Kingston Hyper X Cloud Review
Introduction
While the packaging and look of the Cloud headphones is pretty generic, making them look more like a headset made for corporate call-centers than one made for gamers, the headphones themselves are anything but standard. In fact, the build quality of this set is amazing and worth every penny for the $80 USD price!
Built to Feel Good
The casing and frame for the headphones are made from solid aluminum, like a Macbook Pro or HTC One, really giving it a solid feel that you don’t find with the typical cheap plastic headphones. If you are looking for comfort, the ear cups and headband are made from REAL soft leather with plenty of padding behind them, making for the most comfortable over-ear headphones I have ever worn. They have even included a changeable set of fabric ear cups if the leather ones aren’t doing it for you.
Ok, But How Do They Sound?
Well, nobody wants a pair of bricks on their head no matter how comfortable they are. Not to worry, the spec sheet for these headphones matches the build:
- 15-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 53mm Drivers
- SPL Sound pressure level: 98 ±3dB
If all of that is gibberish to you, just know that the sound is great. Everything that comes through the headphones is crystal clear, and has robust sound with none of that tinny, muffled quality that you sometimes get. You hear a nice range of booming sounds, especially on the highs, and HyperX really has done a remarkable job building a headphone set perfect for the sounds of explosions and dialogue in gaming and movies.
However, while the sound quality is much better than many headphones out there, the HyperX Cloud has some of the problems that so many other headphones do: being bass and treble heavy, toning OUT many of the finer sounds from the mid-range. However, despite the loss of detail, they still pick up a lot more sound than many similar products, making for a great set of headphones.
More, More, More!
One thing I loved about these headphones is that the completely adjustable microphone is also detachable, plugging in through a jack on the left side. The mic picks up well and sounds great in playback, perfect for dissing 12 year olds in Call of Duty, or having Skype chats with your mom.
The input and output lines are split, which means you have to have a headphone and mic jack on your device for it to work. So Mac users are out of luck…is what I would say if HyperX hadn’t thought of everything. They have included the infamous “three-ring” jack accessory necessary for combining the two lines into one for Apple’s dual-use jacks. (Bet you didn’t know your all of your iDevices’ headphone jacks could also be used as a mic jack!)
On top of that, they have given you not one, but two extension cords, one with a remote so you can control the volume and turn the mic on and off. As far as the remote goes, it is the only thing that is a bit cheaply constructed, but it works and I suppose that’s what counts. Lastly, they have also included a nice little carry bag just for you and your nice new headphones.
Verdict
The HyperX Cloud headphones are not only built well, they come with almost everything you need for a headset. The aluminum and leather are super comfortable, but you may feel that these headphones are a little heavy after long periods. The sound quality is superb unless you are looking for a proper set of headphones for music production. Then you may want to fork out some more $ for a professional set. If you are into quality and aren’t too picky about sound, then there aren’t many headphones that can compete for the price.
Score: 8/10
