For most, given the option, wireless headsets are more convenient. You can freely move around a space without worrying about unplugging a cord and never have to worry about cable noise. Remembering to charge them frequently, though, can sometimes cause issues. The Roccat Syn Max Air has an elegant solution with a sizable RGB-wielding dock that will top off the headset. Combined with Aimo-RGB and deep audio customization, the $250 Roccat Syn Max Air has a lot to offer but is it worth the price? Be sure to hit the video below to find out.
With the Syn Max Air, Roccat has gone all-out. As far as high-end gaming headsets are concerned, the only thing lacking is ANC – but that typically drives prices up to at least $300. The fact that this headset includes a charging dock is a bonus for this price point.
Additionally, the Roccat Syn Max Air has simultaneous Bluetooth and deep audio customization through the Swarm app, including Turtle Beach’s SuperHuman hearing mode, which can be a big help for competitive gameplay.
The headset has been out for a few weeks at this point, but due to a Windows driver issue, audio customization has only recently become available. Considering the powerful controls in the app, I wanted to wait until it was fully functional before creating a review. The only feature that isn’t working yet is chat enhancements through the Swarm app.
Design
Visually, the Syn Max Air is nearly identical to the older Syn Pro Air. The large earcups offer plenty of room for comfort and have the same translucent honeycomb design near the bottom to allow Roccat’s Aimo RGB to shine through.
The flip-to-mute microphone can also be removed and a plastic plug is included to protect the port. While not as elegant of a solution as the removable microphones from Epos, this does clean up the shape when the mic isn’t needed.
Roccat Syn Max Air: Video
The charging dock is a great way to ensure that the headset is always topped off when not in use. An Aimo RGB ring around the base adds color to a gaming setup. In the divots that hold the headset here are contacts for the left earcup; on the bottom are two USB-C ports. One is intended for the cable to connect the base to a PC, and the other as a charging cable.
Syn Max Air: Controls
While the headset has plenty of audio customization options, the physical controls are kept simple. On the left earcup is the removable flip-to-mute mic, a volume dial, and the power button. Over on the right earcup is a Bluetooth button and an additional customizable dial.
By default, the dial on the right earcup controls the mic monitoring level but it can be changed to adjust settings like superhuman hearing volume, bass boost volume, and mic volume.
How’s the comfort?
From a comfort standpoint, the Roccat Syn Max Air feels like a more grown-up Turtle Beach Stealth 700. The cooling ProSpecs earpads are a combination of leatherette and soft fabric that actually makes contact with your head. There is plenty of room in the earcups for my ears which means my ears don’t make contact with the driver covers.
It also appears to have less clamping force than the Stealth headsets from Turtle Beach making it more comfortable for longer gaming sessions.
Syn Max Air: How does it sound?
The Syn Max Air is using massive 50mm drivers to deliver the standard 20-20kHz frequency response. In its stock form, the sound is what you could expect from a Turtle Beach headset – it’s full and punchy with a nice boost to the low end. Through the high-end, the sound is also kept clear and impactful. For music and for games where you want a little more immersion, the stock sound is balanced and a lot of fun to listen to. It’s not quite the detail-driven sound that comes from Epos headsets but it is fun for most gaming.
Stereo separation and positioning are also impressive on the Roccat Syn Max Air. When listening to cluttered metal tracks like Mist by Protest the Hero, the guitars pan nicely to either side and offer plenty of clarity in picking out each guitar line, which translates well into gaming with directional audio cues being easy to pick out.
Deep audio customization
Where things start to get even more interesting, though, is through the Roccat Swarm app. The most important settings can be pinned to a home page, but the app allows for a lot of customization. Let’s start with the settings tab.
The game audio output panel controls master volume, treble boost, bass boost, dialog level, and a channel mix between the game and chat.
A Superhuman hearing panel controls whether it is enabled, how much volume to dial in for the mode, and three different modes – legacy, footstep focus, or gunshot focus. I find turning this mode all of the way up to 100% is too much for how I like to game, but keeping it around 30% on legacy mode makes audio cues even easier to pick out in chaotic game modes like Breakthrough on Battlefield 2042.
The mic settings tab controls volume, mic monitoring, and a noise gate. I found that setting the noise gate fairly high helped to remove keyboard noises without cutting out my voice; I have it set to about 90%.
You can also reset settings, check the battery status with a remaining time estimate, and lastly is a spatializer that can be enabled with a chat boost and Waves 3D modes for games, music, or movies. Personally, I don’t typically use spatializer modes and didn’t find this mode on the Syn Max Air to provide many benefits.
The Audio tab enables a 10-band EQ panel that can boost or cut frequencies by up to 15dB. There are preset modes along the bottom of different genres of games or you can create an entirely custom setting.
Additionally, there are EQ modes for chat and the microphone. Currently, the chat mode isn’t available due to a Windows Driver issue, but the mic EQ customization is completely functional and makes the mic sound quite a bit different. Be sure to watch the video to hear how it sounds in action.
9to5Toys’ Take
The Roccat Syn Max Air is a really solid gaming headset. The stock sound is immersive and a lot of fun, but if you need a little more emphasis on footsteps or gunshots, the Superhuman Hearing mode delivers – just like on many other Turtle Beach gaming headsets. The earpads, charging base, and Bluetooth add a lot more functionality to the headset, but it also comes at a $100 premium over the $150 Syn Pro Air.
Buy Roccat Syn Max Air
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