Everglide S-500

Everglide hardly need an introduction. From the makers of the infamous DKT and a long line of mouse pads comes the S-500. The S-500 is available in a choice of white or black, for this round-up the white model was used, which could have a detrimental effect on its performance, we will see.

The S-500 feels solid, and a few of its design features are reminiscent of headphones seen from established audio brands. It has a sturdy 3 metre cable, probably the toughest of all headsets in this round-up and the headband is very flexible, with many pivot points for all different head shapes and sizes. Its construction exhibits a few squeaks, but nothing unexpected of plastic on plastic. The oversized headphone enclosures look like rice bowls both from their size, shape and materials, but they really remind me of aviation headsets.

Click to enlarge: 2 rice bowls side by side?

Only the Everglide logo serves as a reminder that the S-500 is a gamers’ headset. Other than that, the S-500 lacks in-line volume control, any form of cable management, and the microphone is nowhere to be seen (it later came to my attention that an optional lapel microphone similar to that used in the Siberia was missing from my package and thus cannot be tested). Could this be a headphone in disguise or a crippled headset?

Click to enlarge: Genuine Everglide gaming accessory

This headset retails for USD$99.99 (approximately AUD$130, accurate at time of writing) at the Everglide Global WebStore. Detailed specifications for the headset as found on the Everglide website:

Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20,000Hz
Transducer: Dynamic
Nominal Impedence: 16 ohm
Max Sound Pressure (SPL): 102dB
Max Power Rating: 100mW
Weight (w/o cable): 360g
Cable Length: 3.1m
Available Color: Carbon Black, White

Sound quality

Closed headsets seem to be the order of the day and the S-500 is no exception, with large plastic enclosures. The S-500 offers good isolation lending not only to its closed design, but also in its plastic-leather ear pads, it is generally accepted that materials such as leather offer superior isolation to cloth or foam.

Click to enlarge: Big, beautiful and lots of plastic leather

In listening to music this headset comes across without any major quality issues. The headset sounds balanced, though overall a little relaxed. This is only really noticeable when compared to the blackboard screeching-like treble of the 5H V2.

Gaming performance was actually very good with the S-500s, their overall clear sound and large design make the positional audio very realistic. Everglide claim that their unique “ultra-light membrane” provides “instantaneous audio response”. Basically Everglide is trying to convince gamers that they’ve developed low latency/lag headsets. Unfortunately in-game ping neither lowered nor were enemies heard any sooner than they were seen (not that this was at all expected)

Comfort

Due to its oversized design, the S-500 looks very comfortable. Featuring fat earpads that strangely only position your ears at the front of their enormous diameter and a headband that flexes and pivots in all different directions, the headset looks like an Italian lounge suite for the head.

Click to enlarge: Very flexible headband

The headset overall isn’t too heavy, though it looks it and has a headband that doesn’t exert too much pressure on the head. The S-500 lacks a self adjusting headband, though has the usual notches that seem to sit in place quite firmly.

The ear pads though are quite unique, they’re just huge, but with seemingly no good reason. The ears rest inside what looks like a mould shaped like an ear and only just large enough, the rest of the ear pads are assumed to be for the rest of your head. Gamers with large or strange-shaped ears may experience discomfort because of this design. In practice this proved quite comfortable, but at all times the ears are being touched from different sides and plastic-leather isn’t the nicest thing in warm environments or in general.

Click to enlarge: Oversized!

Gamer features/practicality

In this department the S-500 truly lacks. With the exception of the optional lapel microphone (which by the way in no way attaches to the headset) there is nothing to distinguish this headset from regular hi-fi headphones except for Everglide's branding. In-game volume control which for many is an essential feature is missing, and although the cable is excellent, cannot be altered in any way such as for use with a portable music player or for short reach computers such as laptops.

Unfortunately there is nothing really to comment on in this section for the S-500 but that it is nicely built and would probably put up with a fair but of abuse travelling to and from different venues.

Click to enlarge: Nothing