Rarely are we graced with a gaming speaker system that not only has a lot of power and rumble, but also a beautiful, almost audiophile-grade sound. The Razer Nommo Pro has all that, plus an impressive stereo soundstage, a subtle gamer’s look, accessibility, customizability, and a line-up of connectivity options in the mix.
This 2.1 sound system is so impressive — surprisingly good for one that is being sold as a gaming speaker — that we’ve forgotten the fact that it sets you back $499 (£499, AU$849). That’s a high price tag for a set of gaming speakers, yes. But these are no ordinary gaming speakers.
Design
It starts with its design. Both its two satellites and its subwoofer boast a matte black finish and an overall gamer’s look that’s subtle while still making a statement with RGB lighting that’s not too flashy and not too loud. . They’re also neither overly big nor heavy; in fact, it’s surprisingly light for a non-portable speaker system.
The space gun-looking satellites have 3-inch, Dupont Kevlar-coated paper drivers to produce a smoother sound, and separate silk-dome tweeters for warmer sound with a more detailed high-end. They also have a wider base for stability and ensure sound integrity, lit with RGB lighting that is highly customizable using both software and app. Inside, Razer says that there’s also an enhanced rubber lining around the driver for a deeper mid to low sound range.
The cylindrical sub has the Razer logo embossed at the front and is downward-firing to generate more rumble. It’s also designed with a tunnel in the middle to encourage airflow, which is supposed to reduce distortion.
There is also an illuminated control pod for power, inputs, and volume. This control unit has a button to select your input, and a dial for volume.
The only thing to nitpick about the design is that the ports connecting the satellites to the sub are a little tight so make sure to plug in the ports all the way. Otherwise, while the sound might work, the RGB lighting won’t.
Features
The Razer Nommo Pro isn’t packed with all the bells and whistles, but that’s the beauty of it – its best features are in its performance, and the small number of extras it does have address your exact needs.
One of the things we appreciate about this speaker system is that it offers a variety of connectivity options: analog, Bluetooth, USB, and optical, with the latter two yielding the best sound quality.
There’s also the Razer Synapse software. Though you can only use it when connected through USB and with a Windows OS, it does offer a plethora of customizations. With this software, you can control the RGB lighting (a few presets as well as individual controls for color, movement, and speed are on hand), and the sound itself including volume, bass, presets (THX and Dolby for Game, Movie and Music), and EQ. It also allows you to select your input source and enable the virtual surround sound.
Nommo Pro’s best feature is its app, also called NommoPro, which is available for both iOS and Android devices. It doesn’t offer as many controls as the software – the lighting control, for example, is not as specific and detailed, but it does most of the things that the Razer Synapse can do. Plus, it has a very simple UI and it lets you control it when you’re across the room.
Setup
There’s not much to it; the setup is pretty straightforward. It’s a plug and play so besides installing the Synapse software and downloading the app, you just really need to link the satellites with the sub, connect your input, plug it in, and turn it on.
Keep in mind that the USB and optical connections produce the most detailed sound with the most high end, and you can only control it using the software when connected through USB. If you want better sound quality, go with either of these two. Bluetooth is quieter and has a rolled of high end while the analog is even more muffled and compressed.
With the software/app, we found that selecting a flat EQ produces the best sound, so start with that instead of experimenting with the different presets first.
Performance
The Razer Nommo Pro boasts a lot of volume (small home theater-level, in fact), a subwoofer that has a lot of rumble, a wide soundstage, an excellent EQ, and of course, near audiophile-level sound quality. It’s fast becoming one of the best gaming speaker systems, in our humble opinion.
Really, the only thing that’s keeping it from being an audiophile quality speaker system is the fact that because of its warm, smooth sound, they’re not the most detailed-sounding speakers. It’s great for gaming, watching movies, and listening to music; however, it’s probably not the best ones to use for editing and producing.
These speakers have a lot of power and can be thundering, but they’re directional so you turn up the volume in one room and won’t have to worry about disturbing others in the next room.
The sub can also be very loud, and it’s downward facing for more rumble and shake, making it excellent for immersion. At the same time, no matter how loud it gets, it doesn’t seem to overwhelm or drown out the other sounds. The only thing not-so positive thing about it is that it has an average response rate so that that bass is not as punchy and tight as you’d like it to be.
One of the best aspects of the Nommo Pro’s sound performance is its excellent, wide soundstage. While it boasts the Dolby Virtual Surround Sound technology that you can enable through the software, the soundstage is already so good, you won’t need it. The left and right positioning is extremely accurate and the soundstage is also very wide, which is great for gaming immersion.
Case in point: while playing Assassin’s Creed Unity, we really got the sense of where the ambient noise and voices were coming from when running through crowds in the streets. Additionally, with Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice where the main character is off her rocker and hearing voices, we felt like we were in the character’s head with these different voices were coming from different directions.
Lastly, there is the excellent EQ, with smooth highs, warm mids, and a strong low end. It’s not neutral or flat-sounding. The way these speakers were tuned is very pleasing, so that you’re getting a great quality sound alongside the rumble and power.
In case you’re thinking that the $500 price tag is a tad extravagant for a set of computer speakers, hear us out. If you’re looking at audiophile systems, the budget options for a set of great quality bookshelf speakers would start around $200. And you’d still need to buy a subwoofer and a receiver, which will cost you even more.
There is a very small number of cheaper alternatives to the Razer Nommo Pro. For example, the Audioengine A2+, which you can find at $200 and often comes up in audiophile conversations. You won’t need a receiver for these as they have a built-in one. However, you’d still need to invest in a subwoofer of the same caliber, which means you’re not really saving a whole lot of money.
There are also a few computer speakers that are more affordable, but they don’t deliver the same audio quality. If audiophile-grade sound isn’t as important to you, then speaker systems like the Creative Sound BlasterX Kratos S5 are definitely more than good enough and will only set you back around $150.
However, if you’re not on a tight budget, then the Razer Nommo Pro is definitely worth its price and then some. So invest!
Final verdict
We’re so impressed by the Razer Nommo Pro’s performance that we’d be willing to pay $499 (£499, AU$849) – what some would consider a steep price for a set of gaming speakers. Not only does it offer a lot of power, it also produces a sound quality and a soundstage that audiophiles will appreciate. And even if it’s not quite in that level, it’s pretty damn close to it. Then there’s the mobile app , which allows you to customize a number of settings using your mobile device for convenience.
If you’re a serious gamer that takes sound and gaming immersion seriously, this is the 2.1 speaker system you’ve been waiting for.
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