When it comes to audio products manufactured by SteelSeries an emblematic name usually pops up in most gamers minds, Siberia. What some of those gamers don't know is that SteelSeries has another line of audio products called the H series that can easily compete with the Siberia. We have in the past reviewed the 3H and the 5H, both of them high-quality audio solutions with their target audiences well defined. Today however we shall be taking a look at one of the best options currently available on the market when it comes to top of the line gaming headsets, the 9H.
Unlike the recently reviewed Siberia Elite, the 9H gaming headset comes packed inside your typical SteelSeries black and orange cardboard box. While maybe not as unique, it certainly is well designed and informative enough with a few pictures and features listed on both the back and bottom of the box.
Tucked inside the elegant package you will find a few accessories that will make the 9H compatible with most devices on the market. For starters it has USB Sound Card similar to the one found bundled with the Siberia Elite, aside from that you will also find the headset itself, one 3 pole 3.5mm jack for mobile devices and finally one PC cable with two 3.5mm jacks, one for microphone and the other for the headphone. As extras SteelSeries also included a quick-start guide and the usual sticker with their logo, no cd or dvd with drivers is included so be sure you have an Internet connection ready if you plan to use the USB Sound Card.
If you've seen/read my review of the SteelSeries Siberia Elite then you already know I prefer the visual design of the H series. The black look with just a few orange details here and there makes the H series and the 9H in particular stand out for me. When compared to most other gaming audio alternatives on the market it looks a lot more mature and serious, I understand that it's not for everyone but personally I enjoy this sort of visual design. A small detail that some people might not even notice is how well hidden the retractable microphone becomes when you pull it back, this sort of metamorphose ditches the "gaming headset look" and makes the 9H look like a pair of normal, high-end headphones.
The other aspect that also aids in lending to the 9H a more professional look and feel is the construction quality, both ear-cups are made of a very thick and rugged plastic that will most certainly withstand a few falls here and there. The ear cushions are made up of a very soft leather that besides being comfortable also isolates outside noises extremely well, that isolation is further enhanced by the "double enclosure design" that according to SteelSeries is usually only present on really high-end headphones.
The 9H headband is constructed out of a combination of plastic and some sort of metal, this metal can be seen once you adjust the headband and ensures that most consumers won't have any sort of issue with the sturdiness of the headband.
In terms of sound quality the 9H performs extremely well, especially when used for gaming. The bass is balanced and has enough "oomph" for those bigger explosions but at the same time does not drown out the mids and highs like many gaming headsets do. Thankfully when you leave your game and go listen to some music the 9H also functions perfectly, for someone like me who enjoys electronic music the slightly stronger bass really makes every track sound great.
The 9H uses the SteelSeries Engine 3 much like the Siberia Elite, this allows every user to fine-tune their experience with the headset by simply playing around with the equalizer.
Regarding the microphone I personally think it sounds very decent when compared to most gaming headsets but you can listen to my test (below) and decide for yourself.
Final Thoughts
SteelSeries has certainly confirmed our initial expectations, the 9H is one amazing product that costs around 160€ but performs and competes with audio products that cost twice as much.
While the audio quality is top-notch, it's the combination of various factors and features like the solid construction quality and extremely comfortable ear cushions that make us recommend the 9H to anyone who is currently looking for a balanced and versatile headset/headphone.
The Good
+Sound quality
+Sturdy construction
+Comfort
+Price
+Supports 7.1 Surround
+Elegant visual design
+Great software
+Microphone
The Bad
-Retractable mic is a bit short
Thanks to SteelSeries for providing the review sample
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