Teufel’s newest gaming headset boasts immersive spatial audio so you can locate your enemies with pinpoint precision, a directional microphone for crystal clear team communication, and wireless transmission with no appreciable latency. And while pro gamers are already salivating at the prospect of breezing through fights against the most skilled opponents, these headphones have something to offer all fans of top quality audio!To find out what makes the new CAGE PRO wireless gaming headset so special, we sat down with Sebastian and Lucas from Teufel’s Development Team for an interview.
Teufel Blog: Hello, Sebastian and Lucas, it was very nice of you to sit down for a couple questions with us about the new CAGE PRO gaming headset. But first, tell our readers a bit about yourselves…
Sebastian: I’ve been working at Teufel as an acoustics engineer for six years. Recently, I’ve mainly been working on developing over-ear and in-ear headphones. That means everything from initial concepts to planning out acoustics systems, microphones, and algorithms, all the way to the final acoustic tuning.
Lucas: I’ve been working as an electronics engineer at Teufel for two years. I am responsible for the development and planning of the electronics concepts for our products. What that means is that I select suitable electronic components and make sure the product meets our requirements and regulatory standards by continuous testing and optimization of the hardware throughout the development process.
CAGE PRO: Specially Tuned for Gaming
Teufel Blog: Some of our coworkers were able to do trial listening sessions a few days before the product went on sale. Most of them liked the energetic bass, which made for an overall intense audio experience. What are the criteria you use for acoustic tuning, and what kind of electronics are behind that?
Sebastian: The main use-case of the CAGE PRO is gaming, and the acoustics reflect that. Games are generally mixed somewhat differently from other audio content, which impacted our design. We conducted a series of internal tests on a large number of games to find the best audio experience for all customers. We were able to maintain Teufel’s classic audio profile as well, which means the headphones will also play music with astonishing detail and the bass range our fans have come to expect.
Lucas: In terms of electronics, we used a power-efficient wireless SoC with integrated DSP. That made it possible for our acoustic engineers to tune the headphones perfectly. In order to reach the bass volume we needed, we added an additional amplifier chip. That is how we were able to provide such an intense audio experience.
Teufel Blog: One important point that is not only for professional gamers is that there was to be no noticeable latency with wireless use. What is the role of the CAGE PRO’s USB adapter in that, whichsetup will be fastest?
Lucas: For the dongle, we used a low-latency wireless codec to make sure the audio signal would be fast. For gaming, this is the type of connection you should always use if possible.
If latency is less important for your use-case, when listening to music for example, Bluetooth also works very well. The CAGE PRO support the AAC codec, so the audio experience will be high quality.
An Intense Listening Experience for Maximum Fun
Teufel Blog: The specs say the CAGE PRO deliver battery runtimes up to 68 hours*, which blows the competition out of the water. How did you accomplish that?
Lucas: It was important for us to make sure the listening experience delivered by these headphones was relatively intense. And part of that for us was the convenience of not having to charge the headphones that often, even for users that enjoy long gaming sessions. That was why we decided on really big batteries, which can run for a long time even with the rear LEDs turned on. And if you somehow manage to drain that huge battery, it’s always possible to just plug in the AUX cable and use them in passive mode.
*at medium volume and LED brightness
A New Approach to Microphones
Teufel Blog: The CAGE PRO offers some functions such as stepless volume wheel directly on the headset. What other features does it have? What was the biggest challenge with development?
Sebastian: To me, one of the highlights was the boom mic and its unique mount. The microphone snaps into a socket magnetically, which makes it easy to install and remove while gaming. Our mechanical department came up with that. With these headphones, the microphone was a challenge overall because we had to try some new approaches.
The second big demand in terms of acoustics was the earpads, which resulted from solving a number of challenges. They are just as important for comfort as the sound. We typically use high-quality memory foams for our headphones, which on the one hand makes them comfortable for any head shape, and also deliver good acoustic properties.
Lucas: I love it when I can put my personal touch on things I use. The CAGE PRO has multifunction button, for example. In the desktop app, you can set it to do just about anything. For example, you can use it to change between two different LED light programs.
A big challenge with wireless headphones is always making sure there is no unwanted noise, especially at higher ranges. Achieving that means not only optimizing antenna placement, but also good circuit board design to minimize interference in the audio frequency band.
