I am writing this review after an initial 2 weeks. I will come back and update if I have insightful longer term updates to provide.
Before jumping into my $.02 I think it's useful to prefix review input with past experiences and what I'm comparing my product against.
When thinking about music and overall sound quality, I have Apple AirPod Max's that blow these things out of the water. These can't touch the Max's bass, nor do they sound as smooth and natural out of the box (as everyone has said, these are quite flat out of the box). I also have SennHeiser MB660s that have been my work conference/music-at-the-desk and occasionally my gaming headphones w/o a mic and even they sound far, far better for music and even in some games (assuming OOB setup, not fully configured with Sonar).
I am also going to address the lack of ANC outside of the pros/cons list, because I think the use cases of this headset are unique compared to general over the hear headphones. Despite my opinion, I do think it's odd the wireless version of these have ANC and these don't. However, I think if you want pure, fairly competitive or natural and detailed game sound quality above all else, you do not want ANC hissing and adding pressure to your ear. If you haven't owned in or over ear headphones with ANC you might not realize that the constant pressure they create on your ears cancelling out noise will fatigue your ears for long gaming sessions. I also don't think when I need to hear footsteps exactly where they are around me and where they're going in Warzone that I want to try to separate ANC hiss from game noise. I guess this could be easily addressed by putting the feature in the headphones and letting the game profile turn it on off.
PROS:
- the sound profile is very flat out of the box. I think that opens the most options wit the Sonar EQ software to adjust them to more peoples preferences.
- if you read this and are a gamer who plays games that has voice chat, I totally under-estimated and under-valued what the GameDac can do. The GG software splits up game sound, your game mic, and your game chat mix into 3 individual audio streams. The best part of this, is games like Warzone let you split which audio device the game uses for those audio outputs. You can then press the dial on the dac once and adjust the output between chat and game sound. This means I can dynamically adjust hearing my team or the game - if people have low mics, are mumbling, or are obnoxious children blaring music into their mic during the game I can curtail that instantaneously.
- despite no ANC the ear cushions do a really good job of blocking out most sound
- I think the ear muffs and head band could be more comfortable than my Sennheisers and AirPod Maxes. These things just disappear on my head. I have never gamed more than an hour and a half straight without taking them off, but I thought nothing of them being on my head for that long.
- the mic is excellent, especially with the ClearVoice "AI" filter
- the game presets are pretty good out of the box. the sound quality and clarity are excellent. despite lacking in music impact, I have to admit these are probably are setup as they should to give the most accurate, clear in game sound. the sound imaging to pinpoint players is spot on, the volume levels are good. I cannot take these more than 75% in war zone without hurting my ears.
CONS:
- the Sonar software component of the GG suite requires a SteelSeries account to enable. This is totally unacceptable and just shows where SteelSeries is trying to monetize by getting your e-mail address. I have never found an aspect of Sonar that requires SteelSeries knowing who I am or utilizing an account to manage or enable my product.
- I don't think if you're an audio snob you'll have a jack of all trades headset. as I mentioned above I have at least 2 over ear headphones that aren't even in the same solar system for music
- stop buying the hype about the marginal better sound quality from the DAC. 99/100 normal people with untrained ears with average hearing can't tell the difference between compressed bluetooth audio and lossless wired headphones, all else equal. I bought the wired because I have so many bluetooth or wireless devices in my headset that when I want to game, I do not want interruptions, drop outs, hitches or blips.
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From the manufacturer
Nova Pro Acoustic System
Almighty Audio
Recreate the feel of a professional sound booth with the Nova Pro Acoustic System, combining premium high fidelity audio hardware with the power of Sonar Software for Almighty Audio. The GameDAC Gen2 completes the Arctis Nova Pro experience with Hi-Res Audio Certification and built-in amplifier.
Nova Pro Acoustic System
360° Spatial Audio
Lose yourself in the soundscape with 360° Spatial Audio and feel the action from every direction using Sonar Software's proprietary algorithms for ultra-immersive surround sound.
