The choice of high-quality, functional, and technological gaming headphones is not an easy task. And if you have to choose among wireless models, the complexity of searches increases significantly. That’s why we got so excited when the Razer brand released the second version of their famous Blackshark. Today we are comparing the Blackshark with the Razer Kraken V3 X.
The Razer Kraken V3 X is an entry-level wired gaming headset with 7.1 surround sound, USB connectivity, and stylish looks. In this review, we’ll explore how an inexpensive dedicated headset can improve your gaming experience.
And even though they are noticeably different from their predecessors who conquered the gaming world, which had a clear resemblance to aviation headphones, they have noticeably improved many external and internal characteristics. Lets check out.
| Razer Kraken V3 X | Razer Blackshark V2 Pro |
| Solid build quality and appearance | Excellent sound quality |
| Succulently soft ear cups | Fit well on the head |
| Great, microphone | Detachable microphone |
| Non-removable ear pads | Solid and reliable build quality |
| Windows only software | Inconsistent bass and treble delivery |
Specification
| Razer Kraken V3 X | Razer Blackshark V2 Pro | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Brand | Razer | Razer |
| Released | September 22, 2020 | ‎March 25, 2021 |
| Model | Razer Kraken V3 X | Razer Blackshark V2 Pro |
| Weight | 9.9 pounds | 1.58 ounces |
| Dimension | 3.55 x 6.78 x 3.55 inches | 6.5 x 3.94 x 7.88 inches |
| Type | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Wireless | No | Yes |
| Colors | Black | Black |
| Driver | TriForce 40mm Drivers | TriForce Titanium 50mm Drivers |
| ANC | No | No |
| Foldable Design | No | No |
| Microphone | Bendable HyperClear Cardioid | Removable Mic |
| Music Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Speakers | Yes | Yes |
| Impedance | – | – |
| Frequency Response | – | – |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Software | Razer Synapse | Razer Synapse |
| Battery Type | – | – |
| Connector Type | USB | Wireless 2.4GHZ / 3.5mm |
Design
The Razer Kraken V3 X is made of lightweight and durable plastic and weighs only 285 g. The headphones are entirely invisible on the head, even after prolonged use. The slider guides for adjusting the size are made of plastic; the travel is quite stiff. The inner part of the headband is covered with eco-leather with a soft filling.
The ear cups are medium in size, have one degree of freedom, no additional pivoting hinges are provided.
The side cups of the headphones are made with nice perforation; the logo with RGB backlighting is embedded in the center. Outwardly, the headphones look significantly more expensive than they cost.
On the left side, there is a microphone on a flexible boom. His teammates appreciated his work perfectly; the voice was heard loud and clear.
The luminous Razer logo is embedded on the sides of the cups; the backlight color is constantly changing. There is an engraving with the brand name on the top cup of the headband.
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Even the packaging on the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro grabs attention, not to mention the headphones themselves. Their box is made of black and acid-green matte cardboard. It is a pleasant combination that attracts attention. The box shows the headphones themselves and information about their main characteristics. It opens like a box, and inside they lie on a black background – the Razer Blackshark V2 Pro headphones.
Included with the main star of the attratction is a thin bag for transportation, which in general will not protect the accessory from damage. There are also two wires in a fabric braid: one for recharging the gadget, the other for turning it into wired headphones with a slight hand movement. In case they suddenly sat down, for example, or, more likely, for use with devices that cannot be plugged into a USB receiver. It seems to me that it will be convenient to store these wires in the transport bag.
The earbuds look very stylish, although some elements raise concerns about their durability. But, looking ahead. The metallic thin black elements that connect the ear cushions to the soft headband, although they look flimsy, actually perform very well. The headphones are almost entirely black, except for the button design on the left ear cushion. The bowls are made of matte plastic, very similar to the one Razer uses for its mice. This material is delightful to the touch and completely non-marking.
Comfort
The Kraken V3 X ear cushions are filled with soft memory foam and covered with soft-touch eco-leather and soft fabric on top. The material is well ventilated, the skin under the headphones hardly sweats. The depth of the ear pads is sufficient to make your ears feel comfortable.
Unfortunately, the ear pads are not removable.
We could not immediately find a comfortable fit for the headphones, as it was not very snug. However, after a while, the ear pads adjusted, and the fit became more comfortable.
Passive soundproofing is at an average level; while playing or watching a movie, you will hear a significant proportion of external noise, if any. The depth of the Razer Kraken V3 X’s cups is quite comfortable.
