Logitech has announced the Chorus, a $99 audio accessory that aims to bolster sound quality coming out of the Meta Quest 2 VR headset. The appeal of the Chorus, as opposed to using over-ear or in-ear headphones you may already own, is that it lets you remain more present in reality with its open-back, off-ear speakers a la Valve Index.
It slides onto each side of the VR headset (compatible with the stock strap or Meta’s Elite straps), and the speakers can swivel to find the right positioning for your ears. Their volume is controlled through the Quest 2’s volume rocker. It’s powered via the Quest 2’s USB-C port, though it supports USB-C passthrough, so you can keep your headset charged or connect other devices to it.
Logitech claims that the speakers feature custom-tuned drivers that are meant to deliver both the “biggest moments and the tiniest details in the metaverse.” And because of their open-back nature, they won’t stand in the way of letting ambient sound into your ears. There are pros and cons to this approach to speaker design. Sometimes, they provide warmer, more life-like sound quality, and the open-back design could be a safer way to play VR for you. I already mentioned the biggest downside: there’s typically very little noise isolation, both for the listener and for those who may be within earshot. So, these might not be the best solution for people who want privacy while in VR.
Logitech isn’t exactly up against much competition here. At $99, this could be a worthwhile upgrade for people who want more immersion than what the Quest 2’s piddly (yet surprisingly capable) strap-integrated speakers can offer. Though, it’s not the only upgrade route available for Quest 2 owners. In our YouTube video detailing some of my favorite Quest 2 features, tips, and recommended add-ons, I highlighted that you could, for around the same price, grab HTC’s Deluxe Audio strap, which features good-sounding headphones plus a set of strap converters to get a somewhat similar (but less polished) effect to what the Chorus claims to offer. It’s not really much of a hack, but you could also just plug in any set of wired 3.5mm headphones into the Quest 2.
