Fnatic Gear TMA-2 Modular Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing and First Look3. Testing4. Closing Thoughts5. View All Pages

The Fnatic Gear Duel TMA-2 headset is pretty unique for a gaming headset as it is actually modular. This means it comes disassembled and you can put it together yourself using different combinations of the supplied components to create a headset that best suits you. Is it worth the €189.99 asking price?

I must admit to being quite intrigued by the Fnatic Gear Duel TMA-2 headset. In the past, Fnatic's own peripherals have been simple, ‘no-frills' products designed to simply excel at gaming. The Duel TMA-2 is a noticeable departure from this strategy as it is obviously designed to be experimented with – while also quite pricey.

It is also worth noting that the Duel TMA-2 is designed in collaboration with AIAIAI, a Danish audio company. Essentially, AIAIAI offers a wide variety of modular headphone components on their website, and Fnatic have taken a selection of these and bundled them together to make the Duel headset. We look at all of the different parts, the assembly process and the performance of the Duel TMA-2 in this review.

Specification

• Diameter: 40 mm
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• Rated Power: 30 mW
• Max Power: 70 mW
• Magnet Type: Neodymium
• Resonance Frequency: 90 Hz
• Sound Pressure Level: 117 dB
• Diaphragm Material: PET + Titanium
• Dimensions: W: 180mm, H: 200mm. D: 95mm
• Net Weight: 275g
• Cable Length, PC: 2m, Phone: 1.2m
• Package Contents: 1x Headband, 2x Over-Ear Earpads, 2x On-Ear Earpads, 2x S02 Speaker Units, 1x On-Line Microphone Cable, 1x Boom Microphone Cable, 1x Drawstring Pouch, 1x Insert with Stickers & Manual / Instructions

The Fnatic Gear Duel TMA-2 ships in an iPhone-esque white box, with a large product photo on the front.

Inside, there are three small booklets: one is a quick-start guide, one is a small assembly guide, while the last leaflet gives you a 10% discount at Fnatic's online store.

The last accessory is a cloth bag for you to carry the headset or headset components around in.

Other than that, the box is filled with 6 small packets. Each contains one of the different modular components for you to use when assembling the headset.

The Duel TMA-2 comes with the following components: 1x headband, 1x pair of speakers, 1x on-ear cups, 1x over-ear cups, 1x 2m boom mic cable, 1x 1.2m in-line mic cable. Essentially, this configuration of parts means users can choose their preferred style of earcups and change the headset's cable.

To assemble the headset, the speakers first need to be attached. They connect via a 3.5mm jack that's integrated into the headband, while a cut-out on the back allows the speakers to be locked down to the headband.

After that, the earcups can be installed. These use four small clips to attach to the speakers, and above you can see the on-ear cup on the left, while the over-ear cup is on the right. On the next page I compare the comfort and audio quality differences that are evident when using the different cups.

Lastly, the cable needs to be connected to the speaker unit. You can connect the cable to either the left or right-hand speakers, and the 3.5mm jack simply plugs in. Rotating the jack 45 degrees locks the cable in-place to prevent it from being removed while in use.

After that, you have a functioning set of headphones which (with the over-ear cups, at least) should look something like the above.To test the Duel TMA-2, I used it for over a week, every day. This meant using it while gaming, listening to music and watching videos. I also used it with the different earcups and cables installed to get a feel for the differences that the headset's modular nature can provide.

I'll start with the different earcups, as in my experience, they made a big difference to both comfort and audio quality.

A majority of gaming headsets use over-ear cups, so I started with those and found the Duel TMA-2 to be very comfortable with them attached. The cups' cushioning is quite thick, so the sides of my head didn't feel pressured at all, while the leatherette covering is also very soft and breathable.

However, I did not get on with the on-ear cups at all. For starters, their cushioning is so thin, to the extent where it felt like there wasn't anything between the speaker units and my head – it was very uncomfortable to say the least. Secondly, and while this may not affect that many people, I found the on-ear cups actually interfered with my glasses and created a lot of uncomfortable pressure on my glasses' frame. I did not experience this with the over-ear cups so it is obviously related to the shape of the on-ear cups.

