Steelseries, the company behind SteelSound has always had high marks in quality and dependable. We recently laid the smackdown on a pair of their 5Hv2 Professional Gaming Headset to see how they hold up.

The first thing that I found interesting before I even got the set was the fact that these were first announced and released in the summer of ’06.  For all the technology advances and changes within the last two years, most products do not last more than a year without "looking" or "sounding" their age. I can’t say that about this set, as they look and act like they just came out.

Product:      SteelSound 5Hv2 Professional Gaming Headset
Manufacturer:     SteelSeries
Common Price:     $119.95

Construction:
The headset is constructed very well. The plastic is thick and cannot be easily broken. The tension on the earpieces are tight but yet not uncomfortable. The padding is thick and very comfortable, up to this point these are  first set of phones that I have used in a long time, I can leave on for hours and not feel uncomfortable.

These can even broken down into three flat pieces for easy carrying. Two pushes of the tabs and they almost fall apart. Putting them back together is just as easy, just push them back into the tab and they click and presto they are one whole piece.

The jack wire is made of a braided material (Im assuming nylon) so it gives it strength and there isn’t a chance of cracking or splits.

Last but not least and to me the coolest part of the set, is the mic.  Most mics seem to always hang around somehow, Whether its a permanent fixture or you can swing it out of the way, thats not good enough for the 5Hv2.  This mic you pus back into the earpiece until only the microphone is sticking out. When they said that the mic would be out of the way, it really is. I obviously could never here what the mic sounds like, but those I asked said, it was crisp and clean.

Sound:
Whats the one reason we get these headsets, Sound!! If your looking to buy a headset for everyday use, then I really would suggest getting a different pair. These are not built to sit there and listen to music. Granted thats not what they were made for either. Music quality is decent, but nothing high quality. For the gaming side, these are built for it. The precision and distinctiveness is very impressive, playing games such as COD 4, as I could hear things, that with my old set I couldnt. (ie., foosteps, gunfire, etc.) With these improvement, I can honestly say my scores jumped because of hearing the details.

Overall:
The only real complaint is the price, yet its not a complaint. The old saying comes into play here. You get what you pay for. If you want the quality, then the price tag, shouldn’t shock you. If your looking for price and not so worried about quality then look elsewhere.  For this review we have the Steelsound 5Hv2. Steelseries also has a USB version.

Score. 9.5

Note: This is the first in a series of four which will be posted each week. The order in which the reviews are posted are random. Next week: Creative’s Fatal1ty USB Gaming Headset HS-1000