For Gamers, By Gamers is Razer’s motto, so it won’t come as a surprise their latest release, the Kraken Tournament Edition headset, is firmly aimed at Gaming.
Product on Review: Razer Kraken Tournament Edition
Manufacturer: Razer
Street Price: £99.99 GBP / $ 99.99 USD / $139.99 AUD
The Razer Kraken Tournament Edition has been introduced as the successor to the Kraken Pro V2s, and as is the norm for their Kraken line up the visual design of the headset has not changed which means we’re expecting the Kraken Tournament Edition to be comfortable as it still features soft ear-cups which are designed to relieve pressure on your head and also an aluminium frame to reduce neck strain as much as possible.
Featuring THX Spatial Audio as well as custom-tuned 50mm drivers, which according to Razer helps create a realistic depth by simulating positionally-accurate sound and aims to combine powerful bass with clear audio. To this end Razer have also included the ability, through the included USB Dongle, to change between 17 adjustable bass levels to ensure you can find a level that you’re happy with.
The Razer Kraken Tournament Edition is also made to be used on multiple platforms, it is compatible with the Xbox One, PS4 & Nintendo Switch as well as mobiles & tablets, although to use the headset on anything but PC you will need to forego the USB dongle.
Priced at £99.99 GBP / $ 99.99 USD / $139.99 AUD will see the Kraken Tournament Edition go up against stiff competition, will it challenge for top spot?
Razer on the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition:
Compete With Control – Sound isn’t just a mere experience – it heightens your senses. When you know exactly where the enemy is positioned, you’re the one to set up the ambush. Your sense of hearing becomes a weapon, allowing you to master the in-game environment as you manoeuvre with the slightest sound cues. Unleash your predatory instincts now through accurate positional audio from all around you.
Technical Specifications
At a glance
Full Audio Controls
THX Spatial Audio
Game/Chat Balance
Custom-Tuned 50 mm Drivers
Ergonomic Design
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Headphones
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): 109 ± 3 dB
Input power: 30 mW (Max)
Drivers: 50 mm, with Neodymium magnets
Inner ear cup diameter: 54 mm x 65 mm
Connection type: Analog 3.5 mm
Cable length: 1.3 m / 4.27 ft.
Approx. weight: 322 g / 0.71 lbs
Oval ear cushions: Designed for full-ear coverage with cooling gel, perfect for long-wearing comfort
Microphone
Frequency response: 100 Hz – 10 kHz
Impedance: 32 Ω @ 1 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: > 60 dB
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -42 ± 3 dB
Pick-up pattern: Unidirectional ECM boom
In-line Controls
Analog volume control wheel
Microphone quick mute toggle
Audio Usage
Devices with 3.55mm audio jack
PC with USB port; Playstation 4 (Only 2.0 audio available)
Audio + Microphone Usage
Devices with 3.5mm audio + mic combined jack
USB Dongle
Controls: Volume up/down, Bass up/down, THX Spatial On/Off, Microphone mute, Game/Chat balance
Cable length: 2.0m
System Requirements
PC with USB port; PlayStation 4
Windows 10/8/7
Internet connection for driver installation
At least 500 MB of free hard disk space
Full Audio Controls
THX Spatial Audio
Game/Chat Balance
Custom-Tuned 50 mm Drivers
Ergonomic Design
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Headphones
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): 109 ± 3 dB
Input power: 30 mW (Max)
Drivers: 50 mm, with Neodymium magnets
Inner ear cup diameter: 54 mm x 65 mm
Connection type: Analog 3.5 mm
Cable length: 1.3 m / 4.27 ft.
Approx. weight: 322 g / 0.71 lbs
Oval ear cushions: Designed for full-ear coverage with cooling gel, perfect for long-wearing comfort
Microphone
Frequency response: 100 Hz – 10 kHz
Impedance: 32 Ω @ 1 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio: > 60 dB
Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -42 ± 3 dB
Pick-up pattern: Unidirectional ECM boom
In-line Controls
Analog volume control wheel
Microphone quick mute toggle
Audio Usage
Devices with 3.55mm audio jack
PC with USB port; Playstation 4 (Only 2.0 audio available)
Audio + Microphone Usage
Devices with 3.5mm audio + mic combined jack
USB Dongle
Controls: Volume up/down, Bass up/down, THX Spatial On/Off, Microphone mute, Game/Chat balance
Cable length: 2.0m
System Requirements
PC with USB port; PlayStation 4
Windows 10/8/7
Internet connection for driver installation
At least 500 MB of free hard disk space
Packaging & First Look
The front of the box is adorned by a side profile shot of the Kraken Tournament Edition, and we get a look at the USB audio controller.
The back of the box gives us more information about the audio controls, as well as 4 areas of text detailing the USPs of the headset.
Opening the box up and we get our first look at the headset & audio controller in the flesh, the headphones are protected by foam padding on the lid of the box which is a nice inclusion, thought it should be expected for a headset in this price range.
