SteelSeries 7H Headset Review (for iPad, iPhone and iPod)

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Headset4. Comfort and Performance5. Conclusion6. View All Pages

Ever since Apple implemented the App Store on their mobile devices, iOS has becoming a serious contender in the portable gaming space.  There are a huge number of games available on the app store from racing games to FPS games so there has never been a better time to buy gaming accessories for your Apple device.

SteelSeries have identified this and are releasing a number of ‘Apple’ edition headsets which are essentially the PC verions with single 3.5mm connectors for headphone and microphone input.

Today we are going to look at the Apple edition of the SteelSeries 7H gaming headset.  We actually reviewed the PC version of this headset last year and it won our prestigious worth buying award.  So we are excited to see how it performs when it’s combined with our iPad 2 as well as our gaming rig.

Specification

Headphones

• Frequency response: 18 – 28.000 Hz
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• SPL@ 1kHz, 1 Vrms: 112 dB
• Cable length: 1 mJacks: 3,5 mm

Microphone

• Frequency response: 50 – 16.000 Hz
• Pick up pattern: Uni-directional
• Sensitivity: -38 dB

The packaging of the 7H Apple edition is almost identical to that  of the PC version except for a small badge on the front which says “made for iPad, iPhone and iPod”. Steelseries have used a simple black and white colour scheme for the packaging which is very effective.

Although there is no plastic window in the front of the box, there is a large image of the headset which gives you an idea of what the headset looks like before you open it up.  Turning the box over reveals more information about the features and specification of the headset alongside a couple of product photos.

The included accessory bundle is a bit on the limited side in our opinion and only features a selection of product guides and a pair of interchangeable cloth earpads.

The physical design of the SteelSeries 7H Apple Edition is identical to the PC version that we reviewed a while back.  Unlike many of SteelSeries' headsets, it is constructed from matte plastic which is far more practical than gloss in most instances as it resists fingerprints and damage more easily. Almost the entire headset is finished in black except for a bit of trim on each earcup.

Like most of SteelSeries' range, the 7H feels very well built which a goes quite a way to justifying the premium price tag that they demand.  We expect all headsets to feature plastic predominantly in the design as it keeps the weight down, improving comfort.  The 7H is no exception to this but, we have to add that the plastic that SteelSeries use feels far superior in quality to most of the cheaper (and sometimes more expensive) headsets that pass through our labs.

SteelSeries have integrated portability into the design of the 7H from the outset.  Despite being a full-size headset, it can be easily transported thanks to the pull-apart design that lets you reduce the headset down to three sections.  This reduced the likelihood of damage to the headset during transit and also reduces the traveling volume.

The cable also detaches from the headset, and uses a micro-USB connector to plug into the left earcup.  This cable is the one and only difference between the Apple version of this product and the standard version.  To our surprise, SteelSeries have removed the high quality braided cable shielding that they use for the PC version of the 7H, replacing it with a cheap-feeling plastic alternative.  It terminates in a single 3.5mm connector which supports both headphone and microphone input simultaneously from any supported device.  Although the headset is marketed at Apple products specifically, it should be compatible with all products that use this single jack interface like the latest Android smartphones and tablets.

Like all other SteelSeries headset we've looked at, the 7H features a retractable boom microphone which is stowed in the left earcup when not in use.  It features background noise cancellation which works effectively and the sound quality is quite reasonable.  It is ideal if you plan to use Skype with a Macbook as both the headphones and microphone are supported through the single 3.5mm connector.

About half way along the cable there is a small in-line control which lets you adjust volume up and down by squeezing the top and bottom of the bar.  Squeezing the middle where the SteelSeries logo is lets you pause music and skip through tracks on your Apple device.

One of the main areas in which the 7H excels is comfort.  It is clear to us that SteelSeries have done everything possible to make this headset as comfortable as they could.  Like most other headsets on the market, the SteelSeries 7H features an adjustable headband so that you can make sure you achieve the best possible fit.

As we mentioned earlier in the review, SteelSeries include a second set of earpads with the 7H which have a cloth covering rather than faux-leather.   These are designed to improve comfort in intense gaming sessions where you may be wearing them for hours on end.  Switching between the two sets of earpads is extremely simple, requiring us to simply pull off the standard earpads and click the others in.

SteelSeries have chosen to use an over-the-ear design for the earpieces so the earpads actually press against your head around your ears.  This allows the headset to fit more securely than on-the-ear designs and also brings with it better noise isolation. When you have the volume of this headset turned up to a reasonable level, it is almost impossible to hear any external noise unless it’s very loud.  This makes the 7H ideal for use at LAN events where there is likely to be a high level of ambient noise.

Being an Apple edition product though, we thought it fitting to start our testing with the iPad 2.  We loaded up Real Racing 2  HD and were surprised at how much the 7H improved the overall experience when compared to the inbuilt speaker.  It reproduced the engine sounds very well and added an extra level of immersion to the experience.

Moving on to our Macbook, we fired up iTunes to see how well the 7H coped with music playback.  In this test the 7H was able to deliver a clear sound through all of the registers even though the lower registers were much more pronounced.

The 7H also performed well in our movie playback test which we performed with both our Macbook and iPad.  In the opening scene of The Dark Knight, the slight prominence in the lower registers made the deep bass notes sound very impressive.  Sound panning was much more effective with the 7H than with our Macbook’s built in speakers although vitual or dedicated surround sound would improve the experience further.  This was even more noticeable with the iPad which lacks sound panning altogether as it only has one speaker.

Despite performing well across the board, it’s gaming where the SteelSeries 7H really excels.  The sound balance is perfectly set up for gaming and performs espeically well in FPS titles.  In Call of Duty: Black Ops, gunshots were reasonably prominent but not overexposed and we were able to hear our enemies sneaking up behind us at all times.  The USB version of this headset does provide better sound panning, though, as it supports virtual 7.1 surround sound.

We can't think of many PC gaming headsets that we've tested that match the SteelSeries 7H's performance and feature set for the price.  The headset itself is built very well and feels like it will last you a good few years provided you don't mistreat it.  We feel that it is best suited to gamers who frequent LAN events thanks to the clever break-apart design for traveling and the switchable ear pads for those long, arduous gaming sessions.

The SteelSeries 7H is ideally suited to PC gaming but we feel that for devices like the iPad and iPhone, something like the SteelSeries Siberia V2 would be much more appropriate as it's less focused on gaming and seems to cope better with other activities like music and movie playback.  At around £62 at Amazon, it is also about £15 cheaper than the 7H which can be purchased for £76 at Amazon.  Even though the Apple version isn't yet available on the market, we expect it will be priced very similarly to the existing PC version as there are so few differences.

So the final question to ask ourselves is, would we buy one?  We don't think many consumers could justify spending this sort of money on a gaming headset for an iPhone or iPad without it also having full PC support.  If SteelSeries included a PC adapter – something that would only cost a few pence extra in manufacturing costs – we wouldn't hesitate to give this headset an even higher score.  Sure these adapters are widely available on the market but when you're paying this sort of money, they really should include one.

Pros:

• Outstanding Sound Quality
• Pleasant Aesthetics
• Matte Finish
• Break-apart design

Cons

• No PC support for microphone
• No braided cable

KitGuru says: A great product, but a simple, low cost PC adapter would have helped.

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