ASUS ROG Orion Pro is the latest 7.1 headset from ASUS. Retail at RM339, the Orion PRO full-size gaming headset is designed to provide gaming enthusiasts with the finest audio immersion and positioning needed in any game and at any location. As a direct plug & play device, it does not require any drivers to function properly. Just plug it into the USB port and you’re good to go!
The package:
- Orion Pro 7.1 Headset
- ASUS ROG Spitfire USB
-
Cable organizer
- Quick Start Guide
Testing
Intel core i5 3570k
ASUS P8Z77-M motherboard
ASUS ROG Xonar Phoebus 7.1
OCZ Agility 3 SSD 60GB
ASUS HD 6970
AMD MEMORY ENTERTAINMENT 8GB
Seasonic x660 PSU
Cooler Master Hyper 212+
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate x64
HTC Sensation XE
To test the in-game performance audio, I also did a testing pairing with ASUS Xonar Phoebus soundcard.
Gaming – Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, COD:MW2 & Borderlands 2 with ASUS ROG Spitfire USB
The clarity of the audio was very remarkably accurate. I could easily locate members of my team mates and enemies nearby.
It does help me a lot in responding well to the gunshots and footsteps sound.
When I got myself into a shooting chaos, I can hear few different weapons’ sound. Each of them produces a very clear and various sounds.
Movies & Music –
I’ve decided to use Two Steps from Hell – Skyworld for the Music testing. It’s one of the best trailer music, so I decided to test it with Phoebus. The result? It turned an epic battle music to the most epic battle song ever.
Next up for Movie testing, well my choice of movie will be Captain America: The First Avenger.
The Dolby Home Theater V4 definitely made the movie sound better and bigger.
Without the ROG spitfire soundcard or external soundcard, the audio sounded muddy and like any other normal headset.
Using it on smartphone device – HTC Beats Audio device
I did a testing on my phone (HTC Sensation XE) and it’s really awesome that Orion Pro is compatible with Beats Audio.
Beats Audio can be turned on as a EQ setting that you can enable when listening to music on the device. Toggling back and forth listening to music you can tell the difference. Without Beats enabled sound was generic in sound and lower all most muffled. When Beats is enabled the sound became louder and clearer with a heavier emphasis on the low and high ends.
These are my thoughts on the ROG Orion PRO headset
1. ROG Orion PRO headset was designed to provide the best quality audio and comfort to the users at the same time
So much lighter than my Roccat Kave 5.1. I can wear longer without having headaches after few hours of non-stop gaming session.
2. The FULL-SIZE EAR cushion that isolates noise around you when you’re gaming so that you can fully focus in your game.
Good noise isolation.
During tournament if you find yourself easily distracted by the crowds cheering this will be very useful to you.
3. Braided cable with gold-plated jacks for better durability
4. The ROG Spitfire USB audio comes in handy with 3 sound technologies
a) FPS EQ for better audio positioning in first person shooters –
b) 7.1 virtual surround –
c) and headphone amplifier
d) enhancing the in-game sound
5. Retractable noise-filtering microphone
The microphone is adjustable, flexible & also provides clearer in-game communication.
Just pull it out when you need it.
6. Cable organizer for wire management purpose
For cable management purpose.
You really need this to get your headset cable organized so that you don’t feel irritated with tangling cables here and there.
7. Clip-on In-line volume control
The volume control, mute and un-mute button are easily reachable and convenient but old school.
8. Convenient:
- With the ROG Spitfire USB audio does not requires any driver install because it was designed as a quick setup gaming headset for events such as tournament or lan-party.
- Can reach the buttons easily.
Pros:
- A high quality 7.1 gaming headset
- Nice design
- Light weight
- Great performance.
- Braided cable
- Plug and play
Cons:
- Lack of ANC
- Without the ROG spitfire, headset perform like any other normal headset
Conclusion:
As a FPS gamer I can now hear the footsteps and gunshots much clearer than usual. This is a new experience for me. Without a powerful soundcard to use with the headset, the sound is just decent.
For a competitive gamer, you can consider this headset to be part of your equipment. It’s not heavy, comfortable with good performance and stays on your head without slipping off. Good for both outdoor and indoor.
It’s an opportunity to have this kind of audio experience and now I just don’t feel like going back to my Roccat Kave.
Portal #23 