Panther continues to expand its peripheral business with the release of enthusiast co-developed peripherals like the Panther Quasar Prime which we recently reviewed and gave it a satisfactory rating due to its price to performance. The newly released Panther Pulsar V2 Headset continues this trend by providing enthusiasts a bang for the buck option as its position as a no-frills, plug, and play gaming headset aimed at gamers on a budget. Does the Panther Pulsar V2 live up to our expectations? Let’s find out.
Panther Pulsar V2 Headset Specs
| Pulsar V2 Gaming Headset Specs | |
| Sensitivity | 106+-3dB |
| Rated Power | 20MW |
| Maximum Power | 30MW |
| Driver | 50MM, Driver |
| Impedance | 32Ω ± 15% |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz~20,000Hz |
| Microphone Size | 6.0*2.7mm |
| Microphone Sensitivity | -42 ± 3dB |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 58dB |
| Output Impedance | ≤2.2KΩ |
| Microphone Type | Omni-Directional |
| Voltage | 2V |
| Cable Length | 2.2M |
DESIGN
Much like the Panther Quasar Prime, the Pulsar V2 Gaming Headset comes in plain black packaging with only the logo display at the center of the box and the model on its side.
Being a budget headset, there’s not much holding the headset together like a compartment except for the cutout on the box itself. The specification card as well as the rest of the accessories are found underneath the headset.
Panther included a 3.5mm splitter for the Pulsar V2 as it is needed for desktops especially when you like to use the omnidirectional microphone.
Like most budget gaming headsets, the Panther Pulsar V2 has an inline microphone and volume control. There’s a switch to toggle the microphone on or off. The volume wheel spans on both sides of the inline mic for easy accessibility albeit the volume wheel doesn’t have resistance or some sort of steps to indicate how you far is the gain or lose in volume.
The Panther Pulsar V2 sports a simple black design with gun-metal-ish highlights for the earcup holders and a Panther logo on the sides of the headband. Its design is similar to the popular HyperX Cloud gaming headsets.
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The detachable 3.5mm omnidirectional microphone slots to the headset in a specific orientation due to the extra nudge in the microphone. This will also ensure that the microphone is secured in its place to reduce potential mic static due to movement which is a common issue for gaming headsets that have a detachable microphone.
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The Panther Pulsar V2 headset can be adjusted in seven steps to either lengthen or shorten the headset. While the small circle dents are what keeps the headset band hold the desired length, they are quite loose and easy to readjust to the point where wearing or taking off the headset can easily shorten or lengthen one earcup side.
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The stitching on the headband leather is on par with mainstream gaming headsets such as the HyperX Clouds. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said about its padding as I find it quite lacking as I feel the headband’s hard surface touching my head despite my thick hair. To compensate, I usually adjust the headset at a taller height but in turn I don’t get a secure fit and clamp on my head.
Fortunately, the earpad’s padding is more than enough especially for people with large ears like mine. It’s thick enough to not let your ears touch the drivers but it’s soft to the point where it gently takes near your ears for a comfortable clamp feel and fit.
PANTHER PULSAR V2 MICROPHONE QUALITY
Microphones are the common point of compromise for gaming headsets, especially in the budget tier as the hearing experience particularly footsteps and bass separation are more important. That doesn’t seem to be the case for the Panther Pulsar V2 as our recordings show decent voice clarity however the recording volume is lower than what I would like as I mostly got that complaint from my teammates regardless if I use Discord or in-game comms. The microphone on the Pulsar V2 is above average compared to gaming headsets of this price range. For reference, here are recordings of the Panther Pulsar V2 microphone as well as other microphones for comparison.
Recordings are taken using the pre-installed Voice Recorder App on Windows using the .m4a format. Windows microphone recording level is at 100.