Now, moving on to sound quality, the different earcups actually made quite a big difference here – which may surprise some people. With the over-ear cups installed, the sound is definitely bass-heavy but it is still generally quite clear and warm. The on-ear cups, though, drastically affect the sound – to my ears, everything sounds muffled and muddy, while the high-end also gets painfully sharp.

As such, I did most of my listening with the over-ear cups as I found them to be more comfortable while also providing better audio. In this state, the headset is very good for gaming – the bass-heavy mix works well with FPS and RPG games as gunfire and battle scenes sound very close and intense. I also had no issues wearing the headset for a few hours at a time while gaming.

However, listening to music with the Duel TMA-2 is less satisfying. This is mostly due to the bass which dominates the mix – and I know this is quite typical of a gaming headset, but considering the Duel TMA-2 is made by AIAIAI, a headphone specialist, I was expecting a more balanced mix. As it is, music just lacks any subtlety and, to some extent, detail.

What I mean is, if you're listening to music that isn't EDM or heavy metal, the high-end just gets lost as the bass utterly dominates the mix. For example, I listen to a fair bit of acoustic singer-songwriters and, when using the Duel TMA-2, the vocals lack the clarity I am used to, while the acoustic guitars are definitely muddied by this headset.

Lastly, I want to talk about the Duel TMA-2 boom mic. There have actually been quite a few reports of dodgy mics, and my sample was actually delayed while Fnatic sorted the issues. However, I did not experience any issues with the mic dropping out while gaming – or any issues at all, really – so it seems Fnatic has sorted that out. Overall, the mic is clear and crisp and I have little to complain about. It does sound a little ‘nasal-y' but I have heard far worse in my time and this is definitely one of the better gaming mics.The Fnatic Gear Duel TMA-2 headset is certainly different and I have enjoyed testing out the different configurations. However, I am a bit disappointed with the overall product.

When I first heard about a modular headset, I was very intrigued and thought it could open up a whole world of possibilities (if you excuse the cliche.) However, the modular options essential boil down to this: a choice of on-ear or over-ear cups, as well as the choice between a 1.2m or 2m cable. It's cool, certainly, but not quite the mind-blowing experience I was hoping for.

Furthermore, I quickly discovered that the on-ear cups are very poor. Not only are they too thin (and thus very uncomfortable), they also adversely affect sound quality to the point where I would rather knock £20 off the price and not bother with them at all.

With the over-ear cups, though, I had a great time playing some of my favourite shooters – gunfire sounds full and rich, while explosions really rock the headset. Gaming really is where the Duel TMA-2 excels.

Listening to music is a different story. The bass dominates the mix and the high-end really goes missing, so overall it is not the best experience. Considering the headset costs €189.99 and is actually manufactured by AIAIAI, a Danish headphone company, I was expecting much better here. After all, Fnatic claims that the Duel is not just for gaming, but for ‘life' as well.

All-in-all, I think Fnatic Gear has slightly misjudged things with the Duel TMA-2 headset. Given the unit costs €189.99 the modular options look underwhelming, while the overall sound quality when listening to music isn't what we would expect at this price. If Fnatic cut the price and just marketed the headset as a pure gaming device – with none of this ‘best of both worlds' business – then there is potential for a better-performing successor, but ultimately I think the Duel TMA-2 falls down due to its high price and lacklustre music playback quality.

You can buy one from Fnatic Gear for €189.99 HERE.

Pros

• The idea is nifty.
• With over-ear cups, the headset is very good for playing games.
• Clear and crisp mic.

Cons

• Expensive for a gaming headset.
• On-ear cups are uncomfortable and reduce the overall sound quality.
• Modular options boil down to just a choice of earcups and cables.
• Gamers can find better-quality gaming headsets for less money.

KitGuru says: While the idea of a modular headset is interesting, the price of the Duel TMA-2 is prohibitive and the audio quality does not live up to expectations considering the cost.

Become a Patron!