Overview: Specification: 5.1 Headset with 6 separate speakers USB 2.0 port Plug and Play Supports 48 / 44.1 Khz sampling frequency during recording and playback Subwoofer with bass shaker Separate volume control for each channel Removable microphone with mute function No sound card necessary

The Headset Master 5.1 USB, as the name would suggest, is a set of headphones with a 5.1 speaker set-up built in, hopefully generating a convincing surround sound experience without the bulk of a full set up. Terratec is pitching these toward the hardcore gamer, the kind of guy who wants to win at Counter-Strike and drink the blood of his virtual enemies in Unreal Tournament.

These headphones haven't been blessed with great looks and resemble the kind of head apparatus a brace required circa 1970, and are about as heavy. Held together by a unsightly looping support which wouldn't look out of place in a medieval dungeon, it's a good job the Headset Master is for your PC: if you took it outside people would go out of their way to point and laugh at you.

Despite the weight they're comfortable around the ears and the inline controls are in the right place and well designed. You'll also find a well positioned removable microphone so you can slag off your virtual enemies.

Set up is pretty simple - plug them into a USB 2.0 port on your PC, let the PC set it up, install the tools and drivers, restart, enjoy! Once installed, you'll have multiple set-up options to tweak, including some fun tools to make your voice sound like a monster, some kind of squeaky thing, or even the opposite sex.

Funny voices are all well and good, but how do these headphones really perform? That seems to depend on what you're doing…

Tested with hours of Counter-Strike Source, the boost in performance was definately noticeable. On many occasions I heard the tapping of footsteps behind me, thanks to the 'phones, giving me enough time to turn and put down the would-be assassin. I can safely say I wouldn't have heard him coming with my bog standard 2.1 speaker set-up.

Terrtec say that these are for film as well as for gaming, but when tested with the likes of Saving Private Ryan, Gone in 60 seconds, and Armageddon, it was disappointing to notice a distinct lack of quality with the sound reproduction. Most of the time voices and effects sounded very tinny and, despite adjusting the volume of the channels, we weren't able to find the right balance with the 5 channels, leading to a lack of immersion.

So the Headset Master 5.1 is a mixed bag really, if you're a gamer the sound is adequate and adjusting the volume of the channels on the fly can help avoid attacks from behind. As a headphone alternative to a 5.1 system, or for watching film, it comes up a bit short, then again, for just £40 you can't grumble too much.

	At a glance

The good:	Decent surround sound effect, good microphone, suprisingly comfortble
The bad:	A little ugly, sounds tinny, disappointing with film
The ugly truth:	A nice pice of kit for the PC gamer who wants the edge, but steer clear if you want these exclusively to watch films.