Akko x MonsGeek MA01 Headset – Gaming Light Entwines Audiophile Pleasures
Akko x MonsGeek MA01 is a $59 USD pair of headphones made for gamers, with RGB Light effects, Immersive 7.1 surround sound, and a 50 mm dynamic driver at the heart. Today we are going to take a deep dive into the gaming headphones market and explore whether they can be an effective way for someone who’s in the entry-level market to enjoy music.
Introduction
While Akko is not known for headphones but instead is a popular gaming keyboard designer, together with MonsGeek they designed the MA01 Gaming headphones, a pair of entry-level cans with a USB connector for you to enjoy music, gaming and even talk with. As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Akko Gear for providing the sample for this review, in exchange for my honest opinion.
PROs – Smooth, clean and pleasing sound, with a musical midrange, deep bass and silky treble. No background noise, no drivers needed, and everything can be controlled from the inline remote controller. Lightweight construction with a long cable, enough to reach the back of your computer.
Cons – Strong clamping force and shallow earpads, best for someone with smaller ears.
Product Link
Official store Link – https://en.akkogear.com/product/ma01/
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dd1CzY1
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort
Akko MA01 is a gaming headset with RGB lighting shown on the earcups. You can set this color to be Dynamic, or static single-color. While most companies who make gaming headphones require you to install drivers and unnecessary software, Akko MA01 can be configured almost exclusively using physical buttons found on the inline remote controller. You can even set the brightness of the LED light using a controller next to the volume controller.
Akko flaunts a 7.1 Virtual Surround surround processing with the help of the 50 mm dynamic drivers at the heart of the MA01 Headset, although it is not quite clear what this does – we will explore it in the sonic part of the review. For gamers and those who need to communicate their thoughts with their teammates there is an omni directional microphone included with the MA01, and it works pretty well, has a crisp quality, the person on the other end could hear me clearly.
On the wearing and comfort part, the headband is adjustable, and it will offer one of the mechanisms with th eleast contact with your head, and there is a good padding on the headband, with the headphones having a light weight of just 280 grams. The earcups have a somewhat shallow padding though, and the clamping force is quite tight. Passive noise isolation is quite good, around 15 dB, while leakage is low, as MA01 is a closed-back headphone.
One of the best features is the inline control for the MA01, as it offers quick access to muting the speakers, muting the microphone, quickly switching between Game, Music and Movie EQ profiles, and also switching the light effects on the MA-01, effectively removing the need for a software driver. Volume control is provided by a wheel on the remote, and MA01 works with no need for drivers in windows, although the maximum resolution supported is 24 Bit / 48000 Hz.
With a long cable, and a high quality DAC, the overall experience with the MA01 is very good, and comparable with most over-the-ear audiophile cables from the entry-level range and comparable in price. The only thing that MA01 would need to be a top-class headphone is a deeper earpad, and a larger ear cup / ear pad, for those with larger ears. The overall comfort is otherwise excellent. While I cannot see the RGB effects, I am sure looking like a Christmnas tree gives me a unique gaming advantage.
Sound Quality
Overall Signature – As no pairings are possible, we can jump right into describing the sound of the MA01, and this is where Akko over-delivers heavily, as the MA01 has an extreme maximum volume using the inline remote. Windows volume is not disabled, so you can also use your keyboard if you need to quickly pause in a game. The sound is warm, smooth, lush and detailed, with a pleasing tonality in the midrange, although it is most natural in the Red music mode, and it is very good in the Blue Gaming mode, but sounds quite odd in the Green Movie mode. The soundstage is rather wide and the sound is holographic, with good instrument separation and depth. There is no background noise, no hissing and no humming regardless of the volume you’re listening at.
Bass – Starting with a warm, deep bass, Akko MA01 reaches a bass depth of about 40 Hz, with a soft roll off below it. The bass has most energy and strength around 60 hz, and it is a slower, more natural bass, with a warm and pleasing presentation. Bass can make the headphones vibrate your head with heavy songs, and it complements pop, EDM and commercial music really well. The tuning is not V-Shaped, and it is more likely a stair L-Shaped sound with the bass being highest in amount and presence, midrange just behind, and treble even lower in quantity.
Midrange – Mid is sweet, musical and smooth, fluid, as AKKO MA01 presents music in a wide space, creating a beautiful voicing for both male and female voices. Here is a bigger difference between the red music mode and the blue gaming mode, as blue sounds wider, more separated and wider, without sacrificing on the naturalness of the voices. Lyrics are generally easy to understand and crisp, while most instruments are smooth and have a fatigue-free texture with very good resolution for the price point.
Treble – MA01 presents music in a softly rolled-off light, there is a fair amount of air and space between instruments, but the top end itself is very smooth and silky in texture. To be fair, this kind of tuning would pass as a good midrange in the audiophile world, and if MA01 had a higher comfort it could be sold to the audiophile crowd easily.
Dynamics / PRaT / Textures – The sound has a fairly colorful and punchy presentation, with a smooth, slow texture that is a bit sloppy and satisfying, although dynamic range tends to be on the compressed level, as both quiet and loud sounds are presented at similar loudness.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – When changing the volume, the sound changes a bit, from a flatter, softer and gentler presentation at lower volumes, to a more forward, aggressive and powerful, more detailed presentation at higher volumes. I generally like the sound more at highere volumes with Akko MA01.
Soundstage – If you’re looking for a wide, holographic soundstage, Akko MA01 can deliver on it quite nicely. Even in the music mode, the sound is wide and has a good instrument separation, but in game mode, the blue mode, staging and width really expands and sound is projected farther away from the listener. While the 7.1 or 5.1 processing makes no sense for a headphone, and I saw it many times before in marketing materials for gaming headphones, I can confirm that you will hear a deep enough bass, and a wide soundstage, so you’re likely not going to ask for more.
Gaming
As a headset made for gaming, Akko MA01 is excellent, as it comes with a microphone, fast and convenient USB interface, and also a wide and holographic sound that helps you stay in advantage when playing games. The bass is rather deep and warm for a headphone in this price range, and the midrange, treble are both fatigue-free, offering an experience that allows you to game for long periods of time without ever growing tired of the experience.
In fact, compared to what you can grab for 60 USD, MA01 solves many of the issues you’d have as a gamer, including needing a good DAC and AMP, they work without needing drivers, sound is instant without delay, so MA01 is excellent for playing real time games, including FPS and Strategy games. As the fit is on the tight side, if you have larger ears they may be less comfortable after longer periods of wear, but the frame is lightweight and being able to quickly mute the sound, mute the mic and adjust the volume from the inline remote is excellent even for me as an audiophile, not just for gamers.
Value and Conclusion
Akko has impressed me once already with their keyboard with a wooden case, the Akko MU01 Mountain Seclusion, and this time with their MA01 Headset, they are on a roll. While those are fairly affordable products, they offer effective solutions for their price, and Akko reminded me that to get an enjoyable sound, you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortyune, and even those with a limited budget can enjoy a fun experience while gaming.
At the end of the day, Akko MA01 is a great choice for gamers, music lovers on a budget and those who simply cannot afford to spend more, but still want to hear a clean, musical sound, with good maximum loudness and a microphone, plus a convenient USB cable, embedded DAC and AMP, all with a bit of RGB flair.
Product Link
Official store Link – https://en.akkogear.com/product/ma01/
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Dd1CzY1
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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