ASUS Republic of Gamers today announced ROG Kithara — the first ROG high-fidelity planar magnetic gaming headset. ROG partnered with HIFIMAN, a world-renowned planar headphone innovator, to develop ROG Kithara, giving gamers incredibly immersive, audiophile-grade in-game audio. The headset features special ROG-customized 100mm HIFIMAN planar magnetic drivers to offer excellent frequency extension at both ends of the spectrum with minimal distortion, delivering sounds that stay true to the original source. The bass is deep yet smooth, while the treble is crisp and well-extended, providing clearer and more refined audio experiences to give gamers a competitive edge.
The ROG Kithara has an open-back design for an extremely wide and dimensional sound stage with clear sound separation of balanced bass, mids, and treble. This offers precise imaging and enhances gamers’ spatial awareness, enabling them to pinpoint the exact source and location of in-game sounds. In addition, an on-cable full-band MEMS boom microphone ensures clean, distortion-free voice pickup across an ultrawide 20Hz–20kHz frequency range. Separate signal channels help prevent crosstalk, while the high SNR provides detailed and natural voice reproduction with minimal background noise. In addition, the Kithara includes a headphone cable with a balanced 4.4mm plug and a 3.5/6.3mm single-ended plug for compatibility with most DACs, amplifiers, PCs and gaming consoles. For laptops and mobile users, the Kithara includes a USB-C-to-dual-3.5mm adapter for greater flexibility.
ROG-customized 100mm HIFIMAN planar magnetic drivers
Unlike traditional drivers that push sound from a single point, the ROG-customized HIFIMAN planar magnetic drivers in ROG Kithara move in perfect unison, delivering ultraclean, resonance-free audio that captures every nuance as it was meant to be heard. The headset delivers ultralow distortion and wide 8Hz–55kHz frequency response for exceptional audio clarity. The enhanced sound stage means in-game noises like gunshots and footsteps sound sharper and clearer, delivering unparalleled levels of in-game immersion for a competitive edge.
Crafted open-back design
The open-back design of ROG Kithara offers better sound separation because sound waves can pass through freely instead of being bounced around an in enclosed earcup, causing unwanted reflections and resonances that muddy the audio. An enclosed earcup causes different frequencies to overlap, reducing clarity and separation between instruments or audio sources. Open-back headsets allow air and sound to pass through the earcup, resulting in well-balanced bass, mids, and treble.
Combining the detailed sound provided by planar magnetic drivers and the open-back design, the Kithara offers great sound separation enabling gamers to hear the most minute audio cues. The headset also ensures precise left-right consistency across both earcups through rigorous driver matching, with drivers paired based on identical frequency response for perfect channel matching.
On-cable full-band MEMS boom mic
A full-band MEMS boom microphone delivers a wide frequency response for natural, lifelike voice reproduction. While crosstalk occurs in almost all analog headsets because audio and microphone signals share the same ground on a 3.5mm TRRS cable, the boom mic cable on ROG Kithara separates signal channels to deliver clear, high-fidelity voice communication. Plus, the MEMS mic has a higher SNR compared to traditional ECM mics, further ensuring crystal-clear communication with minimal background noise. And despite its compact size, the MEMS mic outperforms larger traditional ECM mics — thanks to its advanced design.
Headphone cable with swappable plugs
The ROG Kithara includes a high-quality OFC balanced cable with 3-in-1 swappable plugs for hi-fi-grade audio. It includes a 4.4mm balanced plug for reduced noise, plus 3.5mm and 6.3mm plugs for compatibility with most DACs, amplifiers, PCs, Macs, mobile devices, and gaming consoles.
Additional features
The premium build of the ROG Kithara ensures durability and comfort, with a metal frame and robust hinge design. The 8-way adjustable headband ensures a comfortable fit for various head shapes, and plush memory foam leatherette padding helps avoid pressure across the skull. Plus, the open-back design provides ample airflow. The Kithara also includes leatherette with fabric, as well as velour earcups for a custom fit and feel.
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