14 DAY TRIAL // It's not that hard to enable multi-channel audio in a speaker system. All you need to do is add one or more extra satellites. Things are a lot harder for headphones, which can never have more than two "speakers."
It's possible though. Audio product makers have been proving it again and again. In fact, Plantronics has just unveiled a 7.1 channel headphone set. Called RIG Surround, it produces Dolby 7.1 Surround sound from 40 mm speaker drivers thanks to "immersive positional audio."
You can connect the RIG Surround to any PC or mobile device, including smartphones. Also, the microphone has a toggle switch.
Finally, there are three equalizer settings: Pure (good for voice clarity), Intensity (for stronger bass and mid-range sounds), and Seismic (for strong bass without distortions).
As for exterior design, the Plantronics RIG Surround has a padded headband and cloth-wrapped circumaural ear cups.
The RIG Surround headset from Plantronics will be up for sale this holiday season, which can mean anything from late October to late December. The price is of $99.99 in the United States, £89.99 in the United Kingdom, and €99.99 in the EU.
"RIG Surround takes everything PC gamers love about Plantronics headsets - performance audio, long-wearing comfort, form perfectly suited to function - and takes everything a step further, offering a feature-rich premium gaming audio system at an unbelievable price," says Dorothy Ferguson, head of global marketing at Plantronics Gaming.