Razer Blackshark V2 Pro- You need to talk about the ear pads in more detail, since they are thought out and implemented very worthily. The inside of the bowl is made as if from memory foam and covered with the same material as the headband inside. Apparently, the combination of these two materials made it possible to bring passive noise cancellation to a high level. Indeed, little is heard from the outside in them, especially when music is playing inside. Moreover, those around you will not hear anything from what will be broadcast in this headset.
And the cups are adjustable here. And although this whole structure of thin metal between the “ears” and the headband looks not too reliable, in fact everything is more than reliable. The fit at the ear cushions is perfect and will fit any head and ear shape. The Razer Blackshark V2 Pro as the number one headphone I’ve used. For reference: there are more than fifty of them.
In order to make such a massive headset almost invisible on the head, it was necessary to try hard. Yes, of course, the lion’s share of this merit is in a high-quality and well-thought-out adjustment system and comfortable soft large ear pads. But without light, well-chosen materials, the effect would not be the same. And the lack of a dangling wire under the chin is expensive. After all, with him, whatever one may say, in movements, especially sharp ones, you will be limited so as not to accidentally pull him out of the audio jack.
Connectivity
The Razer Kraken V3 X headphones do not require any unique settings. You need to connect the model to the USB port of your device. The headset works with a computer; Kraken V3 X can be connected, for example, to an Xbox or PlayStation.
Unfortunately, the connection cable is not removable. However, it is quite soft and has a braid made of pleasant rubberized material. For easy storage, a small rubber tie is provided on the cable, it is also non-removable, so there is no need to worry about getting lost. A protective cap is provided for the USB connector. If you suddenly have only the usual AUX headphone jack free, you will also have to purchase a USB – AUX + MIC adapter.
On the left earcup, there is a volume control and a button for turning on the microphone. The layout of the control, in my opinion, is excellent. If you put your palm on the left cup, your thumb hits the microphone on/off button. The microphone button has good travel, and you can tell by touch what position the switch is in.
For playback in the Razer Kraken V3 X headphones, 40mm drivers are responsible. Pseudo-3D soundstages are generated using intelligent audio signal processing. You only need to install the proprietary Razer software – it is free and available on the manufacturer’s official website. Unfortunately, only Windows OS is supported. As a MAC OS user, you will have to enjoy typical stereo sound.
In addition to providing 3D sound using the software, you can experiment with the equalizer settings.
The sound in the headphones during games pleasantly surprised me. Localization of actions in surround sound mode is entirely accurate. Hero steps, shots, or caterpillar sounds are perfectly positioned, adding new emotions to the gameplay.
The soft black headband is made of leatherette on the outside and fabric on the inside. On top of it, the name of the manufacturer’s brand is printed in large letters using embossing. On the left side are all the controls, including a very steep protruding analog volume control, which has a lock in the middle position and changes the volume only in the headphones. It can easily be groped blindly with a hand, and it seems to be one of the model’s chips. There are also two buttons here: an on / off switch and a microphone switch. In addition, there are micro-USB and 3.5-mm jack connectors.
Thanks to the presence of a USB transmitter, the communication quality, and range are very high here. There is no hint of sound compression, but everything works well, even through a couple of concrete walls. We recommend using these headphones in conjunction with the Razer Synapse 3 utility, which is unavailable if the headphones are connected via the jack. This will keep the microphone working. To turn on / off the headset, you need to hold down the power button for a long time. Using the utility, you can set auto shutdown after 15-60 minutes when idle.
Audio Quality
Low frequency tends to dominate the sound profile of gaming headsets, and the Razer Kraken V3 X headphones are no exception. Explosions of shells, thunder, drums are reproduced as dynamically as possible and slightly obscure the overall musical picture. The high frequencies, on the other hand, sound somewhat restrained. The clang of metal is conveyed quite confidently.
Mid-range sounds neutral, vocals and voice – confident and without distortion. This applies to both the general sound picture and the lines of other players. For its price category, the headphones sound very convincing, but it is better to choose something more classic for listening to music. The Razer Kraken V3 X is fun to play and comfortable to watch movies.
The dynamic 50mm TriForce drivers are responsible for sound production. They have a titanium-coated diaphragm. The sound here is excellent for audio: the music of different genres, games, films. The sound is balanced, with low surround frequencies in the background.
The microphone is inserted separately. This is very convenient since it can be removed if it is unnecessary. The bar is flexible and has a great memory effect, so if you adjust it once, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. The foam pop filter dampens exhalation, and the unidirectional microphone saves from external noise, as does the active noise suppressor on the other side. The application provides the ability to improve the sound quality of the microphone.
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