For me, determining the score is always the hardest part of writing a review. In my review of the NZXT Relay earlier this year (spoiler alert), I gave the speaker set a 75 because you basically have to buy all the extra accessories to get everything working properly. However, across the board it has become my daily audio driver and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
With the NZXT relay you effectively enter the audio ecosystem. If you’re fascinated by cell phones, there’s a good chance this phrase has set off alarm bells, but it’s not as restrictive as you might think.
Starting with the Relay speakers, this is a compact set of 80-watt desktop speakers that fit easily on a table. Their relatively petite stature belies a sturdy mid and high sound, although it lacks bass.
Having tested a much more competent set in my Kanto Ora reference speaker review, the Relay seems relatively devoid of low end. On their own, they’re a satisfactory way to listen to games and music, although they’re nothing special.
This audio beast really comes to life when you start adding accessories. NZXT SwitchMix is a dedicated headphone stand with a sound mixer. You plug in whatever headset you want there (though the Relay headset fits the aesthetic) and you can change the mix of game and in-game chat audio with a quick swipe of the mixer.
Next to it is a knob that you can turn up and down to change the volume or press to mute everything. However, it’s the pressure plate at the very top that makes this thing sing.
When you put a pair of headphones on SwitchMix, the sound will automatically go to the speaker system. Take it off and they are now in headphones. This means you can switch from listening to music on your speakers to chatting with friends on your headset in about as little time as you can grab the item.
The swap is almost instantaneous and the only thing you’ll have to wait for is waking up the speakers if they haven’t been vigorous for a while.
The Relay headset is inexpensive and nice, but matches the look and comes with standard physical controls on the aux cable that allow you to easily adjust the sound while playing games. It’s nothing special, but luckily if your current gaming headset has a 3.5mm headphone jack, you can plug it into a stand instead and it will work fine.
Finally, completing the full NZXT package is a subwoofer. It’s almost as imperative an accessory as the SwitchMix, due to the lack of bass from the center speakers. It adds that much needed bottom end to everything, making the sound much fuller.
However, it is not a very bassy subwoofer and it will not rumble on the floor like the subwoofer in the Razer Nommo V2 Pro. However, it’s just the right amount to add some depth to the battlefield when you’re being carried by the legs of a soldier or the roar of a car engine flying above you in Rocket League.
At one point I noticed some irregularities in the operation of this set when I had to unplug and reconnect it to get it to work as intended, but this problem only occurred once every nine months and may have been caused by user error of some form.
I’ve tested better technical speakers this year, but what sold me on the NZXT, beyond the convenience of leaving it on my desk, is the fact that everything about it just works so well. Getting ready for my morning coffee and playing some tunes has never been easier than it is now, and being able to quickly switch to headphones to chat on Discord or check in with my partner is just icing on the cake. There are better dedicated gaming speakers out there, but these are everyday-use sets in the truest sense, offering a decently active set of gaming cans and speakers, and a laid-back ecosystem for very casual operate.
The SwitchMix seemed like a gadget when I first used it, but that’s because of how straightforward it all is and how much people love it when I show it to them. However, over time my view has changed from thinking it was a marketing ploy to being an absolute selling point. Just put it all together in a set to get the most out of it.
