QPAD, following some recent changes, are back with bang and promise to push things on. Today we’re looking at the QPAD QH-92 with 53mm drivers, a monochrome colour scheme and more padding than the average sofa.
Product on Review: QPAD QH-92
Manufacturer: QPAD
Street Price: GBP £71.99 / USD $74.99
QPAD, who began their journey in Sweden way back in 1992, hit a bit of a lull in the middle of the 2010s, but thanks to a buyout from Darfon Electronics in 2019, they’re feeling revitalised and ready to come back stronger than ever. It’s been almost 4 years since we last looked at anything from QPAD so let’s see what’s what with their latest release, the QH-92 stereo gaming headset.
The QPAD QH-92 offers extensive support for multiple different platforms, including the PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PCs, via an arrangement of 3.5mm adaptors and extension cables.
QPAD claim excellent sound quality, both from the headset and the microphone. Their 53mm drivers in a closed-back cup, with noise isolation provided by the tight-fitting padded ear cups, offer a frequency response range of 15 – 20,000Hz and the condenser microphone, which can be removed to effectively turn your headset into headphones.
The design looks similar to the popular HyperX Cloud series of headsets, if only a bit larger. Pricing is also similar at around £70-$75 with a 2-year warranty. Let’s test things out and see what’s what.
QPAD on the QH-92
The QPAD QH92 Gaming-Headset is a perfect choice for multiplatform gamers and enthusiasts. Regardless if you want to play games on PC, PS4, Xbox One, watching films or listening to music, this headset provides you the full support.
Technical Specifications
Headset
Transducer Type:
Dynamic, Closed Ø53mm Driver
Frequency Response:
15 – 25,000 Hz
Nominal Impedance:
60Ω±30% per system
SPL Sound Pressure Level:
98±3dB
T.H.D.:
< 2%
Sound Coupling to the ear:
Circumaural
Ambient Noise Attenuation:
Approx. 20dBA
Headband Pressure:
5N
Weight:
350G
Cable Length:
1M
Connection:
Mini stereo jack plug 3.5 MM
Microphone
Transducer Type:
Condenser (back electret)
Polar Pattern:
Cardioid
Frequency Response:
100 – 12,000 Hz
T.H.D.:
2% at f = 1kHz
Max. SPL:
105dB SPL
Length mic boom:
150mm
Transducer Type:
Dynamic, Closed Ø53mm Driver
Frequency Response:
15 – 25,000 Hz
Nominal Impedance:
60Ω±30% per system
SPL Sound Pressure Level:
98±3dB
T.H.D.:
< 2%
Sound Coupling to the ear:
Circumaural
Ambient Noise Attenuation:
Approx. 20dBA
Headband Pressure:
5N
Weight:
350G
Cable Length:
1M
Connection:
Mini stereo jack plug 3.5 MM
Microphone
Transducer Type:
Condenser (back electret)
Polar Pattern:
Cardioid
Frequency Response:
100 – 12,000 Hz
T.H.D.:
2% at f = 1kHz
Max. SPL:
105dB SPL
Length mic boom:
150mm
Packaging & Bundle
Setting the tone straight away, the QH-92 arrives in a black and white box, not a drop of colour to be found anywhere. There’s a list of features along the left and a large image of the headset in the centre.
The rear of the box is incredibly text-heavy but features 11 different languages so there’s not actually too much to read.
Inside the outer box is another, really sturdy internal box. This is then filled to the brim with protective foam to ensure the headset arrives in tip-top condition.
Along with the headset is the 150mm microphone, a 4-pole 3.5mm to 2x 3-pole 3.5mm splitter and an extension cable with a small function box.
Closer Look
QPAD have decided to use a full monochrome design, lacking any colour whatsoever; this leaves it with a premium but understated style.
Seemingly prioritising comfort over anything else, at least from appearance, the top band is heavily padded to about 20mm thick. QPAD claim the clamping force is around 5 Newtons.
The heavily padded earcups, with an external diameter of 108mm x 86mm and internal diameter of 68mm x 44mm offer ample room for your ears. The 53mm drivers are hidden behind a layer of cloth.
The 150mm removable boom microphone can be slotted into place on the bottom of the left earcup. The small cap you can see, about an inch above the recess, can be placed into the slot when you’re not using the microphone, but be careful not to lose the little piece.
The flexible wand of the microphone means you can position it wherever you like, whether you prefer to move it further away from your mouth and increase the sensitivity or have it close up, the choice is yours.
The extension cable provides a mid-way function box with a mute toggle, volume wheel and a button on top; the button is only used when on a mobile phone, to play/pause or to answer phonecalls etc.