*Fully compatible with Microsoft Spatial Sound for Xbox / Tempest 3D Audio for PS5
Pro-Grade Parametric EQ
Hear every critical step, reload, or vocal, taking total control of every sonic element with magical precision, utilizing the Pro-grade Parametric EQ, a first in gaming. Quiet down teammates or raise the volume of specific sound cues, with game presets built-in for an instant advantage.
GameDAC Gen 2
Supercharge your game audio with 78% purer signal*, bringing ultra-low levels of noise and distortion. The ESS Sabre Quad-DAC chip elevates audio resolution to a sublime 96KHz/24-Bit for 50x more detailed sound**.
* vs GameDac Gen 1, at 105 dB Signal-to-Noise-Ratio | ** vs competitor at 48KHz/16-Bit
Multi-System Connect
Setup the perfect entertainment system by plugging in two devices, easily switching between them. The convenience of dual USB connects your Xbox and PC, PlayStation, or Switch and saves you from swapping cables.
AI-Powered Noise Cancelling Microphone
Sound crystal clear and natural with flawless noise cancellation. Lose the keyboard noises as our Sonar Software AI algorithm silences background noise. The all-new ClearCast Gen 2 microphone completely retracts into the earcup for single-player mode.
ComfortMAX System
Height-adjustable rotating earcups, flexible suspension band and pivoting hangers ensure a comfy wear no matter how long you play. Premium PVD-coated steel keeps your headset going and going and going.
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Price: >$200
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Wireless Type: Bluetooth
Headphones Form Factor: Over Ear
Noise Control: Active Noise Cancellation
Brand: SteelSeries
Number of Items: 1
Cable Feature: Retractable
Control Method: Touch
Headphones Jack: 3.5 mm Jack
Material: Faux Leather
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Reviews with images
Chefs Kiss
These are by far the best headset i have ever owned! They are very comfy even when wearing glasses with them on. The sound quality is absolutely wonderful, i can hear everything when gaming, they are a game changer for sure! Even listening to music sounds better, i love the new game dac these come with it is well designed and looks really nice and is also easy to use and offers many tweaks that can be done for your sound levels. I also like that there are color options to choose from if you want to change up the look of your headset via headband or ear cup covers/plates on the outer ear. The only negative things about this headset is sadly they did not seem to change up the cheap plastic that is used on the part that attaches the ear parts to the headband, this is the same spot that my old arctis pro headset broke at and i ended up having to super glue it back together. The ear padding that comes with these are that fake type of leather, yes they are comfy but how long till it starts to flake, so in time these may need to be replaced with new ones. That is honestly the only negative things that i can say about this headset. Overall i 100% recommend these to anyone who has the cash to spare. Side Note: be careful with the headset since it does still have that weak point i mentioned above, if you care for them well then i do not see this being an issue for you. (at least not for a while)UPDATE: so i have had this headset for about 6-7 months now and they are still working great and look just as good as they did when i first got them. ( But i take great care of my stuff ) I am a huge PC gamer so i use them just about daily for hours on end. The weak spot on these headphones that i talked about in my review above is still holding up strong but again i take great care of my stuff, i hang these up on a headset stand i have when ever i am done using them. The fake leather on the ear pads has not flaked at all since i have had them so i am actually really surprised about that and pleased. Again i 100% recommend these headphones.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2022
Style: Nova Pro PC | PlayStationVerified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Micael Alves
O melhor headset gamer do mundo!
Reviewed in Brazil on April 19, 2024Style: Nova Pro PC | PlayStationVerified Purchase
Micael Alves
Reviewed in Brazil on April 19, 2024
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Miguel Alcocer
Buena compra
Reviewed in Mexico on September 25, 2023Style: Nova Pro PC | PlayStationVerified Purchase
Ulises A.
Funcionan muy bien
Reviewed in Mexico on August 31, 2023Style: Nova Pro XboxVerified Purchase
Jared Chief
It's the best for pure sound quality and is one of the best stereo headphones I've ever used.
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Debby Handbury
Worth every dollar!
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