Tesoro Kuven Pro 5.1 Gaming Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging & Bundle3. The Tesoro Kuven Pro Headset4. Comfort & Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Today we are going to take a look at one of the latest headsets from Tesoro, the Kuven Pro. It seeks to differentiate itself from the competition through a ‘real 5.1 surround sound' offering which features a series of four separate driver units within each earcup to mimic a surround sound speaker set up.  While we have seen a few similar headsets in the past, they have proved less popular than more compact virtual surround sound models.

While you may not have heard of Tesoro previously, they have been producing gaming peripherals since 2011.  We tested their Durandal mechanical gaming keyboard a few months back and were fairly impressed with what it had to offer, despite slightly disappointing build quality.  We are excited to see what Tesoro has to offer with the Kuven Pro and if its build quality meets our expectations from a high-end gaming peripheral.

Specification

• Drivers: 4 in each cup
• True 5.1 sound
• Channels: Center, Front, Rear, Low Frequency
• Circumaural headset with improved noise isolation
• Memory foam leather covered cushions
• Tabletop controller
• Adjustable headband
• Stylish decorative metal plates
• LED illumination

The Tesoro Kuven Pro is supplied in a rather unusual trapezoid shaped box.  It is decorated in a purple and black livery, with the front featuring a large image of the headset which we find within.

Turning the box around reveals a list of specifications in a no fewer than thirteen different languages.  In addition to these, there are a series of images on either side of the box which give us a better idea of some of the finer details of the headset.

Inside we find a quick start guide, a product catalogue, the necessary cables for installation and a tabletop controller.

It is clear from a glance than the Kuven Pro has been designed with a gaming audience in mind.  The design of the headset is very angular and has a stealth-fighter-esque theme throughout.  We are sure this will appeal to some gamers, however we would prefer a slightly more understated design.

We are slightly underwhelmed with the level of build quality offered by the Kuven Pro.  Tesoro have chosen to use standard matte black plastic extensively in the construction of the headset which cheapens the feel of the product.  Even the brushed aluminium inserts in each earcup look and feel cheaply implemented.

One slight advantage of the plastic construction is that it keeps weight down to a minimum.  Although the Kuven Pro is not the lightest headset on the market, it is surprisingly light for a headset packing four drivers in each earcup.

We would have liked to see Tesoro including some form of carrying case with the headset due to its size and the separate cable and tabletop controller unit.

The inline control features a similar design to the headset itself and is constructed from similar cheap black plastic.  This features a large volume control knob which allows us to set the levels independently for the Front, Rear, Centre, and Subwoofer channels.

We can switch between the channels using the function button on the left, mute the microphone using the central button and mute the headphones using the button on the right.  For some reason the headphone mute button does not illuminate when muted like the microphone button. This inconsistency is rather poor to note.

The headset attaches to the controller via a braided cable with a connector which very much resembles an HDMI connector.  The controller attaches to your PC via USB, via a mini-USB connector in the rear of the controller.

Setting up the headset is fairly simple, although it requires us to visit the Tesoro website to download a driver package – this doesn't include any software configuration utility like some competing headsets.  Then it's a simple matter of connecting up the headset to the controller and the controller to a USB port on your PC.

The Kuven Pro is more comfortable than you would initially expect given its size.  The large pad on the inside of the headband helps to evenly distribute the weight of the headset across your head and ensures a comfortable but secure fit.

We are also impressed with the earpads which are nicely cushioned and finished in leatherette material.  This can get a little sweaty after a few hours of use, but we find it preferable to cloth pads.

Removing the earpads lets us see the positioning of the four driver units within each earcup, with similarly sized front, centre and rear drives and a slightly larger subwoofer driver at the bottom.  This positioning is ultimately designed to mimic that of a 5.1 surround sound system.

In terms of sound panning, the system is quite effective.  Our preferred test for judging the sound panning ability of a headset is the opening sequence of The Dark Knight, in which the headset performed very well indeed.  There was a noticeable improvement in panning compared to a 7.1 virtual surround sound headset.  We were also impressed with the resonance of the bass notes during this sequence.

Moving on to music playback, the configurable subwoofer level helps tailor the sound balance of the headset.  We felt that the sound lacked clarity overall, though, especially when compared to a solid set of stereo headphones like the SteelSeries Siberia V2.

Where the headset really shines, though, is in gaming performance.  The configurable sound channels and excellent sound panning make for an excellent experience when gaming, especially in FPS titles.  Again, the sound was not as clear as it could be, but this was less evident when gaming.  The headset also does a good job of isolating outside noise thanks to the closed ear cups and over-ear earpads.

Overall we are reasonably impressed with what the Tesoro Kuven Pro 5.1 surround sound gaming headset has to offer.  While the headset is quite large, Tesoro have managed to keep the weight of the Kuven Pro down to a minimum despite the inclusion of four separate driver units in each earcup.

The acoustic performance of the Kuven Pro is certainly its strongest asset, offering excellent sound panning and configurable levels across the different channels.  We felt that the sound lacked clarity in some tracks, though, especially our classical piano test track.

The sheer size of the headset is sure to put off a number of users, as well as the lack of compatibility with mobile devices (due to the USB interface).  However these are both aspects of the headset which are unavoidable with a dedicated surround sound unit like the Kuven Pro.  There are a couple of issues with the headset which are avoidable, namely the average build quality and lacking attention to detail throughout the design.

While the Kuven Pro doesn't yet seem to be available for purchase in the UK, it is priced at $100/£61 from Newegg.com.  Given this price, we would expect it to hit UK shelves around £80 inc VAT which we feel is quite expensive given the quality of product on offer.  While it is nice to have a dedicated surround sound headset, we would be more inclined to opt for a quality virtual surround sound headset instead like the Corsair Gaming H1500.

Pros:

• Real 5.1 surround sound.
• Lightweight given size.
• Configurable channel levels.

Cons

• Cheap materials used in construction.
• Poor attention to detail in design.
• Not compatible with mobile devices.

KitGuru says: This headset is worth considering if you have your heart set on a dedicated surround-sound unit, however we would recommend opting for a quality virtual surround sound model instead.

Become a Patron!