Who knew that analogue over digital was still a thing? Well it is. And now that Roccat have just released their new Kave 5.1 Analogue cans, I can assure you, going back in time is well worth it.

On first impressions you’d wonder why you’d pick such an old connection over the newer more universal USB digital model, but I can assure you, it’s well worth it.

Using several 3.5mm jack plugs the Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 Analogue gaming headset splits up your sound into centre, front left and right, rear left and right and your subwoofer. Having seperate channels for each speaker direction enables a crisper, more refined sound. That’s what Roccat deliver.

The headset is quite heavy. Heavier than previous sets on my test bench but I didn’t think that was a problem. The soft cushions on each earcup ensure you stay comfortable throughout gaming sessions. I’ve been using them for hours at a time, testing them with different types of games and they haven’t dissapointed yet.

I will say you will need some kind of 5.1 compatible motherboard which we didn’t have. We instead invested in an external soundcard so we could plug in each connection with ease. There was no messing around with difficult setup either seeing as no driver was actually needed. The analogue headset is plug and play, the only thing you need to do is match the colour coded jack plugs with the sockets.

 

The headband has a soft foam like pillow to protect the top of your head from friction. The earpads fit right over my ear ensuring sound isolation from the outside world and to also give me more of an immersion in-game.

The Roccat Kave XTD 5.1 Analogue gaming headset uses USB to power the headset and for the microphone. It sounds very clear and I had some good feedback from my gaming friends during our time on Payday 2. They said they could hear me clearly over the sound of gunfire and explosions.

The headset is made from plastic which has a soft feel to it. The subtle glowing microphone and headphone rings make it look very modern and stylish. Nothing too crazy and looks smart.

Each audio channel can be fine tuned using the control pad which is built into the cable. Each volume wheel runs between one and eight. We barely went over four to be honest, The headphones were just too loud for our ears. For you audiophiles out there messing around with your Windows volume settings as well as the headset may appreciate the ability to fine tune your headset. But for regular gamers who want a plug and play analogue headset, these will be a superb choice.