Swedish digital audio pioneer Dirac and MMD Monitors & Displays, the leading display specialist and brand license partner for Philips monitors & IT accessories, have teamed up to equip Philips' first-ever gaming headset with Dirac's award-winning spatial audio solution. The breakthrough solution produces a virtualized 3D, 7.1 surround sound experience through the 2-channel headset to put users at the center of the action. The Philips TAGH401BL marks the first collaboration between the two tech innovators, and the headset is now available internationally.

"Dirac solutions breathe a new layer of life and detail into the gaming experience; sounds that were previously lost are now present and accurately placed around the gamer as if real-life," stated Lars Isaksson, Dirac VP of Headphone & Streaming Audio. "By collaborating on developing Philips new gaming headset, we're delivering their customers the realism and immersion that makes the difference between an ordinary and extraordinary gaming experience. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Philips Monitors to push the boundaries of gaming audio."Gaming headphone users are increasingly demanding higher sound quality and more immersion with higher positional accuracy, while multichannel content is also gaining momentum. Dirac's pioneering digital audio solutions deliver a close-to-reality immersive sound experience while optimizing the acoustic performance of headphones for enhanced sound quality.

Dirac's spatial audio solution, now featured in Philips' gaming headset, creates high-precision spatial audio. Gamers will feel completely surrounded by the sound and will be able to hear where sound comes from and from how far. Furthermore, the solution's patented sound optimization technology takes the headphones' acoustic performance to next level. The result is more balanced and cleaner sound, where dialogue is crisper and more intelligible and even the most subtle details are revealed - like passing footsteps or discreet whispers. Deeper, cleaner bass also brings more excitement and intensity to gameplay.

With overall improved sound quality and a natural, accurate spatialization, gaming experiences become much more comfortable even with long sessions. This also allows the headset to be used for various content, such as movie and music listening. In fact, users can even toggle between two sound modes - a spatial sound mode ideal for gaming & movies, and an optimized sound mode ideal for music - through a switch on the headset's USB cord.

"With our first gaming peripherals, we sought to deliver our customers a headset that can boost any gaming session just like our monitors already do," stated César Acosta, Gaming Product Manager Europe / IT Accessories & Touch Monitors Team Leader Europe, MMD. "By collaborating with Dirac, we've equipped our gaming headset with a degree of immersion and realism typically found in much more expensive devices. We look forward to continued collaboration with Dirac as we introduce more headsets that push the boundaries in terms of quality and comfort."

The Philips TAGH401BL model offers a combination of ultra-lightweight comfort and quality audio performance. It features lightweight over-ear design, an adjustable headband and soft cushions to ensure an optimal fit for long wear. The Philips TAGH401BL headset is now available at the MSRP of €59.90.