Roccat’s Brand-New Pro Air Series
Turtle Beach and its sub-brand Roccat have a history of producing excellent-quality headsets inexpensively. I have had the pleasure of reviewing their Stealth series and Elo series. The company recently sent me their brand-new Pro Air series released in June. The series includes the Syn Pro Air Wireless 3D Audio RGB Gaming Headset and the Kone Pro Air Wireless Ultralight RGB Optical Gaming Mouse. In this review, I’ve decided to review the former.
Speedy Connectivity and Stable Connection
Upon plugging the USB-A transmitter the Syn Pro Air comes with into my laptop, I had to wait a total of four seconds for it to send a notification letting me know that it’s in the process of connecting. Exactly 13 seconds after that, which means in 17 seconds in total, the headset was good to go. During my listening test which took a couple of hours, I faced zero connectivity issues on these brilliant cans. They provided a stable connection and didn’t even stutter for a second.
I received a strong connection on the cans for around 22 hours before they started to struggle to function and finally gave up on me. Yes, you read it right. The Syn Pro Air worked for a total of 22 hours which means for a not-so hardcore gamer like me, it lasted a little more than a week. For the hardcore gamers out there, it will still last you at least a week, I’m sure. The good news is that even when it dies, it won’t limit you to sit in one place for hours. Just a quick 30 minutes charge loaded around 10 hours.
Excellent Mid-range
The Syn Pro Air is a fantastic headset for midrange sound. I played a couple of Android games on it and was greatly impressed. It leverages immersive 3D audio with 50mm drivers that makes you feel like you’re in the middle of a room with wall speakers fixed on all four sides. The 50mm drivers come through with brilliant SPL capability. Turning the volume all the way up transported me to a separate world with all ambient noise blocked out.
The Syn Pro Air also features Superhuman Hearing which boosts critical in-game sounds. This was especially useful during Call of Duty, when I needed to be aware of tiny but important details. There is some good bass also though it isn’t the kind of heavy low-end thump you feel in your body. High frequency on these cans is a little subdued. It feels as if it’s been made subtler than it’s supposed to be; it doesn’t pierce your ears like it should. Hence, all gunshots were a little muted. Overall, the sound is precise, focused, loud and clear. The Syn Pro Air is clearly made for gamers.
The Syn Pro Air’s brilliant mic is another feature that proves the headset is designed with gaming in mind. It’s a detachable lift-to-mute TruSpeak mic. Made of flexible rubber, the mic can move in any and every direction. It hosts fast transmission of sound with some noise isolation. The transmission is clear and loud.
Attractive AIMO Lighting
Design-wise, I believe the Syn Pro Air had a lot more potential considering it’s worth $149. The headset hosts a plastic headband with plastic earcups that have the company’s personal brand, AIMO lighting, integrated. The cups are fairly minimal with the name of the brand and series stamped on their exterior. The rims of the cups host a few dials, the power button and a USB-C port for charging. The controls have clearly been kept considerably simple.
The AIMO lighting consists of 16.8 million color lights and is covered by a bionic shell that sets the stage for the AIMO showcase. It’s bright, vibrant and includes a range of attractive shades. But I’m afraid that might be the only great feature of the Syn Pro Air’s design. Otherwise the headset is not the most attractive device and it doesn’t look like it’s worth a hundred and fifty bucks. Its material isn’t very sturdy and gives it a cheap feel. The plastic used and the absence of any metal makes the cans lightweight though. But I’m not sure if I can appreciate its light weight if it comes at the cost of making the device look flimsy.
A Very Comfortable Fit
When I first took a look at the Syn Pro Air’s extenders, I didn’t know they’d provide a fit as good as they did. They are very short and do not offer a lot of give. However, the headset is as comfortable as it can get. This is surprising coming from someone who always has a hard time with headsets’ fits because of how small my noggin is.
The cans rested on my cranial area very comfortably. Their extension settings were sufficient and provided enough agency. The earcups and headband is stuffed with memory foam with ProSpecs technology that made sure my glasses sit comfortably. I wear optional glasses that shield me from the blue light of the screen. Very often, I find myself taking them off while testing headphones. However, the Syn Pro Air’s ProSpecs technology is much more than a marketing gimmick. It allowed sufficient space and enough comfort for my glasses.
The memory foam padding is generous and extremely soft. It is also coated with breathable athletic fabric that wicks moisture away. This means the earcups will significantly reduce heat and sweat off your face. It is very thoughtful of Roccat to provide this special feature. The Syn Pro Air may be a little pricey considering its looks, but it’s definitely not a poor device. It succeeds in almost every area; and if you’re not on a budget, I’d highly recommend it.
Is It Hardcore?
Yes!
Roccat’s Syn Pro Air could have benefitted from an improved design and the use of better materials. Apart from that, it’s a brilliant headset with precise sound, a comfortable fit and stable connectivity. If you have some money to spare, it’s definitely a good option to go for.
