I'm sure you're all familiar with Kingston and their HyperX line of gaming memory and SSD's. Did you know that HyperX also makes gaming peripherals Their original headset - the HyperX Cloud - has been out for a while and has gained a lot of praise from the gaming community.

Important note: This review has had significant alterations made since I first posted it. Upon listening to them again post review and comparing them to the HD 600s (which I will use as my reference), I felt that parts of my review overstated traits/aspects of this headset and some impressions were...

Comfort; value for money; sound quality; build quality; customer service

Can highlight sibilance in particular tracks; I personally found the sound quality suffered when using the velour pads

T wo huge 53mm drivers in the HyperX Cloud II provide excellent sound quality and not just for the price range. The full range of sound is excellent, all the way from the punchy bass through to the clear treble.

The 53mm dynamic stereo drivers used in the original CLOUD produced crisp mids and highs with very good bass levels and that hasn't changed a bit with the CLOUD II so that's one piece of good news.

- Build Quality (Flexible/Durable Aluminum Frame; - Excellent Audio Quality (Crystal Clear Mids/Highs; - Very Good Bass Levels; - 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound USB Card; - Comfortable (Size/Weight/Cushions; - Removable Boom Microphone (Improved Model; - Available In 3 Colors

- No Control Software; - Price (For Some

Today we take a look at the Kingston HyperX Cloud II Headset, which hits the retail shelves this month. Following in the footsteps left by the original Cloud headset, Kingston aims to step it up a notch with better cable management / compatibility and the addition of the hardware-driven virtual 7.1...

Clear and crisp sound; Decent bass; Gaming consoles support; Very comfortable; Detachable cable & mic; Interchangeable cable/mic connectors; Velour and leather earpad sets included; High quality braided cable; Build-in DPS USB soundcard

7.1 virtual surround

The HyperX Cloud II gaming headset are well built and should provide for years of enjoyment in gaming and multimedia playback. The sound quality is very good for music and movies, and the virtual surround does a good job to simulate that you are in the game.

» Attractive styling (even in hot pink and white; » High end sound for gaming and multimedia enjoyment; » Solid construction; » Includes plenty of useful accessories; » Two sets of ear pads; one in leatherette and one in cloth; » 8 year old daughter finally enthused about something I reviewed

» Can't get 7.1 channel surround or use microphone unless using USB adapter; » I wish the microphone jack cover was attached to the headphones; so I won't lose it; » Would like an adapter to use a sound card's dedicated outputs for surround sound and microphone

This is the best headset I have owned. Playing for extended periods doesn't get uncomfortable, the build quality is great. Would recommend them to anyone looking for gaming headset at this price range.

This headset is really high quality and the unboxing was a very pleasant experience. I feel like this headset could be priced up to $300 due to the comfort it offers and the rich sound, which also includes optional 7.1. Setting up the headphones was a breeze, no annoying software needed and it only requires a single USB port. I would recommend these headphones to anyone who is wanting to get a high quality headset at a low price. There is also a tonne of extra features these headphones offer, such as a detachable tongle + mic, to the carry bag, airport splitter or the optional fabric muffs. It's incredible how good this product is.

Kingston is a leader in the memory and storage market, but the company has recently expanded its product portfolio to more completely cover the gamer's needs.

The Kingston HyperX Cloud II aims to offer everything the average gamer would want from a headset. It boasts big 53mm drivers, surround sound processing, and a detachable microphone. It works with all of the major gaming platforms, including PC/Mac, mobile, PS4 and (with an adaptor).

Great sound quality; Luxurious finish; Thoughtful extras

Headphone cord doesn't detach; Flimsy carry case