blue VO!CE software filters, and there's support for DTS Headphone:X 2.0 Surround Sound. The overall aesthetics are discreet when compared with the usual gaming headphones in the market, with the intention being to differentiate the product as a "professional's tool" and not a questionable fashion accessory.
Logitech G says that all the details in the product development were carefully validated with the intended "top esports athletes" to obtain feedback, make key decisions, and test and refine all the features and design aspects.
The PRO X 2 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset is available now worldwide for a suggested retail price of USD $249 EUR €269 - in white or black models.
www.oragraphene.com
www.logitech.com
