SOFTWARE
Unlike other Tesoro products that has a dedicated software from Tesoro, the one included with Kuven came from a different company known as “C-media Electronics Inc.“.รย C-Media Electronics, Inc. is a Taiwan computer hardware company that manufactures processors for PC audio and USB storage, and wireless audio devices. If you want to use the 7.1 feature of the Kuven, then you need to install the software along with the USB card, without it the Kuven can only be used as a stereo headset.
รย With the use of the software, you can customize the sounds to your own liking by using its features like the equalizer, mixer and karaoke mode. However, Tesoro needs to step up their software integration and design. Hopefully in the near future, Tesoro integrates all drivers of their products in one software.
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TESTING
With a 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound gaming headset like the Kuven, we won’t let this chance go without testing it properly. For this series of test, we will be using the sound test and test tones provided at audiocheck.net. The tests that we will be conducting for the Kuven are the digital aliasing sound test, frequency response, dynamic range, quality, driving matching,รย wiring, binaural test and gaming. Well let’s start.
Testing Platform:
- OS: Windows 8.1 Pr0 64-bit
- Headset: Tesoro Kรโฆรยฝรยญรยท Devil A1 7.1 Virtual Gaming Headset
- Driver: CM108AH by CMEDIA Electronics Inc.
CM108AH is a highly integrated single chip USB audio solution. All essential analog modules are embedded in CM108AH, including dual DAC and headphone amplifier, ADC, microphone booster, PLL, regulator, and USB transceiver. Many features are programmable with jumper pins or external EEPROM.
- Motherboard: Asrock Pro3 Z77
- RAM: DDR3 G.Skill 2x4gb CL9 1600mhz
- Processor: i5-3570k
Digital Aliasing Sound Test
[divider]First off, we will be testing if the kuven have issues with digital aliasing. “An alias occurs when a signal above half the sample rate is allowed into, or created within, a digital system. It’s the anti-aliasing filter’s job to limit the frequency range of the analogue signal prior to A-D conversion, so that the maximum frequency does not exceed half the sampling rate รขโฌโ the so-called Nyquist limit.” -รย Hugh Robjohns. We tested if we will hear severe aliasing by running 44.1khz and 48khz sample rate and down to 1khz.
Result: Upon testing, I found out that the Kuven suffers from aliasing if you run the test with the software and everything on default. From the default of -03 db across all 8 channels indicated by the software, I readjusted them to -09 db and retested with that setting. Everything was smoother and I can’t here anymore sounds that indicates that the Kuven suffers from aliasing. Although anything above -09db will produce that tone of aliasing issue.รย
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Frequency Response
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The frequency response test is to see how low and high can the Kuven get in terms of frequency with voice over. Good headphones will go as low as 20 Hz, the lowest limit of our hearing and will reproduce frequencies up to 20 kHz, the upper limit of human hearing range.
Result: No issues at all even at default settings of -03 db across all channels. From 10 Hz >> 200 Hz, everything was smooth and I can clearly hear the sweeping tone as it rises. From 22 kHz>> 8kHz, I can start hearing the frequency in the middle of 21 kHz and 20 kHz then everything was smooth as the frequency goes down to 8 kHz.
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Dynamic Range
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The dynamic range test will try and see the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of the signal for this testing while using the Kuven. It is usually expressed in decibels (dB) and specifically refers to the range between the noise floor and the peak clipping level.
Result: The lowest scale that I can hear and understand from this test is about 60 db below full scale — anymore below that wasn’t understandable anymore. There wasn’t any issue at all when testing at full scale. There were no rattles or buzz from the drivers and everything is loud and clear.
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Quality
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Quality test will scan bass frequencies of the Kuven and will literally shake its drivers when turning the intensity up. Poorly built headphones may start to rattle whenever loud or deep bass content is played and we hope that the Kuven won’t fail us on this one.
Result:รย The sweeping tone through out the test was consistent and I’m pretty much impressed with the bass quality of this headset. It actually sounds like there’s a real subwoofer positioned at your side.
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Driver Matching
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Great headphones have better tolerances in their drivers’ frequency responses. This test will test the left and the right drivers of the Kuven and it must respond equally to every frequency in the audible spectrum. When this condition is fulfilled, the drivers are said to be “matched.”
Result: Upon testing, each drivers responded equally to every frequency. It was very consistent to its performance even at a full range sweep of frequency. Very impressive given the fact that this is a stress test for a gaming headset.
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Wiring
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This test is just to test if the wiring for the left and right channels are correct and we will also test the polarity of this headset by running a center and twisted audio test. Generally, this test is just to test the wiring.
Result: Pretty straight forward, nothings wrong for this test. Left and right channel responded correctly and respectively. Center and twisted polarity was precise and clear.
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Binaural Test
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Our binaural test will test if the 7.1 virtual feature of the Kuven works. This test is just consist of an audio about someone knocking but it’s not as simple as that. This test will verify if the Kuven will deliver the same exact signal of the recorded audio.
Result: Very impressive and the audio was very realistic. It gave me that impressions that someone was really knocking on a certain location.
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Gaming
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Gaming wise it’s very distinctive and clear. The sound quality is decent and comfort is no issue either. I can clearly hear if there’s an incoming enemy behind me or if there’s enemy farming near me in Dota 2 which is very impressive. It provided me that real life like audio advantage in games. I mean, for Dota 2 I was surprised that I can pinpoint an enemy hero location that’s jungling near me.