USER EXPERIENCE AND CONCLUSION
Audio Quality. There’s a clear distinction of sound elements from punchy bass explosions, high pitch sound effects, gunshots, and footsteps. The Panther Pulsar V2 is not bass-heavy like most budget gaming headsets although its large earcup gives the bass extra punch albeit still does not compare with a bass-tuned sound profile. Its neutral sound profile makes it great for any use-case such as listening to music, audio & video editing, or gaming as neither low, mids, or highs overpower each other. However, since the Panther Pulsar V2 is a 3.5mm plug-and-play gaming headset, you need to rely on a third-party equalizer application or in-game settings to further tune its sound profile to your liking. That said, Panther’s approach to a neutral sound signature versus the conventional bass-oriented gaming headsets is a great choice as it opens the Panther Pulsar V2 to a larger audience and game genres, not just FPS.
Microphone Quality. The clear microphone on the Panther Pulsar V2 is held back by its poor volume. Its clarity can definitely keep up with gaming headsets at the Php 2,000 to Php 4,000 bracket but its volume is worse than an underpowered BM800 condenser microphone. One quick way to solve this issue is to crank up the microphone volume past 100 in your comms software such as discord or via the in-game settings if the option is present. An expensive solution would be to get a 7.1 sound card to get more power for the headset’s microphone.
Comfort. As mentioned earlier, the padding on the Pulsar V2’s headband is a bit lacking especially if you won’t adjust the headset to a longer length as you’re bound to feel the leather and thin foam. A quick workaround is to slightly extend the headset for ample headroom but in turn, you’re losing on its overall stability albeit the tighter than usual clamping force helps secure the headset in place. The clamping force is a bit stronger than what I’d prefer but after using the headset for more than two weeks, the pressure goes down resulting in a more comfortable wearing experience. Its thick earpad cushion padding may cause some excessive sweating and discomfort but gamers with air-conditioning won’t have to worry about this problem.
Price. At Php 1,295, there’s really no notable brand or headset model that rivals the Panther Pulsar v2 Gaming Headset. It absolutely trumps most budget gaming headsets under Php 3,000 with its rival being the Teware Q5 priced at Php 1,600. That said, we really can’t compare it with the Q5 as there’s a substantial price difference between the two and we honestly don’t know if the Tecware Q5 is still around as most shops have already listed the item is out of stock. As mentioned in our previous review, there’s really no headset that stands out in the sub Php 3,000 even from established brands except for Tecware Q5 albeit not sure if it’s still on store shelves, and now the Pulsar V2. It’s fairly priced considering its feature set and compromises but still gives it an edge in the market despite its aforementioned flaws.
Panther’s approach in providing a budget gaming headset in the form of the Panther Pulsar V2 is commendable but it the brand can definitely do more. A lot of things were done right that even established brands have failed to do so at higher price points. Its near-neutral sound profile makes it great not only for gaming but for entertainment and productivity as well. Its build quality makes it feel like it’s in the league of double its price thanks to the minimalist aesthetics and similar design structure. Unfortunately, the Panther Pulsar V2 greatest shortcoming is its microphone. Its clear and clean recording is rendered moot by its poor volume. That said, I wouldn’t have minded paying an extra Php 200 to Php 700 for a better microphone and slightly better headband cushioning. Overall, the Panther Pulsar V2 is a gaming headset that offers more than what it’s priced with its superb audio quality, minimalist aesthetics, and build quality but its compromise is on the microphone quality. If you already have a standalone microphone such as the popular BM800 microphone or don’t frankly don’t care about microphones in general, then the Pulsar V2 is a great choice in terms of audio quality alone for its price range as it rivals other expensive gaming headsets. But if you’re looking for an all-around headset and microphone quality is a key quality, then you might want to spend the extra premium for a better mic in exchange for slightly lower audio quality or wait for the Pulsar v3 which should address this concern.
Grant is a Financial Management graduate from UST. His passion for gadgets and tech crossed him over in the industry where he could apply his knowledge as an enthusiast and in-depth analytic skills as a Finance Major. His passion allows him to earn at the same time help Gadget Pilipinas' readers in making smart, value-based decisions and purchases with his reviews and guides.
