Home gaming headsets and outdoor headphones usually differ a lot. The former predominantly use a wired connection, have an external microphone and backlight, and also rely on enhanced bass and treble. The second ones are mostly wireless, and balanced sound, light weight, high autonomy and the presence of control keys are valued from the characteristics. The only problem is that the user has to pay twice.

However, there are really universal solutions, such as Edifier Hecate G33BT. This full-size headset can be connected in two different ways to both your home PC and smartphone. It features ultra-low latency (60ms), detachable microphone, switchable backlight, not too heavy, outstanding battery life and two playback modes. At the same time, remaining true to their own traditions, Edifier made the novelty very affordable. It’s time to study it in detail.

Specifications

• Form Factor: Full-size on-ear wired/wireless
• Materials: matte plastic, eco-leather
• Drivers: 40 mm NdFeB, 32 Ohm, 100 dB, 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Total number of microphones: 2 (built-in and remote)
• Management: mechanical
• Interfaces: Bluetooth0 with PixArt technology, USB Type-C, mini jack
• Codecs: SBC, AAC
• Latency: 60ms
• Application: no
• Waterproof: no
• Noise isolation: passive
• Extras: game mode, RGB lighting
• Battery life: 46 hours (26 hours with backlight), fast charging
• Weight: 262g
• Price: Check current

Equipment

Edifier Hecate G33BT comes in a cardboard box, decorated with a picture of the headset and a list of its features. The headphones themselves are located on a cardboard stand, which at first can be used to store the headset. At its base there is a compartment where there is a removable microphone, a USB cable – USB Type-C, a wire with four-pin mini jack plugs at both ends, a brief instruction and a warranty card. Too bad they didn’t include a carrying case. The manufacturer provides a one-year warranty for the products.

Construction and design

Edifier Hecate G33BT is made in the form factor of an on-ear headset that completely covers the ear. Two round bowls are connected by a sliding headband with several fixation points, the possibility of their rotation is not provided. The main material is durable and practical matte black plastic, which perfectly resists the appearance of fingerprints and scratches. The assembly is made qualitatively: there are no backlashes and a feeling of fragility.

On the outer side of the cups there are transparent inserts: the letter “H” and the ring inside can be highlighted in different colors. In the area of the mechanism are silver elements, reinforced with two screws. The outer side of the headband is adorned with logos, while the inner side is engraved with an inconspicuous “R”/”L” marking. Detachable ear pads are covered with neatly stitched eco-leather, they are soft and have a memory effect. The same can be said about the pillow for the entire length of the headband. The speakers are covered with a thin cloth.

Along the rim of the right cup are the controls: a pair of multifunction keys, a volume control wheel, and an LED. At the bottom is a USB Type-C connector, which, unfortunately, cannot be used for audio transmission. But for this purpose, a mini jack on the second cup is ideal. Detachable cable with L-shaped connector is moderately long (1.3 m).

Nearby is a built-in microphone, as well as another mini jack, which is connected to its removable colleague. The latter is fixed with a special twist lock. At the end of the remote element there is a thickening without a windshield, and a flexible leg allows you to turn it in the way you want. The total length of the microphone is 13 cm.

Good elastic properties of the headband allow the headphones to cover any head, and the cushion and ear cushions evenly distribute the weight (262 g) over it. The overlays also partially compensate for the lack of rotation of the cups. I note that the headphones do not put pressure on the ears, so they will not hurt even after prolonged use. However, not the smallest weight and increased sweating will make themselves felt after 3-4 hours. The headphones look expensive, but a little bulky, they don’t fall off when running, and the backlight demonstrates their gaming essence to those around them.

Control

The controls protrude slightly from the case and are easily groped for with the fingers of the right hand, but due to their small size they are not pressed very comfortably. The upper hold key turns on / off the headset and rejects the call, and if you hold your finger a little longer, the pairing mode will be activated. Pressing pauses playback, accepts and ends a call, double-clicking switches modes. The bottom button simply turns on / off the microphone, holding it turns on / off the backlight, and double – changes the color and modes of the latter: constant glow, pulsation, color selection.

