31.7.2016

HyperX Cloud II Gaming HeadsetUnboxing-------------Very nice packaging with HyperX Cloud2 – classy looking grey and very sturdy box with foam padding in all the right places. Comes with a mesh bag for the headset, an airplane adapter, a spare set of earpads, and the detachable microphone. Good to see a few useful accessories at this price point. Perhaps a stow-able mic would have been nice, but a minor quibble and the supplied mic is very easy to attach/detach and also to find a convenient position with.Hardware-------------I’ve got the gunmetal (all black) version, and I think it looks great - much more understated than most gaming headsets. The construction appears very solid,with metal used in the headband (rather than the more common plastic) – they’ve already been dropped several times from desk height (sometimes violently because of the way I attach the control unit to my chair) with no signs of any damage or any squeaks/rattles developing. Definitely strong enough to sling around at a LAN party (I sound old :( ) . The braided cable is a good length with the USB connection, but only really suitable for listening to a portable device without it (more on this later).The USB portion has a decently long cable for connection to a rear USB port and comes with a handy clip on it (presumably for clothing – mine is attached to my chair with Velcro), with separate volume controls for the headphones and microphone, a mute switch for the microphone (bit fiddly to operate and I usually bind a key in game to speak), and the toggle button for the Surround Sound.One minor downside is the little rubber grommet used to protect the microphone port when the mic is detached – once removed it looks eminently losable, and since my microphone will be plugged in most of the time it went straight back in the box with the other bits and bobs.The HyperX Cloud2 comes with 2 sets of earpads, a faux leather set (shipped fitted) and a velour pair in the box. Both sets are comfortable but I find the faux leather slightly more so, as the foam is a little softer. However, during the recent heatwave (by UK standards) I found the velour set to be distinctly less sweaty (although slightly itchy). I don't think I'd complain about either, so to receive both pairs as standard is a nice touch.The headband seems to adjust over a pretty wide range so I think this would be suitable, size wise, for most people (I used to have a boss who looked like Herman Munster and it probably wouldn’t fit him).I’ve worn the headset for quite a few hours now with very little discomfort – they’re light enough not to slip down at all on my ears and they don’t apply too much pressure (a problem I’ve found with headphones in the past and it gives me a headache, yes, poor me).Installation--------------Installation under Windows 10 was a breeze – nothing more is required than plugging in the USB portion of the headset, letting Windoze do it’s stuff, then remembering to set it as the default playback device.Audio Output------------------I’m a classically trained musician and I listen to (nearly) everything from baroque classical to techno / trance (sorry, can’t abide R&B or happy hardcore), so I’m pretty fussy about audio.With the USB connection, the audio quality is good. Decent amount of bass and reasonable mid and treble clarity. Hard to tell the quality of the headphones exactly as the sound signal goes through many layers of software before it gets to you.I’m not entirely convinced by the Virtual Surround Sound. It’s quite nice in a solo game like Far Cry 4 as it really brings the sounds of the environment alive, especially things like waterfalls. But for a more competitive game like CS GO I much prefer the standard stereo sound – the surround sound just interferes when listening for the footsteps of an enemy and makes it harder to pinpoint their location.Where I have found the Surround Sound to be useful is when watching films – admittedly I don’t watch many films on my PC directly, but I tried a few such as The Revenant (don’t watch unless you have a strong stomach), Iron Man, Deadpool etc. and my impression was positive. It definitely makes you feel more as if you’re part of the action with less of the ‘inside your head’ effect one usually gets with headphones. Of course, it doesn’t really emulate the setup of a proper 5.1 speaker system.After I’d already purchased this headset (d’oh!) I read a very good review of it (link at the end). Following the reviewer’s advice is definitely a good step if you plan on using these extensively for audio only from your PC. I purchased a splitter (to separate the headphone and microphone connections) and extension cable which both work well (links also at the end).The difference in audio quality is quite noticeable when the headset is plugged directly in to the sound card (an ageing SoundBlaster in my case). The bass really ‘pops’ a lot more and the mid and treble ranges are very clear.The USB connection also adds a faint hiss – only noticeable in extremely quiet sections (try ‘El Nino’ for an example) but it’s definitely there. No such hiss exists with a direct connection.I don’t think the direct connection makes much difference in game and the Surround Sound is nice for those rare occasions when you get to just chill and take in your environment (which a large team of people took ages to craft – I grew up with games like the legendary ‘Chuckie Egg’ so I really appreciate the advances in graphics technology which provide such beautiful gaming environments now). It’s also very convenient to have the USB device handy with its various controls.Unfortunately, I don’t have much other than a PC (and portables) for listening to music right now, so it’s difficult to judge the audio quality without all of the layers of software interfering. Fortunately, my Dad has a rather nice separates system with a lovely and very expensive pair of Bose headphones. When listening through the HyperX headset using this high quality setup I was immediately impressed – these really are good enough to use daily for audio only. Plenty of bass though not overly so – it still works well with classical music. Nice and rich through mid, and clear in the treble. Very impressed.Of course, I then had a go with the Bose headphones and, as you might suspect, the difference was clear – the Bose has a much tighter response with no discernible dropouts. But the HyperX are a fraction of the price, and when listening to a compressed format such as MP3 I struggled to tell the difference.Audio Input---------------The microphone seems good enough – apparently people can hear me in game, but I can’t attest to what they’re actually hearing. Might be making me sound like a fluent Russian speaker judging by some of the responses I’ve received…Skype calls seem to work fine with the headset.Conclusion---------------I had previously purchased a HUHD set which were much cheaper (and wireless) but of a much lower quality. They were returned due to dropouts in the audio. This set have been far superior all round.I would wholeheartedly recommend the HyperX Cloud II headset. Its looks may be too understated for the teenage crowd (although it does come in red and also in a quite shocking white/pink combo which, perhaps unsurprisingly, they sell for a lower price), but for us oldies I think it looks perfect.The build quality and comfort are both excellent.Audio is also very good, but it’s definitely worth getting a splitter and extension cable to plug directly into your sound card when listening to music for an extended period.Overall, a good quality, well designed headset which will give much more expensive, audio only headphones a run for their money.If you found this review helpful, please click on ‘Yes’ below.LinksReview: http://www.pcgameware.co.uk/reviews/headsets/hyperx-cloud-ii-headset-review/Splitter:

