Sometimes you get that: suddenly it's time for something new and in my case it meant that there had to be a gaming headset with 7.1 surround sound quality. That turned out to be not so easy, because the range of headsets is huge. That's why I decided to make some demands: the new headset had to have a cord, be suitable for both PC and the PlayStation 4, at least offer decent 7.1 sound on the PC and not cost more than 100 euros. That made the offer a bit clearer. After reading quite a few (sometimes conflicting) reviews, I finally opted for the HyperX Cloud II from Kingston, which is available in the colors red and gray (Gunmetal).
When unpacking, I immediately noticed what I had already read: the packaging is very well cared for. A nice, sturdy, cardboard box, containing all parts of the headset neatly protected by foam. In addition to the headset, the box also contains an adapter plug to plug the Cloud II into the plane, a bag to carry everything and an extra set of foam ear cups. On the outside of the box are the logos of a number of “professional gaming organizations” that have made the Cloud II their official headset. That promised something!
The quality radiates from the headphones. Not cheap plastic, but brushed aluminum and sturdy plastic. Faux leather ear cups are fitted as standard, which I personally find get sweaty quite quickly, so I swapped them out with the other pair after a short while. That was fairly easy. On the headphones you will find a rubber cap, behind which the connector of the separately supplied microphone is located. After removing the cap, the microphone easily clicks into place. The headset has a fixed cord with a 3.5 mm mini-jack plug. The supplied extension cable makes it possible to connect the headset via USB. The extension cable contains a remote control with a built-in sound card, which provides 7.1 virtual surround sound. The remote control has buttons to adjust the volume of the microphone and speakers and a button to activate/deactivate the 7.1 display. There is a clip on the back so that you can attach the box to something. The cords are woven and look nice and sturdy.
To start, I connected the Cloud II to my PC via USB. The sound turned out to be very good: the 7.1 virtual surround sound is more than convincing. Some reviews have claimed that activating it only increases the volume, but there really is a spatial effect. In first person shooters this helps to determine where your opponents are. The microphone does its job well, partly thanks to the noise canceling.
For the next test, I connected the device to my MacBook via USB. Here too, the sound quality was excellent and the 7.1 worked properly. For this review, I thought it would be fun to compare the Cloud II with my Sennheiser HD 600, a high-end headset that costs more than 3 times as much as the Cloud II. Using a splitter, I connected both headphones via the mini-jack, so that I could do a direct comparison when playing music. The difference in quality turned out to be much less than the large price difference would suggest. With slightly more prominent bass and highs, the sound of the Cloud II is less balanced than that of the HD 600, but all details in the music can be heard well. The sound is really captivating. The combination of the Cloud II and my mobile phone produced the same result.
Now it was the PS4's turn. The Cloud II can be connected to a wireless controller with the mini-jack and that worked properly: the headphones and microphone were recognized immediately. The sound from the console played on the Cloud II (in stereo) after I designated it as the output device. On the PS4, 7.1 virtual surround sound would not be supported, but of course I had to hear that with my own eyes z… er, with my own ears. So just plug the extension cable into the USB port. The illuminated HyperX logo on the remote came on and much to my surprise I was able to turn 7.1 on and off. The Cloud II therefore does even more than is promised. The only catch is that you can't use the volume buttons on the remote. If you do try that, the button for 7.1 will no longer work. This may be the reason that surround sound is not officially supported for the PS4.
Conclusion: The HyperX Cloud II is a beautifully designed and well-made headset that delivers such great sound quality for its price range that it can be used for both gaming and listening to music. The 7.1 virtual surround sound really adds to the gaming experience. The concept of a sound card in the cable means that no drivers need to be installed, which means that the headset can be used in combination with many types of devices. If you're looking for a good gaming headset for a reasonable amount, you won't go wrong with this.
