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We have looked at a vast number of gaming headsets from SteelSeries in the past and none of them have failed to impress us. Our favourite gaming headset from SteelSeries is, without doubt, the Siberia V2 which offers great all-round performance and an unparalleled comfort level. This is one of SteelSeries' most successful products, explaining the vast number of different colour options available to the customer.
Today we are going to look at the SteelSeries Diablo III Gaming Headset which looks to differentiate itself from the standard Siberia V2 a little more than simply changing the colour. While the basic design is shared between the two headsets, there are a number of differences, including a built in USB sound card, a few aesthetic tweaks and some snazzy-looking LED lights.
Features
- Soundscape specifically optimized for Diablo III gameplay
- Programmable Diablo III-themed options
- SteelSeries' retractable microphone system
- In-line volume and mute controls with USB connection
- Software included for illumination settings, equalizer presets and microphone volume
Specifications
Headphones
- Frequency response: 10 – 28.000 Hz
- Driver Diameter: 50mm
- Cable length: 1,0 m
- USB extension length: 2,0 m
- Jack: Gold Plated USB
Microphone
- Active Noise Reduction: up to 20 dB
- Frequency response: 50 – 16.000 Hz
- Pick up pattern: Uni-directional
- Sensitivity: -38 dB
The packaging that SteelSeries have chosen to use for the Diablo III Headset differs slightly from the packaging used for the standard Siberia V2.
The front of the box acts as a door which features a large image of the headset on the outside with some information about the design of the headset on the inside. Opening the door reveals two plastic windows which let us see the headset within the box.
SteelSeries have decorated the box in a Diablo III livery which looks fantastic and is sure to make the headset stand out well on retail shelves. On the back of the box we find a breakdown of the headset's features and specifications in a variety of different languages.
Unfortunately SteelSeries haven't chosen to increase the number of bundled items with the Diablo III headset over the Siberia V2. The only items we find in the box bar the headset itself are a USB extension cable, a quick start guide and a small leaflet directing us to the SteelSeries website to download the software.
The basic design of the Diablo III headset is remarkably similar to that of the Siberia V2 but there are a few alterations here and there. Firstly, SteelSeries have given the headset a matte-black finish which gives it a higher quality look and feel than the glossy finish of the Siberia V2. SteelSeries have also integrated a series of Diablo III themed lights into the headset which can be configured in the included software program.
All of the plastics used to make the headset seem to be good quality and the overall fit and finish is flawless. Thanks to the exclusive use of plastic in the construction of the headset, weight is kept to a minimum. But, this doesn't detract at all from the quality feeling of the headset.
Rather than use a plastic shielding for the cable like they did with the Siberia V2, SteelSeries have chosen to use a braided shielding which should prove more durable in the long run. SteelSeries have included an in-line volume and microphone mute control about half way down the cable so you can easily adjust volume on the fly.
The cable terminates in a gold plated USB connector with a small dongle which houses the integrated soundcard. Even though a USB connection is required to power the LED lights and to configure the sound balance with the equalizer presets, it does mean that the headset can't be used with mobile devices such as smartphones and MP3 players.
Once again, SteelSeries have used their trademark retractable microphone which remains invisible when it's not in use. The microphone itself sits at the end of a flexible boom which is stowed in the left earcup when not in use. When the microphone is needed, it can be simply pulled out and positioned appropriately for your mouth.
The SteelSeries Diablo III Headset uses the same style of headband to the Siberia V2 which is quite unique in design, spreading the weight of the headset evenly across your head. It is also self-adjusting which means that it will always fit you perfectly, ensuring the greatest possible level of comfort.
SteelSeries have chosen to use leatherette earpads which fit over your ears when in use, pressing lightly against the sides of your head. These aren't quite as comfortable as cloth earpads if you're going to be using the headset for hours on end but the difference is very slight.
We decided to commence our gaming tests with Diablo III, in which the headset performed flawlessly, rendering game sounds very accurately. The headset also performed well in other gaming tests, although there was a lack of sound panning noticeable in FPS games.
In our music and movie playback tests, the headset also performed well. There was a slight bias towards the lower registers which gives the headset quite an advantage in bass heavy genres of music. When watching The Dark Knight, the lack of sound panning over a surround sound headset was noticeable but this didn't detract too much from the overall experience.
SteelSeries include a small note inside the box which instructs us to download the headset software from their website. The software program is quite basic but gives us access to equalizer settings and gives us some control over the LED lighting effects.
Overall the SteelSeries Diablo III headset has left us with very positive impressions. We admire SteelSeries' choice to base the headset heavily on the existing Siberia V2, which is one of the best gaming headsets out there. It offers a combination of excellent comfort and top-notch sound quality. Build quality is also excellent and we really love the matte finish of the headset compared to the glossy finish of the Siberia V2.
The only disappointing aspect of this headset for us is the lack of virtual surround sound. This is something which SteelSeries offer with the USB version of the Siberia V2 so we don't see why it wasn't possible to include it with the Diablo III headset. There are a number of benefits over the Siberia V2, though, including the configuration utility and LED lighting.
Even though the SteelSeries Diablo III headset is very similar in design to the Siberia V2, it is quite a bit more expensive. It can be yours for a price of £90 from dabs.com. We feel this is a little pricey and we would like to see the price coming down to around the £75 mark before we would recommend buying it over the SteelSeries Siberia V2. We just don't feel that a few LED lights and a basic software package are worth paying a £30 premium for.
KitGuru says: A great headset, let down by a hefty price tag
Another exceptional design mared by a price tag which seems way out of line with what it should be 🙁
I love their hardware, but they seem to price some of their products way out of range of most people. I would never pay this for a headset when the other one is basically much cheaper.
Do any one know when was the release date of diablo 3
most awaited game of this year
looks very quality. Thanks.
RDY to play diablo 3, 15th may no life!