INTRODUCTION

   Even though today I’m not that much into multiplayer games there was a time where i was glued on the screen of my PC playing StarCraft, Battlefield, IL-2 Sturmovik and several other titles with countless people from all over the world. Because of that i was heavily "invested" into gaming headsets, not only in terms of audio quality for myself (positioning audio and clarity to be precise) but also for people on the other end with who i had to coordinate my moves (microphone). The other thing that really mattered for me back then was comfort since I’d spend several hours playing each day and believe it or not sometimes it was harder to find a comfortable headset than one with good audio quality for both ends. Riotoro just launched their Aviator Classic Gaming Headset and today we'll be checking it out.

   Founded in 2014, formed by Enthusiasts, for Enthusiasts, RIOTORO manufactures the best Performance PC hardware, peripherals, and accessories in the industry with a goal of providing complete satisfaction for high performance seekers who build their own personal computers. Our products hit the market in early 2015 and are currently available in over 30 countries in North, Central and South America. Since the end of 2018 RIOTORO put its focus on Europe and has currently distributors in 12 countries. RIOTORO offers high-quality products which are produced in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. We work to ensure that our costs are globally competitive and that we use our resources as effectively as possible. RIOTORO is a company that innovates which resulted in the launch of World’s First RGB case ( CR1280 ) and with World's First Convertible case last year December called MORPHEUS. And this is just the beginning.

   As the name clearly states the Aviator Classic by Riotoro is designed after the headsets used in helicopters and airplanes so it's quite unique in that regard (we've seen similar models in the past but only a few in number). In each of the two earcups Riotoro has placed 50mm neodymium dynamic drivers (frequency response of 50Hz–20kHz with 64Ohm impedance) which can deliver virtual 7.1 surround sound thanks to an in-line USB sound card by C-Media featuring several 3D technologies by Xear (the headset however can also be used with 3.5mm compatible devices like smartphones and consoles - the various Xear enhancements are PC only). The Aviator Classic also features a detachable noise cancelling boom microphone (complete with a foam windscreen - frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz with -42dB sensitivity), detachable earpads, sleeved cables and gold plated ports and connectors.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large picture of the left earcup is located at the front of the black and red box right under the company logo.

The bundle contents along with the 2 year warranty are located at the base of the box.

Several pictures at the rear of the box showcase the contents and the main product features.

Contained inside the box are the Aviator Classic Gaming Headset with its detachable boom microphone, braided 3.5mm cable, 3.5mm y-splitter, 7.1 virtual surround sound USB card and a quick start guide.

THE AVIATOR CLASSIC

The Aviator Classic is made out of plastic, leatherette and aluminum and weighs roughly 355g (cables excluded).

In terms of size it's clearly smaller than most gaming headsets (still mid-sized).

Riotoro has placed their logo on the exterior of both earcups.

On the base of the left earcup we find the detachable boom microphone port and a gold plated 3.5mm cable port.

As with most boom microphones the one used with the Aviator Classic is also flexible.

Left and right markings are not only located on the interior of the headband (just over the earcups) but are also printed inside the large ear pads.

The head pad is also sufficiently cushioned as you can see from the above picture.

You can expand the headband on either side via 9 increments (8 visible ones).

I was surprised to see that not only the USB plug but also all of the 3.5mm jacks are gold plated.

The in-line audio controller/7.1 surround sound card just has the volume up/down and mute microphone/speaker buttons on it.

SOFTWARE

The Riotoro control software is very simple to use and so from the first tab you can control the volume levels.

By clicking on the microphone on the far left side you can also access the volume level of the microphone along with the monitor feature (allows you to hear your own voice).

There are several somewhat "hidden" settings however which you can access by clicking on the speaker icon.

From here you can access the sample rate, use the 10-band equalizer (12 presets), enable environmental effects, shift the 7.1 surround sound position according to your preference, enable/disable Xear SingFx (karaoke feature) and enable/disable Xear Surround Max (upmixes stereo music contents to 3D audio).

CONCLUSION

   During the three weeks i used the Aviator Classic i watched several Blu-Ray movies, played several PC Games (primarily Star Citizen, Halo The Master Chief Collection and Tom Clancy's The Division 2) and listened to numerous FLAC tracks using the M11 Pro music player by FiiO (review soon). In games i found positioning audio to be quite good with better than expected bass levels and Mids. However, when you start watching Blu-Ray movies and/or listening to FLAC tracks it becomes rather evident that the Aviator Classic was not made for those. Yes, you can certainly use it for movies and music (and for some it may perform adequately) but where it performs best is in PC games. On top of that add its design (which should appeal to flight and space simulator fans - especially with the upcoming Flight Simulator by Microsoft just around the corner) and good comfort levels give it a small edge compared to similarly priced models from the competition.

   Price is usually what determines the value of any product and with a current price tag of around USD59.99 inside the USA and for 59.78Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the Aviator Classic Gaming Headset by Riotoro is priced just about right for what it offers. That being said not all products are award winning ones but thanks to its very good build quality, somewhat unique design, detachable noise-cancelling boom microphone and good overall audio quality (especially positioning audio thanks to the many Xear enhancements - you will need to toy with these for the best result) the Aviator Classic by Riotoro is certainly worth the attention of consumers on a tight budget looking for a new gaming headset (even more so if you happen to enjoy flight simulators and care not about RGB lighting).

PROS

- Build Quality
- Design (For Some)
- Comfortable
- Good Mids & Bass Levels
- Positioning Audio
- Detachable Microphone (Easier To Replace)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- "Dull" Highs
- Design (For Some)
- Current USA Availability