For my birthday in October, last year, I received the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition as a present. Naturally, I thought I had to give them a try and then write about my experience with them :). As I often spend hours in front of my PC and I live in a shared house, I need headphones whenever I use the PC – especially when I chat with clients or family members. Therefore, I needed headphones that are comfortable, reliable, well-built and most importantly have outstanding sound quality.
I have had a headset from Razer before. The most recent one was the basic Razer Kraken headset which lasted two years until the cushioning of the earpieces fell off. What makes this pair different is that it is obviously a newer and upgraded version. It comes with a separate audio controller that you can mount anywhere, using its adhesive. This controller lets you control the THX Spatial Audio – more to this later.
Build Quality of the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition
If you have ever used a headset made my Razer, then you will know that the quality is usually very good. I did not expect anything less. The headset is mainly made from plastic and light-weight aluminum. It sports large custom-tuned 50 mm drivers, which provide good sound quality and an ergonomic design. It has a unique retractable microphone, a padded headband and ear cushions.
According to the description, the ear cushions have a cooling gel-infused cover that reduces the heat around your ears. I have to say they are more comfortable than the previous ones, but I am not so sure about the cooling effect. It seems to work for a little while, but then it gradually gets warm as the gel takes on the body temperature.
The THX Spatial Audio and the USB audio controller
I will not go into too much detail here, if you would like to know more about these features please visit the Razer Site. I will provide an overview of the basics and how I have used them. The THX Spatial Audio is supposed to offer an increased immersion and provide easier control of both volume and bass levels. In addition, you have the possibility to configure the game/chat balance.
It does all the above and that is exactly what I use it for. It is an easier way to control the volume and I also use it to switch the microphone on and off – nothing more. You still have a smaller sound control feature closer to the headset which you can use as well.
In regards to the THX Spatial Audio, I have to say the sound is much better and clearer than any headset before. While playing PVP in Ghost Recon Wildlands, you can hear exactly where an enemy is coming from e.g. the footsteps. This is a huge advantage and gives you an edge during a tournament. To be honest the headset seems to provide pretty good sound right out of the box and I barely switch on the THX. It is important to mention that you need to adjust/calibrate the THX feature (sound) via the “Razer Central” app. I have seen mixed opinions on this feature, but I would say it works well.
Overall Experience with the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition
The Razer Kraken Tournament Edition has all the usual features you would expect from a good headset such as a 3.5 mm audio jack, good microphone, ergonomic design, custom-tuned 50 mm Drivers, comfortable ear and headband padding. This all combined along with great sound delivers a fantastic and affordable headset. For around 100 Euros you cannot go wrong with the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition. I have used it for several months now and I have had no issues and I have to point out that it is very comfortable even when using it over an extended period of time. This is as crucial as good sound when it comes to headsets.
Overall I would recommend the headset as it is difficult to find such good quality for this price. If you have any questions or need some advice please do not hesitate and contact me via here.
Pros
- Affordable
- Great build quality
- Great Sound
- Separate audio controller
Cons
- None of yet 🙂
