So I’ve been testing out the Roccat Kave headset for about a month now. As a guy who has owned approximately $30 headsets all his life, I now realize that I have lived in total and complete darkness all my life. What I’m saying here is that the Roccat Kave is changing PC gaming for me in ways I didn’t know it could. Most of the headsets I’ve worn in my live have given head headaches after a few hours of use; the Kave has yet to achieve this. The adjustments are simple and the comfort is great.
The three games I’ve been playing with the Kave are BioShock Infinite, League of Legends, and Neverwinter: three very different games and genres. Hands down, the FPS nature of BioShock Infinite made the headset shine at its brightest. The Real 5.1 surround sound enhanced every gunshot, skyrail ride, and “Booker catch” that happened throughout the game. Through sound alone, it was like I had superhero hearing as far as the locations of my unfortunate foes were. Sure, the gameplay and story of Infinite are amazing, but I can attest that my experience was greatly enhanced by the Kave.
The only difference I noticed in League of Legends is the slight intricacies in character voices. The depth of the game’s voice acting became far clearer than what I’m used to.
My experience with Neverwinter has been on par with BioShock Infinite. Especially in group dynamics, the surround sound allows me to pinpoint where both danger and allies are located. The clash of battle becomes real in this Dungeon and Dragons-based game. In both these games, I’d always used voice chat via Skype. People could tell I was using a new microphone due to the improvement in my voice quality. Other players came in just as crisp.
A point I feel I absolutely feel like I need to make is that this headset comes with an attached remote. The ‘Tip’N’Control Desktop Remote’ allows you to fine tune your listening preferences. The hardware allows you to change the volume any time, mute yourself, and change sound options. So instead of needing to go to your desktop or audio options in game to change volume, you can just do it with either hand at any time. The Roccat Kave is easily the first headset I’ve ever used that any sort of remote function. Is this feature necessary? No. Do I use it? Absolutely.
On another little side note, the headset completely folds up for both storage and carrying ease. While this may sound like a silly little feature, I’ve definitely used it.
As someone who boasts about being a PC gamer, I’m amazed by my lack of audio hardware in the past. Only recently have I switched from speakers to headsets. The overall sound quality is so much more focused and direct. With the Roccat Kave, I feel like I miss nothing. My love affair with the Roccat Kave is nearing its one month anniversary and I can’t help but to recommend this headset to anymore. I no longer hear my roommate, ever.
If you’re a "technical specs" sort of joe, I’ve listed those below for you. Enjoy!
CENTER/FRONT/REAR DRIVER UNITS
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Max. SPL at 1KHz: |
114±3dB |
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Max. input power: |
100mW (30mW) |
|
Drive diameter front: |
40mm |
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Drive diameter rear: |
40mm |
VIBRATION DRIVER UNITS
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Frequency response: |
20~100Hz () |
|
Max. input power: |
1000mW |
|
Drive diameter: |
30mm |
MICROPHONE
|
Frequency response: |
20~18,000Hz |
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Sensitivity at 1KHz: |
-36dB |
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Directivity: |
omni-directional |
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Diameter: |
4×1.5mm |
SYSTEM
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Connection: |
4 X 3.5mm jack plug |
|
Impedance: |
32 Ohm |
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Cable length: |
3,4m total (2,0m Remote > PC) |
|
Between ear cups and remote: |
140cm |
