Gaming headsets tend to lack bass. Razer fixes this problem with the Tiamat 7.1 , a gaming headset that offers up impressive bass response, high-quality output, and 7.1-channel surround sound. At $179.99 (direct) it's pricey, but that excellent audio quality helps justify the price and makes it our Editors' Choice for wired gaming headsets. 

The first thing you need to know: As an analog surround-sound headset, the Tiamat 7.1 uses several 3.5mm audio plugs to connect to a computer. Because of this, you need a sound card that supports 5.1 or 7.1-channel surround and has individual front, rear, surround, and subwoofer ports. If you don't have a surround sound card, you can use it with just the standard stereo input by disabling the surround sound on the headphones, but you'll certainly be overpaying for a feature you won't use.

Design and Comfort

The Razer Tiamat headset is one of the most comfortable headsets I've tried. During testing, the large, padded cups and padded headband sat over my large head without pinching or tugging, and there was no looseness around the ear cups. The microphone hides inside the left ear cup, resting within the plastic frame of the cup when not in use. The microphone pulls down, folds out, and then bends toward your mouth. Green Razer logos at the base of the cups light up when in use, and an extra set of opaque backplates can be used if you don't like the transparent ones that show the headset's drivers.

Unlike some other high-end gaming headsets like Razer's Star Wars: The Old Republic gaming headset ($129.99, 4 stars) or Logitech's G35 ($129.99, 3 stars), there are no controls on the Tiamat itself. Instead, there's an in-line control box between the headset and the analog audio connections. The box has a large volume knob, a small channel knob, and three buttons for microphone, speakers (to toggle surround or stereo speakers connected through the included 3.5mm surround sound dongle), and surround sound. By default the volume knob changes the master volume, but the smaller knob lets you select each surround channel and the microphone to individually tweak them. When you press the volume knob, it acts as a Mute button.

The 7.1 surround button is one of the most handy controls you'll find on a headset like this. While it works as a 7.1-channel surround headset with individual channels, if you listen to most music and video content on your computer you'll only hear it through the front channels. Disabling the 7.1 surround feature enables all the drivers, giving you a full stereo experience. It isn't the Dolby Pro Logic II technology that many audio devices use to expand stereo music into a surround sound system, but with the small, clustered arrangement of the Tiamat's drivers, the direct stereo translation works much better because of its lower abilities for surround imaging.

Performance

Bass response on the Tiamat is impressive, even turned up to maximum volume. I played our standard bass test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," at full volume in stereo mode and the flat bass notes resounded powerfully without distorting. Explosions and gunfire in Team Fortress 2 sounded similarly forceful, with plenty of power behind each shot.

Like all surround-sound headphones, the Tiamat 7.1 can't quite emulate a true surround-sound system, even with individual drivers for each channel. The ear cups just don't have enough room for the various channels to image directionally. The Tiamat 7.1 does come the closest of any gaming headphones I've tested though; I could make out some directional action when playing Team Fortress 2, a solid improvement over the Logitech G35 and Creative Sound Blaster Tactic 3D Omega ($199.99, 3.5 stars).

The Razer Tiamat 7.1 is comfortable, performs well, and comes closer to actually offering a surround sound experience than I've seen in any gaming headset. The price is very high for a wired model, but the experience makes it worth an Editors' Choice. Our favorite wireless gaming headset, the Logitech G930 ($159.99, 4 stars), is a little less expensive and more convenient, but less comfortable and you don't get the Tiamat 7.1's dedicated drivers for each channel. Also, if you don't mind giving up the surround sound, Razer's Tiamat 2.2 , which we haven't tested, offers stereo sound for $100. 

More Headphone Reviews:
•   Jabra Elite 65e
•   JBL Endurance Sprint
•   OnePlus Bullets Wireless
•   Marshall Major III Bluetooth
•   JBL Reflect Mini 2
•  more