SteelSeries - Arctis Nova Pro

I love the stealth pro’s and I also have the maxwells. I used to own the wired nova pros and have the epos h6. So these at £600 literally have no appeal to me. Maybe £350 to £400 but at £600 I doubt the sound quality is worth that and appears to just about convenience and features.

If it were me I’d go to eBay and get a set of the wired nova pros or the wireless pros , with a warranty and then buy a set of wicked cushion ear pads and headband . Second option would be a set of razor black shark 2 wired headphones, for 100$ or buy the newer wireless model I believe the v 3 is 160$ and the v4 is 200$ . That my op I’ve had the nova pros for awhile now as a remote guy and they are my go to with the cushions , I still need to upgrade the headband though only thing I haven’t done. Edit : I bought my nova pro used on eBay with the warranty and warranties them when they had an issue . Got a second set and they have been solid

If you want to stay using wired, I would actually recommend the Steelseries nova pro wired. They have great sound stock but also great with wicked cushions. Prior to switching to the nova pro’s I was using a pair of a40tr’s with amp. If you want to jump to wireless you can’t go wrong with the a50’s I recently switch from the nova pro wired to a50x and love the sound and mic quality. For an out of the box suggestion, A good pair of IEM’s for when you don’t want the weight of a headset on your head. Personally I use the Simgot Supermix 4. If you’re on console these are great if you don’t need a mic otherwise you’ll need a USB MIC to go along with it.

Hey man! Firstly, I am happy for you. May I ask something? I just bought Nova Pro Wired a month ago, and they've now released Nova Elite. What I would ask is, is it really worth it after just buying the earlier model? I am a student, so there is no chance I am gonna buy a new one again, but I am just curious. I am coming from G231 so Nova Pro is a real improvement. Although I sometimes feel like G231 had its pros. Anyway, I bought Nova Pro Wired for 170 US dollars (When converted from Turkish Liras), thanks to a discount, so I feel like I am good. I don't know where I am going with this writing so I am stopping.

Don’t listen to any Warzone content creator who talks about audio. They don’t know much about audio, they just go on about a particular headset or audio device, because they’re sponsored by the brand and they’ll never say anything negative about that product. You need to watch reviews by audio guys. Best person to watch is Gadgetry Tech on YouTube. He does proper audio measurements and his channel is purely dedicated for audio and gaming audio. I’m someone who really understands audio and I e been into it for over 30 years and here are some things you really need to know. When choosing an audio product for gaming, firstly you need to know what you want first and how well do you understand audio. Do you want to have amazing audio quality or because it’s gaming as long as it has good enough audio you’re happy? Do you want something that has top tier imaging for directional audio queues i.e. footsteps? I’m guessing you do, because you’ve posted on the Warzone page. Do you want something that you can simply plug and play without worrying about EQ or something you want to be able to make customisations? This also brings the question of what do you game on, console or PC? Don’t want wireless or wired? Thai is important, because years ago I would’ve said wired, as it’s zero latency and better audio quality however, the wireless headset technology has come a long way and nowadays the top wireless gaming headsets have minimal latency and audio quality has improved a lot. If you’re on PC, and you don’t mind using IEM, do some research on top IEM’s for gaming and go for it, and because you’re on PC you can use plenty of EQ programmes. IEM’s will always have the best imaging. If you’re on console, and want a headset you can customise the EQ without the need of a PC and something that’s top tier for FPS games, get eh SteelSeries Nova Pro Wireless. It has really good audio, top tier imaging, and it has a dedicated DAC on which you can make all the customisations you need without the need of a PC, including 10 band EQ and the only time you’ll need a PC for it is when there’s a new software update. There’s also the Nova Pro Wired. If you want the best of the best audio quality in a gaming headset then Audeze Maxwell, but it has mediocre imaging. If you want a gaming headset thats has everything overall and be done with it, i.e. wireless, good audio, really good imaging, good mic, comfortable etc then HyperX Cloud III Wireless, but for me it doesn’t get loud enough. Another good overall headset to consider is Astro A50 Gen 5. Really good audio, very comfortable, great mic, base station on which you can charge the headset as it’s a dock style base station, good enough imaging for most people. There’s also studio headphones to consider if you’re on PC, because they’ll always have better audio quality than gaming headsets.

