There are so many gaming headsets out there to choose from but most of them are not very portable and compact. The NOX Audio Specialist is one of those ultra portable, foldable and compact gaming headsets around for under $100. What's so special about these particular set are the unique features that NOX has to offer. Are the Audio Specialist the gaming headset you should buy? Check out the full review right after the break to find out.

I must say there is nothing special about the audio quality on these headsets but for the price I think there is a lot to love about the Audio Specialist. I wouldn't say you should get them if you're not planning on using the mic feature because for the price you can get better sounding headphones. The warm sound is great for gaming and the Audio Specialist provide a good, clear sound with a decent amount of bass. The bass isn't tight enough and can start to sound lose at higher volumes. I have not experienced any distortion or muffled sound even at high volumes which is pretty fantastic. The mic's audio quality is superb and crystal clear. Your friends will notice right away how great you sound.

One of the best features of the Audio Specialist gaming headset is that retractable mic that neatly tucks away into the left earcup when you don't want to use it. It's also easily bendable to let you easily position it towards your mouth to best capture your voice. The cord coils out and in by twisting the knob on the left earcup and it just works flawlessly every time. Not only can you use the Audio Specialist as a gaming headset but you can also use it for Skype and other programs. You can turn the mic on and off using the switch underneath the right earcup.

On the right earcup you will find a volume control knob to control the audio volume. This is very convenient if you are connected to a gaming console without a volume control. The only flaw I've found with this is that you cannot completely mute the audio using this volume knob, instead it will lower the volume very low.

The build-quality seems to be pretty solid even though these are mostly constructed out of plastic with the exception of the brushed metal accents on each of the earcups as well as on the mic. The Audio Specialist are an outstanding pair of lightweight portable gaming headset and can fold to a compact form.

There are a few negative points about the Audio Specialist. While they are very comfortable, they start to hurt your ears after an hour of use and will also leak a lot of sound. I think the fact that these are on-ear headphones is what causes discomfort. The audio cable is detachable but uses a proprietary plug to connect into the right earcup which isn't very useful if you need to replace your cable. If you want to hook up to a PS3 or Xbox 360, you will need to get the Negotiator Adapter.

Taking into account all of the Audio Specialist's features and decent sound quality, I think it's a solid performer for the price. NOX has made it possible to use the Audio Specialist as your main gaming headset but at the same time, a great portable set of headphones for music listening. I do love the lightweight and mobile form-factor of these and lets not forget the superb sound quality on the mic side which is one of the most important features on a gaming headset. The NOX Audio Specialist gaming headset will run you $79.99 and $99.99 for the Specialist Bundle which I recommend getting if you're planning on gaming with a console. 

I don't think you can beat these with all the useful features at such a flexible package. The Audio Specialist has everything you need to get you thru your gaming endeavours. Did I mention they look pretty damn awesome?

Nox-audio.com