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MagyarTeufel ZOLA review - powerful gaming headset with surround sound
Teufel have added to their gaming headset portfolio with the release of the ZOLA, which differs in looks to the Cage or Cage One and has customizable color options.
However, the Teufel headset doesn't just look good, it also promises to impress with its bassy sound and HD condenser microphone, which is perfect for working from home.
With an MRSP of around $141, this headset is a mid-range device.
Specifications
| Type | Over ear |
| Connectivity | USB-A, audio jack (3.5 mm) |
| Speakers | 40 mm driver, unibody design, 10 - 20,000 Hz |
| Microphone | HD condenser |
| Weight | 330 g |
| Features | DTS Headphone:X 2.0 surround sound, integrated DSP, TeamSpeak certified |
| Firmware version | 0208 |
| Scope of delivery | Headphones, a pair of ZOLA covers, a pair of ear cushions, microphone windshield, audio cable with remote control, microphone arm, USB sound card |
| Price (MRSP) | 130 Euro |
Case and ergonomics - Six color sets allow for variety
The base of the Teufel ZOLA is available in white or black. Color comes into play when you have decided on a set. Besides the subtle light and dark gray, a soft red (Coral Red) and a strong yellow (Golden Amber) are also available. The "Grape & Aqua" or "Teal & Lime" sets are even more colorful, the latter being our review sample. One set is selected directly at purchase, each additional one costs around $32 more. It includes ear pads, matching covers and a microphone protector. Of course, the different variants can also be combined with each other.
The base of the ZOLA is made of aluminum and plastic and has a very solid and high-quality feel. The foam ear pads are fabric-covered, provide a comfortable fit and don't press too firmly. The air permeability is also good, so the Teufel headset doesn't become uncomfortable even during longer gaming sessions.
Due to its modular design, the design elements be easily replaced and the microphone itself can also be removed if the user intends to use the ZOLA solely as headphones. The connection cable is also modular, which means it can be used with the USB sound card plugged into a USB-A port, or without it by connecting it to a jack plug (3.5 mm). This means the gaming headset can also be used with smartphones or tablets. If your device no longer has an audio jack connection, suitable adapters for Lightning or USB-C ($16 each) can be purchased directly from Teufel.
Features and operation - Teufel ZOLA with surround sound and Magic Voice
Using the Teufel ZOLA on a computer is easy - simply plug it in and you're ready to go. You can change the most important settings and search for available updates using the ZOLA software, which can be downloaded for free from Teufel. A neat little detail is that you can change which headphones are depicted in the software. There, you can also edit the equalizer and sample rate, plus you can test the surround sound. The Magic Voice function lets you distort any voices recorded through the microphone. There are four different modes, however, they all sound very artificial.
The Teufel ZOLA comes with a USB sound card with DTS Headphone:X, which can take stereo audio and transform it into 7.1 surround sound. This works surprisingly well and gives users a great advantage during gaming. This function can be switched on and off and can be controlled either via the software or through the button on the sound card.
Another operating feature is integrated directly into the connection cable. There, you can find a little wheel for volume control as well as a mute button for the microphone. Both can also be independently controlled via the software.
Sound - punchy audio experience and good microphone
The sound on the Teufel ZOLA is really quite impressive and surprises with its intensity and precision. This makes gaming especially fun using this headset. Explosions sound powerful and more delicate sound such as falling objects can still be heard clearly. If you don't necessarily need surround sound for your game, we would recommend deactivating it. When you are just playing the game it's not that noticeable, however, when you are listening to music or watching a film the quality really starts to suffer. The sound struggles with a lack of clarity and ends up being a bit dull. This is most noticeable when listening to music. But since the 7.1 surround sound isn't a must, this shouldn't be too big a problem in everyday use.
The HD condenser microphone is connected via a very flexible microphone arm and can record your own voice surprisingly naturally. We were really impressed by this. You just have to make sure to not get too close to the microphone as you are recording, because it is still quite sensitive - even with the windshield on. This makes the sound slightly quieter, but it's nothing you can't compensate for in the settings.
| Loudspeakers | |
| THD | |
| Huawei FreeBuds Studio (RMS: -2.1 dBFS) | |
| Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (RMS: -1.6 dBFS) | |
| Teufel ZOLA (RMS: -3.0 dBFS) | |
| THD+N | |
| Teufel ZOLA (RMS: -3.0 dBFS) | |
| Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (RMS: -1.6 dBFS) | |
| Huawei FreeBuds Studio (RMS: -2.1 dBFS) | |
* ... smaller is better
THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): Harmonic distortion quantifies the magnitude of the components that arise due to non-linear distortion (harmonic content) in relation to the original signal. THD only refers to the fundamental component. The distortion factor is often mentioned in the same breath, but refers to the total signal.
THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise): This value is comparable to THD, but in addition to the harmonic distortion, that of the noise is measured as an RMS value.
For the measurement, a low-harmonic sinusoidal signal (1 kHz, > 0 dB) was reproduced via the headphones we tested, which was recorded by a linear measurement microphone (measurement distance: approx. 1 cm) in an artificial head.
Both values are given as a percentage. The lower the value, the better the signal fidelity.
Teufel ZOLA audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (87.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | bass is linear (2.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (1.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 7.7% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (8.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 98% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | bass is linear (1.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (1.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 5.4% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (3.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (7.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Verdict - The Teufel ZOLA is stylish with powerful sound
Teufel's gaming headset did great in our test and manages to deliver the whole package within the device's price range. DTS Headphone:X enables the ZOLA to transform stereo sound into surround sound and it does so surprisingly well - even if this takes its toll slightly on sound quality. Even so, this isn't too noticeable when gaming and it can simply be disabled when you are listening to music or watching a film.
The Teufel ZOLA gaming headset offers a playful look and combines this with great audio capabilities.
Its modular design makes the Teufel ZOLA real eye-candy and if you are looking for something a little more subtle, there are also sleek gray tones to choose from, too. In both cases, the ZOLA looks less martial than classic gaming headsets and, as a result, is a great companion on-the-go as well.
Price and availability
The Zola gaming headset is currently unavailable for purchase in the USA. In select other countries, the headset can be purchased directly from Teufel.
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
