Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

SteelSeries serves up the first Hi-Res Audio-certified headset for gamers

SteelSeries
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Despite the boom in technology regarding graphics cards and gaming displays, SteelSeries believes speakers and headphones are severely behind the times. That is where the company’s new Arctis Pro + GameDAC headset comes into play; it supposedly takes gaming audio to an entirely new level thanks to “breakthrough” technology cranking out hi-fidelity sound for a more immersive experience. 

SteelSeries says the new flagship headset is the first in the gaming industry slapped with the Hi-Res Audio label. Hi-Res Audio is a certification platform introduced by the Digital Entertainment Group, The Recording Academy, record labels, and other audio-focused organizations in 2017 to promote devices that deliver sound at CD-level or higher quality.  

Recommended Videos

“Until now, innovation in gaming graphics and displays have outpaced progress in gaming audio solutions,” SteelSeries CEO Ehtisham Rabbani said in a statement. “The Arctis Pro is designed for gamers who seek high-fidelity audio and who want to hear everything the sound engineers created, the same way they seek high-res, immersive visuals.” 

SteelSeries
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The new headset relies on the ESS Sabre 9018 Reference DAC chip to produce 96kHz/24-bit audio without the need to downsample. The headset also includes two 40mm drivers with a frequency response of up to 40,000Hz, almost double what you find with standard gaming headsets. Other highlights include 121 decibels of dynamic range and 95 decibels of total harmonic distortion and noise. 

Packed with this Arctis-branded headset is a USB-based digital-to-analog converter and amplifier for gaming. This unit consists of an embedded OLED screen so you can visually balance the game and chat audio, keep track of the volume levels, and tweak the 10-band equalizer bars. The device also includes a dedicated Hi-Res Audio mode for the best audio quality, and onboard controls for PlayStation 4 streaming. 

While the Arctis Pro and GameDAC costs a hefty $250, the vanilla Arctis Pro unit is easier to swallow at a cheaper $180. It’s not a Hi-Res Audio-certified system, as the GameDAC unit isn’t included with this model. But like its more expensive sibling, this model includes the company’s Prism RGB illumination system supporting 16.8 million colors. It also supports ClearCast microphone technology for “studio-quality” chats, Headphone:X v2.0, and includes an in-line dial to balance game and chat audio. 

Steelseries

If wireless is your thing, SteelSeries has a new Arctis Pro model priced at $330. It relies on Bluetooth connectivity and a swappable dual-battery system so you’re not tethered to an outlet to recharge the battery. Instead, one battery resides in the headset while the other is recharged in the included transmitter base station. 

The product page shows that the base station consists of four components: Adjust your volume level, manually adjust the game and chat audio levels, and tweak the sound levels using the built-in equalizer. The fourth component pertains to Bluetooth that will even display incoming call information if the headset is paired with a smartphone.

But as with the vanilla Arctis Pro unit, there is no Hi-Res Audio component or certification. Yet unlike the Arctis Pro, you won’t find RGB illumination on this wireless headset.

All three headsets are available now. 

Kevin Parrish
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
MQair is the new hi-res Bluetooth audio codec for fans of MQA
MQair codec logo.

Just when you thought it was safe to step back into the turbulent waters of Bluetooth audio, we have yet another Bluetooth codec to consider. In addition to SBC, AAC, LDAC, and the constantly expanding family of aptX codecs, you can now add MQair (em-kyoo-air).

MQair (known also by its technical label, SCL6) is the latest technology from MQA, the company founded by British audio pioneer Bob Stuart of Meridian Audio fame, and it has just been granted permission by the Japan Audio Society (JAS) to use the society's Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo. It's the third Bluetooth codec to receive the certification, the other two being LDAC and LHDC.

Read more
The new SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 headset brings hi-fi audio under $200
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 is now available for $180.

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 gaming headset is now available as a multisystem peripheral with several high-quality audio features and a fairly decent price.

As a midrange follow-up to the popular SteelSeries Arctis 7 and the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, the headset sells for $180 at SteelSeries.com and various global retailers in PC-, PlayStation-, and Xbox-specific models.

Read more
LG’s 2022 soundbars start at $400, pump out hi-res audio and 3D sound
LG S95QR soundbar seen in front of a TV.

After giving us a sneak peek at its new 2022 soundbar lineup at CES, LG has finally released these home theater speakers. The prices start at $400 for the entry level LG S65Q 3.1-channel model, and then head sharply upward, topping out at $1,800 for its LG S95QR flagship soundbar -- a 9.1.5-channel, Dolby Atmos-capable multi-speaker beast. All six new models, (S95QR, S90QY, S80QR, S80QY, S75Q, and S65Q) are available now on LG.com, as well as from select retailers like Amazon.com.

All of the new models offer a different set of features, but regardless of how much you spend, LG has included some common characteristics. Hi-res audio, with tuning by Meridian, is the key feature that unites these speakers. Soundbars tend to place an emphasis on delivering good TV sound, but LG has decided to put an equal emphasis on how these speakers work with music.

Read more