Roccat Kave XTD True 5.1 PC Gaming Headset Review

Final Thoughts

Price

All this performance comes with a mighty price tag, with many major retailers selling the Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 for around £150 here in the UK. Overclockers.co.uk have stock for £129.99 at the moment, which is certainly better than the RRP. I’m not even going to humour that this is good value for money, this is a premium product with a premium price tag. Of course if you’re looking uncompromising performance and build quality, then the price is justified. Customers in the US get a better deal from Amazon.com who sell the headset for $169.99 (roughly £100 after conversion).

Overview

There is a lot to love about the Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 headset, actually that’s somewhat of an understatement, there is a huge amount of stuff to love about this headset and only a few minor things that would sway me from a purchase. Firstly, I love that this headset features plenty of connectivity options such as Bluetooth, 5.1 surround sound line-out capabilities and a high quality USB soundcard, but I don’t like that it is completely hard-wired. I would have preferred the headset to be on a standard 3.5mm jack that connects to the sound card/desktop unit, whilst also having the base unit connect to my PC via a removable micro USB cable. The cables are of very good quality, but their hard-wired nature means they’re virtually impossible for most people to replace should any damage occur.

I love the fact that the microphone is one of the best I’ve ever used, if not the best microphone I’ve ever used on a headset. It folds up out of the way when you don’t need it and can be removed should you want it completely out of the way, giving you the best of both worlds, perfect for those who just prefer to use the Kave as headphones.

Really though, I’m clutching at straws for things I don’t like, there is literally nothing wrong with this headset and the two issues above are really just things I would have liked to see included. The overall feature set and build quality on the Kave XTD is second to none, the sound quality is some of the best in the business and the sheer level of bass they can generate is unlike anything else I’ve ever heard in terms of headsets.

The surround sound quality is something that really has to be heard to be believed, there is a room filling quality that you don’t often find in a headset. The drivers are angled to provide a better sound and the end result is that it doesn’t sound like you have several speakers right next to your ear, but more natural like a larger surround sound system.

Gaming, watching movies, listening to music, chatting on Skype, in-game chat and anything else you can throw at the Kave XTD is a pleasant experience, not only because of the sound quality, but also because the headset is very comfortable, even after sessions. The price tag may be high, but it doesn’t take long to discover that the investment is worth every penny. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to put the headset on and watch the entire Lord of the Rings Blu-ray boxset.

“Roccat has long been one of the best peripheral manufacturers in the business and the quality and feature set provided by the Kave XTD is a prime example of why. I loved the original Kave 5.1 headset, but the XTD really fine tunes what was already one of the best headsets on the market”

Pros

• True 5.1 surround sound
• Powerful bass
• Easy to use software
• Plug and play ready
• Built in sound card with 5.1 line-out
• Bluetooth connectivity for smartphones
• Noise cancelling technology
• Crystal clear and powerful microphone
• Comfortable fit

Cons

• Hard wired design restricts replacing damaged cables
• High price tag may put off those not familiar with the brand

Thank you Roccat for providing us with this sample.