Recently, manufacturers of gaming peripherals have been trying to produce universal headsets that are suitable not only for games and home use. This is exactly how the new flagship headset HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless is positioned. It supports three connection options, has Hi-Res certification, is equipped with active noise cancellation and a number of other interesting features. Today we will tell you about it in more detail.
Specifications
| Headphone type | Full-size |
| Type of emitters | Dynamic, 40 mm |
| Headphone frequency range | 10 Hz - 44 kHz |
| Headphone impedance | 16 Ohm |
| Connection type | Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz, USB |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS, PC |
| Range | 10 meters |
| Management | Buttons |
| Volume control | + |
| Microphone | unidirectional |
| Microphone sensitivity | -38 dB |
| Battery capacity | 850 mAh |
| Autonomy | up to 45 hours |
| Exercise | USB Type-C |
| Weight | 300 g |
| Recommended price in Ukraine | 4,999 hryvnias |
Package contents
HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless comes in a large box in the company's bright yellow color. It shows the headset itself, as well as all the main features and specifications.
The box contains the headphones themselves, a 2.4 GHz USB Type-C transmitter, a USB Type-A adapter, a 1.3 m USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable, a 1 meter USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable, a hard case for transportation, and documentation.
Design and usability
HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless are closed, full-size headphones with large closed cups and a classic headband design. The headphones are almost entirely made of plastic. It has a nice matte UV-coating. It doesn't collect fingerprints very much, but how durable it is is hard to say yet.
The cups have a classic oval shape. There is RGB lighting around the perimeter of the outer covers. The covers feature external microphone grilles for the active noise cancellation system, as well as HATOR logos, which are also illuminated. Interestingly, the covers are attached with magnets and are easily removable, so we should expect additional options with a different design on sale.
The ear cups are deep, the ears fit completely inside. The inside of the ear cups is soft memory foam. The outside is faux leather. The ear cups are comfortable, but they get a bit hot with prolonged use. This is a common problem with faux leather.
The headband has a standard sliding design with clear cut-offs for size adjustment. The adjustment range is quite wide, so there should be no problems with choosing the optimal size. The clamping force is optimal: the headphones do not press and at the same time hold well on the head.
The frame of the HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless headband is made of a wide metal plate that is not covered by anything on top. On the inside of the headband there is a soft insert with foam inside and the same protein leather outside.
The cups have a classic swivel mount, which allows you to rotate them 90°. This is convenient if the headset is not in use and simply hangs on the neck. All functional elements are distributed over both cups. We'll talk about the buttons a little later. As for the connectors, there are two of them on the left earbud. Type-C, as well as 3.5 mm for a microphone with a rubber plug, next to which is the hole for the built-in microphone.
The detachable microphone is equipped with a flexible stand for adjusting its position on the flexible stand, which allows you to conveniently place it at the desired distance. There is a foam windscreen that can be removed if desired.
HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless is made with high quality and looks nice. In addition to the classic black, there is also a white version. The weight is only 300 g. The only small complaint is that it gets a little hot during long gaming sessions. But this is typical of all models with artificial leather ear pads.
Connection and control
HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless supports three connection options. Via cable, via 2.4 GHz radio channel, and via Bluetooth 5.4. The headset supports AAC, SBC, and LDAC codecs. It can work with smartphones on Android and iOS. Although the most interesting LDAC codec is available, of course, only on Android. During use, there were no problems with connection stability. Similarly, the connection via 2.4 GHz radio channel works great. ClearScan technology is used: the headset scans and selects the optimal frequency for stable operation. The transmitter is made interestingly. It has a Type-C connector. But, if necessary, you can use a Type-A adapter, into which the transmitter connects on the side.
All controls are located closer to the back of the cups. There are a minimum of them on the left cup. Namely: a microphone mute button, as well as a volume control wheel, next to which an LED indicator is placed.
