From the moment I open its box to plugging in and using it, I love the feel and overall utility of this headset. First comment is that the overall elastic / steel band is not super friendly to very large noggins. On both headsets, I've had to flex the band pretty heavily outward to get it to not pinch me to death (in addition to obviously adjusting the velcro patch on the band to barely grabbing on by a single hook or two). On the bright side, the build quality is fantastic -- on both Arctis Pros, the build feels and looks sturdy. Even the base stations are made of quality components, nothing feels flimsy or thrown together. Hi-Res Certified GameDAC Gen 2 elevates the audio experience by raising the resolution for 78% purer sound* with lower distortion for quality unheard in other gaming headsets *in comparison to GameDAC Gen 1 This GameDAC, ergonomically speaking, feels kind of in the way. Like an anchor it’s big, bulky,heavy and requires a USB power source. So you’ll never be able to just take the whole Arctis Pro setup and plug it into a phone to get the best audio it can deliver.. But it’s another minor detail we can overlook, especially because of its capabilities. This gaming headset produces an impressive EQ frequency curve. There are no weird bumps in the highs, mids and lows. There are no cuts so whether you’re gaming or listening to music, you won’t feel like there’s something missing. The bass is not overwhelming either (though if you really want to, it can be pushed up through the EQ).

The large physical crossfader knob is highly appreciated. (great for mixer or physical volume adjust purposes) It is a lightweight headset that is snug and comfortable for long hours. (5hr+ without much sweating) So I've recently had the pleasure of trying out the Arctis Pro and now the Arctis Pro Wireless. Here's how it went. Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands) may take longer to reach you.The retractable mic at first is curled up (when pulled out for the first time) due to its method of storage, but can be straightened out, over some time. The SteelEngine Software is praise-worthy for its centralization in customization, and very easy to use & adjust. comfort-wise, this headset isn't made with customization in mind, not really. despite the strap can be adjusted, my head was still slightly uncomfortable even after adjusting to max size limit for the strap, then it's the plastic part of the headset's problem, not the strap. (personally, might not apply for everyone) i guess it's okay for longish-term use, for me at least.

In fact, these headset is so good there’s not much difference between the analog and the digital inputs. Analog audio might not but as detailed, but it still sounds fantastic. That says a lot about this unit’s sound quality. Not to say that Arctis Pro is faultless. It’s soundstage, for example, isn’t as wide as some top headsets in the market— Creative’s Sound BlasterX H7 Tournament Edition, for example, has an even more impressive one. Still, it has a very good stereo image and every sound seems to come from the right place. However, the distances of the different elements in a game are not as palpable as they are with the H7. Being wired, the 3 zone RGB effects can be left on and appreciated. Especially the (3rd Zone) mic RGB. hahaLast comment is that the Pro _Wireless_ base station uses a USB Mini-b 5-pin connector (the one with the squashed-T cross-section), which I haven't seen in...a while now. Not sure why they didn't use the vastly more common Micro-USB B connector, which also has 5 pins? Maybe the proprietary connector actually is Mini-b 4-pin? Who knows? Not consequential for operation, just an interesting hardware choice. Everybody's ear and head shapes & capabilities are different, these facts presented are true for myself. COD: MW/Warzone (2019) sounded better overall when I use the "Studio Reference" or the flattest EQ setting.

Multi-System Connect turns the GameDAC into a hub that lets you switch between platforms with the press of a button, supporting PC, Mac, PlayStation, or Switch The Arctis Pro headset features premium speaker drivers with high-density neodymium magnets that reproduce Hi-Res audio out to 40,000 Hz, nearly double what most standard headsets are capable of (22,000 Hz). Second, The rubberized cable connecting to the base station both feels really bad under my arms or touching anything, and also has a tendency to coil up into something a third its overall length. This leaves you slowly leaning further and further towards wherever your base station is. Who needs good posture?

It is as simple and plugging and playing with minimal adjustments needed. (experiences may vary per computer) Regardless of interesting marketing points regarding Hi-Res audio, the audio configuration I settled on was a Cinema "surround profile" with a custom equalizer setting that that amps the high end and reduces the low-mid (2, -4, 2, 2, 8 if you want to know), along with Low dialogue enhancement and no bass enhancement. Interestingly and strangely, on either setting, the Stereo Profile caused substantial signal clipping (that fuzzy sound at the top and bottom of the range...there's a more technical explanation, but I'll refrain) not present on the default setting. I would not recommend enabling this setting. As far as sound goes, Arctis Pro is a majestic siren. Its sound performance is of the audiophile variety, whether you choose to go analog or digital. First, the connector between the base station and the headset itself is proprietary. It most closely resembles a USB Mini-b 4-pin, but it's more rounded instead of chamfered. This is strange, because the plug itself is certainly of a size that could accept a micro- or C-type USB connector. This persists on the wireless model for the mobile audio cable. Y'all. It's 2020. Get with it. This is a premium headset, we don't do funky connectors. Update 10/12/2021: We have retested 'Non-BT Latency'. When we retested these headphones a couple of weeks ago, we measured 55 ms of latency, which was inconsistent with our previous 115 ms measurement. We decided to wait a bit to retest them again to see if the latency values would be consistent. When retested again, we got an average of 33 ms. This value seems consistent with other SteelSeries headphones. As a result, we have updated our review.

Sound quality is 2nd compared to Razer Nari Ultimate, something is off about its surround sound. (again when compared the Nari Ult.) I cannot accurately pinpoint enemy footsteps especially when within approx. 5m proximity. (with all EQ settings on both headsets being default and flat) The Arctis Pro’s best feature is its digital to analog audio converter designed specifically for gaming. . While most gaming consoles and PCs have their own built-in converters, the Arctis Pro’s included GameDAC will override them as it offers higher quality audio performance. The left ear cup buttons/adjustments are a crime by design like any other headset. But it's better and well defined when compared to Nari. Ult. or VModa Crossfade. (ie. mute button is large and toggle-able) Does the DTS button on the GameDAC improve it? In our tests, it doesn’t really improve this existing 360-degree audio image; at least not in an obvious way. It does, however, act as a compression feature with a high-mid bump that pushes voices to the forefront, makes music sound better, and helps with modern movies with terrible sound mixing. Reach almighty audio levels with the Nova Pro Acoustic System and Premium High Fidelity Drivers enhanced with Sonar Software

How is the microphone on the SteelSeries Arctis Pro?

I can wear this comfortably, securely, and without any wiggle for extended hours(3~4hr and more) all the while the mic is amazing. (that Mic RGB... IS GREAT, and able to show even with the windscreen sponge on)