The initial set up was a little more involved than I thought it would be. After downloading and installing its drivers and creating an account, I was pleasantly surprised by the customisable options. Unfortunately, the software itself could do with some bug fixes. Twice the Razer Synapse 2.0 client stopped responding while running on my Mac. The only way to restore it to full use was a system restart. Fortunately, while the program was unresponsive the headphones still worked perfectly, the only issue being not having access to the customisable features.
It’s tough for me to decide whether my favourite thing about the Krakens is the light up logos on the ear cups or the retractable microphone. The glowing logos are kind of flashy, but the beast part is, if you don’t like them — for some reason — you can just turn them off.
The retractable mic has an on-off switch on the tip so you can mute it if you need. This could be handy because it’s very sensitive. The omni directional polar pattern of the mic means if Mum announces the status of your hot pockets, anyone you’re chatting with will know about it. Razer have gone with a braided line on the Kraken 7.1’s which is always the right choice and adds to the sturdy, long lasting feeling.
While calibrating the 7.1, I was a little disappointed that the front and back surround channels weren’t very distinct from the standard left/right channels. They don’t sit in exactly the same place but they didn’t feel all that “front and back” either. Surround sound — particularly 7.1 — is a tricky thing to get right in headphones, in my experience. After getting into a few games and cycling through the surround settings, I found what I liked and have decided that the Krakens are up to the challenge.
Overall, the Krakens are a decent pair of headphones and audiophiles like me will enjoy customising EQ settings — an option that should come standard — and changing the microphone’s sensitivity. They are pretty low impedance headphones, so you will be able to crank them up past 11 if you feel so inclined. If you’re looking for a sturdy pair of surround sound headphones for under $200, I’d definitely recommend looking into the Razer Kraken 7.1 headphones.
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