There are a number of default presets for music (with additional options available for specific genres), movies and gaming. The free app features a number of audio tweaking options for the speakers and mic. A more effective technique for squashing intrusive sounds was cranking up the noise gate, which begs the question: Why trumpet AI Noise Canceling when the most effective method for reducing noise is to adjust a setting manually? Features and SoftwareĪsus offers its ROG Armoury Crate software for use with the ROG Theta 7.1. My keyboard was still clearly audible over my voice, as was the humming of the fans in my room. The AI noise canceling feature of the Theta 7.1’s mic also failed to deliver much dampening. To make matters worse, the high end response on the mic is shrill and brittle, adding an unpleasant sibilance to S sounds. The Theta 7.1’s mic regularly clipped out consonants from my voice and distorted the bass register. Unfortunately, while dropping the mic slider down several notches, alleviated the ‘all the gain’ situation, it did nothing to prevent distortion and clipping. While running tests in OBS Studio, I noticed that the mic was redlining at a level that would be well-suited to recording vocals for a Ministry album, but absolutely dreadful for communicating with teammates in a competitive game. By default, the input signal is far too hot. The unidirectional microphone is specced for a frequency response of 100 - 12,000 Hz and features AI noise cancelling. Unfortunately, the Theta 7.1’s microphone isn’t up to the same high standards as the drivers. Films with complex audio mixes, such as "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the" King and "Saving Private Ryan" also benefited greatly from the Asus headset’s well-balanced audio and driver design. The ROG Theta 7.1 also performed admirably in horror games, like Outlast, laying on the dread thick with its dead on approximation of 3D audio space. Doom and Counterstrike sounded clear and massive, affording me the ability to accurately pinpoint the direction an ambush was coming in with ease. Similar to stereo mode, there was no noticeable audio distortion at high volumes, so even chaotic firefights retained clarity. The eight driver design is a perfect fit for directional audio and made those cues, like footsteps, stand out. When gaming with 7.1 mode, the Theta 7.1 really shined. The headset’s audio response is decidedly flat, which very much works to its favor when listening to music. Hip hop bass lines came alive with a tight bottom end that didn’t fuzz out when the drivers were pushed, and the bludgeoning math metal of Meshuggah retained its punch and clarity. In stereo mode, the ROG Theta 7.1 proved itself an apt platform for music, with excellent frequency separation allowing for clear note definition regardless of genre. This was true whether virtual 7.1 surround sound was on or not. At 100% volume, the Theta 7.1 seemed noticeably quieter than other headsets I’ve spent considerable time with, including the Steelseries Arctis 1. The ROG Theta 7.1’s eight neodymium magnet drivers, branded Asus Essence, offer remarkable audio clarity and frequency definition, but they could stand to be a little louder. These controls sit comfortably just above the mic input of the back of the left earcup. The left earcup features a solid rocker switch for adjusting volume that doubles as a mic on/off toggle when pressed in, as well as a toggle for stereo versus the headset’s virtual 7.1 surround sound. The ROG Theta 7.1’s controls are simple and easily accessible. I wish I could somehow get these cables out of my way so they didn’t regularly rest just below my Adam's apple. Unfortunately, the cables meet just below the neck in a way that frequently caused them to make contact with my throat. This is necessary to power the drivers, as there are four per earcup. One cable comes out of each earcup and into the DAC, which runs to the USB-C cable. If there is one negative note to add regarding the Theta 7.1’s comfort, it’s the bulky cabling.
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