Razer Tiamat 7.1 Gaming Headset Review
Introduction and Technical Specifications
Published: 4th January 2013 | Source: Razer | Price: £153.66 |
Introduction
As more and more PCs move from the dusty corners of your house into the living room, their multimedia capabilities combining with our high-definition outputs to become the centrepiece of our entertainment. This has lead to a surge in headphone users and a dramatic improvement in the quality of headsets designed for home computers.
Surround headsets aren't new, but usually stick to just 5.1 surround effects with varying degrees of success. Many claim to be surround but merely use software trickery to supply the effect. Managing to squeeze all the speakers needed for genuine surround sound in a headset is a complicated design challenge, which has led to some very curious designs.
Enter Razer, with the Tiamat. Not only is this a genuine 7.1 surround headset, but Razer have crammed a whopping 10 individual drivers into the ear-pieces. So theoretically this should provide incredible sound quality and the best surround audio we've yet seen in a headset.
Technical Specifications
With so many speakers the technical specifications of the Tiamat are lengthy indeed. When you've finished perusing them, move on to the next page and we'll take a look at the Tiamat in all its glory.
Sub woofer:
- Drivers: 2 x 40mm Neodymium Magnets with Titanium Coated Diaphragm
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20,000 Hz
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Sensitivity @ 1kHz: 116 dB ± 3dB
Front:
- Drivers: 2 x 30mm Neodymium Magnets
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20,000 Hz
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity @ 1kHz: 123dB ± 3dB
Rear:
- Drivers: 2 x 20mm Neodymium Magnets
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20,000 Hz
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity @ 1kHz: 120dB ± 3dB
Center:
- Drivers: 2 x 30mm Neodymium Magnets
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20,000 Hz
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity @ 1kHz: 123dB ± 3dB
Side:
- Drivers: 2 x 20mm Neodymium Magnets
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20,000 Hz
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity @ 1kHz: 120dB ± 3dB
Microphone
- Frequency Response: 50 – 16,000 Hz
- Sensitivity @1kHz: -36 dB ± 2dB
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 50 dB
- Pick-up Pattern: Unidirectional
Volume Control Unit
- Master Volume, front speakers, centre speakers, sub-woofer speakers, side speakers, rear speakers, microphone volume, microphone mute, audio mute, 7.1 surround sound & 2.0 stereo mode toggle and speaker/headset toggle
- Cable: 3 metres, braided fibre sheath
- Micro-USB Audio-Out
- Micro-USB Audio-In
PC Connector: Microphone-In, 4x Audio-Out
Speakers Connector: 4x Audio-Out, 1x Audio-In
Most Recent Comments
Hello!
7.1 as in surround headsets. I'm curious to see what you think about this knowing you don't like surround... ( neither do i ).
7.1 as in surround headsets. I'm curious to see what you think about this knowing you don't like surround... ( neither do i ).
VB has done this review fella, hes a much bigger gamer than I am.
Ahh, ofcourse.
The link wasn't there before...
Thanks!
The link wasn't there before...
Thanks!
Would like to add that the quality of the microphone wasn't really looked upon. In the first "Up close" VB mentioned that the microphone seemed incredibly cheap for the pirce of the headset, but really no testing and opinions on the sound quality the microphone delivers.
Just want to say that I own one of these and I'd just like to add that the microphone not only looks cheap, it performs like a cheap microphone too as the sound revieved is unclear and it sounds like I'm standing far away from it.
I also noticed when I plug in the USB-power cable in one of the USB ports in my computer that there can be heard a little buzzing sound even though I'm not playing any audio. To get rid of the buzzing sound I had to buy a wallsocket-USB thingy (hopefully you know what I mean) which was slightly annoying.
But everything regaring audio quality and esthetics I couldn't agree more. The audio clarity the headset delivers is stunning, the surround is perfect as I can pinpoint everything around me and the headset really looks amazing.
Just want to say that I own one of these and I'd just like to add that the microphone not only looks cheap, it performs like a cheap microphone too as the sound revieved is unclear and it sounds like I'm standing far away from it.
