INTRODUCTION

   Inside 2014 we are going to witness the release of several highly anticipated game titles for both the PC and consoles so this is a very good time for people not only to upgrade their systems in terms of firepower (PC users obviously) but also to swap their old peripherals for new ones in order to get the best possible experience. Gaming keyboards and mice are without doubt very important for both casual and serious gamers but a good gaming headset might just offer a bit more enjoyment in some games. Now as many of you know the market is filled with 5.1/7.1 virtual surround headsets most of which are no better than your average stereo headset however from time to time we have received some very decent solutions that can almost go toe to toe with "real" surround sound headsets. I'm certain that SteelSeries needs no introductions and since aside the excellent Elite Gaming Headset they also released the 9H Gaming Headset at around the same time we decided to see just how good it is.

   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!

   Since the 9H Gaming Headset is not a "real" surround sound model it wears two 40mm audio drivers (featuring 10Hz-28KHz frequency response with 32Ohm impedance and 110dB sensitivity) which in turn offer 7.1 Dolby pro logic IIx virtual surround sound with the help of a separate USB soundcard. The 9H also comes ready with a retractable uni-directional noise-canceling microphone (50Hz-16KHz/2KOhm/-37db) and swappable cables that allow a person not only to use it with a PC but also with mobile devices and generally any device that has the typical 3.5" mini jack analog audio port. Also just like the 5Hv3 headset which we tested a while back according to SteelSeries the 9H features a custom-engineered soundscape which makes it ideal for use with games although judging by the 5Hv3 it's not really something you will notice while playing (it's not bad to have all the help you can get however). Overall the 9H seems to be a couple of steps above the 5Hv3 in both performance and quality so let's take a close look to see if that's the case or not.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large product image along with the SteelSeries logo and a list of all the compatible devices is placed at the front of the box.

The retractable microphone is pictured on the left side.

At the bottom of the box we find the specifications list along with the barcode and serial number.

The names of all 4 professional gaming teams that help SteelSeries with the development of products are placed at the top of the box.

Turning the box around we see several pictures and the features of the headset printed in 5 languages.

Inside the box you will find the 9H Gaming Headset, USB Soundcard, SteelSeries sticker, user’s manual, single 3.5" mini jack cable, dual 3.5" mini jack cable (headphones and microphone), 1.2m cable with in-line volume controller and a 2m extension cable.

THE 9H

Although quite light (weighs just 276g) the 9H Gaming Headset looks quite bulky largely because of its large earcups.

Once again we used the Jabra REVO Wireless to showcase the difference in size.

SteelSeries has used the double enclosure system for the earcups to keep unwanted sounds out but that also made them bulkier.

Both the cable port and the noise-cancelling microphone are placed at the base of the left earcup.

The microphone as always is very flexible and although the large tip at the end makes it easier to use some people may prefer the classic style of the Siberia headsets.

For improved comfort (and obviously to fit all ear sizes) the earcups swivel a bit.

SteelSeries has placed their logo just over the earcups and in front of the left/right markings.

The earpads are covered with leather while the interior is covered with orange cloth.

The headpad is covered with cloth too and resembles a lot the one we saw with the new Elite headset.

You can extend the headband on both sides for a total of 7cm (3.5cm on each side) via 11 increments (no visible markings are present however).

The company name is placed on the exterior of the headband.

While both bundled cables are braided the in-line volume controller (also has a microphone mute switch) is placed on the 1.2m long one.

All three 3.5" plugs are gold plated (as expected from such a headset).

You can use the USB soundcard other directly via the special port or via the two 3.5" ports (that also means that you can use the 9H with the special port and attach another headset with the 3.5" ones).

USING THE 9H

Since the 9H Gaming Headset isn't bundled with a software CD you will need to download the latest Engine software version from the official SteelSeries online support section.

Once you plug the headset into your computer the software will ask if you'd like it to optimize settings for the attached devices.

Chances are that a firmware update warning will come up as well. The entire update process takes roughly 30 seconds to complete.

The SteelSeries Engine software is very easy to use and offers a plethora of settings you can toy around with. So from here you can create/modify/delete individual configurations (profiles), enable/disable the Dolby virtual surround function, adjust the equalizer or use one of the 11 available presets and finally you can enable/disable both the noise-cancelling and auto compression features of the microphone.

CONCLUSION

   The 9H Gaming Headset is amongst the very few virtual surround headsets ever designed and manufactured by SteelSeries so that alone was enough reason for us to have high expectations from it. Unfortunately once again at the center of the device we find a virtual surround USB soundcard which doesn't offer the best positioning experience out there although to be completely fair SteelSeries has once again done much better than most manufacturers so although we do prefer "real" surround headsets more this time over the gap in performance was very small. Where the 9H shines however is when used as a plain stereo headset plugged into a good soundcard or an Audio/Video amplifier since it offers excellent mids and very accurate highs although the 40mm drivers can't produce equally impressive bass. SteelSeries has also used the same retractable noise-canceling microphone we've seen with many of their solutions (perhaps slightly improved) so it worked very well as expected. The 9H is also very comfortable since the large earpads hug the ear almost completely while the headband is very soft so even after playing Planetside 2, Mass Effect 3 and Battlefield 4 for quite a few hours we hardly had any neck pain at all (at first the earcups may squeeze your ears since the headband is quite sturdy however that will wear off quite fast). The only somewhat issue we came across with the 9H is its volume levels when used with the USB surround soundcard and although most people will have no problem with that still we feel that SteelSeries should tend to that (boosting the default volume levels automatically through the software shouldn't be hard).

   SteelSeries currently places the 9H Gaming Headset 3rd from the top (after the H Wireless and the Elite) so price may also be an issue for some people since currently it retails for USD170 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 138.89Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). Of course it goes without saying that at around the same price range you can even find "real" surround sound headsets but leaving out the fact that SteelSeries has a very loyal audience and that the 9H actually sounds very good they also sell quality and there aren't many headsets out there that can compete with their top models in terms of durability something that plays a significant role for many people. Overall the latest 9H Gaming Headset may not be perfect but it's very good and that's why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Audio Quality (Very Good Mids/Highs)
- 7.1 Virtual Dolby Surround USB Sound Card (For Some)
- Very Comfortable
- Noise-Cancelling Uni-Directional Retractable Microphone
- Engine 3 Control Software
- Single 3.5mm & Dual 3.5mm Cables
- Extension Cable

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Bass Levels
- Volume Levels (When Using The USB Soundcard)