SteelSound 4H Headset
www.SteelSeries.com
Price: $69.95 (Direct from Steel Online Shop)

A few weeks we took a look at SteelSeries SteelSound 5Hv2 Headset that amazed us for comfort and gaming. Now SteelSeries has upped their offering with two brand new headsets, both aimed at gamers but that also can be used for music listening.

The SteelSound 4H is in reality a stripped down version of the 5Hv2 that comes in at almost half the cost ($69 vs. $99). The first difference is obvious from the minute you see it in a store or receive it in the mail (as we did), the packaging is much simpler.

Coming in a standard blister pack instead of the unique clear box the 5Hv2 came in the packaging is a bit less flashy but still very good looking and impressive showing a quality product is ahead. This is to be expected though as this is not the elite 5Hv2!

After getting the 4H out of the packaging (which I admit went very easily thanks to the back being cardboard and not all plastic), you will most likely notice that it is fairly similar to the 5Hv2 in design. The 4H is a bit smaller, but still has the same "ear cup" style where the part that goes by your ear actually cups your ear instead of sitting on it. This makes the headphones much more comfortable for long listening sessions and adds some noise isolation (always a good thing!).

On the 4H, the cord is made of the standard slippery plastic that most headphones have. A bit disappointing after using the 5Hv2's cloth covered cord which tends to tangle much less, but most of us are used to the standard cords anyways. SteelSeries also has implemented the same style inline remote that can control volume via a side scroll wheel and turn the microphone on and off via a switch. I also love SteelSeries inclusion of a metal clip on the back of the remote so it can be clipped somewhere on your person to keep it out of the way. Unlike the 5Hv2, the 4H's cord is all one piece (not a short piece and extender) which measures in at 6ft. At the end you will find two stereo connectors clearly labeled and colored for the microphone and headset.

Also similar to the 5Hv2 and now the 3H, the 4H includes a pull out microphone system in the left earpiece. This system worked very well on the 5Hv2 and continues to work well on the 4H. The microphone is on a flexible boom that is easy to put where you want and tends to stay where you want it. When not in use, the microphone slips away into hiding and out of your way.

As far as microphone quality, it sounds pretty much the same as the 5Hv2 which means it is decent and should work great for VoIP and even the occasional podcasting.

One of the main considerations when buying a headset (at least for me) is comfort. I was extremely impressed with the 5Hv2's comfort even though it is quite a large headset compared to many others on the market. Since the 5Hv2 is the leader of the line and much more expensive, I knew that the 4H was not going to be quite as comfortable, but to be honest I underestimated it a bit. I found the earpieces to be very comfortable around my ears and thanks to the somewhat cushioned headband, the top of my head felt comfortable as well. Like the 5Hv2, the 4H ear pieces can swivel a bit side to side and swivel in and out making them fit to most peoples heads. The 4H's are not as comfortable as the 5Hv2, but for a $69.95 headset are quite comfortable and easy to wear for hours on end.

I also thought it was interesting that unlike on the 5Hv2 and 3H headsets, SteelSeries decided to use a metal band on the 4H. I am pleased to see this though as it most likely will be a bit more durable than the plastic versions.

Now on to the part most have been looking for, the Audio Tests! To get a fair comparison I used my 4G iPod Photo and PC with a 3 way audio boosted splitter to have all three headsets (5Hv2, 4H, and 3H) hooked up at the same time and to the same source.

To start off I did some game playing, BF2142, BF2, and Half Life 2 to be exact. As found before, the 5Hv2 continued to boost high sounds (footsteps, movement, etc. in games) and make it much easier to detect people around you in games. The sacrifice to this is that the bass response is lacking a bit compared to other headsets on the market. In using the 4H, I noticed a very similar sound as the 5Hv2 in that it boosted high sounds and lacked a bit in the bass department. The audio does seems a bit deeper (more bass) on the 4H though, and the high sounds are a bit less boosted. In comparing to the 3H, it is like using a different beast all together. Since the 3H seems to be based on more bass, it does not offer the same response to high sounds in games and in my opinion is not as good for gaming as the 4H and 5Hv2.

Next I did some music tests by using songs with bass (some rap), songs with more acoustical and defined sounds (rock), and finally some classical pieces. As to be expected based on the results from using the headsets while gaming, the 5Hv2 offers little bass response but does offer a very clear sound. Sometimes though the 5Hv2 will tend to make you feel a bit like sounds are farther away (in music that is). The 4H with its more mixed look on highs and bass offers a bit more bass and tends to not have the far away effect that the 5Hv2 can give you in music. Coming in as the beast of a different nature, the 3H brings the music right to your ear and really lets you feel the bass compared to the 5Hv2 and 4H. The 3H is also a bit louder in volume than the other two headsets.

The final part I wanted to touch on is a photo comparison of the three headsets (5Hv2, 4H, 3H).

(headsets from left to right 5Hv2, 4H, 3H)

(headset cords from left to right 3H, 4H, 5Hv2)

Overall I feel that the 4H is a very good mix of a more music oriented headset and a fine gaming headset like the 5Hv2. You lose some of the comfort and features (cloth covered cord for example) of the more expensive 5Hv2, but at almost half the cost you get a very fine headset that is actually more balanced between music and gaming than the 5Hv2.

Pros:

• Better mix for Music and Gaming than 5Hv2
• Similar to 5Hv2 for almost 1/2 the cost!
• "Ear Cup" design

Cons:

• Cord is back to normal plastic (but to be expected at almost 1/2 the cost of the 5Hv2)

Thanks to SteelSeries for the review sample.