Performance Testing
Design & Build Quality
The first thing we noticed with the headset was the weight and size of everything, at 350g it’s certainly on the heavier end of the headset scale but it’s the general bulky, clumsy appearance of the entire assembly that was the most apparent.
Once you’ve got the headset on, however, the bulkiness makes perfect sense. It’s ridiculously comfortable with the thick padding around the ears, which are actually around the ears and not on them; that thick padding also helps to keep your ears away from touching the cloth inner, providing your ears don’t stick out too much. The cushioning isn’t limited to the earcups, it also extends to the headband. All in, the headset is lovely and comfortable, even for prolonged periods of time.
Adjusting the headset, however, is a different story. The extension mechanism on each side, that allows the earcups to be positioned squarely over your ears, doesn’t grip strongly enough. Every time I put the headset on, the earcups moved and I had to readjust it back to my head; this begins to get tiresome if you’re up and down from the computer, or console, often for drinks, snacks, beers or the call of nature.
Using the inline adjustment was super easy to learn, the volume wheel is weighted enough that it’s difficult to knock by accident but easy to turn if you need to, however, the mute toggle isn’t quite as straight forward, the slick, polished plastic makes it tricky to slide without getting a thumbnail involved and flicking it across; perhaps QPAD designed it this way but it doesn’t feel like they did.
Overall, the build quality is alright but it’s not great, contrary to what the weight and size of the headset might suggest. The slots into which the earcup brackets slot into the headband are a bit wobbly, which is likely linked to the adjustment issue with the earcups. The cable is also rubber, which never exudes an air of quality when compared to a braided counterpart, they’re also more likely to become damaged, tangled or dirty.
Audio quality
We gave the headset a good test out one weekend, including a few different games, some of our favourite songs and a catch up on some YouTube that we’d been neglecting. Overall the headset seems to offer a good quality soundscape but it leans towards the bassier end of the spectrum; though having said that, the highs and lows are still clear and easy to pick out, particularly when communicating over a voice service like Discord. For roughly £70-$75, the audio clarity is perfectly acceptable but won’t win any awards.
One big plus point is the headset’s ability to block out external sounds, allowing you a cleaner, more focussed sound. The plump foam cushioning is doing an excellent job there.
Below is a demo of the microphone quality:
Conclusion
So, to conclude, the QPAD QH-92 is a bit of a mixed bag and we’ll go on to tell you why.Firstly, the comfort is well up there with some of the best, the masses of plushie padding really helps the headset when you’re wearing it for long periods of time, reducing the pressure on the sides and top of your head with the added bonus of blocking out the majority of external sounds around you.
Another plus point for the headset is the understated and simple design, with the monochrome colour scheme. We’re a fan of both schools of thought, with fancy headsets touting RGB and angular definitely having their place in the market, but the QH-92 looks great as it sits, even if it does look suspiciously similar to the HyperX Cloud 2.
The audio performance is really well up there for a headset in this price range, it was clear, punchy and thanks to the blocked out sound from elsewhere, was really engrossing; we could quite happily sit and listen to a Spotify playlist with the headset and not once question the quality of the audio. We also found the microphone to be perfectly up to scratch, team mates could hear me without issue and with it being removeable, you can quite easily have a set of headphones instead of a headset, if you wish.
Build quality was something which was brought into question after using the headset for a relatively short period of time. When taking the headset off and putting it back on again, the preset position of the earcups could move far too easily, meaning it was almost a full reset every time you moved away from the PC. At one point, it almost became easier to unplug the headset and carry on wearing it while nipping to the fridge. The socket into which the slider sits is very wobbly and not up to scratch at all. We’d also have preferred to see a braided cable to add some additional protection to the cable (in case you run it over with your chair wheels) and to make it look a little better. The same concerns are passed onto the in-line adjuster, with the mute toggle being very difficult to press and the overall quality feeling very under par.
Overall, for your £70/$75, the QPAD QH-92 is a comfortable headset with decent performance, if a little expensive, but the build quality needs some work.
Pros
+ Monochrome design looks good
+ Good quality audio
+ Removeable microphone
+ Really comfortable!
Cons
– The fit and finish needs some work
– Not a braided cable
– In-line remote is fiddly and difficult to use, however easy to learn
+ Monochrome design looks good
+ Good quality audio
+ Removeable microphone
+ Really comfortable!
Cons
– The fit and finish needs some work
– Not a braided cable
– In-line remote is fiddly and difficult to use, however easy to learn
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