The Philips SHP9500 was very good a decade ago, but it’s kind of irrelevant with how the technology has advanced. If you want a studio headphone, get closed back. Have a search on YouTube for best wired headphones for gaming or watch Gadgetry Tech. If you want wired, save the money and get the Nova Pro Wired. It has every thing you could possibly want. Audio quality, imaging, DAC, comfort.

I got the wired version of these and have been very happy with the audio quality. A couple minor gripes with software/DAC limitations but overall it was a good upgrade from my HyperX Cloud Orbit S headphones that broke.

I have the Nova Pro Wired, in my opinion they cost way too much for what they offer and don't have ANC (I know some people don't care but to me that's a big minus). The wireless versions have ANC but overall lower sound quality afaik, no clue why the Wired doesn't have it. Also as far as comfort goes they're clamp tight and (this is very subjective) have little room for ears. I upgraded from a Kraken Ultimate set and they feel way worse in most aspects.

Have u tried the nova pro wired? I just ordered one it should arrive tomorrow, but I'm low-key having buyers remorse and doubting if it was the right thing to do. I also have a apex pro tkl gen 2, and a aroax 5 mouse. Which is why I ultimately chose the novas, mainly to only have 1 software open doing it all.

I ended up getting an insane deal on the wired version for just $100—brand new, sealed and everything. The seller got it as a birthday gift but didn’t know how much they’re actually worth. They’re not into over-ear headphones and prefer IEMs, so they just underpriced it lol. Tried it a bit today, and yeah, they’re really good—way better than my old Arctis 3s. Only issue I’m having now is that I use SignalRGB to sync my room’s LED lights with my keyboard and mouse (*don’t have any RGB PC parts*), so it all has a cozy, in-sync vibe. But since I need to use Sonar, I straight-up can’t run SignalRGB at all because it clashes with GG. I was hoping there’d be a workaround, but people have been complaining about this for like three years. I even tried disabling the Prism engine so it wouldn’t control the lights, but SignalRGB still won’t work. It’s honestly so frustrating.

I have the wired nova pro's got them 2 weeks ago, and they are actually amazing, i feel like if your craving better audio that what these headphones give you then your probably in the enthusiest level. can you get better for cheaper? yes 100%, are these forgetting the price an amazing overall package 100%.

I can’t verify this on console but the arctis nova pro on pc , with sonar is incredible . Amazing immersion and the audio is pinpoint on footsteps and their direction  . The only thing better is using artiswar audio Tuning on pc , which will make your game sound like shit but it’s the equivalent to audio wall hacks imho - and probably should be considered cheating .  I’m sick of people cheating constantly on pc , so I’ve switched to a ps5 and sold my 5k dollar gaming rig - I love being able to turn cross play off and only have to deal with strike pack / Cronus type cheats “even though that’s still vile “ it’s nothing compared to blatant wall hacks and aimbot with cross play enabled !

To keep it simple, buy once, cry at the credit bill and then forget because it works well without any BS and as I said below, having capability of receiving both console (wireless) audio AND Bluetooth...literally eye opening plus the mic is great for calling even on the train or out of the gaming den https://steelseries.com/gaming-headsets/arctis-nova-pro?srsltid=AfmBOorpC6BfhfaS6xlaM_e9Ni7Eaard4kcUQp-QoLU8niyBD7wGdUPG No problems, can game audio whilst on phone call and as soon as my end calls my mic switches back yo psn party chat I do have yo unplug and replug the dac because the mic is low sensitivity, but once rebooted, it's back to normal. I cringe, yes, but it's a sony problem The range of wireless and Bluetooth can reach through 3 stories of my house (attic yo kitchen and front door) ANC is nice, not heavy, and mic can be pushed in flush And honestly, the most convenient, literally able to reload the headset battery (2 come with box) and charge in DAC or just USB C to headset I also recommend using USB c to C for the dac. The bandwidth is a noticeable difference

I really enjoy the Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro set I picked up on a open box deal from Amazon for under $200. The GG sonar program allows you to customize every app's sound quality along with a virtual mixer for different games. Batteries are cheap \~ $15 for a 2 pack to double or triple your mAh capactiy (longer play time). It's been awesome for the month i've had mine and is able to connect to xbox/ps5 at the same time as your PC and can have dual-channel audio going on at the same time.