27.7.2015

My old headset (Logitek Wireless) were dying a death, and I needed a new set to replace them. I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I do wear headphones for many hours, and I needed a set that were versatile. Able to be used for the odd bit of gaming, listening to music for extended periods, talking on chat, and to be comfortable, with good quality sound.Now, bear in mind I have used many, many computer and audio headphones over the years, all with their faults and flaws, from the cheapest mono earpiece up to top of the line Bose audio headphones. (Which I'm going to use from time to time by way of comparison with the Kingston). And I would choose these over any I've ever used or owned, Bose included.Firstly,everything about these headphones says "quality". You can see the people who put them together really do love what they do. The box they come in, is beautifully presented, and looks really nice from the outside, and the inside.Unwrapping and looking at the headset, that impression of quality continues. Thick, tangle-resistant cord. Extending at full length even fits my extra-large skull, and the cups completely cover the ears, providing passive noise filtering that works surprisingly well at blocking out background sound even before you turn anything on. The crown atop your head is memory foam, while the earcups are large and well cushioned. I've used them for many hours without feeling like I even had them on. The build of them feels solid, too and astonishingly, the build quality and materials used, are significantly better than my three-times-the-price Bose headset. Yes, you read that right. Better.You can also use with the 7.1 dongle or without, remove the mic if you want to use as an ordinary headset, or even switch the cups for a different material. All suggest a careful, well thought out attitude to the making of these headphones.Used on my PC for the first time, I was - no exaggeration - absolutely overwhelmed at the sound quality. Powerful? Oh yes. So much so I barely have them turned up beyond their lowest setting most of the time. And even on stereo, the sound is rich, full, and detailed at both the top and bottom end. High notes sound sharp and clear, and bass is powerful and without breakup, unlike some lesser headsets which buckle under the strain.So what about the 7.1 virtual surround sound?Put simply, when it works as it should, it's stunning. You can use it on anything - just push a button on the dongle and it does the rest - and while it's certainly not suitable for everything you listen to (some songs or games will sound either tinny, or digitized) it's immense fun to experiment with to hear familiar songs in an entirely new way. (For fans of Vangelis, check out "Main title music" from Bladerunner with these set to 7.1. You'll be amazed!)The sound really "widens" from being in the centre of your hearing, as stereo usually is on headphones, and seems to come from above, below, and behind you. The first time I experienced it, my jaw hit the floor, and all with that crystal clear and powerful sound! In fact, as I type this, I'm listening to music on Youtube in 7.1, and it still astonishes me as to just how good these headphones, really are.The mic too, is an excellent one, clear, and with volume adjustment on the dongle too (a very useful touch). You can also mute it with a subtle switch on the side of the dongle, or remove and put in a bag when not in use. (Be careful with the plastic grommet supplied to insert in place of the mic, it's easy to lose as others have mentioned).Other nice touches, include the 7.1 glowing red when active, and the "HyperX" logo on the dongle, to let you know your headphones are on.The cord - with dongle - is also VERY long at around ten feet and USB connected. Without the 7.1 dongle you still have around four feet of 3.5mm connecting cable, which is ideal for say, tablet use. I've used it on my own tablet and it was excellent for this, with those big, over the ear cups really immersing me in the game I was playing.Oh, and if you wear spectacles, these are also ideal, as they give plenty of space for wearing them, even when fully extended.Flaws? Well as I said, my headset is at max extension, so if your skull is unusually large, you may struggle with them fitting over your ears. That plastic grommet can also go astray if you plug and unplug the mic regularly. And light and foldaway this headset is not, so if you're looking for a small, portable set, these aren't for you.However I was lucky enough to pick up my headset on sale for £65 on another website a month ago, and - to my mind - for the quality of build and sound, that represents absolutely incredible value for money. They destroy my previous £50 Logitek computer headset, and even my Bose audio headset pale beside them. (Only the noise reduction on the Bose is superior, which it should be as it's an active system, rather than a passive one. but audio and build wise? Not even close, in comparison with the Kingston).I wouldn't hesitate at buying this set again. Highly recommended.Update: Having owned my headphones now for almost 2 years - and many hours of wearing - I'd not only stand by my original review, I'd agree even more with it. Without doubt, the best set of headphones I've ever owned.After 2 years extensive use, they still feel as good as the day I bought them. Nothing had broken or fallen off - which after 2 years hard use, says much for the quality of the build - and they're still going strong. The sound is still excellent, still incredibly comfortably to wear for long periods, and I'd gladly buy a set of headphones from this company again. For the £60-odd I paid for them, they're nothing short of amazing. :)

