If you requested me to guess the burden of Roccat’s new Renga Boost gaming headset, I’d swear blind that it’s by no means going to beat the 210g Roccat Noz gaming headset, as a result of, properly, simply have a look at the factor. Its 50mm audio drivers are method larger and chunkier than the Noz’s skinny little ear muffs, and even the fold-down microphone has a thicker, extra substantial increase arm on the left hand facet. And but, someway, Roccat have managed to shave this headset right down to an equivalent 210g, making this supposed studio-grade headset really feel virtually weightless as soon as it’s in your face.
The Renga Boost is open-backed, too, that means you may hear all the pieces occurring round you with good readability. I child you not, it actually felt like I wasn’t carrying something in any respect on my head once I first put the Renga Boost on, as my keyboard clacks had been simply as loud as earlier than, and I might nonetheless hear my cats clambering across the endless field fort that’s my workplace behind me.
Admittedly, that’s form of the entire level of open-backed headphones – they’re meant to supply a wider, clearer sound that’s extra pure and real looking than closed-back headphones, as when you had been proper there listening to it within the room. This does imply, after all, that they’re additionally not notably appropriate whenever you’re utilizing them within the firm of others. Just as you may hear sounds leak in from the skin, so can also everybody round you hear the photographs, bangs and roaring soundtracks of no matter you’re taking part in. As such, these of you whose PCs are likely to reside in the lounge might need to assume twice about getting open-backed headphones like this earlier than you begin inflicting issues like the web screams of horrible twelve-year-olds in your family and friends.
Still, offered you’re planning to make use of this in an altogether extra solitary setting, the Renga Boost has loads to suggest it. For starters, it’s fairly darn comfy. That’s largely as a result of the scarf consists of a single leather-esque strap that routinely stretches to the form of your head with out the necessity for any type of guide adjustment. It’s an analogous concept to the ski-goggle design of my bestest best gaming headset, the Steelseries Arctis 7, which is palms down probably the most comfy type of headset headband I’ve ever worn.
And for some time, the Renga Boost regarded as if it will match the Arctis 7 beat for beat within the previous consolation division. The headset’s normal weightlessness meant it sat fairly fortunately on my noggin for a superb chunk of time, and the tender, fake leather-based ear cups by no means felt like they had been getting too sizzling or scratchy towards my cheeks. In the tip, nevertheless, it nonetheless began to pinch a bit after round half an hour or so.
In its defence, it wasn’t really the scarf that was the primary offender this time spherical. Instead, it was ear cups, which is fairly stunning given I normally don’t have an issue with these. Alas, it was across the again of my ears the place the Renga Boost began to make itself identified, and I think it’s most likely as a result of the ear cups themselves are fairly comfortable. When I attempted shuffling them again, for example, I discovered they had been already brushing up towards the sting of my ear, which didn’t give me an enormous quantity of leeway to attempt to ease the stress. By and enormous, although, that was the one essential niggle I had with the Renga Boost, as (for as soon as) the scarf itself didn’t give me any trouble in any way.
The Renga Boost doesn’t have any controls on the ear cups, however you do get a quantity and microphone mute button on the inline management.
As for the Renga Boost’s sound high quality, I’ll admit to being a bit skeptical given how weedy the Noz was once I examined it final month. In Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, although, all the pieces was enterprise as regular. All the voices whispering and snickering in Senua’s head got here by way of splendidly clear on the Renga Boost, and it actually felt like they had been all nattering away in the identical room behind me. The crackling thunder additionally rumbled away pleasingly within the background, including a way of menace to proceedings that complemented the foreboding ambiance.
I used to be additionally impressed with the way it dealt with Doom’s soundtrack as properly. There was, admittedly a noticeable airiness to massive shoot-outs, with the bass sounding a contact tinny in locations in comparison with different closed-back gaming headsets I’ve examined previously, nevertheless it positively made a greater fist of issues than the Roccat Noz. The pumping bass of the battle music sounded well-balanced towards the oncoming demon screeches and enemy gunfire, and my Super Shotgun blasts had an honest quantity of heft to them.
Most importantly, the broader soundstage afforded by the Renga Boost’s open-backed design meant I used to be tremendous conscious of all the pieces occurring round me, making the headset really feel extra immersive because of this. Sure, I might have finished with a smidge extra bass to essentially seal the deal, however contemplating the Renga Boost’s fairly low value, it’s one thing I’m prepared to let slide right here.
Final Fantasy XV sounded nice as properly. From the swell of the orchestral incidental music to the busy battle themes, the Renga Boost took all the pieces in its stride, completely balancing the strings and percussion towards the roars and zip-zap of the game’s fight.
The Renga Boost comes with a mixed 3.5mm adapter within the field so you should utilize it with laptops, telephones and consoles in addition to PC.
The Renga Boost held up once I converted to a few of my extra common music in iTunes, too. I have to admit, I had a little bit of hassle getting its mixed 3.5mm adapter to play ball with my laptop computer – on first listening, my favorite Hunt or be Hunted observe from Final Fantasy XV gave the impression of each single instrument was being squeezed by way of a small tube – however I think that’s most likely extra to do with my laptop computer’s often bizarre audio settings than anything, as once I ditched the adapter and simply plugged within the common headset cable (leaving the mic cable disconnected), it sounded simply high-quality.
The soothing strings of the Heaven’s Vault soundtrack, for instance, sounded completely balanced towards its tinkling piano sections, and rock and pop songs had me tapping my toes as I loved their clear vocals and full-bodied backing tracks.
The solely mildly disappointing factor concerning the Renga Boost is its microphone. My voice got here by way of good and clear once I recorded myself talking in Audacity, however there was additionally a noticeable hiss occurring within the background, which I discovered troublesome to eliminate. The solely approach to mute the microphone is to make use of the inline management, too – not an enormous burden, all advised, however a flip-to-mute would have additionally been good to see as properly, particularly for these all-important swigs of tea whenever you simply need to elevate the microphone barely as a substitute of faffing round looking for the tiny mute swap on its generously lengthy cable.
Still, contemplating the Roccat Renga Boost prices simply £50 / $50, I’d say it’s a reasonably small niggle within the grand scheme of issues. The remainder of the headset is superb for this sort of cash, providing a excessive diploma of consolation and a stunning, balanced sound in a variety of games. The similarly-priced Turtle Beach Atlas Three should still be preferable for individuals who’d like a bit extra bass at their disposal, however for everybody else in the hunt for an inexpensive, no-frills headset, the Roccat Renga Boost replaces the Cougar Phontum as my new funds headset of selection in my best gaming headset rankings.
