Product Reviews
- “It delivers the most convincing 5.1 surround sound from any of the purported surround sound headphones. Zalman has been quite smart in omitting a USB connection in favour of the more standard set of three 3.5mm jacks. This means it can be plugged straight into a sound card, so there's no faffing about with dodgy USB software.”
- PC Format - “The good sound quality, along with how comfortable they are, really did win them my respect. I could happily recommend them to anybody. For the quality you are getting this price is a steal.” (ZM-RS6F+M)
- DoomedPC - “Crank it right up, and that surround system will tickle your internal organs. Great for you, not so great for the neighbours. To avert the sight of Mr Jones putting a sledge hammer through your front door, invest in these Zalman ZM-RS6F surround sound headphones and mic which recreate that 3D sound in the cans. They're comfy, too.” (ZM-RS6F+M)
- Stuff Magazine, Sep 07 - “Giant headphones so powerful they can turn your brain to mush are great, and the Zalman ZM-RS6F fits into this category. Sound quality is good, and the headphones, while bulky, are very comfortable, making them ideal for extended gaming sessions. The surround and bass effects are also highly effective.” (USB version)
- Custom PC Magazine - “These cans do a great job of enveloping your ears in an aural soundscape. The accompanying software enables you to adjust the sound to suit your mood and/or environment, and for extra functionality there's a volume controller on the super-long USB lead.” (USB version)
- PC Answers
Zalman ZM-RS6F Series 5.1 Surround Headphones
 | ZM-RS6F+M 5.1 Surround Headphones and Mic [90 due in 10 days]  (2 customer reviews) - Review
| $52.40 |
In a departure from their reputation as a cooling specialist, we are delighted to present Zalman's ZM-RS6F series 5.1 channel Real Surround Headphones. Apart from offering a quieter listening option than loudspeakers (!), what's so special about them? Well, unlike "simulated surround" where the full five or six channels are often poorly simulated through conventional stereo speakers (or headphones), Zalman's Real Surround Sound Headphones offer physically separate front, rear and centre speakers to produce a genuine surround field as if it is being reproduced from a complete multi-channel speaker system.
The sound is clean, crisp, and all around you but yet right in your ears! As the perfect complement to a 5.1 surround audio card (included with the USB version), these headphones contain no less than six speakers, which enhance discrete sound sources, directional, spatial, and realistic effects. They really do take acoustic realism to new heights. Hearing is believing!
Product Differences
The main difference between the two versions is in the way that they connect to your computer. The information below will help you to decide which version is most suitable for your own needs.
ZM-RS6F+M
The ZM-RS6F+M headphones are designed to connect directly to a 5.1 sound card which is already installed in the PC system. They are supplied with three 3.5mm jacks for front, rear and centre speakers. There is also a fourth 3.5mm jack for the microphone. These headphones are ideal for the avid gamer who wants to submerge themselves in surround sound heaven! They will work on a desktop or notebook PC, but a built-in 5.1 surround sound card is essential to make use of the headphones' surround functionality.
ZM-RS6F USB
As you might have guessed, the ZM-RS6F USB headphones connect to the computer using USB rather than 3.5mm audio jacks. They have a built-in 5.1 channel sound card which makes them perfect for people who require 5.1 surround sound on a notebook computer. Virtually all laptops are supplied with a stereo headphone output, but by plugging in these headphones the built-in stereo sound card becomes redundant because the computer now has access to the 5.1 surround sound card which is included in the headphone cable. The ZM-RS6F USB headphones will also work fine on a desktop computer and if it already has a sound card then it will be unused.
System Requirements for ZM-RS6F USB
- OS: Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista
- For Notebook: Pentium III 700MHz or higher (min. 1.0GHz recommended)
- For Desktop: Pentium III 800MHz or higher (min. 1.3GHz recommended)
- Memory: 256MB minimum
- USB Port: Spare USB 1.1 or 2.0
Specifications
| HEADPHONE | - |
| Unit Type | Electro Dynamic Round Type Micro Speaker |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz to 20KHz |
| Sound Pressure Level | 89 dB ± 3 dB at 50mW |
| Impedance | 16 ohm at 1KHz |
| Nominal Power | 0.02 watts |
| Maximum Power | 0.15 watts |
| Weight | 316g |
| Cord Length | 300cm |
| Plug | Three jacks (3.5mm dia) |
| SOUND CARD | - |
| MICROPHONE | - |
| Sensitivity | -40 +/- 3dB |
| Mic Impedance | Max. 2.2 |
| Standard power | 2.0 V DC |
| Consumption | Max. 0.5 mA |
| Sensitivity reduction | Within -3dB at 1.5V |
| S/N | More than 58dB |
| Directivity | Omnidirectional |
| Warranty | 24 months |
Customer Reviews
ZM-RS6F+M (2)
David Miller - Posted: 29 Jan 2009 12:15 (7/10)
I always, always play with these now. You can hear every footstep in games like Call of Duty so they really do help with your overall gameplay. However, there is definitely room for improvement. Firstly, the sound isn't great, it's 'good'. The bass is the weakest aspect. But the quality is certainly good enough for gaming, just don't expect to use them for music.
Secondly, they are not as comfortable for long gaming sessions as they could be, largely due to the weight. Still, you cant have it all and at £30, they are indeed very good value.
Simon MacManus - Posted: 3 Sep 2009 19:28 (7/10)
very good sounds, surround sound works very well. On my 5.1 surround sound stereo/dvd system but... my pc struggles to identify the best settings for the headphones, in World of Warcraft which was the main reason I bought them I was slightly disappointed as the unit seems to struggle. Sounds to the left and right of me in-game sound quite loud but the noises in front and behind are very quiet. I think perhaps I should have purchased the USB variant, that way drivers would have directly interpreted to the speakers rather than using my soundcard as an intermediary.
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