25.6.2015

Well, I have owned this headset for a couple months now and overall I would think I am fairly pleased. The build quality is fantastic and the headset is extremely comfortable to wear and it will not increase in weight the longer you wear it. The cables are braided and are fairly average in length providing a comfortable wear without risk of damaging the cable. Thanks to the foam built within the headphones, your hearing outside of the headset will be minimized to give you a more realistic and direct experience. It is also useful if you will be using these in a noisy environment. This also minimizes sound-bleed, with all the tests I did I could not detect any bleeding unless the volume was extremely high,which is unlikely as I found the headset fairly loud even at about 50%.Audio without USB dongle: The sound is crystal clear and sublime at every volume, you should feel fairly relaxed with such a lightweight and comfortable headset whilst accompanied by undisturbed audio for a fantastic experience. You can hear the bass perfectly well unlike other "gaming" headsets. Note without the dongle you cannot use the microphone or 7.1 virtual surround sound.Audio with USB dongle: With the addition of the USB dongle you will be able to benefit from the 7.1 virtual surround sound and be able to use your microphone. However this is where things start changing, when using the USB dongle you might start to hear crackling and audio disruptions at low volumes. This is a known fault caused by the USB dongle (not this is not the case with all headsets) however audio will not be affected at higher volumes. Personally I would not use the USB dongle unless it was for the microphone or 7.1 sound but as my laptop's 3.5mm jack does not work I have no choice.7.1 Virtual Surround Sound: The 7.1 virtual surround sound is great, when in video games that are impacted by the audio it really does make an immense change. Despite it being only virtual, you will still be able to determine where audio is coming from whether North, South, East, West and all other possible directions without any sort of disruptions. Note that in games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive this really does improve your capabilities.Xbox/PS: This headset is compatible with both the xbox and playstation however you will NOT be able to use your microphone and the 7.1 surround sound will not work at all for most games. Do note this is primarily designed to be a PC gaming headset, if you're looking for a xbox/playstation headset I would strongly recommend turtlebeach.Issues: At lower levels whilst using the USB dongle I could hear a very distinctive crackling sound that disturbed audio levels and sound quality. After a couple months my USB dongle also started experiencing another fault, at times when I moved the dongle or accidentally pulled on the cord I would lose all sound and the only way I could recover from this is to unplug my headset completely, wait a few seconds and plug it back in. This is extremely bothersome in the middle of a game. Note I do not pull ANY cables out, the USB dongle simply seems to bug/glitch and it causes a complete loss of sound.I have contacted HyperX over at kingston and they are sending me a new USB dongle free of charge due to this fault. Note that I am not the only one who has had this issue, if you do experience it and you can confirm the fault is with the USB dongle then contact the Kingston support and do give them details and ask for a replacement. Note your warranty must still be intact if you do not wish to pay.Conclusion: This is an all-round, fantastic headset. The build, sound, 7.1 and microphone are all of fantastic quality. For £70 this really is a good deal however I cannot give it 5 stars due to the disappointing faults with the USB dongle. Despite known faults having been around for a while I have not heard of any planned fixes from HyperX themselves.

