Colourful and bold, the Razer Kraken Mobile is made for the Apple iOS user that is searching for powerful audio from their mobile music and games.
Product on Review: Razer Kraken Mobile
Manufacturer and Sponsor: RAZER
Street Price: UK: £79.99, US: $89.99
Razer move in to take care of the needs of the casual music listener and gamer on the iOS platforms with a selection of neon coloured Kraken headsets that will ensure head turning style. They are fitted with 40mm neodymium magnets that will provide powerful bass and is made from durable, lightweight plastics that are suitable for a busy lifestyle. Android users can get in too with the optional cable made for Android users allowing that will enable various controls such as volume controls and track skipping.
Much of the styling and design is similar to other Kraken headsets with the biggest change being the detachable 4 pole cable with an inline remote that has been made specifically for either iOS or Android.
Overview by Razer
Made to be the perfect companion for wherever life takes you, the Razer Kraken Mobile gives you impressive audio quality in a form factor that’s incredibly mobile. This durable yet lightweight headset is made for Apple™ iOS with an in-line mic and media controls, so you have easy access to all features even when you’re on the move.
Beneath the striking neon, the Razer Kraken Mobile is packed with powerful, high-quality drivers enclosed in comfortable, extra-large circumaural ear cushions, allowing you to enjoy an immersive audio experience while turning heads everywhere.
Beneath the striking neon, the Razer Kraken Mobile is packed with powerful, high-quality drivers enclosed in comfortable, extra-large circumaural ear cushions, allowing you to enjoy an immersive audio experience while turning heads everywhere.
Technical Specifications
Headphones
Frequency response: 20 – 20,000 Hz
Impedance: 32 Ohm at 1kHz
Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): 110 +- 4dB at 1 kHz max
Input power: 50 mW
Drivers: 40 mm, with neodymium magnets
Inner ear cup diameter: 50 mm / 0.16 ft
Connector: Analog 3.5 mm headphone jack
Cable length: 1.3 m / 4.27 ft
Approximate weight: 315 g / 0.69 lbs
Microphone
Frequency response: 100 – 10,000 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio: 55 dB
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -42 +- 3 dB
Pick-up pattern: Omnidirectional
In-line remote
Center remote button
Volume control button
Frequency response: 20 – 20,000 Hz
Impedance: 32 Ohm at 1kHz
Sensitivity (@1kHz, 1V/Pa): 110 +- 4dB at 1 kHz max
Input power: 50 mW
Drivers: 40 mm, with neodymium magnets
Inner ear cup diameter: 50 mm / 0.16 ft
Connector: Analog 3.5 mm headphone jack
Cable length: 1.3 m / 4.27 ft
Approximate weight: 315 g / 0.69 lbs
Microphone
Frequency response: 100 – 10,000 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio: 55 dB
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -42 +- 3 dB
Pick-up pattern: Omnidirectional
In-line remote
Center remote button
Volume control button
Packaging & First Look
The version we have is the neon Red version, which is a vibrant, almost magenta colour that is rather difficult to capture on camera accurately. The packaging is made from a clear plastic with cardboard sleeves inserted to provide any relevant information about the product.
At the back we get a view of all the available colours and get given information about the rugged construction, comfort and large audio drivers.
The detachable cable is 1.3m long, which is standard for a mobile cable, and features an inline remote with microphone.
The remote matches the headset colour it is shipped with and features 3x buttons being the plus sign, the minus sign and the centre button.
As there are compatibility issues between Android and iOS, if you use the cable with a non compatible device, features may be limited to simple audio out and if you are lucky, the microphone too, though to cater for Android users there is an optional cable that will set them back an additional £14.99. Be sure to check the compatibility if you go down this route as it appears this is one pricy cable.
Closer Look
The headband and shape looks pleasing and the bold neon red colour obfuscates the camera making it difficult to pick up accurately, but these images do a good job of showing how vibrant it is.
The adjustment strap is made of plastic and extends by around 40-50mm either side, ensuring that there is enough space for most peoples melon.
