An In-Depth SteelSeries Arctis Pro + DAC Review (updated)
Are you looking for the next sound level?
I bet you will love this luxury headphone.
Why?
SteelSeries has the reputation of making a wide array of gaming headsets ranging from affordable wired models to pricy wireless ones. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro falls in the latter category of headsets with a hefty price along with the performance, features, and the build quality to back it up.
This headset comes with a dedicated transmitter together with its own screen for adjusting EQ settings, sources, and audio mixing without any need to touch your console or PC whatsoever. It also features a couple of batteries such that there is no need to plug it in to charge. The headset likewise comes with Bluetooth connectivity and also a wired option such that it can be used with the smartphone as well while leaving aside the transmitter. In the following paragraphs, we have mentioned a comprehensive review of this breathtaking SteelSeries headset that will help to justify its immense popularity right now.
Design and Fit
Design is the first thing you will notice about this astounding headset. The design of the device is almost similar to that of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC apart from the Bluetooth button and the power button (which are needed for wireless use only).
We’ll cover DAC later
This headset is available in black shade and is quite attractive whatsoever. It does not feature any RGB lighting although this is not an imperative thing in a headset in any way. The majority of the controls are situated at the back of the ear cup on the left which consists of the volume wheel, a microphone mute button, a mobile sound cable for using the device in the wired mode, a micro USB charging port, plus an aux-port. The wireless control button and the power button are located on the left ear cup. The retractable microphone deserves special mention as well.
You will also come across the wireless transmitter which is not difficult to use at all. It is going to sit on the table just like a headphone amplifier along with a back button and a volume knob. The interface is quite easy to use and you will be able to control stuff such as the mix between your game plus chat, the equalization, and so forth.
You will be getting everything you require in the box including the wireless transmitter, the headset itself, the cables, plus a windscreen for your microphone in case you would like to use it. Things such as a case or bag are absent though these won’t matter that much in the long run.
Comfort:
This headset mentioned here is quite comfortable and the good thing is that the gamers can wear it for hours together without any problem at all. Top-notch foam has been used in the headphones while a cool fabric is covering the foam out there. This will come of use since the clamps on this headphone are somewhat tight.
Audio
The audio quality of the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is simply outstanding. By default, the bass on the headphone is powerful and deep which provides smoothness in bass guitars, lots of kick in bass drums, as well as oomph in stuff such as gunshots and explosions.
The mid-range is likewise extremely well-tuned. In the low-end, there is a lot of warmth, and there are adequate high-mids for guitars and vocals to cut through a mix perfectly.
This wireless version of the headset has lots of highs, and the details are absolutely crisp with a lot of clarity. There is one more thing to take note of – if you are not satisfied with the sound profile of the headset, you will be able to tweak it with the help of the in-built EQ. This will come of use for those who have a preference for a bass boost or maybe some additional shimmer in the high-end.
Performance:
The wireless transmitter and the headset have been built to transmit lossless audio without much lag whatsoever. The manufacturer largely makes use of a combo of 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it is found to work pretty well. If you are intending to use the device at the desk or on the sofa, then it will be just fine. However, if you are planning to move around the house, you might face some issues although not that noticeable.
The battery life is not that great. You will be getting roughly 10 hours of usage on a single charge. The gadget features a couple of batteries – one which you are going to use in the headset and the other which can be slotted into the wireless transmitter for charging. It is not difficult to switch out these batteries, and therefore, you will be getting 20 hours of usage in the long run.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro DAC
What you will like about the DAC unit is the fact that you get to make audio processing a lot easier. Instead of having the computer work on audio processing, this external unit will do the one for you. It will handle all the heavy lifting basically and the computer won’t interfere with the DAC or anything like that.
They do a very good job of adding in high-resolution audio. You have the equalization features and all the software control you need, but everything can also be adjusted via the hardware if you want. It pretty much means that your SteelSeries Arctis Pro can handle all kinds of audio and it will optimize the audio on a per-use-case situation. That clearly says a lot about the quality that you can expect and the overall value and experience you get here. It’s clearly different and it has the potential to push the boundaries in a clever manner all the time.
So what is the DAC anyway?
It’s basically an add-on that allows you to mix between the call audio and game audio whenever you want. It also helps with changing the volume. They have a small button right near the main dial. That one can be used to handle the surround sound, which will work great if you’re used to switching audio sources many times.
The DAC has an LED screen and when you press and hold that main dial you will have the settings on the screen. Enter the audio settings there and you can change things like the mic output volume, sidetone, gain or you can go from one equalization preset to the other if you want.
In fact, they go even further by adding in a way to manage the output and input settings or the brightness of the unit itself too. In addition, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro has RGB as you know, and you can change the color of those without a problem if you want to. Of course, if for some reason you dislike the RGB and want to turn it off, they allow you to do that. It’s actually very consistent and interesting without rushing you in any way. It feels very interesting to use and adaptable, without rushing you in any way.
At first, the DAC might seem overwhelming, but it’s extremely easy to use and the interface itself is becoming extremely intuitive and a pleasure to use at the same time. Sure, with just 2 buttons it might not seem that impressive, but it brings in all you need and so much more in many ways. You can adapt it to your own needs and that’s where the strength of this unit really goes into effect. All you have to do is to test it out and it can be incredibly interesting and rewarding at the same time, that’s for sure. Based on our experience the DAC is a great addition for the SteelSeries Arctis Pro and it will offer you a much better way to improve any kind of sound!
Microphone
The microphone that comes with the SteelSeries Arctis Pro is retractable, and its design is attractive as well. Even though a dedicated microphone would have been better for listening to podcasts or for recording Let’s Play videos, this one is quite okay for most of the users out there.
More Buyer Reviews
In addition, not only give you the words for MyLazyDeal.com but also show you other buyers’ reviews about SteelSeries Arctis Pro.
- If you would like to have the best gaming experience, please combine with DAC!!
- The ear cups are super comfortable without making your ears sweat.
- Perfect noise-canceling, which means you’ll hard to hear some one’s calling you. I love this issue so badly!!
- The battery roughly lasting for 20 hours (shorter than advertisement 24hr)
- Best performance of mixing chat audio and game sounds.
- Lights on when disabling the mic?? (Weird design…)
The Verdict:
Thus after going through this comprehensive SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless review, it must be evident to you that this headset is second to none on the market. Even though there are some drawbacks, the positive aspects surely outweigh them for good. This SteelSeries headset is quite attractive in terms of design, extremely comfortable, and the audio quality is likewise fantastic. The addition of the wireless transmitter provides precise controls and the presence of the spare battery helps to increase battery life significantly. In a nutshell, considering all of these innovative features, this headset from SteelSeries is definitely worth the cost.
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