27.3.2017

If you're buying these as a present the box they come in is classy so a receiver will be impressed by what appears to be a very heavy and expensive gift. Well packed inside, the mouthpiece arm is detachable and so is the USB cable with its in-line control pad so they can be used as a straight 3.5mm jacked pair of headphones, which is what I did as my first test.Standard Headphone test:Plugged straight into my iPod Classic the first thing I found was that the sound is much louder than through my usual over the ear Sennheisers, I had to tweak the volume down to about 85% of my usual. Also the sound EQ is quite different, the bass is massive so with music you get a very "Boomy",the mids and high end are clear but the mids are quite harsh. With an EQ adjust on the iPod to a preset with less mid they sounded pretty clear to my (old and battered) ears. Noise cancelling is good since unless your ears are gigantic they will be fully covered. I am aware of the other users complaints about the metal band conducting sound to the cans and this is absolutely true so if you think this might be a problem for you, for example you play with your head leaning back against a wall or headboard then I would warn you off. Personally I play while around soft furnishings and had no problem with it and could not hear any slight noises over music or gameplay so I felt unwilling to knock a star off for this. The manufacturer is now factory fitting a dampening kit so they seem to have minimised the issue as much as possible. Personally I like the design, the metal bands make the head band self adjusting and I've never seen that before and they are very comfortable. They go over my ears with no adjustment required.PS4 Use:The 3.5mm jack now plugged into the little control box, the 0.9m cable length is now 3.2m to my PS4 USB socket, plug and play with no issue. Already knowing the sound was great I wanted the hear the Dolby Surround effect. A button on the controller switches between standard stereo and surround and the difference is very noticeable. The stereo field definitely widens and the overall effect does tend toward binaural although whether you hear sounds coming from behind is subjective, personally I rarely do but this setting for for me does give a much more immersive and spacious sound field. A major positive factor is they will fit over a Playstation VR headset and still snugly meet my head due to their wide design. My only other pair that fit over are Panasonic RPHXS400EW and they sound awful, the HyperX sound amazing particularly with the huge bass so they give me a better night time alternative to 7.1 Home Cinema sound. The most expensive pair of headphones I now own, the most solid pair, they do not have a flat EQ in my opinion but they have the response available for you to retune for your own personal tastes. Excellent.

27.12.2018

Everything you need to know about the highly craved Hyper X Cloud II headset...Sound Quality (Headphone)Unmistakably good, the first thing I noticed was the crisp and clear quality versus my older previous Turtle Beach headset. The bass is present but also not too harsh when playing music, making it great for just chilling out to some tunes while you game. It can be a bit harsh on the low end sometimes however this may just be me being not used to how much bass is actually audible in a good quality pair of headphones. I definitely started hearing things in clips/games etc that I never even heard before I bought these. Remarkable.Sound Quality (Microphone)You only have to look this up online to figure out that,

18.9.2020

These are brilliant. I bought a custom gaming PC for the new Microsoft Flight Simulator and wanted a good headset for Vatsim flights (online flights with real people acting as air traffic control) - so I needed a decent headset for that.I settled on this because my budget that I'd set aside for the entire PC was maxxed out so thought I'd buy this HyperX headset as a short term solution - and liked the idea that it is a WIRED headset.It has absolutely blown me away!!!!Some people with wireless headsets have spent tons more and are having difficulty with their choices because of odd bugs. For example, on the wireless options if the battery runs out, Flight Simulator can crash to desktop - not ideal!

6.2.2018

--- Updated 6/11/18 ---Ive previously mentioned that this headset is nothing like what ive previously owned. its actually worked for more than 8 months to a year which was my previous life expectancy for my past 7 or 8 headsets from varying brands. There is nothing overly special with the headset. it has somewhat cheap but sturdy plastic frame decent cushioning on the top headband and perfectly good ear pads that will give you continued comfort for long gaming sessions or in general use case. i wear my headset anywhere from 7 to 16 hours a day while frequently taking them off multiple times within the day.The core and most notable strong point here with the headset is that, and i can reassure you on this.

