Tt eSPORTS Level 10M Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Tt eSPORTS Level 10M Headset4. Comfort and Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Today we are going to take a look at the Tt eSPORTS Level 10M headset from Thermaltake which is the latest product in their Level 10 portfolio.  This range has been developed with iconic design and optimum functionality in mind, aiming to push the Tt eSPORTS  brand into the premium end of the market.

Thermaltake launched the Level 10 brand with the critically acclaimed Level 10 full-tower case which we reviewed over three years ago.  This is one of the finest cases we've ever reviewed and offered a combination of innovative design and superb build quality.  This was quite a departure from what we had seen from Thermaltake before this point and really showed us what they could do when they put their minds to it.

We look forward to seeing if the Level 10M headset can live up to the high standards that we've come to expect under the Level 10 brand.

Specification

• Colour: Diamond Black or Iron White.
• Connector: 3.5 mm plug (Connect PC).
• Driver Unit: 40 mm Neodymium Magnet.
• Channel: Stereo.
• Frequency Response: 10 Hz-22 kHz.
• Sensitivity: 100dB at 1 kHz.
• Cable Length: 3 m.
• Microphone: Omni-directional, noise-cancelling.
• Microphone Sensitivity: -35 +/- 3 dB.
• Microphone Frequency: 300 Hz – 10 kHz.
• Microphone Impedance: 2.2 kohm.

It's clear that Tt eSPORTS are trying to shape your impressions of the Level 10M headset before you even take it out of the box.  The headset is supplied in a plain black box which is wrapped in a thin cardboard sleeve.  This sleeve features a large image of the headset on the front, alongside some small badges which illustrate key features.

Turning the box around reveals some more detailed information about the features of the headset alongside a list of specifications. Overall we are very impressed with the outer packaging, as it feels very exclusive.

The only slightly questionable piece of packaging is the plastic tray which the headsets is suspended within.  This feels very cheap and flimsy, and is a bit of a let down after the excellent quality of the rest of the packaging.

Inside the box, we find a few bundled accessories.  These consist of a traveling case, a warranty leaflet and a pair of cables for connecting up the headset to your devices.

It would be fair to say that the design of the Level 10M headset is like nothing we have seen before.  We're not entirely sure that we would describe it as ‘iconic' as Thermaltake have, but it's certainly striking.  We think you will either love or hate the styling.

The headset itself is constructed from a combination of aluminium and plastic, giving it a sturdy feel.   The extensive use of aluminium makes the headset quite heavy, though.

All of the materials used in construction feel very durable, especially when compared to previous products we've seen from Tt eSPORTS.

Despite the exterior construction of the upper headband being entirely plastic, we expect there is a metal backbone nestling in there somewhere as it feels fairly sturdy.

The lower parts of the headband which connect the earcups to the adjustable strap are each comprised of two aluminium strips which feel very sturdy indeed. These then connect to the earcups using very sturdy feeling metal hinges.

There's no doubt that the design of the earcups is very unique.  The earpads are mounted to two rubberised plastic plates which are separated by metal bards in the four corners.  These contain the 40 mm neodymium driver units, although they seem quite oversized compared to the earpads themselves.

The microphone has been designed to fit the shape of the left earcup (it folds down from here).  It's completely rigid, however it pivots where it meets the earcup, meaning you can adjust it for the best performance.  This particular headset cannot be folded up to improve portability, however Tt eSPORTS supply a traveling bag which should prevent light damage such as marks and scratches.

It seems that Tt eSPORTS has considered all potential uses for this headset when designing the connectivity options.  The headset features a detachable cable which can be plugged in to either earcup depending on your preference.

The company also supply two cables; one to connect the headset to a PC which features an in-line control and dual 3.5mm connectors, and one for mobile devices which features a single 3.5mm connector for both headphone and microphone functions.  Both cables terminate in gold-plated connectors.

The in-line control is one area in which we feel a little let down by Tt eSPORTS.  Despite the use of metal elsewhere, Tt eSPORTS has chosen to use metal-effect plastic for the control which looks very tacky indeed.  We would have much preferred to see them using real metal or perhaps rubberised plastic instead.  The in-line control boasts all the usual features, including volume adjustment and microphone mute controls.

We were very excited to see if the innovative design of the Level 10M headset improved comfort over competing models, however we were a little disappointed.  The extensive use of metal in the construction of the headset makes it very heavy indeed and the design of the headband is such that it doesn't help to distribute the mass across your head.

Tt eSPORTS have integrated a locking mechanism into the headband which lets you secure it at your preferred setting.  This is advantageous as it means you don't have to adjust the headband every time you put the headset on.

The earpads are covered in faux-leather which looks and feels exclusive.  The foam padding within feels quite dense, though, which makes you very aware of their presence during use. The earpads fit tightly around your ears, offering a degree of passive noise cancellation.

There isn't anything particularly special about the acoustic performance of the Level 10M headset however it offers a similar experience to other gaming headsets in this price bracket.

During our music playback tests, we found that the sound balance was fairly even, with less of an emphasis on the lower registers as many gaming headsets.  This makes the headset well suited to a wide range of music genres.  For example we found it performed much better than competing headsets when playing the likes of Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2 where the sound was perfectly balanced and both the treble and bass notes were rendered with almost perfect clarity.

Moving on to our movie playback tests, we found that the sound balance was generally well suited to most titles, although we would generally prefer a slight bias towards the lower registers as it helps to create a more immersive experience.

The lack of sound-panning was also noticeable when compared to a virtual surround sound headset.

We had a similar experience to mobile playback with gaming performance where we would have preferred a slight bias towards the lower registers to amplify the presence of explosions and gunshots.  We would have also appreciated a greater degree of sound-panning – that would only be offered by virtual or dedicated surround sound.

Overall we are fairly impressed with what the Tt eSPORTS Level 10M headset has to offer.  It's clear that Thermaltake are trying to push the boundaries of headset design and create something completely unique, however we're not convinced that the aesthetics will be as universally loved as those of the original Level 10 case.

We are very impressed with the level of build quality that the Level 10 M headset has to offer as it's a step above anything else we've seen from Tt eSPORTS before.  Sure, there are a few niggles here and there such as the tacky in-line control, however we can forgive these thanks to the generally impressive build quality.

The only slight downside of the decent build quality is the weight generated by the extensive use of aluminium in the design.  While this is far from the least comfortable headset we've tested, it can't compete with the likes of the SteelSeries Siberia V2 in terms of comfort.

The acoustic performance of the headset is also impressive, considering it is a plain stereo model.  The sound balance of the Level 10 M differs slightly from the norm, favouring an even balance rather than a bias towards the lower registers like most gaming headsets.  This makes it slightly better suited to music playback, however we felt it didn't offer as much bass impact as some competing models.

Although the Thermaltake Level 10M isn't yet available to purchase, we expect that it will hit the market around the £100 mark.  We feel that this is a little expensive, though, and would like to see the price falling over the few months following release.

Pros

• Innovative design.
• Stellar build quality.
• Decent acoustic performance.

Cons:

• Lack of sound panning.
• Heavy.

KitGuru says: An impressive headset that offers great build quality and decent acoustics.

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