The top of the headband has Razer’s logo detailed in matching colour.
The earcups are circular and could offer a little more space for a comfortable circumaural experience while the padding is medium soft/firm and is coated by a plasticky faux leather.
The sides bare the Razer logo and the design is attractive and distinctive.
The left side earcup features the input socket for the 4 pole jack, because the socket is custom you may run into problems when it comes to getting 3rd party cables to fit.
Performance Testing
Setup, Design & Observations
The headset itself is fairly simple to setup, the jack socket is custom and requires you to push the connector into the port, then a small twist to lock. Then you can attack it to your i-device (or Android) or any system that can receive a 4 pole jack.
The colour is very bold and vibrant, and if the other colours are like the one we have, which is neon Red, (which is more pinkish magenta) you may need to see the product in the flesh to see if it to your liking. Though the Kraken design and styling is certainly attractive and suits this casual, fun role.
The cable and remote feels decent quality and the button presses click in a satisfying way, the remote is positioned rather high up, but is as your would expect from a mobile orientated design. The remote can be used to answer and hangup calls, skip tracks and adjust audio volume.
The comfort of the Kraken is decent, though the earcups could be a little larger, and the padding softer, the forgiving clamp strength makes it rather comfortable anyway. As this headset is aimed for mobile use, sound leakage could be a problem as the padding on the earcups don’t really squish to your head very well, and so anyone around you while you are listening to music will also have the pleasure of listening in to your music of choice.
Multimedia
The audio tone when listening to various familiar tracks comes in as being good quality, clear, though with a weak treble and strong bass. Some electronic music can sound overbearing without the correct balance with noticeable loss in detail in the higher registrations, though for casual listening, there is a more warm and punchy characteristic.
If used in gaming, the Kraken is a powerful beast and can give you that intense thunderous sound that is difficult to get from most earphones, this partly is because the Kraken also has a relatively wide soundstage that allows for good spatial awareness in regards to stereo surround.
Microphone
The microphone itself is fairly limited in regards to actual use, being clear and capable for mobile voice calls, yet overly sensitive and poor quality when used in a laptop/desktop scenario, thus making it not so useful for gaming communication and more orientated at mobile communication.
Conclusion
The Kraken as a headset for some is a bit hit and miss, some love the build quality comfort and bass strong characteristics and these attributes are now available for the mobile and iOS platforms with the Kraken Mobile. The audio quality is clear, with strong mids and bass, though diminished in the upper mids and treble. Though not up to audiophile standards, music listening is enjoyable and the casual gamer will be blown away. Then you have the added versatility of the inline remote and microphone.
The pricing of the Kraken Mobile seems a little disappointing on first impression as it appears to be a standard Kraken headset stripped of some features and then brightly coloured. However, you can find it listed for less than its MSRP by 3rd party distributors, combine this with consideration towards the market it is aimed at, many will be used to paying a larger sum of money for what is likely an inferior product. This is a position that Razer are wholly aware of making the Kraken Mobile a very strong contender and an easy product to recommend if you are using Apple products. It is just a shame that it is punishing Android users a little too much with the Android cable sold separately at £14.99. This makes it a little difficult to justify for an Android user. Either way, the Kraken Mobile is a fun headset that provides crystal clear sound with strong, punchy bass. If you like the sound of that then you will like the sound of the Kraken Mobile headset.
Razer have made a compelling and interesting entry into the casual audio market with the Kraken Mobile, living up to its promise of clear audio and thumping bass.
Pros.
+ Bold, attractive design (available in 6 colours)
+ lightweight and Comfortable
+ Good audio for casual gaming and music listening
+ Inline remote and microphone
Cons.
– Some may find it a little too bassy
– Android cable sold separately
+ Bold, attractive design (available in 6 colours)
+ lightweight and Comfortable
+ Good audio for casual gaming and music listening
+ Inline remote and microphone
Cons.
– Some may find it a little too bassy
– Android cable sold separately
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