9 December 2009
By: Traian Teglet, Hardware Editor
Roccat Kave 5.1 Surround Sound Headset Review
Sound quality to dominate your opponents
The gaming industry has been a real catalyst for the computer peripheral industry, which has recently spawn a number of interesting products. Such is the case with one of the younger companies in this field, namely Roccat, which has noticeably extended its portfolio since we last had a chance to test one of its products. If you take a look at the company's website, you'll notice that the outfit is now ready to provide you with an extended offer of gaming mice, keyboards, gaming audio peripherals and other gaming-focused products. With that it mind, we can certainly say that Roccat is ready to seriously compete with some of the more established players, such as Logitech or Razer. On that note, we have recently been granted the chance to play a while with one of its latest products, one that was launched back in late November, this year. We are talking about the Roccat Kave, a 5.1 Surround Sound headset that has been specifically designed for gamers and multimedia enthusiasts looking for a high-quality audio solution for their powerful computer systems. Unlike most gaming headsets that were previously outed on the market, the new Roccat Kave does provide users with a number of interesting features. We will be detailing these features later on in our review, but for the time being, we would like to talk a little about our first, hands-on experience with the headset. As you will see from the pictures in the gallery, this headset is rather large, compared to other solutions currently on the market. The overall design of the new Roccat audio solution is enabled by the pairing of 40mm speakers with two vibration units, which basically makes this headset relatively large and somewhat heavy.
Roccat Kave gaming headset Softpedia
Nevertheless, after a bit of getting used to them, you will find yourself in front of a command panel that will let you tweak various settings that will enable you to enjoy a better audio experience in both gaming and multimedia applications. This is one of the cool things you'll notice about the Kave, as a feature that sets it apart from competitive products. But that's not all, especially if you are into all the geeky stuff and cool design. All and all, we were quite anxious to put the Kave through its paces, going from gaming to music and movies, on the preset configuration or manual settings. Now, without further ado, we shall get into the specifications of the unit and our experience with Roccat's gaming gear.
[[BREAK=Design and Technical Specifications]] Manufacturer's technical specifications
CENTER/FRONT/REAR DRIVER UNITS
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Frequency response: 20~20,000Hz Max. SPL at 1KHz: 114±3dB Max. input power: 100mW (30mW) Drive diameter front: 40mm Drive diameter rear: 40mm VIBRATION DRIVER UNITS Frequency response: 20~100Hz Max. input power: 1000mW Drive diameter: 30mm MICROPHONE Frequency response: 20~18,000Hz Sensitivity at 1KHz: -36dB Impedance: 2.2KOhm +15% Directivity: omni-directional Diameter: 4x1.5mm SYSTEM 5.1 Headset Connection: 4 X 3.5mm jack plug Input impedance: 10KOhm Cable length: 3,4m total (2,0m Remote > PC) Between ear cups and remote 140cm Between remote and splitter 180cm Between splitter and PC 20cm. Now, aside from all the numbers and figures, the Roccat Kave does provide users with a number of noticeable features. For starters, you'll notice the three pads that have been built on the headband, specifically to enable a more comfortable placement of the Kave headset. In addition, you will probably also like the illuminated parts of the KAVE, including the microphone with its Mute LED, which is a nice feature, as it will tell you when the microphone is on or off.
Despite its size, the Roccat Kave offers a considerable level of comfort, after a small adjustment period. The headset is rather large, but that provides you with a high-quality audio experience that isn't disturbed by external noise. The ear cups will sit nicely on your head and, from our experience, the headset is quite comfortable, even after prolonged use. The adjustment scale system of the headset is rather easy to use, but we can't actually tell whether that will remain the same, after a number of LAN parties.
One of the things that you'll play with, for a while, is the TIP'N'CONTROL desktop remote. This essentially allows you to control the volume of the center, front and rear, in addition to over-all volume. The remote control also offers access to the gaming and movie sound profiles. The end-user has a choice to easily switch between the two, depending on the application they'll be using. In addition, the remote control enables the user to mute or turn

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on the microphone, with a simple press of a button.
We should also note the fact that the microphone is detachable, so if you have no real use for it, you can easily unplug it and just enjoy the audio quality delivered by the large ear cups. [[BREAK=Real-Life Performance]] Before going into all the details, I have to admit I was looking forward to testing a couple of gaming headsets, especially since my old Fatal1ty HS-1000 died on me, for reasons I shall not mention here. I was already familiar with one of the company's Kone gaming mouse we tested a while back, which only left me anticipating for a gaming-ready performance from the Kave headset. Now, unlike your regular gaming headset, Roccat's Kave comes with quite a few connectors, including a USB connector, designed to power the aforementioned TIP'N'CONTROL remote. The headset can easily be set up and doesn't require any additional software installation, as every setting is hardware configurable. As mentioned before, the ear cups fit nicely and comfortably on the user's head, considerably reducing the outside noise by covering the entire ear.
As they are a part of a gaming portfolio, there was no other way of testing the Roccat Kave but by getting into some gaming applications and putting them to good use. Obviously, as it is with a number of other peripherals, testing the Roccat Kave is rather difficult, as there's no way of getting an objective score from a benchmark, leaving results pretty much at the subjective opinion of the editor. On that matter, we can say that we have some experience with a number of different headsets, from various vendors, so were able to make a rather decent opinion. [IMG=21] One of the best games launched by world-renowned Valve Corporation is undoubtedly Counter-Strike, a multiplayer first-person shooter that is currently regarded as one of the most played titles in the industry. As fans of the series would recognize, having the right gaming gear can help a player improve their skills over their opponent. Sound is one of the key elements in this game, as a user can approximate the location of their opponent, even if the opponent isn't in clear sight. We can't pride ourselves on being the best players at this game, but we can definitely say that using the Roccat Kave helps us estimate the location of some of the opponents and, at times, even managing to score some frags. [IMG=22][IMG=23][IMG=24][IMG=25] Another game that makes excellent use of its audio features is Race drive: GRID developed by Codemasters. A bit of running around the track with a fast and powerful car will become a much more enjoyable experience when using Kave. With nothing but the in-game music and the car's powerful engine playing in your ear, you feel like you're on the track, racing for the number one spot. Running the risk of being too overjoyed with our experience with the Kave, we can definitely say that the gaming experience changes when using the Kave in an application that can provide a good sound quality.

