Mionix Nash 20 Headset Review

Conclusion

It seems odd to say that the Nash 20 are at the high end of the headset spectrum when there are plenty of audiophile ones that cost many times the £100 asking price here. However, gaming headsets generally fit somewhere between £50, which has so many models that we would be here all day listing them, up to around the £110 mark. So unquestionably the Nash 20 are at the top of the scale. Plugging them in to our regular test rig of an Asus Phoebus sound card and more types media than you can shake a stick at, does the Mionix offering justify its lofty price tag?

First impressions are outstanding. The box is gorgeous, and the when you open it to reveal the headset itself it’s even better. The soft touch coating matched to the matte finish just oozes class. As you can see from the image at the top of the page the screen printed logo is of exceptional quality too. What difference does a great screen print make you ask. It’s indicative. When the effort has been made on the fine details then you can be sure the major elements are treated with equal finesse. The looks aren’t let down by the build quality either. No part of the Nash 20 feels flimsy and the hinges, often the weak point of a headset, are chunky and metal braced to ensure they last for a long time. The ear pieces are deep and soft, with plenty of leather-covered foam to spread the weight of the Nash 20 across your head. Certainly when it comes to the design and quality of it, there are no complaints.

This level of padding combines beautifully with the lightness of the Nash 20 to ensure it’s supremely comfortable to wear for long periods. There is no fatigue, and it hits the sweet spot between being a vice on your head, which is unpleasant, and the equally disagreeable ‘barely on your head at all’ feeling. It’s secure without being troublesome. We know that some people dislike leather ear cups and the closed back nature of the Mionix mean that if you’re particular prone to sweaty ears then it’s might be problematic. Aside from that, which is admittedly a personal preference thing, they are as comfortable to wear as they are to look at.

Now the meat of the Nash 20, sound quality. This is a little bit of a mixed bag. The actual audio fidelity is fantastic. If you’re only interesting in pure quality of sound rather than hefting bass or ear-splitting volume then you can stop reading right here and skip to a emporium of your choice. The bass is tight and distinct, the mid-range swells and the highs are certainly as sharp as the Mionix people proclaim. Not in a tinny way, just cutting through the mix in a fine manner. The biggest issue by far has to be the sheer volume. These aren’t church mice whispers, and for the majority of time they are plenty loud enough, but sometimes when you get to your favourite wailing guitar solo or the moment when all the tension is released and the bass drops, you want to crank it loud. Then you discover it’s already at the stops. Which is disappointing. It’s like when you turn up your headphones and your phone refuses to unless you accept that if you go deaf you wont sue them, except there isn’t anything to accept, nor any further to go.

With fantastic looks and build quality there is much to love about the Mionix Nash 20. The sound quality is excellent with very high fidelity, but we’ve rarely needed it to literally go up to eleven, although here we most certainly do. If Mionix can boost the raw volume whilst retaining the clarity of the audio itself then they’d be one of the easier Gold worthy products. As it is the award is somewhat based upon how you will use them. If you’re just sitting alone in a quiet room with good hearing then they certainly are a Gold and you should buy them without hesitation. If, however, you need a wall of sound to blot out the surrounding world, or plan on using them anywhere with a lot of noise, or even you’re a bit deaf, you will be frustrated at the lack of volume. For this reason we’re forced to award them our OC3D Silver Award, but it’s a very highly polished one.

      

Thanks to Mionix for supplying the Nash 20 for review. Discuss them in the OC3D Forums.