I don't know much about audio, but I did read a few reviews, and the ones I read recommended the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. I have the wired version and I'm able have it plugged into my PS5 and SeriesX and can switch between the two. The sound and mic audio is great. You can't go wrong with it in my opinion.

This is a problem I faced a month ago, my first Xbox and i learned the bad way that you cannot connect anything good directly, you need a DAC approved by Microsoft, I think only the mix/amp (I got it and I could never made it work, no updates available anymore) and the steelseries gen 2 (this is the one that worked for me)… then you can connect anything non-Xbox approved (everything made for Xbox is shit)… then you can connect any headphone… unfortunately the dac itself is about 100 USD… with a very basic iems you will get a much better experience ( around 20 usd) vs any “gaming headphone”… over ear I suggest you go for an open back headphone (maybe kiwi ears altruva) but it would never be close to 50 usd with good quality… you would love the IEMs, it is a game changer vs any gaming headphone you ever tried. I had the Astro a50 and they are awful compared to a 20 usd iem… a good overear headphone made for high quality music will also be a game changer but you will need to invest a bit more… I almost forget, mic is a challenge, you can connect the iem to the controller directly but the mic might not work…. That is why I needed a dac… also consider to do some tuning on Xbox Dolby atmos depending on what you are playing… some IEMs have a very high treble which can be a bit annoying. Chat gpt can make the work for you. Good luck, I wanted a simple wired headphone with a mic and I ended up spending 200 usd to make it work (dac, cheap IEMs, trrs splitter and a boyu mic) … I was that happy that I upgraded immediately to a better IEMs and good over ear headphones

My steelseries nova pro x have been amazing 2 years+ now. This model was designed specifically for xbox and i love them I think they are around $200 now or may be a bit above the 200 range.

To the average casual gamer $600 is a steep price. But if gaming is your main hobby that you do every single day for hours on end and if you game on all three systems then yes, $600 is worth it. This is an endgame headset that will last you multiple console generations. Headsets like Artis Nova Elites and the Astro A50x aren’t meant for everyone. They are for gaming enthusiast who want the best equipment possible.

Arctis Nova Pros are very good, once you update the DAC it even puts a PUBG audio preset on there for you so you don’t have to mess about making your own. I’d avoid Astros completely, they didn’t keep up with the competition. And don’t use Dolby Atmos, it’s ass for PUBG.

I have an Arctis Nova Pro and I'm currently looking to replace it. The DAC knob died **right** out of warranty and only works in one direction, and now, periodically the headset cuts out and just emits a super loud buzzing/white noise until I turn it off and on again. For a $350 headset to last less than 2 years is ridiculous, IMO. Currently testing out a Corsair Virtuoso Max, but idk if I'm gonna stick with it. The audio is fine, but damn is it uncomfortable (at least out of the box.) Was thinking of trying the Kraken 4 pro, but looks like this one isn't great either.

Love turtle beach for their style and how lightweight they are but unfortunately I will forever choose steelseries for their clearcast mics and noise cancellation. As a gamer who uses a mic heavily for online gaming there's a massive difference in mic quality when you are joined up to 5 other players and there's always that one guy with awful mic feedback who will tell you his got a decent gaming headset and everyone tells him to mute. I do love turtle beach as a startup set though. Started my kid on turtle beach before moving them onto steelseries a couple years later. 

I had major issues with nova artic at some point I couldn't even open the GG software app on my pc. Ended up returning it

I have the arctic nova pro but it only works on pc and ps5 ( the version I got anyway) So for my Xbox I use the official Xbox headset and disabled the Dolby/DTS crap and just use stereo uncompressed while adjusting the equalizer to reduce the bass as much as possible. After all that it’s “fine” and gets the job done well.

These still are tuned just as horrifically as the Pro's out the box and require a lot of EQ to both tame the treble up top and also add lower treble and bring forward mids. I think $449 is where this should have landed. Maxwell sounds better and I agree so does the Scape so the premium would be justified for the unique connectivity it offers. If I had to quantify it with a number it sounds 15% better than a Nova Pro.

