HyperX Cloud Drone - decently does not mean expensive

Hi GT! More recently, I told you about the flagship headset HyperX Cloud Revolver, everything is fine in it ... except for the price. No, it costs its money, but not everyone has the opportunity to pay 10-12 thousand rubles for "headphones with a microphone." Today's post is about a different headset, which occupies the opposite position in the HyperX Cloud lineup. The Drone model is the “entrance ticket” to the world of comfortable communication and online battles.



And if after reading the post you can find a better option for that kind of money - I will have to eat my hat.

The most important

In the last post, we already talked about what is important in a gaming headset: clear sound positioning (especially when it comes to shooters), “normal” frequency response in terms of frequency response, comfort and lightness, reliable construction and a good noise-canceling microphone.

To provide all this and a comfortable price is quite difficult. Of course, the first thing under the knife will go premium materials, decorations, packaging and assembly complexity. The simpler the product will be in the end, the greater part of its price can be given directly to the audio path: speakers, microphone, high-quality soldering, wiring, good wires. You can call me Cap as much as you like, but here the logic is simple, and it is easy to trace it.

HyperX Cloud Drone

The required minimum is seen in everything. Packaging - a simple cardboard-plastic blister with an empty molded plastic inside. Completion - a sheet with basic information, headphones, extension cable. Everything.

Construction and materials

The headphone case itself is completely made of plastic: a sliding headband, a cup of speakers, a hinge connecting them to the headband ... To be honest, at first glance, the design looks frighteningly fragile. But if you look at the details more closely, you will notice that the tips of the plastic parts are specially maximally elongated and distant from the attachment points. The bending forces will be evenly distributed over the headband and will not break the screws out of the plastic threads. The headband is adjustable on the flight: up to 4 centimeters on each side, in increments of 0.5 mm.



Cups speakers mounted on a hinge with two degrees of freedom. The angles of adjustment are not the biggest, the headset does not expand into a “lying” position for carrying around the neck, but there is enough reserve for a comfortable position on any, even the reptilian head itself.

The microphone and the wire are on the left, both are integral, on the right cup there is a built-in volume control. The speakers are 40 mm, with neodymium magnets inside. The wire is the most common, in a fabric braid, with a four-pin connector on the end. Length - meter. Included is an extension of two meters, ending with two standard mini jacks. With this connection, the headset is suitable for lovers of laptops, and for PC users, and for console gamers.



Microphone - capacitive (electret), on a flexible rod, folding, the mechanism is combined with a switch. You don't need a microphone (well, as it happens: the mother came into the room, asked the small one what the lessons did not do, but the party members are laughing at you) - they raised the microphone, and no sounds would go anywhere. A click between the on / off positions feels great, accidentally turning off the microphone or turning it on will not work, a decent effort is required.



The sensitive element itself - narrowly targeted, with passive noise cancellation and competent protection against "blowing out" - you can even sit opposite the fan, but nothing will go off the air except your voice. Sensitivity is not bad - you can talk in a quiet and calm voice, while the explosive "P" and "T" will not be felt by the interlocutors, like a headset.

Note Author: I have SS Siberia Elite Prism, and so ... their fan blows out. And the voice on them all my life was like from a toilet. : - \ But the backlight is configured ...

Ear pads made of leatherette. It is simpler than on models of Cloud X or Cloud Revolver, but the filling is completely the same - material with a memory effect, it remembers the shape of the head when heated and returns the original one when it cools. Ears do not sweat, outside noises are well cut off, the headset does not press on the head, what else is needed for happiness?

Sound

Frankly, there was a surprise waiting for me. From such a compact headset with a small amount of resonator available to the speakers for any miracles in the reproduction of sounds, I did not expect: in the end, the manufacturer itself positions this thing as a Pro Gaming Headset.

On a neutral equalizer, the music is frankly “flat”, the sound is too dry and absolutely inexpressive. I would call this sound (not in terms of quality, but in terms of atmosphere) acceptable for “monitor” headphones: according to their status. With a flat EQ on the field and tediousness HyperX Cloud Drone can compete with the Fostex T50 RP.

But with the appropriate settings ... audiophilism will not work, but just listen to music - completely. The speakers lack some sharpness of sound, the fast guitar riffs are barely noticeably “eaten up” and very little dirty, but this is just a contrast effect: in everyday life I use much more expensive headphones and I have something to compare with. Oh, yes, I also recommend slightly expanding the stereo base by turning on the corresponding setting in the player.

If you take any classmates in a similar form factor, then the sound can be called "at the level." There are low frequencies, medium ones are well divided, the tops are OK. The only thing I wrote above, without an equalizer, listening to music is simply unbearable. Affects sharpening the game. But in the games ... It's all gorgeous.

Yes, the sound is flat, and artistic explosions and gunfire from some artillery sound different from the movies, but ... enough to understand what is happening. But the shots are perfectly heard from everything that is smaller, and even with a clear sense of the direction of the sound. Perfectly audible steps and jumps. In terms of shooters (CS, BF, ARMA, Day-Z) everything is fine. In addition, you will always hear perfectly party members, the headset transmits their voices cleanly, loudly and clearly. Here, rather, a question to their microphones.

Microphone

There is not much to say. Electret microphone, condenser, narrowly targeted, with noise cancellation. It works perfectly, it turns off with one movement, it does not catch breath, it transmits voice to five plus. Nothing better in terms of a microphone in this price segment, you simply will not find.

Specifications

If anyone is interested in digital characteristics, here they are:

Worth every ruble

So, we have reached the most interesting. Since August 15, HyperX Cloud Drone is available exclusively in the DNS network at a price of 3,990 rubles . For this money you get an ultra-light (220 grams) gaming headset with a stunning microphone. Great sense of direction of sound, well-thought-out design, a microphone that does not transmit everything that is happening outside your window, even if you communicate in a whisper at night.



In terms of audio quality, of course, it will be slightly inferior to “music” headphones in the same price category, but, once again, this is a gaming headset with appropriate sharpening.

If you open Yandex.Market, put the price “up to 4.999” in the filters and start searching for wired headsets there, you will be shocked. Either non-directional microphones on the speaker cup, or some kind of misunderstanding on the wire. Strange form factors, glossy cases, a bunch of reviews with one star and "broke after 2 months." The closest at least some decent option among popular models - Razer Kraken Pro costs ... from 6 to 7 thousand. In the same price segment, and SS Siberia v2 / v3 / 200. True, they still have a dynamic microphone (rather than a condenser microphone), and for that kind of money you can already take the HyperX Cloud Core, which makes the Krakenov in all stats, and costs a little less.

Well, if you play honestly, put the filter "up to 4000", and look at the most popular models - then there is nothing but to cry bitterly (after all, until August 15 there is still a week to wait) and there is no more. And after the fifteenth, you can safely go to DNS for the best gaming headset up to four thousand rubles . I have it all. Successful battles.

Thank you for your attention and stay with Kingston on Hiktatimes!

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For more information about Kingston and HyperX products, visit the company's official website . In choosing your kit HyperX help page with visual aids .