INTRODUCTION

   With just a few hours left before the calendar finally turns to 2014 and after having just got back from our very short vacations on the mountain none of us can really focus in testing computer hardware so we decided to do the next best thing which is to continue testing of gaming peripherals. Inside 2013 alone we had the chance to test several virtual Dolby surround sound gaming headsets, some were actually very good and some just good enough but at the end of the year i can't say that we tested one that we considered unique both in terms of features and performance. For the past decade or so SteelSeries has been behind some of the best gaming headsets to ever hit the market but none of them can compare with their latest achievement the Siberia Elite Virtual Dolby Surround Gaming Headset which we have here with us today.

   From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making professional gaming gear that provide meaningful benefits to gamers of all skill-level, with the most demanding being those gamers whose lively hood depends on the performance of our products. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying! What originally began as a small two-person operation in Copenhagen back in 2001 has become a global leader in professional gaming products. SteelSeries recognized the need for superior, high-quality professional gaming gear that would give players a competitive edge. Fast-forward to today, and we've come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

   If you're not much into gaming peripherals and you happen to come across the Siberia Elite its somewhat strange design may not really surprise you but having tested every Siberia gaming headset ever manufactured by SteelSeries the Elite does seems quite unique to me. The basic design is of course taken from the rest of the Siberia line (the retractable microphone along with the suspension headband are perhaps the two main similarities) but there are some huge differences such as the very large foam cushions, dual control dials and colorshift illumination for the exterior of both earcups. Specs-wise the two drivers used (stereo) are 50mm in size and have a frequency response of 16Hz-28KHz with 32Ohm impedance and 113dB sensitivity while the uni-directional microphone features noise cancelling technology and has a frequency response of 75Hz-16KHz with impedance of 2.2k Ohm and -38dB sensitivity. SteelSeries claims that the drivers used in the Siberia Elite are the direct result of 10 years in the business of manufacturing premium headsets for gamers and although the specifications seem to support that we just have to see for ourselves.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large picture of the Siberia Elite is placed at the front of the box along with the SteelSeries and Dolby logos.

The colorshift illumination and the suspension headband are mentioned on both sides of the box.

All of the product features are explained in depth at the rear of the box right next to pictures showcasing the colorshift illumination.

You can check the product specifications at the bottom of the box.

After you remove the exterior cover you will find the main box with the SteelSeries logo on it.

The headset is placed inside two pieces of plastic while the rest of the bundle is placed beneath the bottom piece.

In the box you will find the Siberia Elite gaming headset, USB virtual surround soundcard, extension cable, single 3.5mm cable (for use with mobile devices), dual 3.5mm cable (for use with PC/MAC), user's manual and a case sticker.

THE SIBERIA ELITE

Although because of the very large earpads/cushions the Siberia Elite is quite large it's actually quite light weighing just 387g (401g with the cable).

To showcase just how large the new Siberia Elite is we placed it right next to the portable REVO Wireless headset.

The company name is placed on the exterior of both earcups.

Unlike previous Siberia models the Elite doesn't feature an in-line volume controller, instead the ring on the exterior of the right earcup is used to increase/decrease volume while the ring on the left earcup can be used to mute/unmute the microphone.

This time over the uni-directional retractable microphone also features noise cancelling technology and is also quite thicker compared to the ones found in previous Siberia models (it's still quite flexible however).

Another unique feature of the Elite is that it has a 3.5mm audio output on the base of the right earcup allowing you to plug another headset for someone else to share what you are listening to.

The soft earpads/cushions are huge and have space inside for up to medium sized ears making them extremely comfortable (for most people anyways).

The headpad actually has 6 small foam filled cushions which are also surprisingly comfortable.

As with previous Siberia models SteelSeries has once again used their suspension system so you just have to wear the headset and the headband will do the rest.

SteelSeries has also placed their name and logo on the exterior of the headband.

The flat tangle-free cable is also a nice feature of the Siberia Elite although i can't really say how durable it is.

If you want you can use the USB virtual surround soundcard with or without the bundled 3.5mm dual cable.

There are two cables bundled with the Siberia Elite with a total of three 3.5mm connectors all of which are gold plated.

USING THE SIBERIA ELITE

First thing you should do prior to using the Siberia Elite is head over to the official SteelSeries support page to download the latest software version.

I was curious as to why there was no firmware updater for the Siberia Elite (just like with every other product by SteelSeries) but it turns out that it's embedded in the software itself (much better if you ask me).

The control software may be extremely easy to use but it offers just about anything you'd ever want. So from here you can create/modify/delete individual configurations (profiles), adjust the colorshift illumination color and effects, enable/disable the Dolby virtual surround function, adjust the equalizer or use one of the 11 available presets and finally you can configure the microphone sensitivity, clarity and accuracy.

The colorshift illumination feature looks quite nice especially in the dark.

CONCLUSION

   It only took me a minute to understand just how special the Siberia Elite is and that's coming from someone who's used and tested countless headsets over the years so i wouldn't be saying that if it wasn't true. I'm certainly not saying that the Siberia Elite is the Holy Grail of headsets but it's certainly the best Virtual Surround headset I’ve used to date and that's not a small thing. First of all the audio quality is excellent with amazing accuracy and clarity for both mids/highs and plenty of bass (benefit of using 50mm drivers). Positioning audio in games is not great but it makes up for that when watching movies and listening to music (besides I’ve yet to use a virtual surround headset with great positioning audio in games). Of course i can't put the Siberia Elite on the same level with a good set of headphones designed for music use but it comes really close and that's not easy for a gaming headset. Comfort is another strong point of the Siberia Elite although you will need to use it for a few hours before the aluminum frame loosens up a bit. Once that happens you should be able to use it for many hours without having to worry about your head hurting. Moving to the colorshift feature well i can't say that i care much about something that i can't see while i use a peripheral but still it's a good addition for people who like fancy stuff. Finally the uni-directional microphone works a lot better in online games compared to the ones from previous Siberia models probably thanks to the noise-cancelling feature (makes me wonder why SteelSeries didn't introduce this feature earlier).

   SteelSeries has always offered high quality and performance gaming peripherals primarily aimed at serious gamers who have no problem spending good amounts of money to get the best available equipment and since the Siberia Elite is the best gaming headset released by them to date price was certainly going to be an issue for most people right from the get go. To be more precise the Siberia Elite Virtual Surround Gaming Headset currently retails for USD199.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 196.98Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag that makes it perhaps the most expensive virtual surround sound headset in the market currently. Bottom line if you are looking for a nice looking comfortable headset with superb build quality that you can use with games, movies and music and you don't care about the price the latest Siberia Elite Gaming Headset winner of our Platinum Award comes highly recommended by us.

PROS

- Superb Build Quality
- Design
- Audio Quality (Excellent Mids/Highs)
- Powerful Bass Levels
- 7.1 Virtual Dolby Surround USB Sound Card (For Some)
- Extremely Comfortable
- Noise-Cancelling Uni-Directional Retractable Microphone
- Volume & Microphone Controls
- Colorshift Illumination
- Tangle-Free Cable
- Extra 3.5mm Output
- Engine 3 Control Software
- Single 3.5mm & Dual 3.5mm Cables
- Extension Cable 

CONS

- Price (For Some)