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Being a SteelSeries headset, we had high expectations of the 5XB on a performance front. And we have to say it delivered on every level. Sure it doesn’t create quite such an immersive experience as a set of surround sound speakers but it is up there with the best XBOX headsets we’ve tested. Sound panning is very effective, especially when compared to a standard TV configuration and the LiveMix function balances sound well.
Even though it may not be outwardly obvious from the box, the 5XB can also be used with a PC or MP3 player thanks to the dual 3.5mm connectors. The only incompatibility is the short length of the cable which could be complicated if your PC is under your desk. When using the 5XB for audio playback, the results are quite impressive.
We tested it with both a PC and MP3 player and experienced good results with both although we found the bass to be a little heavy for some genres of music. Movie playback was equally good considering the headphones are designed to be used for gaming. The 5XB performs equally well on PC and XBOX when gaming as the perfectly balanced sound is combined with effective panning.
So the SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB headset performs well and is a very good quality product on the whole. The only thing that lets it down is the slightly cheap looking finish which we wouldn’t usually associate with SteelSeries. But the flexibility of being able to dismantle the headset when travelling is welcomed and comfort is as good as the rest of their range.
As with all SteelSeries’ products though, the 5XB doesn’t exactly come cheap. At a shade over £60 at Lambda-tek, it is certainly in a different price bracket to other alternatives but we feel that it provides quite reasonable value for money at this price, especially considering the AudioMixer unit alone costs around £20.
KitGuru says: Another quality product from SteelSeries that will be on the Christmas lists of XBOX owners across the globe.
