INTRODUCTION

   Last week we talked about some of the latest space RTS PC games to hit the market and how we'd use them to test some of the gaming peripherals we have here. What we didn't account for was the time it would take for us to thoroughly test each peripheral and also write full reviews so things took a little bit longer than expected especially since Battlefleet Gothic Armada (and Dark Souls III although obviously not an RTS) also proved to be quite interesting (not hard to lose track when you play a game you like). Now we did focus a bit more in testing several input devices like keyboards and mice but since audio is equally important we also used several gaming headsets including the Kuven A1 Pro by Tesoro which promises to deliver accurate positioning audio thanks to its true 5.1 surround sound feature.

   The Approach of Tesoro in the design and manufacturing its products is based on providing unparalleled quality, features, design, and pricing. Computer peripherals have become an integral element of both the gaming and overall computing experience. This has created a demand for peripherals that go beyond the norm and break with conventions of design and production. Our main products include keyboards, mice, and headsets. Matching premium parts and innovative engineering design, our products offer users a truly unique user experience without a single compromise. By breaking the pattern, breaking the rules, Tesoro is able bring innovation to new levels and offer game-changing products.

   Although the market is flooded with 5.1 and 7.1 virtual surround sound headsets there aren't really that many true 5.1/7.1 surround sound models and the reason has to do mostly with cost rather than available technology. For good or bad the main market share is not audiophiles and demanding gamers but rather casual users so at the end of the day manufacturers have to choose between launching an affordable stereo headset (dual drivers) with the ability to produce 5.1/7.1 virtual surround sound (via a 3D USB soundcard) or a more "expensive" true 5.1/7.1 headset featuring several smaller drivers in each earcup that can deliver a more realistic surround experience. The Kuven A1 Pro belongs in the second category since it features one 40mm subwoofer (frequency response of 20Hz-400Hz with 32Ohm impedance and a power rating of 100mW), one 30mm center driver (50Hz-20KHz/64Ohm/50mW) and two (front/rear) 30mm drivers (50Hz-20KHz/32Ohm/50mW) in each earcup (8 drivers in total). It also features a unidirectional microphone (100Hz-10KHz frequency response with 2.2KOhm impedance and -44dB sensitivity) and a control station which can be used to switch between channels, mute the speakers and microphone and control the volume.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The Kuven A1 Pro arrived inside a black/purple box that has a large product picture at the front, the main product features and the company logo.

On the left side we see two pictures used to showcase the 5.1 real surround sound and the protein ear-cup cushions.

The comfortable headpad and the purple LED illumination are showcased on the right side again with the help of two pictures.

Moving at the rear of the box we see the features list printed in 13 languages.

You can take a look at the product from the front as seen above.

Contained in the box are the Kuven A1 Pro, control station, USB cable, quick start guide and a product catalog.

THE KUVEN A1 PRO

Just like the original Kuven the Kuven A1 Pro is primarily made out of hard plastic and aluminum.

In terms of size the Kuven A1 Pro is quite large especially when compared to a compact headset like the REVO Wireless by Jabra.

Just like its predecessor the Kuven A1 Pro features angled earcups to better fit your ears (an aluminum plate is placed on the exterior of both).

The company name and logo are printed just over the earcups.

You can find the product name on the exterior of the left earcup (nice Greek font here).

As you can all see the flexible unidirectional microphone can rotate vertically for roughly 170 degrees.

There's also a purple LED at the front of the microphone which turns on when it's muted.

The angled earcups feature large and thick earpads (cushions) made out of real protein.

Both earcups can fold to reduce the size of the headset for easier storage.

Once again Tesoro has used a thick headpad again covered by real protein.

Each side of the headband can extend up to 3cm via 11 available increments.

Left and right markings are available on the interior right above the earpads.

The Kuven A1 Pro use a HDMI like gold plated plug to connect to the control station so unfortunately you can't use them without it.

The Control Station is quite small (although certainly not as small as some in-line models) and is made out of hard plastic just like most parts of the headset.

It has three buttons at the top (channels, mute microphone/speakers) and a large volume control knob (all have purple LEDs).

The headset port is placed on the left side of the station while the USB port is placed at the front.

CONTROL SOFTWARE

Since the Kuven A1 Pro doesn't come with a software CD you will need to download the latest drivers from their support page.

This is not the first time we've seen this control software so from the initial screen you can change the number of channels (7.1 is 8), type of speakers and enable/disable available bass enhancements.

You can also play around with the available mixers (both for the speakers and the microphone), choose the type and size of the environment (from the 21 available presets) and adjust the equalizer (or use one of the 11 available presets).

Finally if you're into Karaoke the control software also supports that feature (to be honest however i didn't test that feature at all).

Here we see a picture of the Kuven A1 Pro and its control station on my desk (the purple LED beneath the aluminum plate is not bad but it would be even better if it was stronger).

CONCLUSION

   The first Kuven A1 7.1 virtual surround sound gaming headset offered very balanced audio both in games and in movies/music but lacked the positioning audio enthusiasts and hardcore gamers would like to experience. The Kuven A1 Pro improves on that area quite a bit but at the same time it drops slightly behind the original Kuven when listening to music. Highs are actually very good and so are mids but due to the several “small” drivers used inside it just lacks the bass levels and clarity of the original. Sure in games positioning audio matters more than bass but when you spend a good amount of cash for a gaming headset it goes without saying that you may use it with more than just playing games. The microphone really has nothing new to show when compared to all the others we’ve used in multiplayer games in the past but the good news is that it’s not beneath others either. As for quality don’t expect anything impressive but I can’t really blame Tesoro for wanting to keep costs down to affordable levels. Sure the hard plastic used in both the headset and the control station may not represent the product you’re getting but it’s not half bad either (I actually have no problem with it).

   So what does Tesoro ask currently for the Kuven A1 Pro? Well here we have very good news since you can get your hands on the Kuven A1 Pro True 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset for just USD99.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 78Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Granted you can find better quality headsets in the market for around the same money but not real 5.1 surround sound ones and that’s where the Kuven A1 Pro stands out. At the end of the day if gaming is your only thing then you should really check out the Kuven A1 Pro especially since it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Overall Quality
- Design
- Audio Quality (Very Good Mids/Highs)
- Real 5.1 Surround Sound (7.1 Virtual Surround Sound)
- Comfort (Diagonal Earcups / Thick Cushions)
- Foldable Design
- Control Station
- Purple Illumination
- Price

CONS

- Bass Levels