When it comes to third party and after market headsets there is a seemingly endless sea of options. PDP’s AfterGlow line of headsets for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3 have all worked wonders while keeping costs for consumers low. Its latest PS4 headset, the KRAL Wireless Headset aims to take the budget headset market by storm like its predecessors. Does it set itself apart from the other wireless PS4 headsets or does it fall flat on its ear(cup)?
The Kral is a gorgeous headset, simply put. From its amply padded polyurethane ear cups that don’t dig into your ears when wearing to its brushed aluminum looking headband it’s obvious a lot of attention to detail and care was put into the creation of this headset. The headset features these amazing transparent lenses on the outside of the ear cups which allow you to see the circuit boards that run the headset. Also inside these transparent lenses are housed a blue LED light that illuminates when the headset is turned on and connected to its wireless dongle.
All interactions you do with the headset (turning the headset on, adjusting the volume, changing between microphone settings) are done on the left ear pad which was a wise decision by PDP’s designers. Everything is spaced out really well and while it might take a few uses to get the feel and memory of where everything is located, once you’re familiar with it you fly through operating it like a pro. Theres no way you can accidentally hit the mute button or accidentally change the volume on this headset, unlike some others I’ve tested that are on the market and that is a hugely refreshing thing. The retractable microphone sounds wonderful with its noise isolating features. The only issue I have with the microphone is how hard it is to push it back into the headset. Pulling it out to use and bend around is easy, but for some reason pushing it back in to store the headset or protect the microphone when not in use requires much more effort. It could just be the headset we received, but I noticed it every time I went to retract the microphone. It doesn’t affect general use, and is really the only complaint I have with the design.
The wireless setup is insanely easy on the PS4. You plug in the included USB dongle, turn it on, connect the headset, and go. There is no need to sync it with the USB transmitter and if you do happen to run into issues for some unknown reason, they include an insanely detailed manual. After years of using wired only headsets, it has been a lot of fun to go wireless with this headset. There are no cords to get tangled in multiple positions (including the favorite: wrapped around your legs so you can’t move). The wireless transmitter allows for up to 100 feet of range which allowed me to move about my room freely and still be able to hold conversations, or listen to whatever was being played through the headset. I haven’t encountered any interference issues with either my wireless keyboard or wireless router. This surprised me, as I heard for years about so many interference issues with wireless headsets, keyboards and the like and it was a relief to see that this wasn’t an issue.
So, it looks great, it feels great, but I can hear you asking “How does it sound!?” PDP set out to deliver a product that allowed gamers to hear the games as the developers intended and for music lovers to hear music as the artist intended. They delivered in spades. The Kral is one of the best sounding headsets I’ve used in a long time. Not only does it provide crystal clear audio from games to music, it balances audio amazingly well, especially when using a party chat feature or skype via your PC. It doesn’t blast the audio of one over the other, and again, there is no set up needed with this. It just works. If you find the balance to be a little off for you however, you can always adjust the settings to find the setup that works best for you.
As if all of that wasn’t glowing enough (see what I did there?) the Kral features a second audio mode for those of you who love a lot of bass. Unlike other headsets I’ve used in the past, the Bass Boost mode does exactly what the name implies. It amplifies low end frequencies and gives them a huge kick in the teeth. Explosions in games like Battlefield 4 and Far Cry 4 sound incredible with this mode turned on. Its amazing how PDP managed to enhance the bass without muddy-ing the sound. If you’re wanting more depth and clearly indicated passion in your audio experience, you should look no farther than the Kral wireless headset.
I’ve mentioned the PC a few times, as you might have noticed. While this is marketed as a PS4 headset, it also works wirelessly with the PC and wired on mobile devices with the included 3.5mm auxiliary cable. The process on PC was instant for me, just plugging the USB adapter in and syncing them like I had on the PS4, but I’ve noticed some forum posts where it required fiddling with audio settings and microphone settings. That is fine for someone like me who is used to doing that, but I can easily see how it could be frustrating for some less experienced users. The audio quality on PC is just as amazing as the PS4. Using it wired with a mobile device is also a great experience, however you won’t be able to use the Bass Boost mode while wired. A shame, as that is where the mode would truly shine while listening to music on your smartphone or tablet.
The battery life is absolutely insane. PDP claims it will last you a full 10 hours out of the box before you need to charge it and 9-10 hours after each charge and continued use. I’m happy to report the battery really does match their claims, if not a little bit longer. I was able to use the headset for two full sessions of gaming before I heard the beeps to recharge it. PDP gives you a 6 foot play and charge cable, so you can charge the headset while you use it so you don’t have to worry about game session interruptions.
Verdict:
The AfterGlow Kral Wireless Headset is without a doubt the best “bang for your buck” option when it comes to after market headsets. With its stunningly sharp and detailed design, its amazing audio, and the ability to use it on multiple devices (PS4, PC, mobile), it easily wins my vote for the best all around headset to come out so far. I can’t praise it enough.