Sound Quality

The Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 2 is equipped with a pair of 40-millimeter dynamic drivers. According to the manufacturer, they are "tuned for gaming", meaning special attention has been given to spatial awareness—the ability to quickly and accurately pinpoint the distance and direction of auditory cues, such as footsteps, weapons being reloaded, gunfire, and everything in between.

If that was their main goal, they succeeded. In games like Warzone and Apex Legends, I had an easy time figuring out where my enemies are approaching from, and from which direction they are trying to end my virtual existence. The amount of detail delivered by the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 2 is very surprising for what is essentially a budget gaming headset.

This was achieved by pushing the entire mid-range forward (making it louder), which makes hearing auditory cues that may otherwise go unnoticed easier. Also, Mad Catz was careful not to overdo the bass response; it's present enough to prevent the headset from sounding dull, but not exceptionally deep or meaty, or even particularly punchy. Because of that, it doesn't get in the way of the mid-range, so even massive explosions won't cover up enemy footsteps, which is quite handy when fighting for your life in a virtual arena. Having said that, if you consider yourself a bass-head, this headset won't provide you with your daily intake of that thick, massive, earth-shattering bass you're after.


Outside of multiplayer first-person shooters, the Mad Catz F.R.E.Q. 2 does completely fine, definitely better than you'd dare to expect from a $42 gaming headset. It doesn't exactly excel in any aspect of its sound presentation, but absolutely doesn't disappoint either. Aside from the forward-leaning mid-range, I'd describe it as mellow and non-fatiguing. There's a way to add a bit of oomph to it. If your sound card offers an equalizer, you can utilize it to make the sound signature of the F.R.E.Q. 2 significantly bassier. The built-in speaker drivers respond surprisingly well to equalization, especially in the low-end. While you're at it, feel free to boost the treble too—the F.R.E.Q. 2 will sound snappier and noticeably more exciting. But even without such tweaks, the sound performance of this headset is much better than expected in the sub-$50 price bracket. In terms of multiplayer gaming performance, it's better than the SteelSeries Arctis 1 (reviewed here), as well as the Cooler Master MH630 (reviewed here).

Passive noise isolation is great. The foam/pleather ear pads will form a tight seal with the sides of your head, so no sound will leak in or out. This is a great choice for everyone who shares their gaming space with other people.