An often overlooked component of a great VR experience is audio quality. I wouldn’t have felt so strongly about this if it wasn’t for the Valve Index. (opens in new tab), it introduced me to excellent VR audio that can trick your brain into thinking you’re in another place. This is a $1,000 headset. I own Meta Quest 2 and have been trying to find the best way to mimic Index since I got it.
Logitech Chorus is the best I’ve found so far.
The Quest 2’s default audio solution leaves a lot to be desired. Now I know why it wasn’t at the top of my priority list for entry-level headsets. Instead, it does a lot of other things very well and used to be horribly cheap (but a little more expensive now). The two small cutout speakers do a reasonable job of blowing audio right into your ears when you’re wearing the headset, but don’t offer much clarity, bass, or isolation. It doesn’t handle very well at high volumes. All of this frees me from virtual reality experiences.
The obvious solution is to plug in headphones. Making it easy, the Quest 2 offers a standard 3.5mm port into which most headphones can be plugged. This has been my go-to approach for the past few years—I don’t have a pair specifically made with a short cable for the Quest 2, but the regular pair of SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless headphones I have for calls work well enough. It just clutters the cables when you put the headset on and take it off.
Chorus specification
driver: Custom built and tuned dual open type drivers
Connectivity: USB Type-C
price: $100/£90 (opens in new tab)
Headphones are fine, but they don’t fit the VR experience perfectly. VR should create a more bespoke audio experience that reflects his 3D world around him while wearing the headset. Stereo headsets don’t do this well.
That’s why I always come back to Valve Index’s audio solutions. The two off-ear BMR drivers are designed to allow audio to completely wrap the wearer’s ears and maintain long-term comfort. It accomplishes both goals very well. Audio arrives loud and clear, and the open-back design offers a vast soundstage for better directional audio. There’s an obvious gap between you and the driver, but it’s also surprisingly good in terms of sound isolation.
The Logitech Chorus is the perfect form factor for the Quest 2 and is a near-exact replica of the Index’s audio solution. The Chorus also includes two off-ear, open-back BMR drivers to fully mimic the Inspiration’s audio characteristics.
This is a very simple audio solution and works as expected. The audio quality is very good, nailing that level of immersive audio in a way that my headphones couldn’t hack.
Easy to install. The Chorus clips easily and securely to the Quest 2 frame. It’s relatively obscure as a headset-mounted strap, as it clips onto two sturdy arms attached to the headset body. It works fine with my elite strap and of course the standard fabric strap. Third party straps with similar design principles to these should be compatible as well. Simply plug the compact USB type cable into your headset and you’re ready to go.
The short USB Type-C connection also means no more cables to tangle with the Chorus. It takes up the headset’s only USB Type-C port, but Chorus offers USB passthrough so you can plug your line into your PC for Oculus Link or easily charge the headset.
At $100/£90, the Chorus are priced on par with a whole new pair of headphones, and certainly far more limited in use. It’s easy to see it as a cheaper option than the Quest 2, but if you want a more comfortable and impressive VR experience combined with the Quest 2, you’ll be spending a lot of time getting there.
The Logitech Chorus sounds perfect for me.
My VR headset setup includes a $100 Logitech Chorus, a $60 Elite strap, and an $80 link cable. At the Quest 2’s new $400 price point, if you bought all this today, you’d be spending $640.
Sure, Valve doesn’t ask Index for $999, but it all adds up. The entry-level Quest 2 can quickly become much more expensive, in my opinion, due to some essential accessories.
Indeed, a more comfortable strap is a must-have in my opinion. I simply couldn’t bear to wear the Quest 2 after using it in its original fabric for a while.
However, the Logitech Chorus is the perfect note for me. It’s exactly what I was looking for in an audio upgrade for the Quest 2, offering all-around immersive audio that rivals the best on the market. If you’re doing a similar upgrade, or are sick of cable tangles, the Chorus is worth considering.
