Hi Guys
Over the past two weeks I have been using the new Razer Tiamat 7.1 Gaming headset.
The Razer Tiamat was announced over a year ago and looked set to stir anticipation from day one with an impressive specification list boasting to be the worlds first true 7.1 headset.
Numerous phone calls to my Razer Rep later I was called to a meeting a few months back to discuss other matters and I was presented with an early production sample in mock retail packaging. I was impressed, a solid build quality and lightweight feel. Something that surprised me given that the pictures make out that the headset could be heavy. Not the case. The problem was, I was unable to test the headset on the spot so Razer have kindly provided me with a retail example to perform some testing on.
The Box:
Razer have never had subtle packaging. The Tiamat comes in a big robust back with a styled outer sleeve. The sleeve gives you all of the info you need and it has some very pretty pictures to entice the kids into wanting it.
The inner box is a nicely presented, subtle affair that reminds me of the box of the ironclad gaming surface. Razer certainly know how to present a product and the Tiamat is their flagship headset. I wasnt really expecting anything less.
The box folds out to show you a compartment with the actual headset inside and a separate compartment with the ear-cup covers and instruction manuals. All of this fits in the theme and is covered in dragons and loads of other cool stuff like that.
inside the box there is
Instructions + quick start guides
Headset with in line control box
Breakout cables to attach a surround sound speaker system
ear cup covers
Initial Setup:
The headset is easy to install. You plug it in and away you go. each jack has a coloured ring around it which corresponds to the jack point on your sound card. I must inform you, If you plan on buying this headset, you need a decent sound card to run it with. I am using an Asus D2X and it does the job well. Simply put, without a good 7.1 sound card, you will not get the best from this set.
Razer has provided a list of suggested 7.1 sound cards on their website CLICK HERE
The headset is also powered actively by a USB cable which needs to be plugged in in order for the set to work. This does not carry any data or audio and is simply for power only.
Some users have complained of a buzzing noise when idle. This buzzing comes from using a USB on the motherboard and is just grounding on the USB. Razer have acknowledged this issue on their FAQ HERE
I noticed this issue straight away and found an easy solution. I took an old iPhone mains charger and plugged a USB extension cable into it which I used to power the Tiamat. This totally eliminated the problem but in honesty was not something I would expect to have to do on a £150+ set.
The in-line control unit of the headset is simply superb. It is heavy and robust with a non slip bottom. This means that when on your desk, it doesn't move. The headset volumes can be individually adjusted using the control box. switching the dial between master volume, front, read, center etc. All other controls you need [7.1 on/off, mic mute, volume controls for all channels and audio mute] are on the control box meaning once you have your sound card set up, it stays that way and any other adjustments can be done on the fly. A simple tap of the volume knob on the control box mutes audio, a nice touch in my opinion.
Sturdiness:
The headset is quite robust, build quality is high with the overall finish being the usual high quality feel you would expect from a high end Razer product. The headband is comfortable and the unit is lightweight considering the components inside it. Most surround headsets I have used have been quite weighty and become tiresome after long gaming sessions. I haven't tried throwing them down the stairs or running over them with a truck but I would go as far to say that I cant see any noticeable weak points on the set that could cause issues for potential buyers.
Sound Quality:
I started off with fairly standard settings using the headset and in honesty. I was underwhelmed. I had to seriously fiddle to get the sound quality how I wanted it to be. eventually settling using an EQ setting on the sound card drivers of 'soft rock' this gave the sound a much more vibrant quality and made music sound far better. Movies also benefited from this too. I watched a few sections of 'Transporter 3 on BluRay as it is the only title I had with 7.1 support. Using the control box to turn surround off and on, the difference is quite noticeable.
Music:
Music on the Tiamat sounds good. The key point that I want to highlight is this. The bass on this headset is amongst the BEST I have ever heard. I like bass to sound deep and booming but without the overwhelming thud you experience from some lower priced sets.
Having set the volume of the 'subwoofer' down slightly on the headset, audio clarity was great whilst retaining a pleasing thud when bass was strong on a track. There was no interference with any track after resolving the buzz/hiss of the USB issue. This made listening to audio on the Tiamats quite an enjoyable experience. Whilst I regard other headsets as being superior for listening to music, the Tiamat does a superb job with audio output.
Gaming:
This is where things get interesting. Playing my usual haunts on Battlefield 3 is like a whole new experience. With the sound cranked up, Guns feel alive with the sound of reloading clips and gunfire being positioned beautifully. I had a superb few games and felt that the surround sound positioning is in fact the best I have used. Normally I use a stereo set [Steelseries Siberia V2] so whenever I use a surround sound set, the difference is massive. What I noticed was the increased effect of echo in confined spaces. This made the audio sound much more believable and realistic. Other titles such as Max Payne 3 and Dirt Showdown showed similar traits. Whist neither title is anywhere near BF3 when it comes to sound quality, they still sound great on the Tiamat.