Yeah I love the Nova Pro as a product but hated it's tuning/sound quality. They screwed this new product up too. Treble is too hot and makes it sound tinny but they've done this for whatever advantage it provides spatially in gaming. What they really should be doing is tuning it to Harman and letting people use the app to adapt it as they please rather than the opposite. I shouldn't have to fix FR dips and overemphasis on a $600 headphone. Scooped mids, lower treble being completely absent along with the 9K spike make them sound like throw away earbuds. https://preview.redd.it/5e0n75p6wmtf1.png?width=1113&format=png&auto=webp&s=4f7e5dd7048c68e39026fe8e152305c5f217a8c0 If this thing actually sounded good it would be end game but I'm just not happy relative to a Maxwell or even a Fio FT1. The big difference between this and a Maxwell is that the Arctis has like 0 sound stage depth, the Maxwell doesn't sound like the drivers are sitting on your ears in comparison (neither are very wide in term of sound stage).

I had an arctic nova pro, and switched to Audeze Maxwell. The Arctic Nova was good, but after switching the sound and build quality is night and day with the Maxwell, it’s so much better. The battery lasts over 70 hours as well. Default sound settings aren’t great, but an easy Google search has people sharing much better settings which really brings the sound quality out. It’s usually around $300, but you can find them for sale around $250 every now and then, if you’re willing to stretch you budget a bit.

Arctics nova pro should sound really good, I had arctics pro’s and people were telling me the exact same thing quite often.

So this means 3 sources when you count in BT? I ask because I currently use my Arctic Nova Pro's for work and play. Being able to hook up one more source would be nice. How about battery life? Any different from the Pro's?

This is cap... With proper EQ settings and NO SONAR, you can get the Pro's to vibrate on your ears with bass if you want. SONAR for me would limit or mute bass drops which in the beginning was maddening and I almost returned them (sonar settings I went through for days with no resolution). Once I got rid of SONAR, the muted bass was also removed. You can also use Nvidia Broadcast to improve the mic to semi professional levels. SONAR is just garbage to me. It seemed to limit the Pro's. I use the Pro's 10 hours a day just about everyday for 2 years and no issues with build quality. I can appreciate HiFi though and hate distortion. I wonder how much of a difference there actually is to double the price.

Just picked mine up. Putting Arctic Nova Pro in my room with my other Pro. Do these have side tone? I downloaded the app but don’t see anything there. I love how comfy these are. Barely feel them in my head.

I use a steelseries arctics nova. I got it fairly recently (like a month ago) and i can hear the smallest of sounds when I play pretty darn well. It's also fairly lite weight and has a long battery life.

I bought my Nova Pros a few months ago. When paired with thoer sonar software they are the best headset in have owned

I use Arctis Nova Pros with the PUBG profile I end up hearing everything well before my whole team and in exactly the right direction, it's insane!

Best headset for PC on the market. Have it too. Only reason I use my nova pros is cause the dual BT mode. Otherwise the Maxwell's are king!

When in doubt: Steelseries. They have not let me down yet. I personally use the arctis nova Pro, but the Arctis Nova 7 should be within budget.

The Nova Pros are great, but honestly my experience has been so much better with an attachable mic. And regular Sennheiser headphones.

My advice? Don't buy a gaming headset. Get a great pair of "audiophile" headphones, and a boom mic with it. I had the Steelseries Artic Nova Pros (Great phones), but then I got this recommendation from someone. When I did it, I had no reason to keep the Artics. The sound from Sennheiser was just so much better, and was even cheaper for me. I bought the openback Sennheiser HD 560S, and a V-MODA BoomPro X Microphone. My friends tell me my audio is very clear. If you don't take my recommendation, you can't go wrong with the Artics, and they have some great features, but truthfully you're overspending unless you really need them completely wireless like you said. I plug my headset into my controller so it's a non-issue. EDIT: I got the 560S, not 660S as previously mentioned.

Astro A50X the guy above me was referring to i personally didnt like them. The nova pros where not bad but ive moved to the audeze maxwell now I lost dual audio but the sound is amazing.