The buttons are pressed quite tightly, making a click. An analog wheel is responsible for volume control. In my opinion, this solution is much more convenient than using clicks. Unfortunately, they don’t allow you to switch tracks and call the voice assistant, and there are no pickup sensors. Status changes are accompanied by voice prompts in English. The LED is red when charging, blinks blue when in normal operation (why?), semaphore red when the battery is low, and alternates colors in pairing mode.

Connection

The wireless connection uses the Bluetooth 5.0 protocol. The connection is stable, there are no breaks and stuttering. Both mobile and desktop devices are supported (adapter may be required). The first time you need to put the headset into pairing mode, and then complete the procedure on the signal source. In the future, the connection will occur automatically after switching on. The multipoint function is not supported.

The signal delay in the “Music” mode is 150 ms, which is already good and suitable for comfortable watching videos. And the special PixArt technology used in the “Game” mode allows you to reduce the desync to 60 ms, which guarantees comfortable gaming. The headset supports not only the basic SBC codec, but also the more advanced AAC.

When connected by wire, the headphones turn off, and the backlight and control stop working, which is not very convenient. On the other hand, this allows them to be used with a dead battery. Hecate G33BT does not support Edifier’s proprietary applications, so you won’t be able to find out the exact charge or correct the sound.

sound

Responsible for playback are 40 mm neodymium drivers with a polymer diaphragm. Their characteristics: impedance 32 ohms, sensitivity 100 dB, frequency range 20 Hz – 20 kHz. The presets of the Edifier Hecate G33BT differ not only in the amount of delay, but also in the sound. The Music mode shows a balanced sound.

The bass here is dynamic, but lacks a bit of depth, but other frequencies do not overlap. The middle is clean, smooth and detailed: both the voice and the work of each instrument are clearly distinguishable, there is a slight decline at the end of the range. High frequencies look good, but, of course, they do not reach the overtones. The headphones handle complex compositions without turning them into mush, and thanks to their neutral sound, they are well suited for listening to music of various genres.

In the “Game” mode, the bass is significantly enhanced, becoming deeper, more powerful and driving, and a little expressiveness is added to the upper range. Of course, all this negatively affects the detailing of mid frequencies, but listening to heavy music with this preset is a pleasure. In games and movies, both rustles and explosions are perfectly worked out, and it becomes easier to determine the location of the enemy by sound.

The frequency response of a wired connection almost completely coincides with the music mode. The ear pads fit well to the head, providing good passive noise isolation that works in both directions. There is no active noise cancellation system. The volume reserve is good: it is extremely rare to unscrew the knob more than 50%.

As already noted, the headset has two microphones. The built-in one does not stand out in any way, offering the typical quality of communication for inexpensive wireless headsets: in the office, shopping center or on a calm street, the interlocutor will most likely hear you, but near the road, in the subway or in strong wind it is unlikely. The 43dB omnidirectional external microphone is of higher quality and much closer to the mouth. With this, you can not only comfortably make calls, but also confidently stream, participate in video conferences or talk with friends in the game.

autonomy

The Edifier Hecate G33BT has a 750 mAh battery that provides 46 hours of playback at half volume. The indicator, though not the most record-breaking, but very significant: the headset will have to be charged only 1-2 times a month. Active backlight reduces battery life to 26 hours. If there is no wireless connection, the headphones will automatically turn off after 5 minutes. Energy is restored for a rather long time (about 3 hours), but only 10 minutes at the outlet can provide up to 6 hours of listening to music.

Conclusion

Edifier Hecate G33BT can be a good alternative to buying two headsets for home and outdoor at once, as well as to please both music lovers and gamers. Among the features worth noting is the possibility of wired and wireless connection, customizable backlight, detachable external microphone, comfortable fit, analog sound control, as well as good quality materials and workmanship. Excellent autonomy is combined with fast charging and the ability to use the device with a dead battery. Headphones support two modes of operation: in the music there will be a balanced sound with good detail, and in the game – enhanced bass and minimal delay. With all these advantages, the headset will not greatly facilitate the user’s wallet.