Source Engine games with this headset are on a whole new level. Native 7.1 in Left4Dead 2 and CS:GO is really a treat and there is not enough praise I could give to this headset for how well it handles them. The only gripe I have is that it doesn't do it on most games.
My main issue is that when you have an ultra high end sound set-up like this, it really highlights games with slap dash audio.
Extended Use and Comfort:
Most surround headsets I have used have been quite weighty and become tiresome after long gaming sessions. To me, a headset has to be comfortable. It could have the best sound quality in the world but if it hurts your head after an hour, it simply isn't worth considering. The padded cups on the Tiamat are comfortable and sit nicely around the ear. The quality of the head band is good and the adjustable section of it works similarly to the Siberia by stretching to fit your head when you put them on rather than clicking into position, I personally prefer this myself as it means you don't need to adjust the headset ever if someone else tries them on.
In Summary:
The Tiamat has lived up to my expectations. When a company announces an exciting product like this that could potentially be a game changer on the market, I tend to look at it from two perspectives. As a hardware enthusiast and keen gamer, I love it when something innovative gets launched that could actually benefit me. As a product manager and buyer for OcUK, I love seeing my key brands pushing boundaries and giving customer something that is genuinely useful.
The Tiamat has the option of looking gamer and cool with the clear ear cups showing the drivers off, but on the flipside, it gives you the option to cover it up and look stealth with the matte black magnetic covers if you prefer a more subtle looking headset.
Sound quality is amongst the top two or three in the market and there is simply not another headset available with a better in-line control.
The only downside of the Tiamat in my opinion was having to fix the buzzing noise but the fix wasn't exactly a big issue.
For anyone considering a surround sound headset, They literally have a choice between this and the PC360 at the ultra high end.
I would give the Tiamats 9/10 based on its overall performance and 9/10 for its gaming performance.
Pros
Cons
You can order the Tiamats Right now on OcUK. Stock is limited currently with next allocation due to land 26th June 2012 and we are the EXCLUSIVE UK SUPPLIER of the headset until the end of June 2012.
Razer Tiamat Elite 7.1 Surround Sound Analog Gaming Headset **UK EXCLUSIVE** @ £159.98 inc VAT
Only £159.98 inc VAT.
ORDER NOW
Over the past two weeks I have been using the new Razer Tiamat 7.1 Gaming headset.
The Razer Tiamat was announced over a year ago and looked set to stir anticipation from day one with an impressive specification list boasting to be the worlds first true 7.1 headset.
Numerous phone calls to my Razer Rep later I was called to a meeting a few months back to discuss other matters and I was presented with an early production sample in mock retail packaging. I was impressed, a solid build quality and lightweight feel. Something that surprised me given that the pictures make out that the headset could be heavy. Not the case. The problem was, I was unable to test the headset on the spot so Razer have kindly provided me with a retail example to perform some testing on.
The Box:
Razer have never had subtle packaging. The Tiamat comes in a big robust back with a styled outer sleeve. The sleeve gives you all of the info you need and it has some very pretty pictures to entice the kids into wanting it.
The inner box is a nicely presented, subtle affair that reminds me of the box of the ironclad gaming surface. Razer certainly know how to present a product and the Tiamat is their flagship headset. I wasnt really expecting anything less.
The box folds out to show you a compartment with the actual headset inside and a separate compartment with the ear-cup covers and instruction manuals. All of this fits in the theme and is covered in dragons and loads of other cool stuff like that.
inside the box there is
Instructions + quick start guides
Headset with in line control box
Breakout cables to attach a surround sound speaker system
ear cup covers
Initial Setup:
The headset is easy to install. You plug it in and away you go. each jack has a coloured ring around it which corresponds to the jack point on your sound card. I must inform you, If you plan on buying this headset, you need a decent sound card to run it with. I am using an Asus D2X and it does the job well. Simply put, without a good 7.1 sound card, you will not get the best from this set.
Razer has provided a list of suggested 7.1 sound cards on their website CLICK HERE
The headset is also powered actively by a USB cable which needs to be plugged in in order for the set to work. This does not carry any data or audio and is simply for power only.
Some users have complained of a buzzing noise when idle. This buzzing comes from using a USB on the motherboard and is just grounding on the USB. Razer have acknowledged this issue on their FAQ HERE
I noticed this issue straight away and found an easy solution. I took an old iPhone mains charger and plugged a USB extension cable into it which I used to power the Tiamat. This totally eliminated the problem but in honesty was not something I would expect to have to do on a £150+ set.
The in-line control unit of the headset is simply superb. It is heavy and robust with a non slip bottom. This means that when on your desk, it doesn't move. The headset volumes can be individually adjusted using the control box. switching the dial between master volume, front, read, center etc. All other controls you need [7.1 on/off, mic mute, volume controls for all channels and audio mute] are on the control box meaning once you have your sound card set up, it stays that way and any other adjustments can be done on the fly. A simple tap of the volume knob on the control box mutes audio, a nice touch in my opinion.
