With the Relay series, NZXT ventures into the audio product market. After we last looked at the company’s two new speakers, today we’re talking about the NZXT Relay headset that was introduced at the same time.
For an MSRP of around 100 euros (current: € 79.90 *), this one is supposed to score with good wearing comfort and high sound quality, among other things. In addition, the wired Relay headset is advertised with a wide range of accessories and optional sound adjustments via software.
To what extent the offered combination is sufficient to hold its own on the headset market, we will clarify in the following review. The NZXT Relay headset was tested in black. Alternatively, the company also offers a price and technically identical model with a white color scheme.
Technical details
| Dimensions (WxHxD): | 169 x 196 x 94 mm |
| Weight: | 270 g |
| Driver: | 40 mm, neodymium |
| Frequency response (microphone): | 20 – 40,000 (100 – 10,000) |
| Tone distortion factor (microphone): | <1% @ 1 kHz (<1% @ 1 kHz) |
| Sensitivity (microphone): | 113 dB @ 1 kHz |
| Impedance: | 32 Ω |
| Materials: | Aluminum (fork), plastic (earpiece), memory foam / leatherette (ear cushion) |
| Variants: | Black, White |
| Price: | 100 €, current € 79.90 * |
Scope of delivery of the NZXT Relay Headset
The headset presents itself as you would expect from NZXT. It comes in a cardboard box with a white and purple color scheme, which contains quite a few accessories in addition to the device itself. Included are a note card for the digital manual, the detachable microphone, a jack adapter for systems with two separate audio jacks, a USB sound card and the connection cable itself. This allows the Relay headset to be used on all standard wired systems.
Design & Workmanship
When it comes to the basic design, no experiments are made. As usual, NZXT relies on two ear cups for the Relay headset, which are attached to retaining arms on the sides by two swiveling connections. These in turn lead to the headband, from which they can be pulled out in 9 steps by a total of about 4 cm. The padding is then found even further up on the headband. Like on the ear cups, this is memory foam with a leatherette cover.
The Relay headset is connected via the right ear cup, where the device can be connected with a single TRRS plug. There is also a connector for the detachable microphone on the left side. This is implemented as usual: The actual microphone is housed on a flexible arm and surrounded by a pop shield, which is supposed to prevent noise interference.
Visually, NZXT keeps it very simple, as it did with the Relay speakers. The headset is completely black, with matte black plastic being used aside from the headband. Only the manufacturer’s logo is slightly highlighted on the two angular ear cups as well as on the headband. It is also black, but in contrast to the rest, it is glossy.
The same simple design can also be found on the wired remote and the USB sound card. Both are largely kept in matte black and rely on cuboid casings. The USB sound card is simply connected via USB-A and connected with a TRRS plug. The permanently mounted cable remote control, on the other hand, has a mute switch and an analog dial that can be used to adjust the volume. In addition, a clip is provided there to attach the remote to clothing if necessary. This, like the usual functions of the wired remote, works without problems.
With regards to build quality, NZXT does well. The coatings of the surfaces are cleanly implemented and are pleasant to hold. The gaps are even and there are no visual or haptic flaws. NZXT thus definitely lives up to the called price in this point.
Comfort
The NZXT Relay headset does have the aforementioned nine-stage height adjustment, and the ear cups can also be tilted individually. Compared to some other headsets in the same price range, however, the earpieces lack their own swivel joint. This makes only a slight difference in wearing comfort, but the Relay headset can’t quite keep up with the wearing feel of products with the additional degree of freedom.
Even so, NZXT’s debut product is quite comfortable to wear. The provided adjustment options offer enough play for different head shapes and also for players with large heads. We also found the contact pressure to be very comfortable, so you can wear the headset comfortably over a longer period of time. One thing to consider, of course, is the heat buildup due to the closed design, but that’s also the case with all other headsets in this category.
Recording and Playback Quality
NZXT also advertises the Relay headset as having good sound quality, among other things, with a neutral tuning and a wide frequency range of 20 to 40,000 Hz. Whether these extremely high frequencies are actually played is probably irrelevant – because the human ear can only resolve half of them even in the best case. Instead, the low frequency range is usually the limiting factor. If you turn up the volume considerably, you can hear a very restrained bass from just above 20 Hertz. It only really gets going around 35 Hertz. Compared with other headsets, this is a very good value.
Overall, the NZXT Relay headset has a quite present low frequency range, but it remains comparatively unobtrusive. Many other headsets tend to emphasize the bass in comparison, which NZXT does not intend with the reference to the neutral tuning. In fact, we can confirm that the drivers offer a detailed sound over the entire frequency range. Mids and trebles come across well, and many details are always perceptible at the same time. Those who enjoy listening to these details will get their money’s worth. This tuning could also have its advantages in games. The largely established emphasis on the low-frequency range is of course not without reason. Many tweeters find a (partly clearly) exaggerated bass pleasant. The bottom line here is therefore that individual taste decides.
The headset can also be fine-tuned to this, as long as you use the USB sound card. This can be configured a bit further via NZXT’s CAM software. In addition to three real-time controls for playback, recording and crossover volume, an EQ can also be defined there. However, the headset will not be a bass miracle even with this, the focus is rather on the details in the mids and trebles.
By the way, the higher frequency ranges also come into their own in the recording quality. NZXT only specifies a maximum of 10,000 Hertz for the microphone, but frequencies in the entire audible spectrum were recorded without dropping too much in a short test recording. Thus, the microphone was able to achieve a quite good sound in the practical test. There is virtually no background noise, and speech can be understood clearly. Only the timbre is not quite perfect, but that is not to be expected otherwise in this design.
Conclusion on the NZXT Relay Headset
NZXT has certainly succeeded with its first headset. For a starting price of around 100 euros (current: € 79.90 *), the Relay headset offers impeccable build quality and plenty of well-implemented accessories. In addition, NZXT’s debut product is also convincing in terms of wearing comfort: An additional swivel joint could have improved this a bit more, but even so, the Relay sits comfortably for a long time.
The sound is also praiseworthy. The reproduction is rich in detail and comparatively neutral, which allows it to show its strengths especially in the mids and trebles. On the other hand, the bass range is not exaggerated. Thus, the Relay headset is more suitable for listening to details than for action movies, for example.
We also liked the recording quality. The recordings are not noisy, every word can be understood well and the sound color is also solid. The usual demands of gamers are thus completely covered.
All in all, anyone who doesn’t miss booming basses should be well served with the Relay headset. Apart from this small peculiarity in the tuning, the Relay simply offers a well-implemented overall package that is garnished with diverse accessories. In the end, it is a hair’s breadth away from our Gold Award.
NZXT Relay Headset
Workmanship
Comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value for money
90/100
An all-around well-done headset that does not have any weaknesses.
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