Firing out another headset, Tt eSports tweak the Cronos for superior comfort and sound, will the changes make the Battle Dragon proud?
Product on Review: Tt eSports Cronos AD
Manufacturer: Tt eSports
Price: UK: £49.99 US: $59.99
This is our third outing with the Tt eSport Cronos, which so far as a product seem to be providing split decisions. The original Cronos made a good impression yet the Boosted Bass Edition never really made any real improvements. Well today we take a look at the most dramatic changes the Cronos has seen, including a redesigned headband, moving to a suspension design while keeping the same, soft lycra cushioning as previously seen. The microphone is now retractable rather than the huge boom seen on the previous Cronos headsets and the 40mm drivers are tuned for a better bass experience.
Overview by Tt eSports
The CRONOS AD is our high fidelity gaming headset for eSport athletes. It’s packed with a fully auto-adjusting headband that takes comfort to the next level, and includes powerful 40mm neodymium magnetic drivers so you never miss enemy footsteps. Whether you’re already a professional gamer, or just starting out – the Tt eSPORTS CRONOS AD offers the perfect match of performance with unbeatable comfort and design
Technical Specifications
Color Diamond Black
Cable Length 2.0 meters
Connector 3.5mm Plug x2 & USB Plug x1
Driver Unit (mm) 40mm Neodymium Magnet
Channel Stereo
Frequency Response 20Hz-22KHz
Plug&Play Microphone Yes
External In-Line Controller Yes
Mic Directivity Omni-directional
Mic Sensitivity -42dB ± 3dB
Mic Frequency 100Hz~10KHz
Mic Impedance < 2.2kOhm
Impedance 32 Ohm
Accessories
Warranty Card x 1、Mobile Device Cable x 1、3.5mm Plug & USB Plug Cable x 1
SENSITIVITY 98 ±3 dB
MAX INPUT 100 mW
Cable Length 2.0 meters
Connector 3.5mm Plug x2 & USB Plug x1
Driver Unit (mm) 40mm Neodymium Magnet
Channel Stereo
Frequency Response 20Hz-22KHz
Plug&Play Microphone Yes
External In-Line Controller Yes
Mic Directivity Omni-directional
Mic Sensitivity -42dB ± 3dB
Mic Frequency 100Hz~10KHz
Mic Impedance < 2.2kOhm
Impedance 32 Ohm
Accessories
Warranty Card x 1、Mobile Device Cable x 1、3.5mm Plug & USB Plug Cable x 1
SENSITIVITY 98 ±3 dB
MAX INPUT 100 mW
Packaging & Bundle
The box has an image of the product as well as a large window to see the product in the flesh. The primary features are listed as little icons surrounded with a pose of gaming jargon such as ‘Challenge is the Game’, and ‘Adjusted for Victorious’, which are entirely unnecessary.
At the back there is a detailed diagram of all the features while the technical specification list is on the side.
Included are 2 removable cables, this one is a shorter, custom USB- 3.5mm 4 pole jack for use with mobiles.
The longer cable is used for desktop and features 2x 3.5mm jacks for headphone/microphone as well as a USB connector for powering the LED lighting. I think it is a shame that they have not opted for soul USB connection over jacks as this would give a more balanced experience for users, however, there may be those that are happy to use the analogue output.
On the longer cable, there is also a small, lightweight in-line remote, with microphone mute and volume control.
Closer Look
At the side we find that the earcups are the same as the other stable of Cronos headsets, each with the Battle Dragon Tt eSports logo which lights up red. This side too we can see the retractable microphone, which has a mute LED.
The major difference with the Cronos AD is the suspension style headband, we can clearly see the soft red lycra covered padding.
The headset automatically adjusts using stretchy elastic/rubber material.
As with the previous Cronos headsets, this one too can fold flat, the earcups are covered with the same soft material and are reasonably large.
Just behind the retractable microphone on the left side you will find the port where the removable cables are plugged into.
The microphone is retractable and adjustable to suit your preference.
Performance Testing
Setup, Design & Observations
Setting up the Cronos will depend on your PC or use, remember it is also compatible with the PS4 and possibly XBone with the included 4 Pole jack, though PC users will need to have a headphone and microphone port available for use, as well as a spare USB port if you wish to use the lighting. As this is an analogue headset, your playback experience may vary depending on the quality of your integrated audio or sound card.
Build quality seems fairly light and plasticky, but not unlike many other products in this price range, the removable cables are a great feature and the retractable microphone also comes as a positive feature.
Comfort was never a major issue for the Cronos, albeit, a lack of flexibility. The Cronos AD does away with this, with a seemingly lighter and airier feeling. The headband and cushioning does a great job, though the earcup size isn’t huge, making those with larger ears run into the issue where it is not quite circum-aural, though this is unlikely to be a problem for most people. The headband didn’t seem to stretch a huge amount but it didn’t need to for me, those with supersized heads may struggle to pull it down to fit properly, then again, my head isn’t exactly small. Another thing to note is that the ear pads aren’t that great at blocking out external noise.
Multimedia
Listening through to familiar music, the Cronos AD certainly had a much better presence than previous Cronos headsets, the bass was much smoother and enjoyable. Though the mids and treble seemed a touch muted, taking a backseat role. With the volume at maximum, the Cronos AD was very enjoyable with no noticeable distortion or clipping and gave a ‘good gamer’ audio signature. This was proven to be the case when playing CS:GO, and DOTA 2, with the bass really making things that bit more lively and exciting yet has just enough balance to account for the small details like footsteps or the sound of a clarity just off screenshot.
Microphone
The microphone sounded good though a little quiet, similar to findings with previous Cronos headsets. It does pick up a bit of background noises though if you are using a dedicated soundcard you can use the various noise reduction modes to eliminate this.
Conclusion
The Cronos AD headset, despite its plasticky exterior, came with a surprising gift of great gaming audio, deep bass and comfort. The included removable cables allow for versatility with various platforms, while the retractable microphone and foldable earcups make for smart and convenient storage.
Value of the Cronos AD seems much better in the US at $59 than in the UK at £49, though, at this point in the market it is able to hit a sweet spot in build quality, performance and comfort which may improve over time as retailers are able to price more competitively. To be ultra critical, the audio quality is not ‘mind blowingly good’ as we experienced with the Bit Fenix FLO. The audio signature is certainly more geared towards gaming than music playback which is to be expected from a company making ‘gaming peripherals’, so those looking for a superior audio experience for music listening would naturally be looking elsewhere. All things considering, the Cronos AD provides a very enjoyable listening experience and is our favourite Cronos model by far and while there may be some great alternatives at a similar price point, this one is certainly worth considering alongside them!
Tt eSports take a huge step to improve the comfort and audio quality in their Cronos AD headset which represents a great balance in price, performance and comfort, everything you want from a headset.
Pros.
+ Good gaming audio – bassy
+ Comfortable
+ Versatile – 2x included cables
+ Retractable microphone
Cons.
– Not ideal for music lovers
+ Good gaming audio – bassy
+ Comfortable
+ Versatile – 2x included cables
+ Retractable microphone
Cons.
– Not ideal for music lovers
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