ASUS ROG Kithara A702

The ASUS ROG Kithara A702 packs a 100mm planar magnetic driver into a gaming headset, and the sound quality is genuinely top-tier at the 99th percentile. The mic is also excellent, ranking in the 97th percentile. You're giving up wireless, ANC, and comfort, which sits at a rough 10th percentile. At USD 248 to USD 300, it's a killer value for desk-bound audio nerds who want one headphone for gaming and music.

Let's talk about that driver. The 100mm planar magnetic unit is the star of the show, and our benchmark data backs that up. Sound quality sits in the 99th percentile, which means this thing is essentially at the top of the charts for audio performance. The frequency response spans 8Hz to 55kHz, which is far beyond what human ears can actually perceive, but it hints at how controlled the driver is at the extremes. You get deep, clean bass without the bloat you often hear from gaming headsets, and the treble has that airy, detailed quality planar drivers are known for.

The open-back design does a lot of heavy lifting here too. It creates a wide, natural soundstage that makes music feel less like it's happening inside your head and more like it's in the room with you. Instrument separation is excellent, which matters for both critical listening and competitive gaming where positional audio cues are everything. The trade-off, and there's always a trade-off, is that open-back headphones leak sound like crazy and let everything around you in. These are not for the office or the bus. The 29.9 out of 100 commute score tells you everything you need to know about using these outside your home.

The microphone is another standout. It ranks in the 97th percentile, which is remarkable for a headset at this price. The full-band MEMS boom mic covers 20Hz to 20kHz, which is the full range of human hearing, and the high signal-to-noise ratio means your voice comes through clean without a lot of background hiss. For streamers or people on a lot of calls, this mic punches well above its weight class.

The most direct comparison here is probably the Sennheiser MOMENTUM M5AEBT. Sennheiser brings decades of audio engineering credibility, and the M5AEBT is a fantastic headphone in its own right. But it's a closed-back wireless design, which means it's built for a different use case. The Kithara will beat it on pure soundstage and detail retrieval thanks to the open-back planar drivers, but the Sennheiser wins on portability and noise isolation. If you need one headphone that works on a plane and at your desk, the Sennheiser makes more sense. If you're parked at a desk and want the best possible sound, the Kithara takes it.

The Sony ULT WEAR WHULT900N/B is another interesting alternative. Sony's ULT line is all about bass impact, and the WHULT900N/B delivers that in spades with ANC to boot. But it's a very different sound signature, more fun and punchy than accurate and detailed. The Kithara is the more serious listening tool. The Technics EAH-A800 splits the difference somewhat, offering strong sound quality with wireless convenience, but it can't match the Kithara's raw resolution. For pure audio performance per dollar, the Kithara is the clear winner among this group. Just know that you're giving up wireless, ANC, and any hope of using these outside a quiet room.

Here's where things get interesting. The Kithara is listed at USD 248 to USD 300 across two US listings, with a CAD 360 listing up north. That's a USD 52 spread, which is enough to make you pause and shop around. If you're in the US, the lower end of that range is where the value really shines. You're getting a planar magnetic headphone with a 99th percentile sound score and a 97th percentile mic for under USD 250, which is frankly a little absurd.

Compare that to what else is out there. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM M5AEBT and Sony ULT WEAR are both solid wireless options, but they're built around convenience features like ANC and Bluetooth, not raw audio fidelity. The Technics EAH-A800 is another strong contender in this price bracket, but again, it's a different beast. The Kithara is for people who want wired, uncompromising sound and don't mind trading away wireless freedom to get it. At USD 248, it's a steal. At USD 300, it's still good, but the value proposition gets a little tighter.

The ASUS ROG Kithara A702 is a weird and wonderful thing. It's a gaming headset built around a 100mm planar magnetic driver, which is the kind of hardware you normally find in high-end audiophile cans, not something with a boom mic and gamer branding. ASUS teamed up with HIFIMAN to tune these drivers, and the result is a headphone that sits in a strange middle ground between studio monitor and gaming peripheral. It's open-back, wired, and unapologetically focused on sound quality first.

Who is this for? Honestly, it's for the person who wants one headphone for everything. You've got a PC gaming setup, but you also listen to FLAC files and maybe dabble in music production. The Kithara tries to cover all of that with swappable earcup cushions, a detachable boom mic, and a pile of connectivity adapters in the box. It's not trying to be a wireless lifestyle headphone, and that's fine. It's a desk headphone for people who care about how things sound.

The most interesting thing here is the price-to-performance story. Planar magnetic headphones with this kind of driver size usually cost a lot more. The Kithara lands in the USD 248 to USD 300 range depending on where you shop, which puts it up against some serious competition from Sennheiser, Sony, and Technics. Whether it earns a spot on your desk depends on what you value most, and we'll dig into that below.

If you need a headphone for travel, commuting, or office use, skip the Kithara entirely. The open-back design leaks sound both ways, and the 29.9 commute score makes that painfully clear. There's no ANC, no wireless, and the comfort issues will make long sessions away from home a chore. Look at the Sony ULT WEAR or Sennheiser MOMENTUM M5AEBT instead, both of which offer ANC and closed-back isolation for real-world use.

Also skip these if comfort is your top priority. The 10th percentile comfort ranking is a genuine problem, and at 422g, these are heavy. If you're someone who forgets they're wearing headphones after an hour, the Kithara will constantly remind you. The Technics EAH-A800 is a much more comfortable option in a similar price range, though you'll sacrifice some of that planar magic. And if you're a competitive gamer who needs pinpoint footstep accuracy above all else, the Kithara's wide soundstage is nice, but a dedicated gaming headset with virtual surround processing might serve you better for pure competitive play.

If you're a gamer who also cares deeply about music, the Kithara is an easy recommendation. The mic is good enough for streaming and calls, the sound quality is genuinely audiophile-grade, and the open-back design gives you that wide, immersive soundstage that makes both games and music feel more alive. The swappable earcup cushions are a nice touch too, letting you tweak the fit and sound signature to your preference. At USD 248, this is one of the best values in wired audio right now.

But if comfort is a priority, think carefully. The 10th percentile comfort score is a serious red flag. At 422g, these are heavy headphones, and the fit clearly doesn't work for everyone. If you wear headphones for eight hours a day, that's a problem. In that case, look at something like the Technics EAH-A800 or the Sennheiser MOMENTUM M5AEBT, which are built for all-day wear. The Kithara is a phenomenal sounding headphone, but it's not the most forgiving thing to live with.