The BitFenix Flo headset is the company’s first audio gear. BitFenix considers it as their premium PC headset that is “made to move with you”. It’s basically designed to be used both indoors with your PC and outdoors with your mobile devices. The BitFenix Flo is built with 40mm Neodymium drivers and features a clean, stylish and modern look. Are you in the market looking for an all around affordable headset, that you plan to use with your PC or while you are in mobile? Check out my BitFenix Flow headset review below.
BitFenix Flo Features
Signature BitFenix Design
From the get go, the BitFenix Design Lab set out to make a PC headset that users would want to wear away from the PC. Coating the earcups is none other than BitFenix SofTouch™ Surface Treatment for a premium matte finish. Even the cables come with aluminum sheaths for an impressively high-quality look and feel. Available in four vibrant colors, Flo offers the clean and modern form that BitFenix is known for.
Crystal-Clear Audio
The foundation of any headset is sound quality. Flo brings this in spades with 40mm Neodymium drivers for superbly bright and balanced audio. Precision-tuned acoustic chambers with the closed-back design not only ensure a superior aural experience, but enables excellent noise attenuation for crystal-clear sound – even on-the-go.
Convenient PC Operation
Flo is tremendously easy-to-use while at the PC. The included in-line remote control with smooth sliding volume action makes it easy to adjust volume and microphone mute, and the flexible microphone allows you to attain just the right angle to ensure clear and noise-free voice communication.
Supreme Comfort
A good headset should be your own personal oasis. With earcups featuring our SoftFeel™ material, Flo provides tremendous comfort that is ideal for those long listening sessions. The self-adjusting headband gives just the right amount of support, while the steel frame structure delivers optimal pressure during use.
Made to Move
Designed with mobility in mind, Flo is meant to be taken with you. Removing the flexible microphone and using the included mobile audio cable transforms Flo from a PC headset into a premium lightweight headphone that drives stunning audio on-the-go. With Flo, PC headsets no longer need to stay with the PC.
BitFenix Flo Specifications
| Materials | Steel, Plastic, SofTouch™ Surface Treatment, SoftFeel™ Earcups |
| Colors | Midnight Black, Arctic White, Fire Red, Cobalt Blue |
| Acoustic Design | Dynamic, Closed-back |
| Driver | 16µ, Neodymium magnet, Φ40mm |
| Sensitivity | 96db /1mW |
| Frequency Response | 20hz-20khz |
| Rated Impedance | 68 Ω |
| Earpads | SoftFeel™ |
| Headband Pressure | Approximately 5N |
| Cables | 1m Straight Cable With Remote, 1m Straight Mobile Audio Cable, 2m Straight Cable With Headphone / Microphone Plugs |
| Connector | Gold-plated ?3.5mm stereo mini-plug with aluminum sheath |
| Net Weight | 200g |
Packaging and Closer Look
The BitFenix Flo comes in a black box with a window on it to give you a small preview of the headset. Some of its features and specifications are printed on the back of the box.
The box includes a warranty paper, an illustration guide, 3 types of cables and the removable mouth piece.
The three cables each has their own purpose. From left to right: serves as an extension cable, the main 3.5mm audio cable (1m in length), and the headset cable. The last two photos from the right side are the same cable. I just took photos of the front and rear view of its control. The headset cable can control the volume and turn on/off the mic. The cable they used are somewhat thicker compared to most of the on-the go or mobile headphones. A slimmer type of cable would be nicer.
The detachable microphone or mouth piece is somewhat thick, but can be bend to suite your preference. However it can’t be bend vertically.
BitFenix’s logo can be seen of both sides of the ear cups. Most of the surface has a soft touch feel, similar to the surface of the BitFenix Phenom ITX.
On the bottom portion of the left ear cup is where the audio 3.5mm audio plug and mic plug is located. The headband is composed of synthetic leather that rests on your head. Meanwhile, a sturdy two piece metal band serves as the frame of the Flo.
The ear cups or the speakers can be rotated but they can’t be folded like some of the DJ-type headphones. There is also no height adjustment for the ear cups, nor tilt.
Above are photos of how the BitFenix Flo will look like with the microphone attached.
Testing and Sound Quality
I have been testing the BitFenix Flo for several weeks now and compared it with other headphones/headsets. Burn in time is probably more than 30 hours already, before I took note of its sound quality. In terms of aesthetics and build quality, the BitFenix Flo seems to be overall sturdy and feels solid. Although, you might need to constantly stretch the headband since out of the box it has a strong clamping force and becomes uncomfortable to wear after a few minutes. You can also put some books or a box in between to stretch and loosen up the headband, and let it rest for several hours.
The microphone is working well, but it doesn’t seem to have some noise cancelling features. Also the microphone piece is somewhat thick and not very stylish in my opinion.
In terms of audio quality, I have to note that this is based on my subjective opinion. My experience might not be the same with yours. To begin with, I tried to compare it with some of the audiophile-grade headphones, just for benchmarking purpose only. I know it will not match with their sound quality, but at least I’ll have an idea for comparison purposes.
Next I compare the BitFenix Flo with other headsets that are geared towards PC users and gamers. I compare it with the Kingston HyperX Cloud gaming headset and the Plantronics RIG Universal. These two headsets are priced higher compared to the BitFenix Flo, but at least they are on the same category.
The BitFenix Flo has a good amount of bass. It’s a little bit punchy but not too boomy. However the bass tends to be dominant on some tracks and tends to become uncontrolled. The mids and highs are okay but they are a little bit darker for me, with the treble being slightly held back, making it not bright and lacks the sparkle. The good news is no amount of sibilance or sharp piercing tone was observed during my test.
Sound quality is important to me; I think the Kingston HyperX Cloud and the Plantonics RIG are better when it comes to sound quality. Both headphones are more balanced and fun to listen with. However these two headphones are priced higher, specially the Plantronics RIG.
When it comes to watching movies and playing games, the BitFenix Flo performed well. Explosions sound realistic enough, conversations are clear and it was generally a good experience. But I do have to note that the pads are not comfortable enough and they tend to warm up fast. So I have to remove the headphone from time to time to relax my ears.
Price and Availability
The BitFenix Flo headset is very much available right now and can be purchased from your local computer shops or online stores. Retail price seems to vary greatly, with some retailers selling it for as low as $39.99 or around $51.88 (£39.16 £43.00) or around Php3,200. BitFenix is also offering limited warranty of 12 months.
BitFenix Flo Review: Conclusion
This leaves us to the conclusion part. I actually have mixed feelings about the BitFenix Flo. Overall sound quality is good (but not phenomenal) considering its low price point.
In terms of build quality, the Flo feels sturdy and solid. Unfortunately as I write this review, the left channel suddenly stopped working for unknown reasons. I might have gotten a defective product and this can easily be fixed with the warranty.
The detachable cables and microphone is a great move, and the accessory package is complete. Price is very friendly and competitive as well which makes it a good option specially those who are on a budget.
Sound quality is somewhat a complicated thing. We all have unique ears, and what it good for me might not be good for you, and vice versa. For its price, I would say they are good. But I’m willing to throw in some more cash for a headset with a much better sound quality, and comfort.
In the end, BitFenix’s first headset is generally a good product, but I think it still needs more improvement and fine tuning. If you are budget constrain, the BitFenix Flo will be a good option for you. But if audio quality is your top priority, I suggest you look somewhere else. I’m looking forward to see BitFenix’s next generation headphone, if ever they plan to pursue this path.