I also noticed when I plug in the USB-power cable in one of the USB ports in my computer that there can be heard a little buzzing sound even though I'm not playing any audio. To get rid of the buzzing sound I had to buy a wallsocket-USB thingy (hopefully you know what I mean) which was slightly annoying.
But everything regaring audio quality and esthetics I couldn't agree more. The audio clarity the headset delivers is stunning, the surround is perfect as I can pinpoint everything around me and the headset really looks amazing.
I don't think I would pay that much money for a gaming headset. With that money I can get a decent surround sound system or two speakers, oor... I can build my own sound system ( which will make it more interesting, fun and satisfying ).
At the same time I do think a headset like this will be beneficial in gaming where sound plays an important strategical role.
I don't understand why they didn't use a decent mike on that thing. It looks horrible.
I don't dispute the quality of the audio or the sweat that the engineers that racked their brains to make this as good as possible have put into this project, it's
still a crapload of money ( for me atleast ).
At the same time I do think a headset like this will be beneficial in gaming where sound plays an important strategical role.
I don't understand why they didn't use a decent mike on that thing. It looks horrible.
I don't dispute the quality of the audio or the sweat that the engineers that racked their brains to make this as good as possible have put into this project, it's
still a crapload of money ( for me atleast ).
Maybe at half the price... 
Good review. 
Had them in my hands, but that's pretty much it. 
Still prefer good ol' stereo (my GameCom 380 rocks).
Had them in my hands, but that's pretty much it. Still prefer good ol' stereo (my GameCom 380 rocks).Tom, I have to say I always like the critical thinking you put into your reviews. This would seem to be an awesome product for the audiophile. I would like to have a listen myself, before going out and spending that much on a set. The 7.1 feature might make it all worth it in the end. 
I'm interested in this headset but can't decide on a 7.1 soundcard to go with them. Thinking of the HT | OMEGA Claro Halo w/XT or the Asus Xonar Pheobus.
When I built my rig last summer I considered getting these to complement my sound card, but was unsure of how the smaller drivers in this headset would impact sound quality and clarity. I used Turtle Beach headsets before and while the surround was nice the sound lacked that umph; it sounded weak next to stereo (at least to me). I ultimately ended up getting Astro A40 because the quality of the drivers and the mic were tried and proven and they ended up being more comfortable to use for long periods of time than my PX5. Not as good sounding as audiophile headphones granted but acceptable for gaming. I would like to see how the Tiamat compares to other popular gaming headsets (both surround and stereo) in terms of mic quality, driver quality and comfort
Gameaholic i use the tiamat's with a Xonar D2X and they sound awsome
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Gameaholic
I'm interested in this headset but can't decide on a 7.1 soundcard to go with them. Thinking of the HT | OMEGA Claro Halo w/XT or the Asus Xonar Pheobus.
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for headphones what is wrong with stereo. this video is a very good example.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUDTlvagjJA
PingPangBV, dragoonk. My stereo Sennheisers were a similar price and similrly plastc. Good quality plastic but plasticall the same. The microphone, can people hear what you are saying?. That is all I would want from a mike. They get the important thing right, there ain't nought wrong with the listening! Sure you you can get three of that and half a dozen of the other for the price, but I live in a flat. I have had to force out two douches wtth no regard for their neighbours and I like my music loud. I have to pay good money for a decent headphone exsperience. The buzzing being picked up is a probably a ground/shielding problem, and as likely down to the sockets in your case as anything else. Once it has been superimposed on the waveform the drivers are getting, there might not be a lot to be done about it. You could include a notch filter in the headphones, but that would equally take out audio at those frequencies as well. Is it all the ports? Is it intermittent? If you are using a front port for convenience, I wouldn't be surprised if the cable isn't shielded at all. As I said my stereo Sennheisers were a similar price and you agree this very good kit where it counts. How much would ironing out the little niggles bump up the price? This isn't negative criticism for either of you. I have an eliectrical engineering background and have suffered a lot from noise pollution.
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