The Sound Blaster Tactic3D Sigma is part of Creative’s “Tactic” line-up of gaming headsets. These headsets are geared specifically towards gaming. They feature support for THX TruStudio Pro, 3D surround (virtual) and VoiceFX. They also slapped on a “Sound Blaster” tag to these headsets, probably to indicate audio quality. The 3D virtual surround is nothing great; any stereo headset can be used as a “3D” headset with the right software. VoiceFX is also a software enhancement which claims to improve the clarity of speech in-game. Let’s see how this headset fares in our tests.

Features:
The headset comes packed with a lot of features, including a detachable microphone, extra-long cables, USB adapter, in-line volume controls, comfortable padding and adjustable ear pads. The microphone is of a flexible design and it is nice that it is detachable because it can get intrusive when you don’t need it, the cable not being long enough to completely push out of the way.

The headset doesn’t come bundled with the THX TruStudio PRO software, but it can be downloaded from the website. The software offers a lot of customization, including a fully functional equalizer and dedicated controls for bass, treble, and is a handy tool to have around. Not much fiddling is required however, as the headset sounds good out of the box.

Design and Build:
Build quality is decent. There is a steel band inserted into the headband for greater strength, but the plastic on the rest of the headset may feel a little flimsy, but it is sturdy enough to take some amount of knocking about. The cables are flat, as opposed to the usual rounded cables you find; they also seem quite fragile and always seem to be in danger of snapping. Some thicker or sturdier cables would have been appreciated, especially when you consider their length.

The design is a standard circumaural one and has thick padding on the headband and ear-cups. The padding is comfortable and you don’t really feel the strain of wearing the set for extended periods. The ear-cups can be a little too small for people with larger ears though.

Visit Page Two for a look at the Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Sigma's Performance, and Our Verdict...