ASUS ROG Kithara | Hyper Detailed
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Quick Summary
The ASUS ROG Kithara is the new best wired gaming headset on the market. ASUS and HIFIMAN collaborated to create a beast.
The Kithara’s planar magnetic drivers and open-back design result in extreme detail retrieval, a huge soundstage, and excellent sound separation.
The mic is also legitimately good.
The catch is simple: it’s wired only, and at 420 grams, it is massive.
Connectivity
The Kithara comes with multiple cables and plugs. First there's a litz braided, balanced cable. The TS plugs go into the headset itself, labeled left and right.
The other end terminates in a proprietary 4-pin locking connector that lets you swap adapters. These are 3.5 mm, 4.4 mm balanced, and 6.3 mm plugs.
The nylon braided cable also has the microphone on the left side. The other end splits into two 3.5 mm plugs - one for headphone audio and one for mic audio.
For the final piece, there's a USB-C adapter. You plug that onto the end of the mic and headphone audio ends. and this allows you to use the headset plugged into a phone, PC, PS5, Switch 2, and basically everything except Xbox.
A big reason to use this adapter is because that's the only way you'll get both the headphone and mic audio on console.
Controls
The balanced cable has no inline controls. The boom mic cable has a mic mute switch and a finite scroll volume wheel.
Headphone Audio Quality
Frequency response measurements were done with my miniDSP EARS (not industry standard).
I use the default HEQ compensation curve, so the main difference you’ll notice compared to the official graph is mine doesn’t have the same fall off after 10 kHz.
Official graph.
My measurement.
The Kithara uses 100 mm planar magnetic drivers with a frequency response range of 8 Hz - 55 kHz. They have an impedance of 16 ohms, so you do not need an amplifier, but you can use one for more volume.
I am using the Fosi Audio K5 Pro just in case. Honestly, on PS5 it doesn't get any louder than the PS5 controller itself. But it does allow for a massive volume boost on PC compared to my motherboard.
For shooters, the Kithara is absolutely top notch. The amount of detail is actually overwhelming. The wide soundstage allows objects both near and far to feel like their range is well represented instead of everything being close up.
Footsteps are very clear and you really hear the surface of it. Whether it's slamming on concrete, thumping on wood, or crunching in grass, they all come through nicely.
The overall sound is up there with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite. The Kithara has significantly more sub-bass and bass than the Maxwell 2. Some games like Warzone make footsteps very thumpy, and that's where the Maxwell 2 falls behind.
For immersive games and music, the layering of audio and information you can hear is just insane. There are some maps where I didn't even realize it was raining, because I never really heard it - but I do in these. And if you listen to a lot of music, both guitar riffs and also the bright hi-hats are very well represented.
Black Ops 7 with the Kithara.
Silent Hill f with the Kithara.
However, this isn't really for bassheads. When it comes to rumbles, earthquakes, or deep bass synths, it's there but these drivers are really focused on fast transients. Combine that with the super open back design, and a lot of the sub-bass leaks out. Unlike say the Nova Elite where it has fantastic sub-bass. And even that isn't as physically powerful as the Astro A50 X.
The low end isn’t completely vacant. The thumps do exist and the impact is there. They’re just in the back and only emerge when needed for quick hit and then they’re gone. EQ can make the sound warmer overall, but it's never going to have that boominess - which is intentional.
This doesn't get as sharp in the highs as the Beyerdynamic MMX 330 Pro which can sound quite screechy, so I do like this tonality overall compared to the more U shape of the Beyerdynamic.
Last thing, because the build of these is so open - not just a few small vents - you hear everything outside of you. And those around you hear everything you're listening to as well.
Overall, the Kithara is perfect for shooters, and fun for everything else as long as you’re not a basshead. Easy recommendation.
Microphone Audio Quality
The Kithara comes with a full-band microphone (20 Hz - 20 kHz).
It sounds nasally like most gaming headset mics, but the overall clarity is good. This is very sensitive to plosives, so you’ll have to move the mic out a bit to prevent that. This doesn’t pick up too much background noise, but there’s no dedicated noise reduction filter since this is all analog.
Comfort and Build Quality
Comfort
Velour pads.
The Kithara looks awesome aesthetically, but it doesn't translate to comfort.
First of all, it's way too heavy. This is 420 grams without the cables or mic. The only two devices I have heavier than these are the Audeze Maxwell and Maxwell 2 which are over 500 grams. If this is a dealbreaker for you, don’t feel bad about it. Your neck is important!
The weight distribution is as good as it can get - there's not excess pressure on the top of the head. But with this much weight, it's got to go somewhere - which is around your ears. More accurately, your temples and jaw.
The earpads are massive. The actual contact point isn't just immediately around your ears, it's the whole side of your head. As a glasses wearer, I had a better time with the fabric and pleather pads. The problem with those is, they're scratchy, and they slide around.
Pleather outside + fabric pads.
The velour is more snug, but it causes more pressure. Both always just feel loose and like they're about to fall off. This is true even at maximum tension when they can get uncomfortable.
The headband design is very unique. The soft fabric is attached with the sliders. The sliders allow you to adjust the height, and it stops the frame from being stretched out too much. There's not much headband padding, but it's not intended to do the heavy lifting - the pads are.
Overall C in comfort.
Build
Both cables are 70 inches long. They feel durable, but we'll have to see long term. The one with the mic is thick, nylon braided, and the other is litz braided.
The headset itself a combination of plastic on the side of the earcup, but metal for most of it. This includes the outside of the earcups, the aluminum yokes, and the frame. The frame has good flex, but it's pretty thin.
These have slight swivel out and 90 degrees swivel in. So the build gets a B for me.
Verdict
Outside of the weight issue, the ASUS ROG Kithara is the best wired gaming headset that I’ve used. If you’ve never used planar magnetic drivers before, I recommend starting with these.