Comfortable Temperature
Teufel Blog: The CAGE PRO bridge the gap between dampening outside noise, and high comfort even for long sessions. But how did the CAGE PRO make sure users’ ears stay at a comfortable temperature?
Sebastian: We gave the interior area of the headphones lots of space. The more space the ears have in there, the more airflow there will be. The material in direct contact with the skin is very comfortable, and stays dry even for long sessions.
Because these are closed-back headphones, they do not have direct ventilation. The interior area is shut off from the outside with acoustic material. That keeps noise out, and let’s the bass go lower, as our fans expect from Teufel products.
Teufel Blog: Did you give any thought to people who wear glasses?
Sebastian: The foam of the earpads accounted for that in the design. In the area where glasses would typically be found, the foam is a bit easier to compress, meaning the glasses themselves won’t push in too much on the head of the wearer.
A Sizable Advantage for Shoot-Em-Ups with Surround Sound
Teufel Blog: The headset offers DTS Headphone:X® v2, a virtual surround sound technology that can simulate 5.1 and 7.1 audio. How hard was that to integrate into the product and what can gamers expect?
Sebastian: At this point, we’ve done a lot of work with DTS, so that was no problem. The DTS algorithm relies on what they call an HRTF (heat-related transfer function), which allows the audio field to be virtualized using suitable source materials to create a specific spatial sensation. In particular, it gives a sizable advantage when playing shooters with surround sound, because it makes it very easy to hear the direction of enemies footsteps, gunshots, etc.
We Got Rid of the Pop-Guard
Teufel Blog: One important feature of gaming headsets is of course the sound quality of the microphone for chatting to friends and teammates.
Sebastian: The microphone’s cardioid shape has a strong influence on the sound quality. An advantage of this shape is that it is highly sensitive to sound coming from the mouth. In contrast, sound from all other directions ends up getting filtered out.
Teufel Blog: How were you able to get rid of the pop-guard on the microphone arm and keep the vocal quality so high on the CAGE PRO? A lot of other headphones need it because that pop sound can be very distracting.
Sebastian: On the one hand, we were able to make the microphone opening such that it picks up a lot less breathing sound. On the other hand, we were able to eliminate unwanted noise using an active filter to remove it from the signal, while also increasing the volume of vocals.
Teufel Blog: The CAGE PRO is practically a 2 for 1 deal because of how great it is for music listening as well as gaming. How were you able to achieve that?
Sebastian: The headphones have a switch on them to switch between gaming and Bluetooth modes to make it easy to pick them up and go, or sit down for a session.
That means you can have a quick phone call on the computer without having to take off your headphones. However, when you want to use them for music listening, they’re also great for that in terms of sound and battery life.
Lucas: …it’s also so easy to remove the microphone, which turns them into practically audiophile headphones, then just listen to your favorite song!
Equalize to Your Heart’s Content
Teufel Blog: the CAGE PRO come with a special PC app, the Teufel Audio Center. Which additional options does it make available?
Sebastian: There are lots of helpful features. For one, it has a 10-band equalizer, which you can use to make the audio sound however you want. It also has a lot of presets to get you started if you aren’t sure what you’re doing.
Link> Teufel Audio Center for CAGE PRO: download and info
It has a microphone monitor you can use to make your own voice audible in the chat or phone calls. That is an advantage because of the noise dampening, which makes it hard to hear your own voice, and thus makes it easier to speak with passthrough. Monitor volume is also stepless.
DTS Headphone:X® v2 Virtualizer turns both games and movies into an immersive audio experience. We also built in an extra section where you can see how the stereo signals are being process. This makes it easier to see if its worth using the spatializer feature for music or video, or if it’s better enjoyed pure.
Lucas: As previously mentioned, I personally really like being able to customize things, so the CAGE PRO can be more versatile. The app lets you setup what we call profiles. You can attach personal EQs or LED light programs to them, then switch to them in just one click. I use it to adjust the tuning of the headset for different games and to flip the LED lighting to generate the right mood. You just set it up once, and you can call them up at any time.
Teufel Blog: Which game would you play first with the CAGE PRO?
Sebastian: The testing process introduced me to a game called Horizon: Forbidden West, which I now want to play all the way through.
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Lucas: I’d say Cyberpunk 2077. The design of the CAGE PRO for me recalls the style of the game, and they could easily be incorporated into the game.
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Teufel Blog: Thank you for your time!
Title image/images/screenshots: Teufel