Within the contents of the box we get a user manual, as well as 2 Razer logo stickers & a thank you note from the CEO of Razer which urges you to follow them on their various social media accounts.
Removing the headset from it’s plastic shroud and we we’re greeted by the familiar design of a Razer Kraken headset, with it’s bulky ear cups which now have cooling gel-infused ear cushions with the aim to reduce heat in the longer gaming sessions, a generously padded headband and a premium,
quality braided cable which terminates in a 3.5mm adapter to either connect to your device, or to the audio adapter.
Turning our attention to the included audio adapter and we can see that it also features a braided cable. The box itself has audio level controls, it features two rocker wheels, one to adjust game & chat balance, and the second to adjust the bass levels. It also features an on/off switch for the microphone & THX Spatial Audio setting. Razer have also made the bottom of the adapter sticky to help with the ever growing problem of on-desk cable management.
Closer Look
Taking a closer look at the main features of the Kraken Tournament Edition and we’re pleased to see that Razer have not skimped on the comfortable foam on the headband.
As is usual for Razer the build quality is excellent, this shows when extending & de-extending the headband, with a tactile click for each centimetre they are expanded.
The Razer logo is featured prominently on the exterior of both ear cups, and the microphone slides neatly into a cavity in the left ear cup when not in use.
Taking a closer look at the microphone and we’re happy to see that it is coloured the same as the headset itself.
Closer Look (Continued)
Moving on to the cabling of the headset and there are in-line audio controls in the form of an audio wheel & mute toggle.
Starting at the USB connector and it features Razers trademark green plastic, along with their logo on the casing.
Turning our attention to the left hand side of the audio control box, and the only feature is the rocker switch to adjust the bass level.
The top of the box features another set of volume adjustment buttons as well as a microphone mute button, the decision to include them here is so that you can still have them available when using the headset without the adapter.
On the right hand side we have the rocker to adjust the game & chat balance, as well as an on & off switch for the THX Spatial Audio feature.
Software & Performance Testing
Design & Build Quality
As we mentioned in the introduction, Razer seem to know they’re on to a winning formula in the base Kraken design, so haven’t made many changes to the overall design of the Kraken Tournament Edition headset, they’ve introduced gel-infused ear cushions which we found were more than just a gimmick in use, and they did aid in keeping our ears cool. The ear cups also feature hidden indented channels for people who means that the ear cups have a bit more give if you need to wear glasses when using headphones, while we don’t use glasses we can see this feature being a hit with those that do.Audio Quality
As always with cross compatible headsets we aim to test them on all the platforms we have available to us. At time of testing we have PC, Xbox one, A tablet and A Samsung Galaxy smart phone.The headsets audio quality really comes alive when used in conjunction with the USB dongle which unlocks all the extra configuration options through the Razer Synapse software, which of course means the best performance is reserved for when you use these with a PC. With this said the headset does perform well on other platforms, however there are headsets out there at a similar price that perform better on consoles & mobile devices.
In gaming we found that the inclusion of THX Spatial Audio was a great decision, regardless of genre the feature helps with getting you immersed in any games world.
One thing we’re always suspect of is how a well a headset aimed at gaming performs when used for listening to music, and with only minor EQ tweaks within the Synapse software you get a truly excellent audio quality with the Kraken Tournament Edition.
Microphone Performance
As is the case with all the headsets we review we’ve used it for Skype meetings, chatting with our team via Discord & also recording the voice over for the software section below. The microphone performed well without any tweaks in the software, however there is the availability of adjusting the microphone volume & sensitivity if this is needed.Software
Razer’s Synapse software has come on leaps and bounds since it was first introduced, and using it greatly improves the audio experience of using the Kraken Tournament Edition. Within the software there are a host of settings, including a 10 band EQ enabling you to tweak problem frequencies, as well as sound normalization options, THX Spatial Audio settings & other enhancement settings. A video demonstration of the software is available in the video below.Conclusion
Overall the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition gets a thumbs up from us for having features that are usually reserved for higher priced headsets.
We like the inclusion of in-line volume and mute controls for when you’re using the headset without the adapter, it shows that thought has been put into the design of the Kraken Tournament Edition headset.
The only negative we have come across is the actual size of the headphones, the bulkiness means that they’re best to being used in doors when you’re not going to have to carry them too much and can be kept out of the way when not in use.
The quality of the surround sound is great at this price range too and the inclusion of chat/game balance is a nice touch as it rarely is included. However, this functionality is lost when you’re using the headset on console or mobile devices, so if you’re not going to be mainly using it on PC you may want to look else where.
The Razer Kraken Tournament Edition is a great headset, at a great price.
Pros
+Build & Audio quality
+Lightweight and comfortable
+Chat/Game level balancing
+Quality Surround sound
Cons
-Size
+Build & Audio quality
+Lightweight and comfortable
+Chat/Game level balancing
+Quality Surround sound
Cons
-Size
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