Because a lot of time is spent at home during PKP, headphones that can cancel out the noise of incestuous karaoke neighbors like calling for rain, carpentry all day and playing ball in the living room are necessary. If not impossible we can work well at home. The PKP is over but headphones with the ANC are still necessary because now we have to go back to work overseas and spend hours in planes and airports.
Our previous headphone of choice was the Sony WH-1000XM3 because it eliminates noise well and has a very satisfactory battery life. Now the Razer Barracuda Pro has arrived at the our lab and we are quite excited about the combination of ANC and a battery that can last up to 40 hours. It is also designed for gamers. This is a review for the Razer Barracuda Pro.
Specifications
Razer Barracuda Pro
Closed rear earphone type
50mm TriForce Bio-Cellulose driver
Microphone 2 beamforming microphones
40 Hour ANC Battery
USB-C charger port
Wireless charging None
CODEC AAC, SBC, THX AAA
All supported operating systems
Virtual assistant support None
Control Pad Missing
Waterproof capability None
Selling Price RM 1399
The design used by the Razer Barracuda Pro is quite retro when compared to the latest Sennheiser and Sony headphones. It still uses a caliper system to with a plastic adjustable rail and a medium -large sponge at the top of the head. Two large ear cups are matched with a fairly large sponge. Therefore the whole ear can be closed properly without the earlobes being pinched. A pair of 50mm Razer TriForce Bio-Cellulose audio drivers are housed in this large ear cup.
As human beings with big heads and ears, the size of this large Barracuda Pro is very much appreciated because the majority of headphones on the market are quite small for us. With a large span as well, the passive sound filtering system is good even with the ANC turned off. This is an advantage but creates the issue of the ear not being able to “breathe” because there is no good air cycle. After about an hour the ears feel sweaty and uncomfortable. Wearing for past gaming sessions is not very comfortable and it needs to be removed every few hours before the ears feel stuffy.
We only had a bit of a pain issue in the top of the head because the Barracuda Pro is quite heavy - 340 grams. All weights are accommodated by a relatively small portion of the head sponge. The grip of the head caliper is also quite tight adding discomfort for long -term users. A strong grip is necessary because these headphones are heavy. In comparison the Sony XM5 only weighs 250 grams but has a larger head sponge and is comfortable for longer use.
The ear cups are made of non -glossy plastic. This helps to reduce the effects of oil and dirt. Razer also only offers these headphones in black only. This is a bit disappointing because previously on the Opus X series, Razer offered more attractive color options like green and pink.
Another thing we found quite interesting was that the Razer logo on the side of the ear cups was also black. It is only visible at certain angles. Quite stealth unlike previous Razer designs whose logo is clearly emblazoned. Another Razer branding lies on the head caliper which is also inconspicuous.
Although marketed as gaming headphones, the Barracuda Pro does not come with a boom -type microphone. Two microphones built into the ear cups with beam forming technology. Another that is not included is wired connection support. There is no direct 3.5mm audio jack or connection to a PC with a USB cable. Quite strange because these are two features commonly found on gaming headphones.
This is most likely the Barracuda Pro faucet marketed also as headphones for in-aircraft wear such as the WH-1000XM5 and Bose Headphone 700. But this puts it in the same class as the Sony INZONE H9 which also does not support any form of wired connection with a focus on sessions gaming.
The power button, microphone mute and audio power adjustable wheel are located on the left ear cup. Meanwhile on the right ear cup there is a button to control the ANC/Ambience mode and smart switching between the two devices. There is no built -in touch pad on the side. Music control is done by pressing the power button. We quite liked the physical audio adjustable wheels provided. It’s easier to control audio granularly than a touchpad system that requires fingers to be scrolled up and down which isn’t very user -friendly in fact.
Press once to play or pause, press twice to skip to the next song and press three times to go back. The design is classic but feels a little weird there is no touch pad as premium headphones usually come with features that are now considered standard.
The Barracuda Pro storage container is made of a plastic material that can corrode water and its surface is quite rough. In terms of size it is quite large. We complained about the large size of the XM5 storage container. If placed side by side, the larger Barracuda Pro storage container makes it difficult to fit into a bag.
Inside the storage container there is space for one headphone. There is no insulation to prevent damage to the headphones when stored. Only the hardness of the former body plastic material protects the headphones at all times.
A special room with a magnetic door also houses a 2.5 GHz USB-C head radio transmitter, a USB-C-USB-A charging cable and a USB-A to USB-C (female) cable to extend the charging cable. Both cables are of the durable embroidered type. The charger cable is also long making it easy to charge not just 6 ″ as Sony does.
Aside from no wired connection support, the Barracuda Pro also doesn’t have fast add -on support with NFC, Quick Pair on Android devices and no LDAC codec support. Only Razer's AAC, SBC and THX AAA codecs. Perhaps because more focus is given to gaming, the LDAC that is typically supported on headphones at the same selling price is not given at all.
Usage and Software
No Google Fast Pair support when first turned on. So the process of tethering to smart devices, computers, tablets and various other electronic devices via bluetooth requires additional steps. The experience on Android and iOS is equivalent. After the tethering is done, the Razer Audio app needs to be downloaded to access various additional features.
From the app the user can change the ANC power level, gaming mode, equalizer, microphone sound mute level, fast connection to other devices, change system voice, firmware update and time taken before Barracuda Pro is turned off automatically. The installation of this application on a smartphone is highly recommended to facilitate the use of headphones.
Our praise goes to Razer because the Barracuda Pro audio cue system supports English, Japanese, French, Korean, Chinese, Spanish and German. This is indeed a product for global users. Another compliment is given to the clear cue audio. The wearer is told what mode the headphones are in use, the headphones are on/off and are in tethering mode with an easy -to -understand voice. This may seem trivial but not all manufacturers include an easy -to -understand audio cue.
Razer says the Barracuda Pro can be tethered to two devices simultaneously. This is true but only one is bluetooth and the other uses a 2.4 GHz wireless dongle. The audio conversion process between the two devices needs to be done manually not automatically as on AirPods and Sony XM5. We’re not saying Razer is sticky but as a buyer you need to know that “tethering to two devices simultaneously” isn’t as bluetooth as you might think.
Audio Quality
Start the audio review with the experience of using the Barracuda Pro as a pair of gaming headphones first as this is its primary function. We use Barracuda Pro on an Android phone wirelessly and a gaming laptop. There is a significant bit of latent time when playing FPS games like COD Mobile and Left For Dead. This is accomplished by activating gaming mode. Immediately the issue of latent time disappeared.
In the gaming session we could hear the direction of shots, explosions and footprints of enemies trying to ambush. It's all very clear. The sound of shots and explosions is also robust providing a more immersive gaming experience compared to using smartphone speakers.
We matched the Barracuda Pro with the Black Shark 5 Pro - a device with good stereo speakers. Our COD Mobile session felt even better with the Barracuda Pro as enemy locations as well as battlefields were heard more clearly through these gaming headphones.
With music, the experience is different depending on the genre of music. The bass on these headphones is so loud that it reaches the level of cochlear shaking to hear it. Electronic and EDM music is very suitable to listen to but we feel it is not very suitable for classical and instrumental music. The bass sound that is too loud makes the other sounds a little drowned out.
For those who want more balanced audio, the Barracuda Pro is not the headphone for listening to our favorite music. There are equalizers to solve this issue but it requires an understanding of which frequencies need to be changed in order to get the sound profile that is most compatible with the wearer’s ear.
In conclusion the Barracuda Pro is a nice headphone to use for video game sessions but not for streaming favorite music if you’re not in the group that really likes strong bass. At a sale price of over RM1000 per pair, we set a higher standard. This high cross has not been able to pass the Barracuda Pro at this time.
ANC
The ANC on the Barrracuda Pro is only modest. Not comparable to the Sony XM5 which we feel is the best in its class. In the office it can filter out the sound of the air conditioner, and the conversation of a colleague but is not steady enough to block the sound of a song being played on the office speakers.
The passive noise cancellation system is actually more than satisfactory for a regular gaming session. The use of ANC in the first was not very noticeable to our ears because the audio level in the game was strong enough to prevent audio from outside penetrating into the ear cavity.
The included Ambient mode is also satisfactory only with the sound from outside that is heard not feeling all so. The digital noise can be heard. Again it’s still not on par with the Sony XM5 which gives the experience as if the headphones are removed right away when Ambient mode is activated.
Does ANC mode provide an enhanced video game experience on computers and smartphones? Our sincere answer is no.
Microphone
A microphone is very important for a gaming headphone. Without a boom -type microphone, the audio quality of conversations in our online video games is unsatisfactory on the Barracuda Pro. The voice sounded distant and not loud enough. The noise cancellation system is nice but the audio that feels distant to some extent detracts from our gaming experience. For those who need a boom type microphone, the Barracuda X which has also been sold in Malaysia may be a better option.
Battery
The advertised battery can last up to 40 hours with ANC. Throughout the review period we felt we were able to enjoy over 30 hours once a charge as we love to use high levels of audio when listening to music. This is still good because it is comparable to all the wireless headphones on the market right now. We did not have time to test the battery life without ANC. Charging is using a USB-C connection. The time taken to recharge was around 2 hours which we felt was reasonable.
In the box
Here is what is received with every purchase of a device in Malaysia.
1x Razer Barracuda Pro
1x Headphone storage bag.
1x USB-A to USB-C charger cable.
1x USB-A to USB-C connector cable (female)
1x 2.4GHz USB-C Dongel
1x Manual.
Conclusion
The Razer Barracuda Pro is Razer’s attempt to offer gaming headphones that also still look beautiful worn outside. Their two -pronged attempt was less successful this time around because the needs of gaming users don’t all overlap with consumer fans who need headphones to listen to music. The overlap that exists is small in the Venn diagram.
It’s great for gaming with standout audio, manages to show the direction of the enemy trying to attack and excellent battery life. But it does not support any form of wired connection and its microphone is not at the level of other gaming headphones on the market.
To be used as a music headphone, it is too heavy with a bass that is too strong, requiring us to change the settings on the equalizer to get a more balanced sound. Without a 3.5mm connection, how to use the Barracuda Pro with an airplane entertainment system?
Because of trying to be all in one, the Barracuda Pro doesn’t manage to do a perfect job as a gaming headphone or a headphone for music. Everything is simple so to spend RM1399 which is not modest is a little difficult.
Pro
Mooring support to two apprentices simultaneously.
Excellent battery life.
Physical control buttons are more practical than touchpad systems.
Good app support with various customizations can be done.
There is no time lag in gaming mode.
Sounds good enough and clear for a video game.
Cons
Bass is too loud to be unbalanced for all genres of music.
No direct wired connection.
Less comfortable for long wear.
The microphone is less clear for video game sessions.