Rosewill RHTS-8206 Review

Looking for a 5.1 surround gaming headset? The affordable RHTS-8206 from Rosewill is vying for your attention so read on to find our verdict.

Product on Review: Rosewill RHTS-8206
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Rosewill
Street Price: $60 USD (At time of Review)

Our Third outing with Rosewill lands us with a curious, affordable USB 5.1 surround sound headset. Surround sound gaming headsets have become abundant over the past few years and the divide between those who swear by stereo headphones and those who enjoy the 5.1 and 7.1 headsets has separated like South America and Africa and forum discussions often end up walking down the stereo vs surround path. Disputes aside, the call for surround sound headsets is there and Rosewill responded. Coming in with a minimalistic design, a total of 6 speakers and 2 subwoofers, a vibration function all powered by the CM6206-LX chipset which also gives support for a virtual 7.1 mode, one could say that there is a lot being offered for the price.

About Rosewill

Not long ago we had an idea bring quality hardware and affordable prices together. From that idea Rosewill was born. Formed from a top team of hardware professionals, Rosewill is dedicated to our mission to compete and win on price, quality, and service. We work only with the best partners – businesses we know and businesses we trust.

Our vision is to become the leading brand in computer hardware and peripherals. We aim to achieve this goal by creating superior customer satisfaction. We view our customers as our most important assets. Through our integrity, our innovative products, and our excellent customer service, we aim to create lasting customer relationships.

Specification & Features

Model: RHTS-8206
Chipset: CM6206-LX

Headphone Frequency Response
20Hz-20KHz (Front Driver)
20Hz-20KHz (Center Driver)
20Hz-20KHz (Rear Driver)
30Hz-150KHz (Subwoofer)

Headphone Input Impedance
64O ±15%(Front Driver)
32O±15%(Center Driver)
32O±10%(Rear Driver)
8O±15%(Subwoofer)

Headphone Sensitivity
88dB±3dB(Front Driver)
88dB±3dB(Center Driver)
117dB±3dB(Rear Driver)
89dB±3dB(Subwoofer)

Connector: USB
Ear Coupling: Circumaural
Cord Length: 6.6 ft.
Weight: 0.99 lbs.

Microphone Impedance: 2.2 KO
Microphone Frequency Response: 30Hz-16KHz
Microphone Sensitivity: -56dB±2dB

Package Contents
RHTS-8206 Headset
Driver CD
User manual

Warranty: 1 Year

Features
– 5.1 surround sound with vibration, 8 precise speakers
– Driver CD enhance to Virtual 7.1 Digital surround sound headset delivers explosive bass, impressive precise rich & clear treble sound for realistic audio environments.
– Large 40mm Nd-Fe-B magnetic driver delivers deep bass, smooth undistorted highs, and crystal clear vocals
– Soft ear-pad cushions for extreme comfort
– Ergonomic design with 90 degree fold flat ear cup for easy storage
– Flexible bloom: allows microphone position adjustment
– Excellent uni-directional microphone: reduces background noise for clear conversation Light-weighted design for wear comfort
– Detachable, noise-canceling microphone
– 6.6 Feet cable with inline volume/microphone controller
– Digital enhance USB audio for premium sound quality
– Supports window XP / Vista / 7 / 8

Packaging & Accessories

Packaging front

Packaging doesn’t really strike up the gamer look, more of a digital audio equaliser look with window cut outs showing off the ear cups and the inline remote. In small print we can see a list of features and at the bottom there is some text which identifies the product as a 5.1 gaming headset.

packaging rear

Multilingual specifications, nothing too exciting going on here.

Bundled accessories

Included in the box we can find the quickstart guide and driver CD.

Removable boom mic

Removable microphones are becoming fairly common, this is likely because fixed adjustable mics tended to break through general storage.

Closer Look

Mic port is located on the left ear cup

The first thing we notice about this headset is that the ear cups are circular. The headband and frame looks identical to what can be found on other headsets such as the Speedlink Medusa range which should provide decent comfort and squeeze though the durability is questionable for long term use.

Circular ear cups

The ear padding seems soft and squishy but due to being rounded, space for larger ears may be restricted, they measure 50mm in diameter (foam to foam) with a little wiggle room behind. The frame allows for a lot of movement in the ear cups, good for flexibility, bad for durability.

Plastic adjustable straps

Together with mic

The overall impression of this headset is quite stylish and makes a change from some over the top gaming headsets.

Red rings and the Rosewill logo

The ear cups themselves are backed by a glossy black plastic with the only accentuated features being the red rings and the Rosewill logo.

Due to the frame this headset can be folded for easy storage

some like their headsets to fold to fit in a carry case, alas this set is not supplied with one.

The inline control box

Three blue LEDs, one to sign that the mic has been muted, one for when vibration is turned on and the other is power. We have volume up/down buttons, sound mute and mic mute with a switch for vibration on the right hand side, vibration has 2 settings, a lighter and stronger vibration numbered 1 and 2.

Software and Performance Testing

Software
The supplied drivers and software contain all the controls you need for this audio device and are simple, easy to understand and easy to setup.

