ASUS has decided to enter the deep end of audiophile gear by creating the ROG Kithara, a gaming headset with planar magnetic drivers from HIFIMAN. TPU has tested over 30 products by HIFIMAN and many of them have walked away with awards, so it will be interesting to see what they can do in collaboration with ASUS. The ROG Kithara comes with two sets of cables, one that has a built in MEMS based boom microphone and one that is a balanced cable that can be used with a 4.4 mm balanced connector, or regular 3.5 or 6.3 mm jack plugs. The Kithara also comes with a USB Type-C adapter, but it's not clear if this has a built-in DAC or not.

There are no gimmicks to be found here, no RGB lighting, no wireless connectivity. The ROG Kithara has an open-back design and ASUS claims that the 100 mm planar magnetic drivers deliver an 8 Hz to 55 kHz frequency response range. So far, ASUS hasn't provided any more detailed specs, beyond the 16 ohm impedance, but based on the information available, it seems like the Kithara is based on one of HIFIMAN's simpler planar magnetic drivers. The MEMS microphone is said to have a 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response with a 74dB SNR and a total harmonic distortion of less than 0.1 percent. ASUS supplies two pairs of ear cushions in a choice of either velour or leatherette with mesh fabric on the sides. As for pricing, the ROG Kithara is said to have an MSRP of US$359.