SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC Wired Gaming Headset - Certified Hi-Res Audio - Dedicated DAC and Amp - for PS5/PS4 and PC - Black

2 YEAR UPDATE! I just want to add something, as there are a lot of people complaining that the hinges are weak and that they break easily. There is a simple fix for that - don't pull on the earcups when you put em on. Grab the metal band above the earcups, stretch it and put it on that way. I've had my Arctis Pro for 2yrs now and they are in excellent condition and the hinges are perfectly fine even tho I only started opening em this way recently. I bought the Arctis Pro + GameDAC around Black Friday 2018 for $200. I decided to give myself at least 6 months with them before writing a review. I mean you really can't write a fair review of a headset on the day or 1st week you get them. I can now say that this is the best gaming headset I've ever had the pleasure of owning. I also currently have the Sony Platinum headset and previously the Astro A40, TB Stealth 700, HyperX Cloud Revolver, Sennheiser Game One, and a few others. The Arctis Pro is leagues ahead of all of them imo. The sound signature is not like most gaming headsets and is tuned a bit more neutral and not heavy on the bass as many gaming headsets are. That doesn't mean there isn't any bass, it's very crisp and punchy but doesn't distort or get muddy at higher volumes like lesser headsets would. It's a much more natural sounding bass, not exaggerated the way a lot of headsets are these days. If you're on PC though, you can realllly crank the bass up with their software if you want. It's probably the easiest peripheral software I've used tbh.The sound is excellent and very clear/crisp sounding with zero distortion at high volumes. The volume is also more than adequate; I've never felt that I needed them to go louder than they are capable. I suggest going into the GameDAC audio settings or SS Engine 3 and turning the gain to "high" if you find the volume lacking and make sure the dial on the headset itself is turned up, as well as on the DAC. I find the sound on these to be pitch perfect for positional audio, I can really pinpoint where the little animals are that I'm hunting in Red Dead 2 or exactly which direction an enemy is coming from in Warzone. I almost feel like I'm cheating sometimes because I'll be able to aim at where a person will be right before they get there...but I still get killed cuz my reactions are getting too slow to keep up with these kids 😂 The soundstage and imaging are the best I've heard in a closed back headset. Overall, when it comes to gaming headsets, I think these are one of the best out there. The sound is just so clear, full, and natural. They're extremely comfortable and don't give me a headache after wearing them for hours. You can easily find replacement ear cushions for them. They feel very sturdy, like they're made with quality materials (update: they've held up great for 2yrs now) and there don't appear to be any particularly weak points to worry about aside from the joint where they swivel but mine feel just as solid 10 months later as they did on day 1. The RGB lighting is really subtle and well done as well. I'm not usually a fan of RGB lighting on a headset cuz it's often gaudy but that's not the case with these. There's even a customizable RGB light on the microphone which tells you when it's active or muted.The GameDAC is awesome and gives you plenty of options to customize the audio to your liking, incl an EQ with 10 separate sliders so you can really dial it in to the smallest degree. It's worth noting that the wireless version only has 5 sliders for the EQ (on the transmitter base), but you have all the same features for both in their software. I'd also like to mention that the virtual surround sound, DTSx 2.0, is by far the best VSS I've heard on a headset. It widens the soundstage, provides excellent positional audio and it doesn't sound tinny or hollow the way many others do. It doesn't overemphasize the bass or the treble, it just makes everything sound more full. The SS Engine 3 software is very user-friendly, far more than programs like Icue. Setting up multiple profiles or "configs" took me just a few minutes, and each one genuinely sounded very different. It's a great piece of software imo.I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Hi-Res audio that these are capable of, especially now that I've finally experienced it 2 years later. In 3 words...IT'S A REVELATION. Seriously, it's absolutely incredible, like hearing songs for the first time. I recently built a PC and signed up for Amazon music so I listened to some of their "Ultra HD" tracks. I kid you not, I sat there listening to music for literally 5 hours. And I am not the kinda person who listens to music when I'm in my house, I'm usually watching, playing or reading something. Everyone should experience hi-res music at some point. I would also recommend getting an extended warranty on these since SS warranty is only 1 year. The extended warranty is only around $18 and it covers pretty much everything incl normal wear & tear. It's worth paying the extra $20 to safeguard something of this quality. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this headset and I think it's well worth the $220 I spent. Great sound, solid punchy bass, really good sub-bass and crisp, clear highs and mids. The GameDAC is an excellent piece of hardware that really helps these headphones shine, the comfort is great and the surround sound is the best implementaion I've heard in a headset.

