SteelSeries 5XB Headset Review

SteelSeries 5XB - Product Info

SteelSeries is a company that first started in Copenhagen several years ago and since has branched out into becoming a well-renown international company with headquarters in Europe, North America and Asia.

For years SteelSeries has aimed (and delivered) at bringing competitive gamers the best and most useful equipment to give them a competitive edge. Previously, SteelSeries only catered for PC gamers. However, they've now branched out into the console industry by creating two headsets specifically designed for the Xbox 360. These headsets include the Spectrum 4XB and the Spectrum 5XB. The 5XB is what I'll be reviewing here today.

www.youtube.com/v/jSa5DJYBPr4

SteelSeries' Spectrum 5XB is a stereo headset designed for use with the Xbox 360, though also has complete PC compatibility too. It is the big-brother of the 4XB and has three distinct differences we'll get onto down the track. It's best I let you guys in on a little more information regarding the 5XB before I start critiquing the headset itself.

Features

• 2x 40mm Drivers
  
• Wired
  
• USB Powered
  
• Retractable, flexible microphone
  
• AudioMixer featuring LiveMix
  
• Independent volume controls: Voice & Game Sound
  
• Double Braided nylon cord
  
• Breaks down into three pieces for travel purposes
  

Specifications

• Headphones Freq. response: 16 – 28.000 Hz
  
• Impedance: 40 Ohm SPL@1kHz, 1Vrms: 110 dB
  
• Cable: 1m/3.28ft.[/li][li]Jack: 3.5mm
  
• AudioMixer cable: 3.7m/12ft.
  
• Microphone Freq. response: 75-16.000 Hz
  
• Pick up pattern: Uni-directional
  
• Sensitivity: -38 dB
  
• Mic. Impedance: 2K Ohm
  

5XB Description



The SteelSeries 5XB is a stereo headset with two 40mm drivers. The headphones are designed to fit around the outside of your ears (Circumaural). They are also semi-open headphones. You'll notice above on the right ear-cup that there are 3 slits/openings on the outside of the headphone. In my opinion, open headphones produce a better sound than closed headphones. These slits allow some of the sound to escape so it isn't reverberated within the ear-cup which can cause a muddy, less-detailed kind of sound. They aren't entirely open obviously, so there is still some reverberation but it's a nice little addition nonetheless, to have some of it open. However I don't think it was the main reasoning of providing the openings.



The main idea behind having the ear-cups semi-open is for LAN events. Having these three openings (six all up) allows you to hear outside noise a little bit. Not so much that it is interfering, but just enough in case you may miss out on hearing something important. Whether it's your mother yelling that dinner is ready, or your team mate sitting next to you at a LAN or event – you'll be able to hear their screams, comms or snide insulting comments. Lastly on the ear-cups themselves...they're light and comfortable as buggery! You won't feel you're wearing a headset after a few minutes play. A quick mention, the cabling you see that at the bottom of the above picture is where the headset leads off to plug into the AudioMixer. The cable itself is double-braided nylon. Simply put, it's quite difficult to destroy! Personally I've screwed a few headphones cables' by them getting caught up in the roller-wheels of my office chair. It's happened a couple of times with the 5XB and the cable has always come out undamaged.



The headset also breaks down into three parts. This is simply just for an easy means of storing them or travelling with them. If you're an avid LAN attendee, you'll know this is a plus. The headset can't bend or flex in an awkward way so you needn't worry about damaging them when carrying them about in your backpack. The headset breaking-down into three pieces is one feature that you will not find on the 4XB. You'll also notice that each ear-cup has been manoeuvred and tilted on rather odd angles. This is simply to demonstrate that the angle of which they sit on the side of your head can easily be adjusted.



The microphone with the 5XB is retractable and extremely flexible. If you want to use the headset as headphones, simply slide the mic up into the headset and it will recede into the ear-cup and be almost invisible. When wanting to use the mic, you can easily enough slide it out from its hiding place. Once done, it can be bent in any way or fashion as to accommodate how you wish the mic to sit near your mouth. Once adjusted, the mic is sturdy enough so that it doesn't move from where you've positioned it – it isn't so flexible or lightweight that it just bends back all by itself.



The 5XB AudioMixer is where SteelSeries have proceeded down a different path to other headset manufacturers. As you may've noticed three pictures above; the headset cabling breaks down into a pink microphone plug and a green audio plug. These simply fit into the obvious jacks as you can see above on the right image. The main beauty behind this is that you can use this AudioMixer with any PC headset you may already have. It'll work in exactly the same fashion as the 5XB does with the Xbox 360. The AudioMixer is available for purchase on its own without the 5XB for this exact reason. If you already have a SteelSeries PC headset and wish to venture onto the Xbox – use your PC headset and just get the AudioMixer – simple as that!


On the left image, there are functions which we've come to expect from 360 headsets. You've got the voice chat volume control and you've got the game sound volume control. In the middle there is the ever necessary microphone mute toggle function. As you can see there is a little 'orb-looking' part underneath the text 'off'. This 'orb' is actually a light! Its only purpose is to convey what setting you have the mute function set to without having to read the text, basically. If your mic is not muted the light will be yellow/green. If it is muted, it will be red.[/p][p]

Moving onto the back of the AudioMixer (the right image) we see 'LiveMix'. So you don't have to fiddle with getting the right voice and game sound levels you can simply switch-on LiveMix. It enables you to hear voice communications above the game sounds very easily (whether the overall volume is high or low). However, it does not impede upon you hearing sneaky footsteps. It really is a nifty feature and especially helps when you come across the guy talking who has a really soft and quiet voice. Your sound levels won't be setup properly to hear him, but with LiveMix, he's easily audible.



If you hadn't worked it out already, the AudioMixer plugs directly into your Xbox 360 controller. Additionally this AudioMixer is powered by USB – any free USB slot on your Xbox or PC will work fine. Further, we can see a 3.5mm stereo plug. Simply whack this into your Xbox 360 using an RCA (Red and White Audio) to 3.5mm Stereo Jack adaptor. There you have it, stereo sound enabled!



That wraps it up for the product details! Let's move onto how the headset performs as well as how it stacks up against the competition.
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