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ROCCAT NOZ Gaming HeadsetRoccat Noz is a gaming headset without any fuzz. It's not USB, there is no RGB light or any other fancy modern features. It has sound and only sound.
Let's see a little introduction to Roccat Noz.
What's in the box. Roccat Noz comes in a nice box with great illustrations on the outside. Specifications and features are listed around the box.
Inside the box we find the headset itself, the detachable microphone and the cable with a splitter mounted. Then you can also use the headset with your mobile phone or tablet if you need to hear music on the way to the LAN party. There is also a user manual in the box.
The technical specifications. As you can read, the cable is 2.45m long. it's great with a long cable for the headset so you can have your computer on the floor and still use the headset without any problems. The frequency range is 10Hz - 20kHz which is as it should be and the speakers are 50mm in diameter, which is also good. Microphone:
Speakers:
In general:
Let's take a look at the headset. Roccat has chosen to build the headset in some well known materials. There is steel in the headband and it is built in solid plastic.
The ear cushion is in memory foam covered with fabric, which is great to wear. However, it is not as noise-canceling as you would expect when it is a closed headset. The hole for the ear isn't huge and I actually think it's a little too small for an adult ear. However, it is perfect for the young user.
On the left ear cup there is the connector for the microphone. It is shaped so that it cannot rotate, which fixates the microphone. It is a good thing. The microphone is easy to install.
The included microphone is a thin swan neck microphone that can be easily adjusted and bent into place. It has a suitable length so that it reaches in front of the mouth, but at the same time is short enough for you to drink something while playing. The microphone is easily unplugged and can be stored away if you do not need it.
On the back of the left ear cup we find a volume control and a mute button for the microphone. It is great that it is built into the headset, and not on a remote control down the cable. Then you always know where it is and you should not sit and look for the cable to turn off the microphone or turn up and down the volume.
On the headband, a Roccat logo is stamped into the rubber. There is no leather in this headset, everything is plastic and fabric. But it looks pretty nice though.
The splitter that comes with the headset seems to be of good quality. The connectors are marked with small pictograms, so you can see which connectors should be connected where. It's easy and convenient.
Let me describe the use of the headset. I have been listening to the headset for the past week, and got a pretty good impression of it. It has been used to listen to a lot of music, and to gaming as well as conversation over the web. The comfort: The headset sits well on the head and it has a tight fit, despite that the low weight means that it does not seem stressful even after prolonged use. The ear pads are soft and comfortable, and the foam is softened by the heat, so it adapts to the shape of the head. The ear pads themselves are covered with fabric, which unfortunately allows a lot of noise from the room to come in and disturb. I'm more into leather pads, which shut off the sound. After all, it's a closed headset. The head cushion is also covered with fabric, and very comfortable. It is soft enough so that you do not feel the headset even after long use. It is certainly an advantage for the gamer who sit for many hours fighting on the battlefield.
The sound: I'm not very impressed with the sound in the headset. I think there's a bit of a lack of sound, especially when gaming. The headset is pretty good for music, it may sound a bit 'barrel-like', but it's not too much, and I've certainly heard worse headsets than this. There is good depth in the bass, and the treble and details are ok. It doesn't seem like the shell in the headset itself is insulated, giving that special barrel sound. It's a bit of a shame, because the speakers themselves seem to play fine. The lack of insulation also causes some sound to disappear in the details, which is very important especially in gaming. For example, if you play Counter Strike, you should be able to hear even the smallest sound, as it can mean life or death. I don't think that is very convincing, and there is a lack of firmness in the sound.
The microphone. I did a little sound test of the microphone to give you an impression of how well it records with and without noise in the background As you can hear, it records the sound quite nicely, even if there is a little noise in the room you are in. The microphone is shielded fairly well for the outside world, which is quite important when you are at a LAN party, or if you sit in room with other people.
What is the conclusion then. I'm a bit torn on this headset as it is exactly the kind of headset I like best, but performance is not top notch in my opinion. The headset is intended for gaming, but the ear pads allow a lot of noise from the surroundings. It's a disruptive element you want to be without as a gamer., The sound in the headset is also not the best I have heard, as it seems that the ear cups lack isolation. So there is some reverberation that you would otherwise have dampened with the insulation. The speakers otherwise play really well, but the small details disappear into the reverberation, which is really a shame. Roccat Noz is not built for big ears. I have some big adult ears, and had some trouble keeping the ears within the ear pads. It's a bit of a shame, but as long as you know it, it is not a problem. The microphone, on the other hand, is quite nice. It captures the sound well, also cancels the noise in the background, which is good for LAN party or if you are playing in rooms with others who might be doing something else. The pricing: You can buy Roccat Noz for around DKK 500 at the time of writing. I personally think it is just over the top, as you do not get the sound quality you expect when buying a gaming headset. It should cost 1-200Kr less if it stood to me, then price and quality had been paired well to each other. Total assessment: When buying a gaming headset, you expect a crisp detailed sound with a good bottom. Unfortunately, this is not possible with Roccat Noz. Beyond that, it might cost a little bit too much compared to performance, which means I can't give the headset more than a Bronze rating. It is the most basic thing that is wrong, namely the sound. Read more about Roccat Noz here:
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