Logitech Chorus brings Index-like audio to Quest 2, but is it worth $99?
Quest 2’s built-in strap pipe audio keeps the headset portable and relatively affordable, but the audio quality and loudness leave a lot to be desired. Logitech has offered earphones and headphones for Quest 2 since the headset’s launch almost two years ago, each having a short cable for practicality. But the G333 earphones have to be awkwardly wired from the audio port to the left ear with the dangling cords getting in the way, and the G Pro headphones are a hassle to pull over your head on top of the Quest. Both also completely cut you off from the real world.
Chorus is instead near off-ear speakers, a concept first brought to VR by Valve’s Index. It connects via USB-C and has its own USB-C passthrough port so you can still charge the headset with it attached.
Chorus easily slides onto to the Quest 2 strap arms, with each side connected by a cable that can be threaded through the headset’s top strap. The major advantage is that, unlike headphones, once Chorus is attached there’s no need to put a second thing on your head (while essentially blindfolded) each time you use VR.
The other advantage is that you can still hear loud noises in your room, such as a family member trying to get your attention, while being loud enough to drown out any quiet real-world background noise.
Other than the slightly visible cable between the two speakers, Chorus almost feels built-in to Quest 2. It’s an audio upgrade without the usual friction & hassle of audio upgrades.
My favorite feature of Chorus is that if you rotate the speakers back 90 degrees it automatically mutes. This means you can quickly talk to other people in the room without changing the volume or taking the headset off.
The “custom tuned” 47.4mm×20.3mm Balanced Mode Radiators (BMRs) produce great audio quality, with excellent clarity and a wide soundstage.
The downside of Chorus – if you’re a PC VR user – is that it doesn’t support wired Oculus Link. If you want to play Rift or SteamVR titles with this attached you’ll need to use the wireless Air Link, or a third-party alternative like Virtual Desktop.
But if you’re a Quest 2 power user who finds the built-in audio lacking and doesn’t need wired Link, Chorus is by far the most convenient audio upgrade we’ve tried yet. It’s sold via Logitech’s website.
