SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB Review

👤by Connell Parr Comments 📅03-11-10
Testing and Thoughts

While many things to do with sound can be subjective, there are also many factors which can be fact. For example if the sound is directional, if team-mates can hear me clearly with no feedback from the headset being too loud and if I can hear them. To give you something to compare to, my normal audio set-up is 5.1 speakers via optical (Logitech’s Z5500s) and either Microsoft’s Official Wired Headset or the Official Wireless one.


The LiveMix Audio Adapter where it belongs!


The Spectrum 5XB is a gaming headset targeted for Xbox 360 players and as seen previously the box art makes you fully aware of this. So this is exactly where I started. Having connected the Y adapter to the 360’s RCA audio output and the USB cable, I grabbed my controller to plug the LiveMix Audio Adapter in. Those that have used the Official Wired Headset will remember how easy it is to knock the 2.5mm jack out of the controller – commonly mid-game where plugging it back in gets you killed or shouted at because you didn’t cover someone. With the LiveMix Audio Adapter this is not case. On the three Xbox 360 controllers I tried it on, there was no possible way to accidently knock it out due to being so secure. Finally I connected the headset to the bottom of the adapter and sat down to do some gaming.


The connectors and LiveMix switch


Hopping straight into a game of Modern Warfare 2 I started playing with the independent volume controls. After finding a balance I was happy with, I selected my class and started playing. The first thing I noticed was how clear individual sounds remained when going from 5.1 speakers to headset. Air strikes flying over had impressive directionality but didn’t overcrowd other noises such as gun fire or grenades and possibly more importantly were not too bassy. Even with plenty of things going on, I could always hear my team mates and if there was ever a problem in hearing them, I only had to flick the LiveMix switch or do it the “old fashioned” way and alter the volumes of in-game audio and voice chat.

Halo: Reach was next and the headset continued to impress. All of what I had experienced with Modern Warfare 2 was reflected in Reach. I could hear what was going on and all sounds had directionality as well as distance. When in the distance I saw a team mate having a sniper battle with an Elite, the crack of sniper shots sounded like they were distant not as though every sound was right on top of me.

After some long sessions on both Reach and Modern Warfare 2, the headset was extremely comfortable. There was never a point where the headset seemed too heavy or as though it was exerting too much pressure on my ears or glasses.

The Spectrum 5XB is also advertised as a PC headset so tried listening to music and a couple of VOIP calls via Skype. This presented quite a major downfall with the headset. The cable from headset to 2x 3.5mm jacks (green headphone jack and pink mic. Jack) is 3 feet/1 metre which is very short and means you most likely cannot sit back in comfort. Listening to music through the headset was again comfortable and quite enjoyable. Calls on Skype were not a problem either being clear and echo free, of course the length of the cable was limiting and having no in-line control of audio (or the ability to mute the mic) makes the headset no substitute for a dedicated PC headset.

Update: In addition to my initial tests I have continued to use the Steelseries 5XB headset purely because it is so comfortable and is great for listening to music and not disturbing others or those late night gaming sessions where waking the whole house and neighbours up would not end well. Having now played Gears of War 2 using this headset it has only cemented my original thoughts on it.

Another thing to be aware of with audio products is "burn-in". This process is often compared to breaking new shoes in apart from here you are breaking the diaphragms in. This process is not particularly apparent with the 5XB headset, I assume because they sound pretty good anyway!

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