DSP mode allows adjusting of the individual speakers

The main system input allows you to choose how many audio channels you use as well as the option to turn on virtual 7.1 surround

Volume and mic controls

Equaliser and effects

Like on the ASUS ROG Phoebus, there are magic voice options as well as pitch shifting options, a bit of fun if not useful

General info screen

Performance Testing

Comfort
This headset is pretty comfortable, though again to mention, if you have larger ears, you may not find it so. the foam does a great job of holding in sound as well a blocking external noise and the headband is sufficiently soft. Cuddle strength is good, not too tight nor too loose. After a long period or if you sit in a warm room, head warmth does start building up, combined with the fact that the material on the headstrap and foam doesn’t appear to be breathable, one would want to avoid use in sweaty conditions. Use of glasses with this headset did not prove to be a problem as the foam is giving enough to accommodate them.

Durability
Overall the build quality is reflected in the price, but that isn’t to say it is terrible, more, adequate. There are some people who treat their things roughly, others take more care. In the former scenario I wouldn’t want to take the bet that his headset could take a bashing. The cable is not braided (not that many headset cables are) and slightly reminds me of a 3rd party PSone controller, where the flexible rubbery cable lulls you into a false sense of security, only for the connection to fray/break after a few months. The inline controller seems pretty good, though the volume buttons feel like they could potentially wear down over time, fortunately this volume control directly controls the windows volume so it isn’t a huge issue if the inline does fail.

Music
… After writing many sentences to try and capture the impact of this headset and deleting them all because they weren’t good enough, my last option is to keep it simple. This headset sounds fantastic, even turned all the way up. All 8 channels sound great and the subwoofers give some deep and brooding bass. Jumping on over to Sound Cloud for some music I listen through Volume 1 and 2 of Sidewalks and Skeletons and it becomes very clear that this headset is producing some amazing above par sound quality. Clear mid range and high range tones play nicely with the deep clear bass that neither sounds muddy nor distorted. If your head doesn’t shake enough with the bass alone, try turning on the vibration! Though I would recommend that only for gaming. To test that this sound quality isn’t a fluke, I listen through Hayley Westenra’s River of Dreams album. Ave Maria provided some glass shattering highs that was uncomfortable to the level I was hoping for some distortion to come save me, the song Summer Rain provided high vocals and deep classical bass notes that was delivered almost flawlessly. This headset from Rosewill is currently delivering sound quality I would expect from something double or even triple its retail cost.

Games
Playing through the first couple of missions of Battlefield 3 was very immersive. Though the vibration function causes a slight quiet buzzing sound, it isn’t noticeable and the vibration adds a new dimension to the gameplay. Sounds were clear and direction was noticeable and when feeling like you are really in the middle of a gunfight with bullets whizzing overhead with added vibration, this headset really adds a new level to gaming. In DOTA 2 some sounds started to sound a little ‘blended’ even though the quality was good, though it could be due that this format of game is not best for surround testing.

Microphone
The microphone delivers clear voice and can reduce some background noise though expect the people you’re are talking to to clearly hear everyone in the room too. When using the microphone make sure you turn off the vibration function as it picks it up and creates reverb for those on the end of your conversation.

Conclusion

If someone was looking for a new headset, it would seem fairly likely that they may overlook the Rosewill RHTS-8206. The packaging livery seems more music production than gamer and when considering the price tag, one may be more attracted towards a flashy overstated product as first impressions may lead them to assume that what they are looking at is a ‘cheap’ headset. That oversight would more than likely be a mistake considering the amazing value this headset offers. The drivers are straight forward, the vibration feature adds a new depth to gaming and the surround sound works like a charm. Even though surround headsets target a gaming audience, music playback is incredibly enjoyable and you would be hard pressed to find better sound quality at double the price let alone for the asking $60USD.

There are a few flaws and considering the cost, it is understandable that some concessions would be made. Despite being comfortable, the material on the foam padding is not breathable, which means you may end up with overheating ears and head after a long gaming stint, so expect a little sweat. For those with large ears, you may wish to avoid this headset as you may not actually be able to fit them in the ear cups. Finally, the overall finished quality of the product, while it is perfectly adequate, lacks a wow factor and certain parts lead me to believe that the RHTS-8206 may not be very robust.

In a way this product creates ambivalent emotions as it delivers something special wrapped up in something completely understated. A slight revision in some areas to deliver the same sound quality in an improved package even at a generous mark up would deliver a jaw dropping product that could hit the market hard. Just shy of a gold award, the Rosewill RHTS-8206 receives a Silver and Amazing Value award as it offers staggering surround sound quality with vibration that is easy to set up at a very competitive price point.

Pros.
+ Sleek minimalist aesthetic
+ Amazing audio quality from deep bass to clear mid and high tones
+ Hassle free USB installation
+ Easy to use drivers
+ Affordable
+ Immersive vibration function
+ 8 speakers for 5.1 surround and 7.1 virtual surround
+ Detachable noise reducing microphone

Cons.
– Doesn’t seem very robust
– Not suitable for those with large ears
– No breathable material on padding