HIFIMAN x ASUS ROG Kithara: Meet the New Planar Magnetic Gaming Headset

The Kithara is the newest gaming headset from ASUS ROG (Republic of Gamers), developed in partnership with the renowned Chinese manufacturer of planar-magnetic headphones, HIFIMAN. Announced today (06) during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in a livestream on the Chinese social network Weibo, the headset had some of its details revealed. Check out what has been shared so far.

HIFIMAN’s planar-magnetic headphone expertise applied to a gaming headset

The ASUS e-sports peripherals division and HIFIMAN teamed up to create a gaming-focused headphone designed to deliver comfort and high performance in competitive gaming. If you’re familiar with HIFIMAN, you probably know that its oval-earcup planar-magnetic headphones are known for offering a wide soundstage and good sound separation, making it easier to locate each audio source in a musical presentation.

However, as with every product bearing the ROG name, there is always a push to go beyond expectations and deliver the “maximum” for players during e-sports matches. For that reason, the ROG team asked HIFIMAN to make specific tuning adjustments so the sound would be optimized precisely for competitive-gaming performance.

To achieve a wide soundstage, an open-back design was used. While this is not ideal for isolating external noise, it is the best option for achieving better spatial distribution of sounds, making it easier to pinpoint each one.

MEMS microphone with in-line controls

According to ASUS, the MEMS microphone technology provides a wide frequency range, a high signal-to-noise ratio, and low audio loss.

The microphone used in the Kithara is built into a cable with separate inputs for audio and for the mic signal. There are two plugs for connecting to a PC, as shown in the diagram below.

Comfort on the Zhenshi

To make the Kithara comfortable, a wide suspension strap was used to support the head, along with eight levels of adjustment on the headband. In addition, there are two sets of earpads designed to provide good comfort and isolation.

Flexible connection options

The Kithara comes with several cables and accessories to adapt to different usage needs. There are two cables: one for listening to audio, and another for using the microphone for gaming or calls.

The audio-only cable (for music or in-game soundtracks) is modular and allows swapping between 3.5 mm, 6.35 mm, and 4.4 mm plugs. The cable with the built-in microphone includes in-line controls and two 3.5 mm plugs — one for audio and one for the microphone. If your laptop does not have a headphone output, a USB-C adapter with dual 3.5 mm jacks is included for use with the mic cable.

HIFIMAN x ASUS ROG Kithara – Specifications

• Driver: 100 mm planar-magnetic diaphragm
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Weight: 420 g

Release date, price, and availability

The HIFIMAN x ASUS ROG Kithara still does not have a release date or pricing information. Stay tuned for more updates about this collaborative gaming headset from ASUS ROG and HIFIMAN.