Frederik S
02-05-2007, 05:37 PM
[page=Introduction & Package]
Introduction
The SteelSeries started off with just the simple SteelPad line of gaming surface products. These were a great success and therefore created a fuzz about SteelSeries as a "Gamers Brand". A while after the initial success, the SteelSeries product line was expanded to include both mouse mats and headsets optimized for gaming.
Last year SteelSound introduced the 5H headset, which was a fairly large headset compared to most on the market at the time. The headset was an instant success due to the quality of the design and the decent audio performance. Ever since the release of the original 5H there has been a a lot of talk about the SteelSound products. Everybody could agree on them being quality gaming headsets but for the non-hardcore gamer they were simply too expensive.
Not long ago I reviewed the SteelSound 4H which is a medium priced headset, although still aimed at gamers, today I have the pleasure of reviewing one the most compact gaming headsets ever, namely the SteelSound 3H.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound5HUSB/images/steelseries.gif
The Package
The headset comes in a quite small package where the headset lays collapsed inside to save space. Since the package is made of clear plastic it lets the buyer inspect it for exterior damages. While being shipped to me the package received quite a few beatings by the looks of it, but there wasn't any damage done to the headset.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/package1small.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/package1.jpg)
On the back of the package you can read about all of the different features that this headset offers, to no one's surprise this headset is labeled as a lightweight portable headset.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound4H/images/package2small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/package2.jpg)
[page=Closer Examination]
Closer Examination
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/theheadsetsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/theheadset.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/3hcollapsedsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/3hcollapsed.jpg)
The 3H is a quite small headset compared to i.e. the 4H or 5H v.2. Even when the headset is expanded it's still way smaller than the 4H. That the headset is easy to transport becomes crystal clear once you collapse it, with the two ear cups folded in between the headband it becomes absolutely tiny.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sideviewsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sideview.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/topviewsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/topview.jpg)
When collapsed, the headset looks really small and the ear cups are folded up under the headband nicely. The headband is covered by the SteelSound logo. As with the Razer Barracuda the 3H has a suspended headband which means that the ear cups are connected via two plastic rods with the headband underneath, making the headset easy to fit and comfortable to wear.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcup3h4hsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcup3h4h.jpg)
On the picture above you can see that the ear cups of the 3H is a bit smaller and has a completely different shape than those of the SteelSound 4H. Because the ear cups are so small the headset's weight pressed on your ears and collapses them, this makes the headset a bit more uncomfortable to wear over an extended period of time compared to the 4H.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hexpandedsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hexpanded.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hfoldedsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hfolded.jpg)
On of the unique design characteristics of the 3H is that it can be folded / collapsed for easy transportation. Even when the headset is expanded it's still a bit smaller than the SteelSound 4H. The size and the fact that you can collapse it makes it ideal for use with MP3 players for example.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/micboomsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/micboom.jpg)
Another unique design characteristic of the SteelSound series headset is the retractable microphone boom. The SteelSound 3H's microphone boom is a bit different than the other SteelSound headsets because the disks are made of plastic contrary to the others that are made of metal and rubber disks. This makes the 3H's boom harder to adjust because it isn't as easy to shape.
[page=Performance & Comfort]
Performance
Testing the performance of a headset is quite hard because there isn't any benchmark that one can use. What I have tried to do is put this headset through its paces in various games and while listening to MP3 both via my PC's audio card (Creative X-Fi Extreme Music) and my portable MP3 player (Creative Muvo2).
When testing it in games I listen for how accurate the directional audio is and how good it is at reproducing bass heavy sound such as explosions and the sound of high powered guns. While testing it with listening to MP3s I try to figure out how precisely it can reproduce the different tones and bass such a drums and such, in a large variety of music all the way from techno to classical and rock.
Gaming Performance
I started off by testing this headset in Battlefield 2 which is a FPS game. The sound reproduction was quite good although it was a bit hard to hear from where the enemy was coming. One thing that amazed me was how clear the sound reproduction of explosions where, I didn't expect the performance to be so good with a headset that costs somewhere around $50. The treble was good enough to reproduce some vivid gun sounds.
In CS:S the headset performed just as good as in Battlefield 2 although it's a bit hard to hear where the enemies are coming from, compared to the 4H and 5H. Again the sound quality amazed me, I really didn't think that a comparatively speaking "cheap" headset could produce such a vivid sound scape.
Music Listening Experience
When listening to music there isn't that big a difference between this headset and the considerably larger and more expensive 4H. The 3H performs alright, nor good or bad. The bass does a good job at keeping up with the music but the mid tone and treble could be a bit louder and more precise. I have tried this headset both with my PC's audio card and my MP3 player, and I must say that this headset performs almost equally with both. Overall I think this headset delivers a music listening experience considering the low price.
