I’ve never had a pair of headphones quite like the ROCCAT Syn Max Air Wireless. On the one hand, frustrating interference paired with lacklustre console support left me feeling less than impressed. While on the other, a rich and nuanced listening experience graced my ears but only when paired via Bluetooth on PC and mobile devices.
Setting up the ROCCAT Syn Max Air Wireless is an easy enough process, which syncs via Bluetooth or through its charging cradle, which doubles as its 2.4ghz dongle and features two USB type-C inputs allowing for both charging from the mains and while connected to a console or PC.
I was excited to review the ROCCAT Syn Max Air Wireless, not due to its interesting, honeycomb array of LEDs that prominently light each ear, nor its included charging cradle. I was looking forward to the Syn Max Air Wireless’s audio pass-through function when using both Bluetooth and dongle/dock connectivity.
“Setting up the ROCCAT Syn Max Air Wireless is an easy enough process, which syncs via Bluetooth or through its charging cradle…”
As someone who uses an eclectic assortment of devices, I appreciate when headphones allow multiple audio sources to be in use simultaneously. Unfortunately, the ROCCAT Syn Max Air Wireless fails to deliver on this front, at least in testing with my PC and PlayStation 5 synced to the device.
The biggest issue when using multiple audio sources is the frequent drops and cracks while in use, rendering the feature unusable. Furthermore, connecting the ROCCAT Syn Max Air Wireless to my PlayStation 5 severely lowered the headset’s overall volume and sound quality. Just to make sure, I connected several other headsets to my console, and sure enough, the others performed better in terms of providing a louder and richer listening experience.
“If you’re someone looking for a solid pair of headphones to game with on PC, the ROCCAT Syn Max Air delivers…”
In terms of the included mic, the ROCCAT Syn Max Air features a rather eloquent means in which simply lifting the removable mic piece up will mute it and vice versa. Voice quality too, is adequate and in-line with other similarly priced headsets I’ve tested.
On the PC and Android side of things the ROCCAT Syn Max Air fares much better, despite some wonky software on Windows, the overall experience of actually using the Syn Max Air headset impressed me. I personally have a hard time discerning directional, 3D audio, but the ROCCAT Syn Max Air was one of the first times I genuinely noticed a sense of direction in terms of where a sound was emanating from. Similarly, instruments and subtleties in music were apparent even without tweaking the headphones via software.
If you’re someone looking for a solid pair of headphones to game with on PC, the ROCCAT Syn Max Air delivers, however, despite being advertised to work on consoles, the experience using them on PlayStation 5 felt incredibly limited and overall tinny, making them something I would only consider for use with PC or mobile.