My Arctis 5s died and after looking up a replacement I saw they were discontinued. I cant imagine not using a dial mixer for headphones and was devastated but then found this headset for just 50 bucks more than I paid for the Arctis 5s! I was skeptical at first and saw iffy reviews online but I can safely say that this is well worth the money. My headset hasnt cracked or broken at the ear points like I saw many online say (I really dont see how you could make this happen unless you slammed these on your desk) the dial mixer is great and allows for far better options on volume control. If you are in the US and REALLY want loud audio then just click "no" when it asks if you live in Europe. Across the pond they dont let their headsets get too loud so it neuters the headphones db capability. The microphone is good and the headset itself is great for gaming/music/movies. With Steelseries sonar it is very easy to hear small sounds like footsteps and soundcues.Highly recommended!

My husband had a pair of Sennheisers for 7 years. Loved them. Only replaced them because the vinyl on the earpieces was getting pretty gross. They were awesome - I still use them... Well I did until these ArcitsPros went tees-up and no one will stand behind them.I bought him these for Valentine's Day because I'm just that awesome (and we blow so much on our kids for x-mas that I can't afford a good gift for him until V-Day anyway). I have to admit, I'm a cheapskate and these were really expensive at the time, so I saved about $35 by purchasing the "Used: Like New" versions from Amazon. I did not see any glaring info about how you aren't covered by the manufacturer's warranty. But in the not-so-cheepskate move, I purchased a 4-year SquareTrade policy to go with it. I figured 4 years was good, but of course I was judging them by the Sennheisers bought 7 years earlier and going strong for way less money... When they arrived, apart from the Amazon sticker over the edge of the box, you could not tell these had ever been opened. Just looked like a buyer's remorse return.So he got these around February 6th and raved about the sound - "the Game DAC was totally worth it", "Can't believe how great these are", etc. I thought I had an epic win in the books. No weird mishaps, no drops, no nerd-rage throws, nothing. Daily use from desk to head to desk. Happy as a clam for almost 5 months. MONTHS, mind you. Around July 8 (we were away for a family trip for a week), hubs noticed the left earpiece was feeling a little loose and clunky. Then by the end of that week, it snapped. A chunk of plastic flew out and the "hinge" was exposed. I use that term loosely, because these substantial headsets are held together with a thin ring of metal in PLASTIC. Shocked, gutted, cheesed off to say the least. How did I spend a quarter-G on some friggin' headphones that nominally lasted 5 months.I thought, "Whew! Glad I got that SquareTrade!" My experience with them had been top-notch in the past. I logged on to make a claim with SquareTrade: an Allstate Company (first red flag - these people do not like to pay). They send back an email - contact the manufacturer. Contacted SteelSeries, gave all the info, sent the pictures, yadda yadda. "We're sorry, there's no warranty because you bought them Used on Amazon". WHAT?? Go back to SquareTrade, send them the denial, they send back an email saying to call them. After a half an hour with them on the phone, answering multiple times that they weren't involved in an accident, they come back and say that they can't cover them, only "mechanical and electrical failures" (What is this if not mechanical??). I know that insurance companies get sued for "auto-denying" claims, so I asked for the supervisor that told him to deny the claim. When she came on the phone, I asked her what further information she needed from me to process the claim and she offered a mail-in repair. So now I guess we wait. I don't have high hopes, but maybe they will be able to swap out the headsets. It's obviously the cheap part of the deal because the Game DAC works great. If they continue to fail, I'll go back to Amazon and see if they're willing to back their sale.The moral of the story? Go German, or not at all. If anyone actually decides to stand up for this product, I'll come back and post an update. This is one chica not holding her breath. Seriously, while I'm waiting for the next round of BS, I'm going to go shop for Sennheisers.UPDATE - SquareTrade will not cover the mechanical defect that caused the issue. One last shot with Amazon.UPDATE 2 - Amazon saved the day, but trust me, spare yourself the frustration and pass on this piece of crap.