Introduction

When HyperX came out with their Cloud Gaming Headset back in 2014, the gaming-headset market was caught completely off guard. Here was this company that previously never dabbled in audio (HyperX is a division of Kingston, which people are perhaps more familiar with) offering a fantastic device, equally enjoyable for serious gaming and music listening. Better yet, you got all of that for a mere $85. There was some unconfirmed speculation that the Cloud Gaming was in fact a re-brand of the Takstar Pro 80, yet another nice headset whose design was supposedly "inspired by Beyerdynamic" - make of that what you will. Either way, it was and still is a great product, one that quickly turned the "HyperX" in its name into a synonym for excellent gaming headsets frequently chosen by throngs of gamers around the world. Today, we're taking a look at the HyperX Cloud Revolver S, the most advanced, top-of-the-line member of the Cloud headset family.



The idea behind the HyperX Cloud Revolver S is to combine all the best technologies with the finest build quality the company has to offer in a single device. It's a closed-back, over-ear gaming headset equipped with a USB sound card, removable bidirectional noise-cancelling microphone, and Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound. It can be used without the USB sound card, of course, which expands its platform support to consoles too. Interestingly enough, it comes with no additional software; it's completely controlled via the buttons and dials on the supplied USB sound card. Since it costs a full £140/$150/€170, I'm going in with elevated expectations - that's the kind of money that can get you some of the best-sounding and most feature-packed gaming headsets available today, even wireless ones. Let's see what the HyperX Cloud Revolver S has to offer to cost as much as it does.

Specifications

• 50-mm dynamic drivers (neodymium magnet)
• 30 Ω impedance
• 12-28,000 Hz frequency response (specified by the manufacturer)
• Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound
• Closed-back, over-ear design
• Removable bidirectional microphone
• USB and 3.5-mm connectivity (TRRS and dual TRS)
• 3.2 m braided cable (1 m headset-to-sound card and 2.2 m sound card-to-PC)
• Weight: 360 g

The Package

It doesn't take much to realize that someone really sought for the box the HyperX Cloud Revolver S comes in to look as luxurious and impressive as possible. At its face is a glossy picture of the headset, a list of supported platforms (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Wii U, Mac and mobile devices), and a list of its key features, such as the 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound and supplied USB sound card, which HyperX keeps referring to as the "USB Audio Control Box". There's also a mention of "Studio-Grade Soundstage", which is a good sign as it hints at the possibility that the manufacturer is well aware of the fact that hardcore gamers need a wide soundstage to makes it easier to properly determine where in-game targets are.


On the right side of the box is a list of professional eSports organizations that apparently use the HyperX Cloud Revolver S as their official headset. You don't have to be that familiar with the eSports scene to have heard of Team Liquid, SK Gaming, and Luminosity.


The rear of the box points out several other interesting features, such as the outer steel headband (the headset uses a dual-headband design - hooray!) and "Signature HyperX Memory Foam" as the material for the ear cushions. A list will also go over all connectivity options; aside from USB, both TRRS and dual TRS 3.5-mm audio plugs are offered. That explains the sheer number of supported devices.


Once the outer cover is removed, we get to the box the headset and accessories are actually in. As you can see, all of them are surrounded with thick foam and perfectly protected from anything that could harm them during transport. On the inside of the cover is a printed note from the manufacturer where you are congratulated on joining the HyperX community and basically told that you made the right choice. Not only does the box look great, but the unboxing experience is fantastic as well. You really get a feeling that you treated yourself to an expensive, high-quality gaming headset.


Here are the contents of the box. Aside from the headset and its detachable microphone, we get a USB sound card that also serves as a controlling unit, an additional cable that turns the single 3.5-mm 4-pole (TRRS) plug into a pair of 3-pole TRS plugs (useful if you already have a great sound card with a separate audio input and output), and a quick-start guide. So far, so good - the HyperX Cloud Revolver S makes an amazing first impression.