Linux Installation and Use

The Cyber Snipa Sonar 5.1 is immediately usable within Ubuntu Hardy 8.04. The C-Media USB audio device is, however, uncontrollable. It's basically set at destroy-your-eardrums volume and seems unchangeable through neither GNOME's sound properties and volume (which control ALSA and OSS) and Pulse Audio's volume controller.

The sound quality is equivalent to that in Windows in all aspects.

Common Use & Final Thoughts

Comfort is obviously a huge factor when considering a headset. I prefer headsets which enclose the ear comfortably. The Cyber Snipa Sonar 5.1 does cup my ears, but there is very little breathing room. My ears were sweating after a few minutes, unlike when I'm wearing my Plantronics. Now, I've got some big Swedish ears, so those with smaller ears and a smaller head would probably enjoy the set more than I.

I'm not fond of USB headsets. There are many, many of them available now which proclaim to have higher quality sound than regular headphones because the sound remains digital until it hits the speakers. Regular headphones' signal is analog the moment it leaves the audio jack, and imperfections and impurities in the cable can diminish the quality of the sound.

However, these devices do not advertise the CPU usage factor. In the end, I believe that most users wouldn't be able to discern a significant difference between a high-end PCI sound card with a decent analog headset and a USB headset.

The primary motivation behind the USB headset phenomenon is cost. It's simply cheaper to combine the audio chipset and the headset, improving the quality of the sound without driving the cost through the roof.

Annoyingly, the main power LED on the control module blinks when the device is playing audio. This could be distracting for some gamers—it definitely was for me.

I recommend the Cyber Snipa Sonar 5.1 for users who want to get a headset and want to get experience a better sound card, too—the Sonar 5.1 has it all in one package.

Pros

• Inexpensive—$50
• Folding for storage
• Excellent microphone quality

Cons

• Power LED blinks where audio is playing.
• Volume cannot be controlled without driver in Windows.
• Volume cannot be controlled at all in Linux.
• Could be uncomfortable for those with large ears
• Heavy