Sturdiness:
The headset is quite robust, build quality is high with the overall finish being the usual high quality feel you would expect from a high end Razer product. The headband is comfortable and the unit is lightweight considering the components inside it. Most surround headsets I have used have been quite weighty and become tiresome after long gaming sessions. I haven't tried throwing them down the stairs or running over them with a truck but I would go as far to say that I cant see any noticeable weak points on the set that could cause issues for potential buyers.
Sound Quality:
I started off with fairly standard settings using the headset and in honesty. I was underwhelmed. I had to seriously fiddle to get the sound quality how I wanted it to be. eventually settling using an EQ setting on the sound card drivers of 'soft rock' this gave the sound a much more vibrant quality and made music sound far better. Movies also benefited from this too. I watched a few sections of 'Transporter 3 on BluRay as it is the only title I had with 7.1 support. Using the control box to turn surround off and on, the difference is quite noticeable.
Music:
Music on the Tiamat sounds good. The key point that I want to highlight is this. The bass on this headset is amongst the BEST I have ever heard. I like bass to sound deep and booming but without the overwhelming thud you experience from some lower priced sets.
Having set the volume of the 'subwoofer' down slightly on the headset, audio clarity was great whilst retaining a pleasing thud when bass was strong on a track. There was no interference with any track after resolving the buzz/hiss of the USB issue. This made listening to audio on the Tiamats quite an enjoyable experience. Whilst I regard other headsets as being superior for listening to music, the Tiamat does a superb job with audio output.
Gaming:
This is where things get interesting. Playing my usual haunts on Battlefield 3 is like a whole new experience. With the sound cranked up, Guns feel alive with the sound of reloading clips and gunfire being positioned beautifully. I had a superb few games and felt that the surround sound positioning is in fact the best I have used. Normally I use a stereo set [Steelseries Siberia V2] so whenever I use a surround sound set, the difference is massive. What I noticed was the increased effect of echo in confined spaces. This made the audio sound much more believable and realistic. Other titles such as Max Payne 3 and Dirt Showdown showed similar traits. Whist neither title is anywhere near BF3 when it comes to sound quality, they still sound great on the Tiamat.
Source Engine games with this headset are on a whole new level. Native 7.1 in Left4Dead 2 and CS:GO is really a treat and there is not enough praise I could give to this headset for how well it handles them. The only gripe I have is that it doesn't do it on most games.
My main issue is that when you have an ultra high end sound set-up like this, it really highlights games with slap dash audio.
Extended Use and Comfort:
Most surround headsets I have used have been quite weighty and become tiresome after long gaming sessions. To me, a headset has to be comfortable. It could have the best sound quality in the world but if it hurts your head after an hour, it simply isn't worth considering. The padded cups on the Tiamat are comfortable and sit nicely around the ear. The quality of the head band is good and the adjustable section of it works similarly to the Siberia by stretching to fit your head when you put them on rather than clicking into position, I personally prefer this myself as it means you don't need to adjust the headset ever if someone else tries them on.
In Summary:
The Tiamat has lived up to my expectations. When a company announces an exciting product like this that could potentially be a game changer on the market, I tend to look at it from two perspectives. As a hardware enthusiast and keen gamer, I love it when something innovative gets launched that could actually benefit me. As a product manager and buyer for OcUK, I love seeing my key brands pushing boundaries and giving customer something that is genuinely useful.
The Tiamat has the option of looking gamer and cool with the clear ear cups showing the drivers off, but on the flipside, it gives you the option to cover it up and look stealth with the matte black magnetic covers if you prefer a more subtle looking headset.
Sound quality is amongst the top two or three in the market and there is simply not another headset available with a better in-line control.
The only downside of the Tiamat in my opinion was having to fix the buzzing noise but the fix wasn't exactly a big issue.
For anyone considering a surround sound headset, They literally have a choice between this and the PC360 at the ultra high end.
I would give the Tiamats 9/10 based on its overall performance and 9/10 for its gaming performance.
Pros
- Epic Bass and Gaming audio
- Most impressive surround sound I have heard on any gaming headset.
- Individual drivers are actually clear and there is a real advantage over simulated surround sound.
- in line control is genuinely useful and well presented.
- They are well priced compared to other sets in its class.
Cons
- USB Buzzing issue was annoying even though the workaround is fairly simple.
- I don't personally like the light up logos on the side of the ear cups but that's more of an individual preference.
- mic quality is poorer than other high end offerings that I have used.
You can order the Tiamats Right now on OcUK. Stock is limited currently with next allocation due to land 26th June 2012 and we are the EXCLUSIVE UK SUPPLIER of the headset until the end of June 2012.
Razer Tiamat Elite 7.1 Surround Sound Analog Gaming Headset **UK EXCLUSIVE** @ £159.98 inc VAT
Only £159.98 inc VAT.
ORDER NOW
