When you want high-grade audio without breaking the bank, where do you turn? The answer today is Roccat. They have come in big with this headset, designed for gaming, music, and your streaming pleasure. Coming in at only $69.99, and sound that’s better than even some expensive surround sound headsets, it’s out to impress. This is our review of the Roccat NOZ Stereo Gaming Headset.
Specifications
- Price: $69.99 USD
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General:
- Cable Length: 2.45m
- Jack Plug: dual plug 3.5mm (3-pin)
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Microphone:
- Measured Frequency response: 100 ~ 10000Hz
- THD% @ 1kHz: 2%
- Sensitivity at 1kHz: -40dB
- Signal-to-noise ratio: 58dB
- Impedance: 2.2kΩ
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Driver Units:
- Measured Frequency response: 10 ~ 20000Hz
- Impedance: 60Ω
- Max. SPL at 1kHz: 112dB
- Drive diameter: 50mm
- Driver unit material: Neodymium magnet
- Weight: 210 g
- Compatibility: 3.5mm jack socket required
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In this day and age of high-quality surround sound audio in headsets, we need to take a step back to appreciate how effective stereo headsets can actually be; headsets like the Roccat NOZ. Featuring natural-sounding audio and ear cups designed for comfort, the NOZ is quite a decent stereo headset for your buck. It’s not my first rodeo with Roccat; I reviewed the Roccat Renga Boost a while back, which is also a stereo headset, though the NOZ is a wholesale improvement on that model.
Coming from a set of Astro A40s that are roughly 3x the cost of the NOZ, I was surprised to find the directional sound is just as accurate. As is the norm for these reviews, I went into my favorite game, PUBG, to test out how good it really was. From the moment I made my first drop, I could tell that the audio was already better than the Renga Boost. You could hear the sounds of footsteps near and far, and when the plane was flying overhead you knew exactly which direction it was coming from. When you game with a headset with little to no directional audio, you’re at a disadvantage to those that do. That was definitely not the case here.
When it comes to tuning, I found the highs to be crisp and clear, which allowed me to pick out those footsteps more easily. The lows, on the other hand, were rich without being overwhelming. Some gaming headsets overdo the low-end to make the game feel more cinematic but in reality is more often to mask poor tuning elsewhere. Roccat did a nice job of finding the lows and making them full but controlled. The mids are also slightly elevated, allowing you to clearly hear callouts and audio cues that fall in the middle of the spectrum.
Speaking of quality, the headset is made of durable plastic and fitted with a fabric that allows for your ears and head to remain cool while playing. It is very light, coming in at only 210 g, and it lets you move freely without putting stress on the top of your head like some of the bigger competitors. The ear cups on the NOZ are a little snug but there is enough room for it to be comfortable there as well. The headband adjusts far enough for an easy fit for even the bigger sized heads, however.
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The microphone is very well done. While not as big of a thing for streamers who a more and more moving to desk microphones, is still important for those people that want an all-in-one solution. The microphone here is clear and does a good job of capturing the low end in your voice without sounding nasally. The sacrifice is that it’s not the best at outside noise rejection, so it will pick up a good amount of what’s around you. I was happy to see that you could mute yourself on the fly using the on-board controls built into the left earcup, however. Here is a little audio clip so that you can hear what it sounds like.
Since the microphone connects via a standard 3.5mm jack, it’s compatible with just about everything. You can use it to listen to music or your mobile games and can even be used to take calls and record audio. I tested it out with a couple of voice changer applications on my Galaxy S8+, and I was very happy with the results. For those hardcore gamers who choose to take your headset with you when you play out of the house this will be a good option for you. This is especially true if you game on the go with the Nintendo Switch. The only thing that would make this better is if there was a shorter cord for using these with devices while you are on the go.
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Final Thoughts
The Roccat team has done a good job with the NOZ Stereo Gaming Headset and for a price that even budget gamers will be able to get into the game at. It’s as easy as plugging the headset in and you are off to the races with your friends. Enjoy crisp audio, clear microphone, and great directional sound for your buck.
Pros
- Great directional audio
- Comfortable and lightweight
- Natural sounding microphone
Cons
- Ear cups could be a little larger
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for the purpose of review.
