Since acquiring Plantronics and their headset brand – RIG, NACON has been a major player in the headset market with a steady flux of new, premium headsets. Although they aren’t as hyped as some competitors, RIG headsets have proven to be reliable, versatile, and of high quality, and this trend seems set to continue in the future. Perhaps the best indicator of this is the latest RIG 900 Max HX headset, with which NACON definitely deserves to be at the top of the consideration list when purchasing a gaming headset.
Nacon RIG 900 Max HX is available for for purchase through RIG’s website and select retailers. Amazon link will be added once available.
DESIGN
Upon first impression, it’s clear that the Rig Max 900 HX is the best headset RIG has ever released. This is a strikingly attractive headset, and it’s immediately evident that it’s primarily designed for the gaming audience. While its design is somewhat reminiscent of its predecessors, I would say the design here has been further refined and polished to exude a premium quality feel.
Firstly, the headset is relatively compact compared to many competitors in this price range, and I don’t mean that negatively. The ear cups are wide enough and deep enough to cover ears of all shapes and sizes, but they won’t engulf the entire side of your head or protrude awkwardly. Despite being designed for gamers, they sport a rather minimalistic, stealthy design with tasteful details that aren’t too ostentatious. RIG didn’t just slap on a piece of clean plastic and called it a day. Almost every segment of the headphones features subtle vector lines or details that make the headset look quite unique and aesthetically pleasing.
Stealthy but detail filled design
All controls are located on the back of the left ear cup. There are buttons for connection type, media controls, a power on/off button, and of course, a volume dial that doubles as a chat mix dial. The front of the left ear cup also features a flip-to-mute microphone, which has a design change from previous RIG models. It’s now somewhat more rigid, but at the same time, it blends much better with the overall design of the headset. Everything is well-positioned and, once you get the hang of what each button does, they become relatively intuitive to use.
On the left side, you also have a USB-C port for charging, while on the right side, there are pin slots designed for charging the headphones via the included dock. Yes, the RIG 900 Max HX comes with a dock and I absolutely love its inclusion. Although it’s a relatively minimal and simple piece of plastic, having a dock is incredibly convenient as you can simply drop the headphones into it when not in use and almost always have a full battery. There’s no need to fumble with and store wires, and RIG was smart enough to implement a USB-A port, ensuring that connecting both the dock and the wireless dongle doesn’t take up two USB ports on your PC or console.
The dock almost makes you never run out of battery
Even better and arguably more important is the fact that this headset is exceptionally comfortable, thanks to a combination of several factors. The first is that the headset weighs only 241 grams, making it one of the lighter premium headsets on the market. The second reason is its use of a spring steel headband design with one of the best suspension strap systems found on any headset.
Suspension straps are generally the best in terms of comfort, but the one on the RIG 900 Max HX is just stretchy enough to easily adjust to the right position without squeezing too tightly so it doesn’t cause any discomfort or sweating. The headband also features three slots where the ear cups can be positioned, allowing for further adjustment depending on the size of your head.
Exceptionally well-built and insanely comfortable
Adding to the exceptional comfort level are the ear cups, which are made from a combination of leatherette on the outside and fabric on the inside where the ear cups come into contact with your head. This combination ensures that the ear cups look good, aid in sound isolation, and are simultaneously comfortable and breathable enough to prevent any sweating during extended gaming sessions. And yes, they can be comfortably worn with glasses.
It’s important to note that the build quality doesn’t suffer due to its lightweight design. The plastic on the ear cups is robust and sturdy, the head strap materials are soft and durable, and the metal headband is notably rigid, strong, yet simultaneously slim and light.
PERFORMANCE
Before delving into sound quality, the RIG 900 Max HX can be used in wired as well as 2.4 GHZ and Bluetooth 5.1 wireless modes. The former lets it connect to Xbox, PlayStation and the PC, while the latter makes Nintendo Switch and all manner of mobile devices available.
Both wireless modes work excellently and have a good range, but unfortunately, you won’t be able to play something on your console or PC while simultaneously listening to music from your phone. It’s more accurate to say that the dongle and Bluetooth operate in parallel rather than simultaneously. So, even if both are connected, the sound will be prioritized from only one source, which will cut off the other, or you can manually switch between them using a button on the headset.
All the controls at your fingertips
The already mentioned unidirectional flip-up microphone is serviceable enough. It definitely won’t replace your studio mic and is a few levels behind something from Corsair’s latest offerings, but it gets the job done. It’s great at isolating unwanted sounds, but the isolation can go a bit overboard and make your voice sound quiet and a bit muffled. You still generally won’t have any issues using it for Discord chats or gaming, and can even do a bit of customizing through the RIG mobile app.
What I can’t praise enough is the battery life. It’s great enough that it can last around 50–60 hours, depending on how you use it, but I can almost guarantee you won’t ever run out of juice thanks to the super convenient dock. As a matter of fact, this combination basically makes the battery life a non-factor that you never think about while using the headset. It made me think about why more high-end competitors don’t use a dock charging system, and it’s honestly difficult to go back to using a wireless headset without one.
The great sounding drivers are wrapped in comfy leatherette/fabric combo
As for the sound, the RIG 900 Max HX handles it with 2 x Dynamic 40 mm drivers with a 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response and matched bass tubes, but it also adds Dolby Personalized Audio to the mix. As a result of the aforementioned features, even before diving into the Dolby customization, this headset generally sounds fantastic.
It’s excellently tuned for a wide range of gaming genres, but of course, it’s also great for watching movies or listening to music. The sound is detailed, the mids are clear and crisp, and the bass is slightly emphasized and quite deep, which is more or less in line with what most gamers expect.
The microphone is not great but it gets the job done
Even if you don’t like what you hear right out of the box, the headset offers two customization options. The first is RIG’s 900 Navigator app, which offers a 10-band equalizer where every aspect of the sound can be absolutely tailored to your preferences. The app also provides other features like firmware updates, microphone gain adjustment, auto power-off options, and more. What’s great is that every customization made here is saved directly to the headset, so you can do your customization and never look at the app again if you don’t need to.
The second sound customization option is the use of Dolby Customization with 900 Max HX actually being the first headset to ever use the feature. Essentially, it’s an application that uses the camera on your phone to scan your head, and based on that, it creates a 3D sound profile which you then transfer to the headphones via the Dolby Access application.
Wireless dock charging via these convenient pins
The profile that Dolby Customization creates is relatively subtle and won’t significantly impact sound quality, but it will enhance immersion and the sound stage, making it feel much more vast and detailed. Games benefit the most from this, whether you’re playing an FPS like Call of Duty or a single-player game like Horizon Zero Dawn. The immersion it provides is almost second to none, so definitely don’t skip using the feature.
CONCLUSION
At $250, the RIG 900 Max HX is undeniably a top-tier headset, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. While there are headsets that might do certain individual features better, I feel RIG has struck a perfect balance with this model. It’s likely the most comfortable headset you’ll ever wear, it boasts a sleek, premium appearance, superior build quality, and an incredibly immersive sound experience. Any minor drawbacks are just that—minor—and shouldn’t deter you from considering this as your go-to headset for years to come.
