When it comes to headphones, most people don’t mind sharing the over-ear type with a friend. But sometimes they don’t always provide the best audio experience, especially in VR when sound design becomes a critical component of immersion. That’s why Oculus has come up with another option for Rift owners, but they’re probably not ones you’ll want to share with the homies.
During Thursday’s Oculus Connect 3 developer conference keynote, Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe took the stage to reveal Oculus Earphones. The $49 in-ear buds for Rift are said to offer “solid bass response while maintaining excellent mid/high levels for a well-balanced sound signature.”
The Oculus Earphones will be available for pre-order October 10th on Oculus.com and will begin shipping December 6th.
When it comes to earbuds, there are some advantages over headphones like better noise isolation, helping block out distracting real-world noises when you’re fully immersed in VR. But there is one glaring downside of earbuds — it kind of freaks people out to share them with people or even friends.
Its not terribly difficult to swap the headphones on and off (just a small screw on each side), but not an ideal process to constantly undergo in-between VR sessions with others.
So yeah, Oculus Earbuds are definitely not ideal for having friends over and passing the Rift around on Friday night. But if you’re locked in a dark room and plan on most of your social interaction taking place in VR, then by all means, upgrade that listening experience.
