I'm normally pretty skeptical of "gaming gadgetry" as usually it's just repackaged, cheaper tech sold to a niche market. Calgary-based Psyko Audio Labs, however, has a bona-fide draw: the speakers aren't in the earphones, but along the headband.

That's because the folks over at Psyko are thinking about how sound naturally strikes the ear. After all, we normally hear in surround sound. So instead of trying to simulate this phenomenon, the company's distinct-looking Psykowave headphones recreate it by sending the sound down through tubes that essentially fill a sound chamber around your ears. Coupled with subwoofers in the earphones, the result is impressive — during a Call of Duty 4 demo, the sound had some amazing depth with distant artillery booms muddled as they should be, and nearby gunshots crisp and present. There was also a very clear direction in my mind from where each sound came, seemingly more so than I get with the surround-sound headphones I currently use.

Look for the headphones early this year for $300. Check out the gallery below for more of Psyko Audio's headphones.

Via Psyko Audio Labs