19.10.2020

the positive:- sound (music not only gaming) is excellent. this is why I'm getting the exact same ones again. tried sony, bose, etc. Yes they dont really look like something you'd want to wear outside of the house and they are not comfortable in a plane. but I never care, I use them a lot- good passive noice cancellation. when WFH i have them on my head even with no music on for long periods of time. i get less distractedneutral:i never use the Dolby controls (even though I do some amount of gaming, mostly FPS). Headsets or good even in stereo to place the sounds. dolby functions seem to change soundscape which I dont likeThe bad:- i bought mine 2nd hand and used them for 2 years and they are not very long-living.my biggest gripe,

11.12.2018

When my Razer Kraken Chroma 7.1 broke last year I was in the market for a good replacement, and I'm really glad I purchased this back in January because it's definitely been worth the money. The Cloud II has lasted me almost a year now so I wanted to make a review to recommend it to anyone who was In my position looking to pull the trigger on a new headset purchase that will last them far into the new year and beyond.It arrived in a quality foam packaged box with a spare mic filter and replacement ear cups should you need them (I haven't) along with a small mesh bag that you can store your headset in should you want to take it abroad as I have.

2.6.2020

I've just bought a second pair of these cans to replace the first one. I had the first set maybe 2 and a half, almost 3 years or so.I've previously used the standard/generic headsets you can get from GAME or CeX for £40. With those, including a Turtle Beach set, I often had comfort issues in sessions longer than one or two hours (maybe I have a weird head). For example, I'd start to feel the pressure of the headband a lot and it interrupted either my gaming or music sessions. This isn't the case with the Cloud 2's; it's by far the comfiest headset I've worn. They are quite soft on the head and fit the shape of my noggin quite well. They are pretty adjustable and have a relatively large range,

28.3.2017

These headphones come with a USB sound card and enough cable to sit comfortably at a computer, plus there’s a plug in boom microphone. The large ear cups go around the ear and not on them and, the head band doesn’t need the usual adjustment to get the ear cups in place. Although they looked to be closed back, the ear cups have a series of small holes at the rear. Sound and microphone levels can be adjusted on the supplied USB sound card. The sound card also provides switchable eq. for a flat response, and a small amount of bass or high mids lift.The test setup was:• ASUS MAXIMUS VIII Ranger motherboard running Sonic Studio 2 on Windows 10;• Philips SHB9850NC headphones in wired mode;• Agptek

11.7.2019

Sound Quality: I have to say that they sound fantastic and get very loud, the bass response is also quite strong, if you play with your equaliser settings you can get these sounding amazing. They handle all ranges quite well in my opinion, you won't be disappointed with how they sound.Noise isolation: When listening to music, talking over VOIP or playing games, I cannot hear what's going on around me. So if you're looking to be immersed without any distractions or you have things going on around you that you need to block out, these are great. You can hear what's going on around you if your audio is quiet or nothing is playing,

10.6.2020

I've had HyperX Cloud 2 for two years and in the last couple of weeks I've started having troubles with USB dongle that comes with it. Luckily for me that happened right before the end of an warranty.So I though I'm gonna upgrade. And brought HyperX Cloud Revolver S ( 107.99 at the time of purchase ) as an replacement. And boy I was dissapointed. It was such a big downgrade for me as a competitive PUBG player. First of all Revolver S headphones is twice less loud. Second of all. You can hardly hear enemy footsteps even if they are 5-10 meters from you. After 2 days of usage I've returned Revolver headphones and I decided to go ALL-IN.Steelseries Arctis Pro + GameDac was my next purchase.

29.3.2017

I was really excited about these headphones. It works straight out the box. With my PS4 I plugged it straight into my controller and every thing worked. If you find that you can't hear you friends chat because the game is too loud go into volume and turn down overall volume. This turns down the volume of the game and not the chat. What I would say is that you don't have the volume and mic volume control or the Dolby Surround 7.1 audio when you connect you headphones to your PS4. If you connect your headphones via the usb port you now have the USB Sound Card Audio Control Box. The manual in the box tells you what all the buttons do but not how they work. I struggled trying to my volume how I liked it.

2.4.2017

Boy oh boy these things are loud.I have used them in a variety of different situations over the last few weeks and i have not been disappointed by their performance in any of them. They were excellent with my laptop, sound was crystal clear which is always handy when you are watching shows like Game of Thrones or movies like the Lord of the Rings. They were also brilliant on the xbox, i have the later model xbox so was able to plug these into the handsets directly, if you have earlier versions of the xbox you will need to buy the adapter to do this, its about £25.I didnt really experience any vibrations from the headset, i did find the headset was enormous and completely swamped my head,

HyperX Cloud Revolver - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail