ROG Kithara Gaming Headset (90YH0470-BHAA00)

I didn't find it to be as close as the OP regarding detail, soundstage, ect., but nevertheless the tuning was very familiar, close enough that I can use my custom music and gaming EQ profiles I created for the HE1000se. A discount version of that for $299 plus some nice accessories definitely impressed me. The Kithara would be an incredible upgrade in sound quality from typical "gamer brand" headsets. A SteelSeries, Astro, or Turtle Beach to a Kithara would be a huge improvement that will shock some people. I think that is more the target audience, but I actually had a use for it as well for my consoles (PS5 Pro and Switch 2). The Kithara, particularly with at least a basic DAC/ amp, is genuinely entry level audiophile, not "gamer brand" headset, sound. I am using the Schiit Gunnr for consoles and EF600 for PC. https://preview.redd.it/cbkqq99d2rjg1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cfdea8e765cea2d2216c08f909448cc252856196

Hey, its good but they are big haha. For example when im wearing my hoodie which is rather loose and oversized. If I turn left or right it will touch my hoodie. Which is for me a slight annoyance. Compared to my Sennheiser HD490 comfort wise, slight edge to the HD490 as they are just smaller and lighter. But the build quality of the Kithara is good, premium feeling. Sound wise, the treble on the Kithara is slightly better, but HD490 is more neutral/balanced. This is on dac/amp Fosi K7. There is no real clear winner, both sound extremely well listening to music (rap/hiphop) and when gaming. Both headsets are really good and comfortable, but like I mentioned the Kithara is a big headset. If you don't have a separate mic I would go for the Kithara. Otherwise the HD490 as they are slightly more comfortable. Can't go wrong with either headset, Kithara more bang for your buck, though some will say 300 bucks aint cheap. I have decided to keep them, as I like the sound signature and its my first planar headset.

i think it's subjective when i got my edition xs i was blown away by how much better i could pick out directions of sounds

I am comparing my Maxwell 1s to my new Kitharas and I can say the Kithara is cleaner sounding in games so you can discern footsteps a little better but the Maxwells overcome this with their louder volume so far. This is just in CoD multiplayer so it may vary by title. Both are awesome but if I can't figure out my volume situation with the Kitharas I may return them as the uplift isn't really worth $300 if you already have a good pair of headphones. The Maxwell are also better all around headphones for Music so keep that in mind. I am surprised the Maxwells didn't wow you. They were my first Planar Magentic headphones and I was floored in single player games. Very immersive.

Hey OP, I just got mine and am using it with a Focusrite 2i2. It's just not as loud as the Maxwell 1 for some reason. Wondering if you have any advice or is this just how it is?

If you use the dongle for this headset, you will likely notice a significant boost in sound quality from a typical gamer headset but it lacks volume. I have the Maxwell 1 and can tell the difference between closed back and Open back sound now. I wouldn't say the Kithara are totally better but they do win at surfacing those smaller details. The Maxwell has more bass as many have noted and really good at bringing out detailed sound too. I decided to try plugging in the Kithara’s to my Scarlett 2i2 4th gen and got a volume and slight quality boost (with white noise) but I still would not put it much over the Maxwell 1s all around.  Here’s where things changed; I got a DAC/AMP. I got a FiiO K13 and not only did the volume ceiling get much higher, the sound got cleaner albeit at a price most would probably opt for just going with the Maxwell 2s.  On its own, its an open back Maxwell as far as gamers are concerned. With a DAC it is what I imagine is entry level the the typical Hifiman line up for audiophiles. It makes me curious to hear what an Arya stealth would sound like but I’m also hesitant due to price and apparently poor build quality.

Just got my hands on the ROG Kithara x Hifiman yesterday.. and after some serious hours of music + gaming… I think I really dig this headphone. Especially coming from the recent Audeze Maxwell, this surprised me in many ways. Technical performance is very close to the HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth, but with better imaging accuracy and MUCH better build quality. I may bravely say… more premium. 😅 All tests are done using the Hybrid pads, paired with FiiO QX13 + Estick + Desktop Mode + PC. Keeping it brief but in-depth: Great experience. Once opened, you’re greeted with a thank you card with the unit frequency measurements. I’ve seen others with different readings, so unit variation is definitely a thing. Take my words with a grain of salt your unit may sound slightly different. Accessories 2 pairs of pads: Pre-installed Hybrid pads (nice cosmetic pleather outer + comfy feel) Velour pads 2 cables: In-line mic cloth-sleeved cable with USB-C DAC adapter 4-braided modular cable (3.5mm, 6.3mm, 4.4mm balanced) Honestly? Nothing more I could ask for… except maybe a carry case or bag. Build Quality By far the best I’ve seen from Hifiman (probably strong input from the ROG team). Full metal construction I believe. Feels sturdy, solid, and premium. The all-black accent looks super clean. The design caught my attention and I ordered it straight away. Comfort Very comfortable. I barely feel the weight after wearing it. Surprisingly, the cups are about 1cm shorter than the usual egg-shaped Hifimans. Good news? No more jaw pressure. Clamping force is low–medium. Don’t lean forward too much or it might slide. 😅 Wore it 4 hours straight this morning with ease. Pads are very soft (not that high rebound memory foam feel). Ear cavities are roomy ears and don’t touch anything inside. Sound Impressions Bass Well extended and clean. Slightly lean — but that might be because I came from Audeze Maxwell recently. Bass quantity feels similar to the HE1000se and just a bit shy of the HE1000 Stealth. The mid-bass bump helps with the body, so it doesn’t sound thin compared to the well bodied Maxwell. Mids It leans slightly bright like most egg-shaped Hifimans, but my unit doesn’t seem to have that 1–2khz dip (based on the measurement card). Vocals are engaging. Clarity is outstanding. For me, the mids are the highlight. Probably why it performs so well in gaming — footsteps are easy to discern and gunshots have great bite. Excellent overall. John Wick 3 sounds so good in the Continental gun fighting scenes. Treble Not sure if it’s the pairing, but treble is never harsh. Very resolving with fine nuances and details, yet never forced. Still has sparkle. Again unit variation exists. Soundstage Coming from the HE1000 Stealth, this isn’t as wide, but depth is better. More 3D presentations. Height is slightly behind, but maybe the game I played didn’t showcase that well. Open to game recommendations that highlight vertical imaging! Imaging Very accurate. Even more precise than the HE1000 Stealth in my opinion. Almost feels like cheat mode in gaming. 😂 Directional cues (far back left/right) are super easy to pick up. Maxwell is harder to discern in comparison. Final Thoughts This headphone honestly changed my perspective on “good headphone + super good price.” And honestly… it also makes current Hifiman pricing feel a bit overpriced in terms of build quality. If they can achieve this with ROG, they should push this level into their future lineups. I know this is a long post already 😅 But at this price? I really think everyone should give it a try. Highly recommended. The build quality alone will blow you away. I’ve added some notes in the photos for more details. PS: The mic is functioning well, tried discord with my son .he said my voice sound exactly like real life. So nothing to complain. Im using the mic further from my mouth. Till then, Enjoy and have a great weekend!

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across the news that Asus had teamed up with Hifiman to develop a gaming headset called "Kithara" – which you can actually order now and which has already been delivered to a few customers. But apart from that, there's virtually nothing else about it – no reviews, test reports, videos... practically nothing. There seems to be zero marketing from Asus. I mean this thing has the potential to be easily one of the best gaming headsets you can buy. I'm a bit of a Hifiman fan and just had to order it right away – if I don't like it, I'll send it back. Basically , I like my Beyerdynamic mmx 300, but there's probably room for improvement in terms of detail, soundstage, and separation. So I'm looking forward to picking up the package tomorrow.

I hope for the best—I'll pick them up in an hour, then I'll know more 😅 A few people have already had the chance to test them at a trade fair, and the feedback has been pretty good—one person even compared them to the XV, which I would be really happy about. Sure, the XV's design is much nicer, but in terms of sound quality, it would be one of the best headsets money can buy.

Really happy so far! Coming from a closed back like the mmx 300 like me it’s for sure something completely different. I usually need some time to adjust my hearing to new headphones. But we are definitely getting there :) They are also very comfortable, not clumsy at all. The mic however is just functional, nothing special.

So, at first I forgot to turn off my EQ, which I use for the mmx 300, and it actually sounded terrible haha - took me a couple of minutes to notice what’s going on. Coming from a closed gaming headset like the mmx 300, it's definitely something pretty different, no question, because the direct bass impact is simply less noticeable. But once you get used to it, it's fantastic - similar to a XS I’d say but also a bit different. I added a little bass and reduced the treble slightly. I think it'll be fine—I always need a few days to really get used to new headphones. The microphone is more functional than anything else, it has to be said, which is something to consider.

Coming myself from a mmx 300 switching to open make is very different for sure. I usually need some sessions to fully adjust my hearing. The Kithara performs really good though. But I agree the mic is a bit disappointing

It passes the hand claps test from Supertramp "Crime of The Century" 2025 192kHz re-master in flying colors, never has those hand claps sounded as real in a pair of headphones as with the ROG Kithara(from 3:38 and forward in "Bloody Well Right"). Yes, these sounds very good as a standalone HiFi-headphone, having gaming accessories included is great bonus and yeah they are probably great with gaming as well.