Today we will be taking a look at the Flux In-Ear Pro headphones from SteelSeries.
We all know SteelSeries and their usually high quality audio products, from their Siberia to the 5H headset they usually got every gaming solution covered.
This is the first time however that we see SteelSeries abandon their comfort zone, the Flux In-Ear Pro are different from most other products that they currently have available on the market.
Does this in-ear audio solution match the quality of other SteelSeries products? Let's find out.
Beginning with the package and its contents we immediately see that even though the size of the box is smaller when compared to most other products from SteelSeries, the same attention to detail remains unaltered.
On the front you will find a picture of the actual headphones accompanied by some streamlined information regarding the characteristics of the product, particularly the "balanced armature driver technology", the in-line microphone and finally the PC/Mac and mobile compatibility.
The right side of the box has yet another picture of the product and a few more details on what exactly is the "balanced armature driver technology" mentioned at the front.
Moving to the right side you will find a small diagram regarding the best way to "equip" the Flux In-Ear Pro and at the bottom a description of the "Comply" foam tips that come packed inside.
Lastly the back of the package displays a lot of technical information and specifications along with listing a few of the items and accessories tucked inside the box.
Opening the package for the first time will reveal...yet another box (yup, box inception).
After you get through the process of opening all the boxes a few interesting components will be revealed, the usual quick start guides and all that good stuff are accounted for but most importantly you will find 1xPC cable connector with 2 3.5mm audio jacks, 1xMobile audio jack, silicone and memory foam tips and finally a small pouch used to carry the actual headphones.
Everything comes well packed and well secured, the number of accessories is also more than enough, the only negative aspect I can really point out is how short the PC adapter is, unless you play on a laptop the short length (1,2m) of the cable will most definitely be a problem.
But let's talk about actual performance now, the Flux In-Ear Pro come equipped with the aforementioned "balanced armature driver technology" that supposedly allows you to hear every little detail from your game, music or movie.
After testing the headphones for the last week, taking into account the usual burn-in period, I can safely say that these are the best in-ear headphones I've had the chance to use to this day.
The sound clarity is excellent, particularly the highs and mids, I actually noticed some extra sounds while playing and "hidden" instruments while listening to music.
The only attribute that could use a bit more "oomph" is the bass, but since we're talking about very small drivers that's understandable.
Moving down from the ear-pieces you will find a small omni-directional microphone, it's certainly above the average quality usually found in this sort of audio products, it's great for chatting in-game and answering calls, just don't expect to use it for anything more professional that that.
Finally let's talk about how comfortable and functional the Flux In-Ear Pro actually are.
SteelSeries implemented a flat cable, while not very attractive visually, it definitely makes up for that by being extremely effective at remaining tangle-free.
Moving to the actual ear-pieces SteelSeries packed with the headphones three sizes (L,M,S) of silicone tips and one size fits all of "Comply" memory foam tips.
While the silicone extremities do their job nicely, the fact that they're working in tandem with the over-the-ear design means that less pressure is actually applied to your ears, ergo you have a more comfortable experience.
To make the audio experience even better use the memory foam tips, these are a lot more enjoyable and isolate the outside noises more effectively by automatically adjusting their shape to your ears.
These foam tips however need to be replaced every so often, it would have been nice to see SteelSeries include at least a second pair.
Final Thoughts
At the time of this review the SteelSeries Flux In-Ear Pro cost $130 on Amazon, while it may seem a bit expensive, especially considering that we're talking about in-ear headphones, at the end of the day the sound quality, versatility and comfort certainly justify that price.
The Good
-Great sound quality
-Isolates outside noises extremely well
-Anti-Tangle flat cable really works
-Comfortable Comply memory foam tips
-Decent microphone
The Bad
-Short cable for gaming
-Another pair of Comply foam tips would be nice
Thanks to SteelSeries for providing the review sample
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