There are three buttons on the right earbud. The first one is responsible for switching active noise cancellation modes (active, off and transparency mode), and a double press turns on Spatial Audio and head tracking. The middle button is responsible for selecting the connection type (2.4 GHz or Bluetooth), a double press — choosing between gaming and music profiles, and a long press — resetting to factory settings. And the power button: long press — turning on and off, short — playing, pausing, answering a call (2 seconds — rejecting a call), double press — turning off the backlight.
The control scheme is hard to call very convenient and logical. It's quite difficult to remember where something is. And there's no such important function as switching tracks when playing music.
Functionality
For the settings of HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless, the company has chosen a rather unusual approach. There is no desktop application, and all settings are available exclusively in the mobile HATOR SyncHUB. At first glance, it may look strange, but in fact it is quite convenient. At the same time, the application works in both headphone modes: 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth. But first you need to connect them to your smartphone.
The application is simple and has only the most necessary functions. The main screen shows the headphones and the charge level. Below are the active noise cancellation system modes, as well as microphone and backlight switches (there are no backlight settings, only a rainbow). The second tab is responsible for sound settings: equalizer and ready-made presets. In the upper right corner of the screen are the settings for the voice prompt language (English, Polish, French, German and Ukrainian), changing the device name, the headphone search function, going to the online store and database. Unfortunately, voice prompts cannot be turned off yet.
Sound quality, noise cancellation, and microphone
HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless uses 40mm dynamic drivers with neodymium magnets, capable of reproducing from 10 Hz to 44 kHz. They are Hi-Res Audio certified. Among the design features, the manufacturer notes the use of the Driver Cavity system. This is a separate space around the speakers, which reduces the amount of distortion.
The sound in games turned out to be excellent: all the explosions, gunshots, and roaring engines sound great. At the same time, quiet sounds like footsteps or the rustling of leaves are also clearly audible. Sound sources are positioned well. The sound in movies was also pleasantly pleasing. You can also play with Spatial Audio and head tracking. It really works and adjusts the sound picture when the head moves.
With music, things turned out to be a little more complicated. The thing is that the music profile by default activates the so-called "Normal" equalizer preset. And it's a bit strange. Like most presets. The sound is a bit flat, without depth and enough bass. But you just have to switch to "Custom" (by default, all equalizer bands are in position 0), and the sound changes dramatically for the better.
There is volume, a good amount of low frequencies, including the sub-bass, which makes a good overall foundation. I was pleasantly pleased with the quality of the midrange. Usually in gaming models they fail and sound dirty. In HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless, the detail of the midrange is not ideal, but they sound quite natural and there is a sufficient amount of them. The high frequencies are a little rounded, but their number is sufficient to give the sound air and some width.
The hybrid ANC system uses four external microphones and two in the cups. As the manufacturer indicates on the website, the system uses 20 double-precision Biquad filters for each type of compensation, the sampling rate is up to 750 kHz, and the delay is only 0.0075 ms. In practice, the active noise cancellation system is really surprisingly effective, especially in combination with good passive noise isolation. All low-frequency and monotonous sounds are perfectly cut off, high-frequency sounds are slightly audible, but only if the headphones are not playing a night. But the vacuum effect is slightly present.
For outdoor conversations, built-in microphones with electronic noise cancellation (ENC) are used. The voice is transmitted clearly, but on the street it may be a little lacking in volume and sometimes you have to raise your voice. The removable unidirectional microphone has a sensitivity of -38 ±3 dB and a foam windscreen. It is, of course, of higher quality, has a wider frequency range and does not actively pick up ambient sounds. The voice sounds more natural.
Battery life
HATOR Phoenix 2 Wireless is equipped with an 850 mAh battery with a low level of degradation. It will take 4 hours to fully charge. Up to 45 hours of battery life are promised, although it is not specified in which mode (with or without ANC). The headphones were used mainly with active noise cancellation and RGB, but at a fairly low volume (the volume margin turned out to be very high and at 80% it becomes not very comfortable). According to my own impressions, it turned out about 35 hours. Maybe a little more. This is a very good indicator for a full-size headset with ANC.