ASUS ROG Delta S | Review

The ASUS ROG brand has always been dedicated to the world of the most passionate gamers who want to have the maximum possible performance from their devices and gaming headsets are certainly no exception. After the excellent ROG Delta, the Taiwanese company has decided to launch the ROG Delta S on the market, a new version of the headphones that we talked about in more detail in our review and from which they inherit most of the features, introducing, however, some welcome news.

The ROG Delta S aim to offer a high level of involvement during the most hectic gaming sessions, thanks to their ability to recreate a virtual 7.1-channel sound environment and allowing you to accurately hear the direction from which they come the various sounds, from simple shots up to the slightest, but equally important, footsteps of the enemies. Obviously, since it is a device that will have to be worn for several hours a day, it is also important to evaluate their design and comfort over the long term, factors no less important than pure sound quality when choosing a gaming headset. br>

Technical features

The ROG Delta S headphones are equipped with ASUS Essence 50mm neodymium magnet drivers, which guarantee high sound quality and a frequency response between 20 and 40000 Hz . Thanks to the integrated high-resolution ESS9281 DAC, equipped with Quad DAC technology, you will have a precise feeling about the positioning of sounds and their distance. Furthermore, thanks to the support of MQA technology, it will be possible to listen to the music exactly as it was intended by their composers, provided that you use a software or device compatible with this encoding.

The ROG Delta S have a detachable microphone that can simply be unplugged when not in use. During the tests, both in game and in communications through different software (Discord, Skype, etc.), it has shown to capture the voice with extreme precision, ensuring clear and crystal clear communication thanks to the use of the AI ​​noise removal functionality in the background able to guarantee your teammates, or more simply the people you are talking to, to always hear what you are saying at their best regardless of the noises in the environment.

The covers of the mounted pavilions they are in leather and are very comfortable and enveloping. However, fabric spare parts are also provided in the package, which could be decidedly less annoying during long summer gaming sessions by virtue of their greater breathability.

The ASUS ROG Delta S are sold in a sturdy cardboard box , inside which we find:

ASUS ROG Delta S headphones Removable microphone Fabric earpad cover USB-C to USB 2.0 extension cable and converter Manual

Design and build quality

The ASUS ROG Delta S offer a look immediately attributable to the gaming sector, thanks to the D-shaped pavilions that allow for optimal comfort, as they follow the shape of the ear, and to the beautiful RGB lighting. The cushions fitted as standard in leather are very soft and offer exceptional comfort, also thanks to the plastic headband covered in leather, but with the metal internal part, which exerts a practically perfect pressure able to hold the headset firmly. on your head without causing discomfort even after long gaming sessions.

Although the structure is largely made of plastic, the device returns a good feeling of solidity and flexibility, even when twisting or turning the 90 ° pavilions to store them, for example, on the table.

On the left pavilion we find the commands to raise or lower the volume and to activate or deactivate the LEDs, while the connector on the right is present 3.5mm jack to connect the removable microphone.

User experience

The ASUS ROG Delta S, purely designed to give the best of themselves in the gaming field, perform their work is perfect, thanks to a convincing 7.1 Virtual Surround sound and the high sound quality ensured by the integrated speakers. We have tested the product with multiple games, starting from the most purely competitive FPS, where it is necessary to better understand the direction of shots and steps, such as Call Of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, Valorant and Battlefield V, to others more immersive for single player like the recent Assassin's Creed Valhalla or the evergreen Control.

In all these cases, the ASUS ROG Delta S headset has returned a sound that is always rich and full-bodied, well balanced across all frequencies. These headphones are not only a valid companion during gaming sessions, but can also be used with great satisfaction to enjoy TV series, films or for listening to more general music.

Precisely with regard to this latter area , it is worth noting again the presence of support for MQA, acronym for Master Quality Authenticated, a technology that allows you to enjoy music at the same quality with which it was originally recorded, but within smaller audio files than the usual uncompressed format. Obviously, in order to activate this function, the source must also support it; one of these is the music streaming service Tidal, which we used to test the ASUS ROG Delta S. In fact, the difference compared to a high bitrate compressed song with one of the most popular formats is sensitive, although it can vary from one song to another.

On PC the lighting management, as well as the application of equalization and virtualization effects, is entrusted to the ASUS Armory Crate software, from which you can also synchronize RGB lighting with other devices that support the ASUS Aura Sync ecosystem, adjust microphone sensitivity and the impact of AI automatic background noise cancellation.

The ASUS ROG Delta S are wired headphones, so they need a connection directed to a device via USB-C. Also supplied is a practical extension that converts the USB-C port into a more common USB-A 2.0. The headset is compatible not only with computers (Windows, Mac, etc.), but also with smartphones, Sony Playstation 4, the brand new Playstation 5 and Nintendo Switch. In the latter cases, the configuration is automatic and you will not have to take any additional action to enjoy your video games to the fullest.

Conclusions

The ASUS ROG DELTA S are wired headphones that offer quality truly exceptional listening and able to give an accurate and engaging positional audio, helping players to clearly distinguish the various ambient sounds and offering an advantage in the most competitive titles.

Support for the MQA format and use of the new high-resolution DAC ESS9281 manage to give an edge over the previous, and still excellent, ROG Delta. The price at which they are sold, higher than the average, is more than justified both by the quality of the materials used and by the actual sound experience they are able to provide.