There was a time when having surround sound audio meant laying a lot of cable around you gaming room to hook up a number of different speakers. While that’s still the holy grail of an immersive soundscape for some, Razer and its contemporaries believe you can achieve the next-best thing with a high-end headset. The second generation of Razer’s Tiamat gaming headsets is looking to do that with gusto.
Offering high-end surround sound and maximum bass for gamers, the Tiamat line comes in two flavors: The 7.1 V2, which packs 10 neodymium magnet drivers for true surround sound capabilities, while the 2.2 V2 packs in four larger drivers for added bass in the stereo field.
The Tiamat 7.1 V2 comes with five drivers per ear cup: A 40mm subwoofer, 30mm drivers for the front and center, and 20mm drivers for the rear and side surround. As well as delivering true surround sound to the discerning gamer, these drivers also make up part of the headset’s aesthetic, as each earcup has a clear plastic coating and green backlighting for each of the drivers.
The headset also comes with a new “Audio Control Unit,” which lets gamers adjust the volume of each channel individually using the turn dial. It also offers support for pass-through sound, so you can easily switch between headphone and speaker audio.
All of those audio capabilities are backed up by a unidirectional microphone, which offers crisp and clear communication to your enemies and allies alike during your heated gaming sessions.
Joining the Tiamat 7.1 V2 is its little brother, the aptly named, 2.2 V2. It’s named as such because it sports a standard driver and a a subwoofer driver in each earcup. As is quite common with stereo headsets, its drivers are larger than its surround-sound sibling, coming in at 50mm a piece.
Those subwoofers should give the headset a heavy-bass sound and thanks to its in-line volume control and splitter cable, you can use it on a variety of devices, including smartphones and consoles.
Both headsets are available now on Razer’s store and from select retailers. The Tiamat 7.1 V2 will set you back $200, while the Tiamat 2.2 V2 costs $130.