I bought this to replace a usb headset, a Microsoft LX-3000, which I'd had for years and been happy with. Unfortunately the microphone broke off so I had to look for a replacement, and I searched a hell of a lot before deciding on this. It was either this or the usb version of the Razer Kraken and, having owned a Roccat Kone+, I was assured of the headset's quality, so I went with it, and it came just in time for a lan I was having with friends.
It is quite a large headset and, depressingly, I thought, relatively heavy. I had read reviews where people found it comfortable but they hated the three padded squares that sit on your head, claiming that they're not padded enough and will give you a headache after a few hours of gaming. Well, I was pleasantly surprised when I put them on for the first time and spent a few hours trying out different games, music and films. I found them very comfortable, I did not get a headache of any kind and nor did my head feel pinched due to lack of padding - in fact, a lot of the time I forgot I was even wearing them, despite being rather heavy to hold for a headset.
The lan came, and from Friday evening on we gamed constantly. From around seven pm until six am the following morning, we played on, and I only left my seat to get a drink or a snack. The headset gave me incredible surround sound - during a game of Prop Hunt, I was amazed when I spectated a friend who, as a hunter, was listening to an extra-long taunt from a prop, moved around the area the prop was in but could not locate it through sound alone - every time he passed the spot the prop sat in, I could hear the sound rising and fading accordingly. It was obvious to me, yet he, even with his good headphones, couldn't pinpoint where the enemy was. We played another game mode in Garry's Mod, Stop It, Slender! When I was alone and a friend, playing as Slenderman, came chasing after me, I could hear exactly where he was and could move accordingly so that I wasn't facing him. My friend found it extremely frustrating trying to catch me, even though he could move faster. The little led that sits on the microphone is a fantastic way of letting you know if it is muted or not - with my old headset I would be talking for a while before noticing that nobody was responding, and I'd look down and see the red light was on. That was annoying, thankfully the Kave provides a blue led that's unobtrusive when on.
I put the headset through it's paces on other games. In Battlefield 4, I heard things that I never did before on my old headset - just a lot more detail in the sound, and though I'd had no complaints about my old headset, I really appreciated just what the Kave was doing for my gaming. Everything felt suitably bombastic in that game, the headphones vibrating ever so slightly whenever a grenade went off near me, or my helicopter was being shot at. I loaded up Napoleon - Total War, and the boom of cannons combined with the screams of dying men and the surging music was amazing. Playing Mount & Blade - Warband, I was more aware than ever when someone was coming up behind me. And again, when playing, I barely notice the headphones, sometimes completely forgetting that I'm wearing them at all. I am more immersed in gaming environments than ever before.
As others have written before, this is definitely a gaming headset and not really suited for music or films, but I tried both. Music did sound a little muddy at times, but it wasn't anything I had any problems with. Films were better - I played several films and had absolutely no problems with the sound, though the Kave didn't give me a reason to watch films while using it, other than to reduce noise for my flatmates. I couldn't discern much of a difference between the game and movie modes on the headset, though voices were perhaps a little clearer, which is what it is intended to do so I guess it is working as it is meant to.
No product is perfect and I do have some quibbles with the Kave... well, two. The first is that the microphone cable is bundled with all the others that come out of a small piece of plastic. They are all the same length and this was a problem for me - I am using onboard sound only and, predictably, have only three audio ports on the rear. The only microphone port on my case is on the front panel, and of course the cable does not reach. I had to use an extension cable and it did the microphone no favours, causing a whirring sound whenever I used the mouse. Not great. I have purchased a dedicated sound card to sort that out, but really would using a longer cable be too much to expect? Despite being a true 5.1 set Roccat should really account for those who only have and are perfectly happy with onboard sound.
My other complaint is with the control panel - it's a little heavy which means you are aware of it when putting the headset on, or standing up and taking it off. I leave it sitting on my lap when I use them, and it's fine, but I do tend to forget that it's rather far down on the cable - by design, and rightly so - and it often falls to the floor when I am taking the headset off and moving away from my desk. I guess I just have to get used to it.
I have no other complaints, and those that I do are more minor quibbles really. The headset is really well made, dressed in that lovely soft material that adorns Roccat mice, and it feels like it could take some real punishment. The microphone is removable and the ear pieces move in just the right way, as do the three pads on the top, meaning it will automatically adjust to fit any head. The sound out of them is incredible, and you will benefit from the advantages it brings while gaming - not so for music, but then these are not a set an audiophile would buy anyway. They are gaming-centric and they matter in every way they need to in that department.
I would only hesitate to approve them to someone if they had only onboard sound. Otherwise, yet another top notch product and a top notch job by Roccat!
| Brand | Roccat |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 34.04 x 25.4 x 13.46 cm; 997.9 Grams |
| Item model number | ROC-14-500 |
| Manufacturer | Roccat |
| Color | Black |
| Are Batteries Included | No |
| Lithium Battery Weight | 40 Grams |
| Item Weight | 998 g |