Comfort
The SteelSound 3H is quite easy to adjust, you can adjust the diameter of the headset by expanding the two adjustment mechanisms.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcupsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcup.jpg)
The only part of the headset that is padded is the ear cups. There isn't that much padding but still enough to make this headset quite comfortable, the reason why the minimal padding doesn't hurt comfort that much with this headset is due to its weight. Because it's so light it doesn't feel uncomfortable to wear over an extended period of time.
Because the ear cups are so small, the headset rests on your ears, collapsing them, but even though the headset does press on your ears it isn't uncomfortable at all because it's so low weight.
[page=Durability & Conclusion]
Durability
The SteelSound 3H is generally speaking a durable construction even though it's light weight. But there are some weak points in the design. To start off with the place where the cord connects to the ear cup it is only covered with a little rubber tube, which means that the stresses from pull in the cable are only dampened by the internal connectors and that little rubber tube.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/buildqual1small.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/buildqual1.jpg)
Another little durability issue that you can see on this picture is the really thin piece of plastic that is used by the adjustment mechanism, this is not a problem in normal use but it does make it more likely to break if you stuff it in your backpack.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/connectorssmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/connectors.jpg)
A durability plus is by far the heavy duty connectors used by SteelSound, they are big and have a long follow up plastic tube which helps to reduce the stress on the connector itself because it absorbs some of the strain coming from the cord.
Value & Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The SteelSound 3H can be bought directly from SteelSeries for $50.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Price
Design
Weight
Comfort
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Gaming performance
</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.0</th>
<td>
The performance of this headset did really surprise me, I didn't expect such a relatively cheap headset to provide such excellent sound quality. One of the things that amazed me with this headset is just how small it is when you fold it, the ultra-transportable design is a definitive plus because it makes this headset ideal if you want to use it both with your PC and MP3 player. I really like the transportable design but it does come at the price of reduced durability. I think that SteelSound has been able to maintain a good build quality and an above standard durability with the 3H's construction, but it just isn't as durable as the SteelSound 4H/5H for example.<br />
This headset really adds some unique features to the SteelSound line, it's a good headset that isn't that expensive compared to SteelSound 4H/5H or the Sennheiser PC line of products.<br />
I think that the SteelSound 3H is a good little headset which excels in providing a decent audio performance at a low price, the fact that it's so easy to move around with it increases the value of this headset because it can be used with an MP3 player.
</td></tr><tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
The SteelSeries started off with just the simple SteelPad line of gaming surface products. These were a great success and therefore created a fuzz about SteelSeries as a "Gamers Brand". A while after the initial success, the SteelSeries product line was expanded to include both mouse mats and headsets optimized for gaming.
Last year SteelSound introduced the 5H headset, which was a fairly large headset compared to most on the market at the time. The headset was an instant success due to the quality of the design and the decent audio performance. Ever since the release of the original 5H there has been a a lot of talk about the SteelSound products. Everybody could agree on them being quality gaming headsets but for the non-hardcore gamer they were simply too expensive.
Not long ago I reviewed the SteelSound 4H which is a medium priced headset, although still aimed at gamers, today I have the pleasure of reviewing one the most compact gaming headsets ever, namely the SteelSound 3H.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound5HUSB/images/steelseries.gif
The Package
The headset comes in a quite small package where the headset lays collapsed inside to save space. Since the package is made of clear plastic it lets the buyer inspect it for exterior damages. While being shipped to me the package received quite a few beatings by the looks of it, but there wasn't any damage done to the headset.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/package1small.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/package1.jpg)
On the back of the package you can read about all of the different features that this headset offers, to no one's surprise this headset is labeled as a lightweight portable headset.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound4H/images/package2small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/package2.jpg)
[page=Closer Examination]
Closer Examination
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/theheadsetsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/theheadset.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/3hcollapsedsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/3hcollapsed.jpg)
The 3H is a quite small headset compared to i.e. the 4H or 5H v.2. Even when the headset is expanded it's still way smaller than the 4H. That the headset is easy to transport becomes crystal clear once you collapse it, with the two ear cups folded in between the headband it becomes absolutely tiny.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sideviewsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sideview.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/topviewsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/topview.jpg)
When collapsed, the headset looks really small and the ear cups are folded up under the headband nicely. The headband is covered by the SteelSound logo. As with the Razer Barracuda the 3H has a suspended headband which means that the ear cups are connected via two plastic rods with the headband underneath, making the headset easy to fit and comfortable to wear.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcup3h4hsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcup3h4h.jpg)
On the picture above you can see that the ear cups of the 3H is a bit smaller and has a completely different shape than those of the SteelSound 4H. Because the ear cups are so small the headset's weight pressed on your ears and collapses them, this makes the headset a bit more uncomfortable to wear over an extended period of time compared to the 4H.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hexpandedsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hexpanded.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hfoldedsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/sizecomparison3hfolded.jpg)
On of the unique design characteristics of the 3H is that it can be folded / collapsed for easy transportation. Even when the headset is expanded it's still a bit smaller than the SteelSound 4H. The size and the fact that you can collapse it makes it ideal for use with MP3 players for example.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/micboomsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/micboom.jpg)
Another unique design characteristic of the SteelSound series headset is the retractable microphone boom. The SteelSound 3H's microphone boom is a bit different than the other SteelSound headsets because the disks are made of plastic contrary to the others that are made of metal and rubber disks. This makes the 3H's boom harder to adjust because it isn't as easy to shape.
