The construction of the ClearChat headset feels less durable than that of the Creative HS-1200. The plastic headband is padded, but that's surrounding a thin flattened metal strip, which made it feel fragile when worn. This also did not allow the headset to fit as snugly as we would have liked, something the HS-1200 was successfully able to offer. We would have also liked the swiveling earcups to have been larger, as they were barely able to fit over our ears. That lack of a good seal meant that there was no sonic isolation--we could hear outside noise, and those nearby could hear sound from our headset.
Unlike the HS-1200 microphone, the ClearChat mic boom is not as malleable as you may like. The boom must also be lowered (although not completely, just halfway) in order to function. We liked the small red light on the tip of the mic that flashes when it's activated and stays lit when it's muted. The boom can also be lifted completely out of sight when not in use. The right earcup features volume up and down buttons, as well as a microphone-mute button for easy control access. This is also where you'll find the headset's power switch. There are not, however, any buttons exclusively for VoIP calling which we enjoyed on the Creative HS-1200.
In terms of sound quality, we were a bit disappointed with the performance of the ClearChat. In our trials with Counter-Strike, we found the explosions and other sound effects to be very underwhelming. There is very little range of sound that the headset can produce, which dampened our overall experience. Our voice communication tests fared a lot better, with our online teammates reporting an echo-free, loud and clear reception.
We then tried the ClearChat with some music sampling. Again, we experienced an overall flat, tinny sound with various tracks off the new self-titled Weezer record. In other words, the ClearChat doesn't really compare with dedicated audio headphones for music listening. We can, however, recommend the headset for use with VoIP programs such as Skype. This was where the headset really shined, with voice quality sounding very crisp. Our party on the other end also reported a successful test indicating that we sounded very clear.
Overall, we really can't recommend the ClearChat PC Wireless headset for anything other than VoIP communication. Priced around $80, you're much better off opting for the Creative Digital Wireless Gaming Headset HS-1200. Not only did it perform much better in almost every category we tested, but it can be had for $10 cheaper. We weren't thrilled with the bundled EQ software it came with, but its design and features edge out that of the Logitech's.
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Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless Headset:
