October Review - eDimensional Audio FX ff headset

[pete]

clickable---->[link=http://www.edimensional.com/index.php?cPath=23&ref=63]eDimensional - "As real as it gets"[/link] <----clickable

eDimensional Audio FX Force Feedback Headset and Voice Buddy 2.0
Reviewed for SIMviation by: Stephen "Payware" Vasali

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Products used for screenshots and review:
Freeware addon
Jackson Hole - KAJC for FS2004 by Dave Erickson

Payware addons
ACDSee 7.0 (imaging software)
Eaglesoft's Cessna Citation X Deluxe
FSScene Fall textures by Ruud Faber
FSGlobal landclass by Justin Tyme
Active Camera 2.0 by AntiCyclonE - Guillaume Darier and Serge Baye
Ultimate Traffic - Flight1 Software

Camera used:
Fujifilm FinePix 2800ZOOM digital camera



I enter Microsoft's Flight Simulator 2004, A Century of Flight, a wide grin on my face; my computer begins its low hum, and a hot drink rests on a coaster next to me, ready to warm me up on a cool Autumn morning. I begin waking up, and the imagination begins taking over; what to choose? I have a new piece of computer hardware I am eager to test, and figure I should pick a favorite aircraft from my selection. Anticipation of entering a virtual world in an aircraft I cannot afford in my day to day life, I choose Eaglesoft's Cessna Citation X.

Nothing like an early morning charter flight to get the blood flowing. The sun was rising with an explosion of colors enveloping the horizon, the air brisk with a soft autumn northwestern breeze, and a few light clouds blanketed the sky. It would be a great day for flying. Visibility was around fifty miles, and being at an altitude of twenty-three thousand feet, gives one a sense of awe looking out of the cockpit. I walked up to the Eaglesoft Citation X, our newest jet in the fleet; my flight plan in hand and I had an hour to get the bird ready for a few high profile business clients that needed to get to Los Angeles by noon. Why was none of my business, but they would get there quickly, in the lap of luxury of course!
Out on the tarmac of Jackson Hole, Wyoming,

[SaVas]

What I have just described is a brief synopsis of what eDimensional

[SaVas]

Price for the headset alone is $49.95 USD, and the Voice Buddy 2.0 start-up program is the same at $49.95, and includes special voice recognition software for one of the following simulators: IL-2 Sturmovik, Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2 and 3, Microsoft Flight Simulators 2004 and 2002, Lock-On: Modern Air Combat, and for the non simmer, or those of us that like to play other style games, there is Voice Buddy software for your choosing for Doom 3, Farcry, Halo, Unreal Tournament 2004, Return to Castle Wolfenstein Enemy Territory, and call of Duty. Its a very versatile program one can use for hours and hours of fun. or if you want more of the software game supports, you can order them for a low price of $9.95. Some of them even have special pricing discounts!
One bonus, is you can get

[SaVas]

Closeup of the LED light bars on the side of the headset (LED lights are on both sides)



Now regarding customer service, eDimensional excels in this area, and like their products, offers the best. Why you are thinking would I need customer service? Well, the initial headset I recieved, once plugged in had a bad speaker connector. I could not get sound other than popping, even though the microphone was working. This is no fault of eDimensional though. Remember, anything you purchase, be it a toaster oven, or a Ferrari, could have some problems upon purchase. In my case, I tried everything, including plugging the speaker wire into each speaker connector in the back of my PC, but to no avail. I emailed eDimensional with my problem, gave them my name and phone number just in case, and within the hour, I had a reply email stating that they would have one of their technical support members contact me. Sure enough, in less time it takes to watch a Hollywood movie, I had a phone call from them. A gentleman with the company from their tech support staff, patiently walked me through everything he could think of, after finding out what the problem was, and he decided that it was a bad connector. These things happen, and he stated without hesitation, that they would send out a replacement. This occured on a Saturday, and because of that, he said they would ship it out on Monday. By midweek I had my replacement at my door, and within minutes, I had it plugged in, and working perfectly.

Another view of the side of the headset



The aspects i like about the Audio FX Force Feedback headset and Voice Buddy package are:

Design and build quality is exceptional
Lightweight
Adjustable headset depending on the size of your head
Customer and technical service from eDimensional is outstanding
Sound quality for both gaming and listening to music is tremendously satisfying
Comfort
Force feedback capabilities
Ability to drown out external sounds
Accurate voice recognition
Long cord which means you can move around your computer desk without feeling as though you are attached by an umbilical
Adjustable volume and force feedback controls in the cord as well as an on/off switch for vibration control

Now for things that I think could be improved upon:

Force feedback vibrations if turned up too high can cause some serious reverberations, so set the level about midway, maybe slightly more for optimal results, and even at mid level, the vibrations are definitely enough.
Microphone sometimes does not hear your commands, but adjusting the microphone to be very close to your mouth tends to fix this
*Possible compatibility issues with force feedback joysticks. I borrowed a friends MS Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 joystick to test this as my Saitek X-45 does not have force feedback ability.

[pete]

Finally in closing, if you are considering this product, I highly recommend it. You know I would never lead you astray, and I have tried to give you all the good points, as well as some things that might be of issue. When it comes to people spending hard earned money on their flight simulator experience, I never joke around.

Christmas is coming up, so tell your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, mother, father, daughter, son,

[Airborn511]

Dude!!! you have outdone yourself...................
The quality of your review is only outdone by the product of the reveiw.
Thanks for taking the time.............

Air

[SaVas]

Dude!!! you have outdone yourself...................
The quality of your review is only outdone by the product of the reveiw.
Thanks for taking the time.............

Air

I love testing products for the simulator experience, and as for taking the time, the headset is worthy of such a review. Matter of fact I am considering getting the TrackIR3 Pro from eDimensional in the coming months dependant upon how many people I need to go Christmas shopping for and how badly Uncle Sam Missouri decides to hit me on personal property tax this year.

Glad you liked the review Air!

---Stephen

[Ben_M_K]

You have the same boom box as me Stephen. Dont know how I spotted that but I did.


Anyway, great review!!

[Fly2e]

Stephen, my box just came today with the EDimensional headest & Voice buddy software!  ;D    

Dave

[pete]

[quote]Stephen, my box just came today with the EDimensional headest & Voice buddy software!