[page=Performance & Comfort]
Performance
Testing the performance of a headset is quite hard because there isn't any benchmark that one can use. What I have tried to do is put this headset through its paces in various games and while listening to MP3 both via my PC's audio card (Creative X-Fi Extreme Music) and my portable MP3 player (Creative Muvo2).
When testing it in games I listen for how accurate the directional audio is and how good it is at reproducing bass heavy sound such as explosions and the sound of high powered guns. While testing it with listening to MP3s I try to figure out how precisely it can reproduce the different tones and bass such a drums and such, in a large variety of music all the way from techno to classical and rock.
Gaming Performance
I started off by testing this headset in Battlefield 2 which is a FPS game. The sound reproduction was quite good although it was a bit hard to hear from where the enemy was coming. One thing that amazed me was how clear the sound reproduction of explosions where, I didn't expect the performance to be so good with a headset that costs somewhere around $50. The treble was good enough to reproduce some vivid gun sounds.
In CS:S the headset performed just as good as in Battlefield 2 although it's a bit hard to hear where the enemies are coming from, compared to the 4H and 5H. Again the sound quality amazed me, I really didn't think that a comparatively speaking "cheap" headset could produce such a vivid sound scape.
Music Listening Experience
When listening to music there isn't that big a difference between this headset and the considerably larger and more expensive 4H. The 3H performs alright, nor good or bad. The bass does a good job at keeping up with the music but the mid tone and treble could be a bit louder and more precise. I have tried this headset both with my PC's audio card and my MP3 player, and I must say that this headset performs almost equally with both. Overall I think this headset delivers a music listening experience considering the low price.
Comfort
The SteelSound 3H is quite easy to adjust, you can adjust the diameter of the headset by expanding the two adjustment mechanisms.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcupsmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/earcup.jpg)
The only part of the headset that is padded is the ear cups. There isn't that much padding but still enough to make this headset quite comfortable, the reason why the minimal padding doesn't hurt comfort that much with this headset is due to its weight. Because it's so light it doesn't feel uncomfortable to wear over an extended period of time.
Because the ear cups are so small, the headset rests on your ears, collapsing them, but even though the headset does press on your ears it isn't uncomfortable at all because it's so low weight.
[page=Durability & Conclusion]
Durability
The SteelSound 3H is generally speaking a durable construction even though it's light weight. But there are some weak points in the design. To start off with the place where the cord connects to the ear cup it is only covered with a little rubber tube, which means that the stresses from pull in the cable are only dampened by the internal connectors and that little rubber tube.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/buildqual1small.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/buildqual1.jpg)
Another little durability issue that you can see on this picture is the really thin piece of plastic that is used by the adjustment mechanism, this is not a problem in normal use but it does make it more likely to break if you stuff it in your backpack.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/connectorssmall.JPG (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/SteelSeries/SteelSound3H/images/connectors.jpg)
A durability plus is by far the heavy duty connectors used by SteelSound, they are big and have a long follow up plastic tube which helps to reduce the stress on the connector itself because it absorbs some of the strain coming from the cord.
Value & Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The SteelSound 3H can be bought directly from SteelSeries for $50.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Price
Design
Weight
Comfort
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Gaming performance
</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.0</th>
<td>
The performance of this headset did really surprise me, I didn't expect such a relatively cheap headset to provide such excellent sound quality. One of the things that amazed me with this headset is just how small it is when you fold it, the ultra-transportable design is a definitive plus because it makes this headset ideal if you want to use it both with your PC and MP3 player. I really like the transportable design but it does come at the price of reduced durability. I think that SteelSound has been able to maintain a good build quality and an above standard durability with the 3H's construction, but it just isn't as durable as the SteelSound 4H/5H for example.<br />
This headset really adds some unique features to the SteelSound line, it's a good headset that isn't that expensive compared to SteelSound 4H/5H or the Sennheiser PC line of products.<br />
I think that the SteelSound 3H is a good little headset which excels in providing a decent audio performance at a low price, the fact that it's so easy to move around with it increases the value of this headset because it can be used with an MP3 player.
</td></tr><tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>