SteelSeries 7H Gaming Headset Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. The Headset4. Comfort and Performance5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

Over the past few months KitGuru has looked at a number of SteelSeries' gaming products from the Ferrari-red Siberia V2 headset to the more understated 7G keyboard.  We feel they are some of the best gaming peripherals on the market, combining top-notch quality with awesome performance, so it is no surprise that they have all won KitGuru awards.

Today we're going to look at the latest addition to SteelSeries' range, the 7H gaming headset, which is targeted at the most serious of gamers.

With the 7H, SteelSeries has used a completely different design to the popular Siberia V2 headset meaning it provides a different experience which may appeal more to different people.  There are commonalities between the two, though, including the 50mm driver units and pull-out microphone.

Features

• Optimized soundscape for crystal clear high, low and mid-tones
• Interchangeable ear-cushions for both hear-through cloth and noise dampening leather
• 50 mm driver units provide rich and detailed audio reproduction
• Pull-out, “invisible” microphone
• Travel friendly and can be dismantled into 4 separate pieces

Specifications

Headphones

• Frequency response: Hz
• Impedance: 32 Ohm
• SPL@ 1kHz, 1 Vrms: 112 dB
• Cable length: 1,0 + 2,0 = 3,0 m (9,8 ft.)
• Jacks: 3,5 mm

Microphone

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

SteelSeries supply the 7H inside a box which is very similar to that of the Siberia V2.  It carries an orange, gray and white livery and has a large plastic window in the front which will show the headset off in all its glory on the retail shelves.  The front of the box also displays a few images of specific features of the 7H alongside some basic information about the headset.

Turning the box over reveals a plethora of further information about the headset in various different languages and two further product photos.  Overall, the box is very well designed and should provide ample protection for the headset in transit.

Inside the box, SteelSeries include a number of different items.  Aside from the headset and its detachable cable, an extension cable is also supplied and a different set of ear-pads (more on both of these later).  There is also a small information guide which provides further information on other products in SteelSeries' range.

The 7H is only available in matte-black, unlike the Siberia V2 which is available in white, red or black gloss.  This is not necessarily a bad thing though; I actually prefer this understated look to the garish white of my Siberia V2's.  It also means the 7H is a lot less likely to pick up marks and scratches or the grime which quickly degrades most white cables quickly.  To enhance what would otherwise be quite a boring design, SteelSeries have added some metal trim around the ear cups and on the ends of the band.

Aside from the metal trim, the headset is finished almost entirely in plastic.  This said, the headset feels extremely robust and the lack of a metal backbone means its very lightweight for its size.  Branding has been kept to a minimum with a subtle SteelSeries logo cut into the headband and two on the metal trim at the ends of the band.

It is clear that the 7H has been designed witt gamers on the move in mind.  It separates into four pieces (headband, two earpieces and cable) for easier and safer transportation.  To remove the earpieces, we simple have to press down a small tab on the underside of the band and pull the earpiece off.

The detachable cable connects to the headset using a micro-USB connector.  Thankfully it requires quite a large amount of force to be pulled out of the socket so it's very unlikely to come out accidentally during use.  The cable itself carries a braided shielding for better durability.  Unlike many gaming headsets it uses two standard 3.5mm gold-plated connectors rather than USB.  There is also a USB version available which is essentially the same headset with an external USB sound card – the benefit of this being it enables virtual surround sound.

About half-way along the cable there is a small control which allows us to mute the microphone by sliding down the large button.  There is also a small wheel on the side to adjust volume.  The 1m of cable is ideal in length to be used in conjunction with the SteelSeries 7G keyboard or a laptop or PC on top of your desk.  For machines that are further away, SteelSeries provide a 2m long extension cable which should be ample for use with a machine under your desk.

As we mentioned earlier, SteelSeries supply two pairs of interchangeable ear pads with the 7H.  One pair is covered in faux leather and the other in fabric.  The faux leather ear pads are designed to have superior noise-isolating properties to the fabric ones which are designed to allow you to talk to fellow gamers at LAN parties withing hindrance.

Comfort

The 7H is a reasonably comfortable headset but does lag behind the Siberia V2 in this department.  Even though the headset is quite lightweight, we found that the faux leather pads became a little uncomfortable after an hour or so of use.  But this problem was rectified when we switched to the fabric pads which feel a lot less claustrophobic around your ears as they are softer and have a more comfortable texture.  Using these fabric pads we were able to game for a few hours without discomfort.

Gaming

First of all we tested the 7H with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Gunshots were clear and defined and the background noises were prominent and allowed us to easily hear enemies sneaking up behind us. Sound panning was reasonably effective but not as good as what we have experienced with proper surround sound headsets.

Next we moved on to Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories which was transformed by the 7H.  After playing on my Creative 5.1 speaker system, I heard background sounds that I've never heard before which really brought the gaming experience to life.

We also played various other titles and the 7H performed well throughout, despite the lack of surround sound.  We did have the sound turned up to the max throughout all the testing for a comfortable gaming level; this may not be quite enough for some people and it certainly would be nice if the 7H had a little more volume.

Movie

One of my favorite films for testing audio is The Dark Knight.  In the opening sequence the deep bass notes were crisp and clear and the sound was well balanced overall.  The lack of any surround sound or virtual surround sound is evident, though.  Considering the price of this gaming headset, its performance was perfectly adequate in this area.  Those who are looking for the best movie experience should probably consider a proper surround-sound headset, however.

Once again, the only small problem we found during movie playback was that the headset was lacking in volume somewhat, even when we cranked it up to max.  Sure the volume level was acceptable but for complete immersion in the movie, it really needs to be a bit louder.

Music

Music playback was decent considering the 7H is geared specifically towards gaming.  The lower registers were particularly impressive with clear reproduction of all the tracks we played.  We tested a variety of different types of music from classical to hip-hop and the 7H reproduced all the tracks well for a gaming headset.  But for the audiophiles out there, we would recommend a headset that is geared specifically for music playback.

One of the advantages of the 7H is that it can be used with an MP3 player thanks to its use of 3.5mm audio connectors.  We tested it with an HTC Desire phone and the performance was very good – but the size of the headset makes it too cumbersome to use on the move.  SteelSeries have a mobile device adapter on sale for those who want to use both the headphones and microphone simultaneously with portable devices.  This should also work for those who use Steam on their Macbook!

The SteelSeries 7H is sure to appeal to those who frequent LAN events due to their portability for a headset of this size and quality.  For LAN events we would recommend the fabric ear pads as they are more comfortable to use for long periods of time.

Like the Siberia V2 , the 7H features a retractable microphone .This features background noise cancellation which works well and the sound quality is quite reasonable for use with Ventrilo or Teamspeak.  This microphone is ideal for people who want to use the headset for things other than gaming as it can be hidden away when its not needed. This improves the versatility of the headset.

During our movie and audio playback tests the 7H performed well, despite being slightly limited in volume.  The only omission is surround sound which would make both movie and gaming performance much better.

The 7H is available for around £75 inc vat.  This is a reasonably high price considering the lack of surround sound so we feel the USB version, costing around £92 is a better option if you can afford the £17 premium.

KitGuru says: A fantastic product for LAN gamers and a good option for those looking for a high-quality gaming headset.

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