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Aside from gaming, we also went through some music files and a few samples for testing the bass performance of an audio system. After going through these files, we can definitely say that the Kave performed admirably and provided us with a good sound quality. [[BREAK=Conclusions]] The good We can definitely say that it would be a pleasure to have the Roccat Kave on our side, when trying to improve our gaming experience. Sound quality is excellent and the built-in features are right there to make your gaming experience more enjoyable. We like the fact that we can control the audio volume and be visually notified when the microphone is turned on or off. The headset's cable has just the right length, allowing you to couple the Kave with an integrated audio card, or an external card, for optimum audio performance. The bad There are only a few things we had mixed feelings about when playing with Roccat's Kave. The fact that the earcups are a bit larger than what you would normally enjoy on a gaming headset might raise some problems after extensive use. It would have been nice if the Kave had been bundled with an application that would remember various settings for different game titles or applications, but that is a commodity that you won't necessarily require. Overall impressions To sum it all up, we really enjoyed having the Kave in our labs and putting it through its paces. Basically, if you are a gamer looking for a headset that would help with your gaming skills, improve your record and help you win competitions, Roccat's Kave is certainly a choice worth taking into consideration. You might not find it as portable or lightweight as some other solutions on the market, but the effort of holding them on your head, during a long LAN party isn't really that noticeable. As far as the price is concerned, the Kave is available in the US for about $134, which might be a bit steep, but, then again, affordable, good quality gaming gear is hard to find. [IMG=26][IMG=27] Sales package ROCCAT Kave - Solid 5.1 Gaming Headset Tip'n'Control Desktop Remote Inari Case Mission Book with ROCCAT ID Card Quick Installation Guide / User Manual (PDF) 5.1 Surround Sound Demo CD.
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ROCCAT STUDIOS V3.0 - PRODUCTS Gaming Sound ROCCAT Kave

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REAL 5.1 SURROUND SOUND with speakers aligned at a 12 angle MICROPHONE WITH MUTE LED fully rotatable and completely removable TIPNCONTROL DESKTOP REMOTE for central management of all volume functions DUAL SOUND-PROFILE with movie and game settings SOLID ALUMINIUM HINGES enabling heavy duty use ESPECIALLY COMFORTABLE EARCUPS featuring external noise cancelling, hand-sewn ADJUSTABLE VIBRATION UNIT for a realistic gaming experience HEADBAND WITH THREE PADS for equal weight distribution EASY TO CARRY folding and compact design TIPNCONTROL DESKTOP REMOTE Central management of all volume functions

Technical Specification

CENTER/FRONT/REAR DRIVER UNITS Frequency response: Max. SPL at 1KHz: Max. input power: Drive diameter front: Drive diameter rear: VIBRATION DRIVER UNITS Frequency response: Max. input power: Drive diameter: MICROPHONE Frequency response: Sensitivity at 1KHz: Impedance: Directivity: Diameter: SYSTEM 5.1 Headset Connection: Input impedance: Cable length: Between ear cups and remote Between remote and splitter 4 X 3.5mm jack plug 10KOhm 3,4m total (2,0m Remote > PC) 140cm 180cm 20~18,000Hz -36dB 2.2KOhm +15% omni-directional 4x1.5mm EASY TO CARRY Folding and compact design 20~100Hz () 1000mW 30mm 20~20,000Hz 1143dB 100mW (30mW) 40mm 40mm ESPECIALLY COMFORTABLE EARCUPS Featuring external noise cancelling, handsewn
http://www.roccat.org/Products/Gaming-Sound/ROCCAT-Kave/

29/06/2010

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Between splitter and PC

Further Information
System Requirements 5.1 Soundcard for surround sound playback (or Stereo Soundcard for stereo sound playback) Free USB Port (500 mA) for power supply Package Contains ROCCAT Kave Solid 5.1 Gaming Headset TipnControl Desktop Remote Inari Case Mission Book with ROCCAT ID Card Quick Installation Guide / User Manual (PDF) 5.1 Surround Sound Demo CD Documentation in EN, DE, FR, ES, IT, PL, RU, TR, DK, FIN, SV Art.-No.: ROC-14-500 HEADBAND WITH THREE PADS Equal weight distribution to perfectly fit your head

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