I came to say, after trying these and my pros back to back while gaming. The Elite is crazy good. But the price is also crazy.

I did end up returning them and don't regret it. I searched a lot of the forums and tried a few things but ended up switching to the arctis nova pro set which I quite enjoy

Maybe if you only game that’s extra steep. But my nova pros are both my work, streaming AND gaming headphones. These new one actually fix all the pain points I have with my pros. So definitely worth it in my eyes. I’ll buy them in a few years when my pros break

Steel Series arctis nova pro are the best I’ve ever owned. Hot swappable batteries recharge in the wireless broadcaster. Sound is fantastic and they are very comfortable.

Would avoid all of them and go for cloud 3 wireless or atlas air, Steelseries arent that great their headsets sound mid and quality even more so. I tried 7x and Nova Pros and disliked both of them. Cloud3 wireless much better around 99

I returned the nova pros, they hurt my ears after 20 minutes.... found the Delta 2s, amazing comfort.

Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro. There is no substitute.

I have it, mic is absolutely fine, and is one of the best headsets I have used for competitive games, especially when pared with sonar. Sometimes headsets have a bunch of useless features that you use once and forget about. The Nova Pro has a bunch of really useful stuff. I would recommend getting it with the Game DAC (idk if it comes without it).

I have 2 consoles but mainly game on pc , i want a headset that i dont need to switch a dongle , has anc , swappable batteries , which is why i have the nova pros , If these are just better nova pros then i will either save a bit and get them or bday / xmas gift These high end products are not big sellers but alot of people will pay an extra hundo or 2 to get something higher end they would use for years

On the Arctis Nova Pro's, my phone connects to the headset, not the base. What model connected to the base?

ooh! Missed that. I can't do without simultaneous bluetooth anymore. Boggles my mind that the Audeze Penrose had it and the Maxwell does not. I did like the Penrose, but quality of life features were so much better on the Nova Pro. Wish I could get all the quality of life things, better range, and the sound quality of the Audeze in one package...

Situationally dependent I'd say. Something that changed my perspective on it greatly is the realization that I spend more time interacting with my headset than virtually anything else in my life. Something like 70-80 hours a week between work and entertainment. So why wouldn't I make sure I have the most comfortable, most useful tool for that job, whatever the cost? Not saying the Nova Elite is that mind you. I don't think they improved the wireless range at all - which is heartbreaking. I really like my Nova Pro headset - except the wireless range sucks and so does the ANC. If the Elites were dramatically better in both, I'd drop the $600 and not think twice about it. But there is no way the sound quality alone makes any difference that I'd notice.

Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro, no question. Edit: if you can stretch your budget the Audeze Maxwell are insane.

I bought these. Absolute crap and will never buy Steel series again.

I have owned many, just went from the artic pro to the nova pro, which I gave the old one to my wife. Works with everything, never bugs, sounds awesome, comfortable - and the cherry on top is the swapable batteries. You can stream audio from two devices at the same time, like from phone bluetooth and the pc receiver. Need an aux entry or usb-c? Got that too. Thing is just incredible.

It works with my switch, pc and phone. I dont own an Xbox and playstation. I think you can find your answer online. The back of the nova dock has two usb-c inputs and an aux. There's a lot of versions of the headset but the latest is the nova pro and that should work with all the platforms.

If swapping batteries is too hard for you, you probably struggle with a lot of things lol

If you are looking at a headset primarily for competitive reasons it has to be the Maxwells or Nova Pros from this list. I’d say the maxwells are the better headset overall but the imaging on the Nova Pros is some of the best you can get. I understand the turtle beach stealth pros are the best purely for imaging but they are kind of a one trick pony.

The HD6XX requires a decent amplifier, it’s also not intended for or great at positional accuracy (footstep tracking). It’s great at many things but definitely not even in my top 10 if competitive gaming is my use case. I’d recommend you try the Audeze Maxwell, Astro A50 or the Arctis Nova Pro if competitive gaming is the priority.

Well what do you want? Sound leak prevention? Best sound? Headset wise I would go steel series arctis nova pro If you want high quality sound with perfect sound isolation I would go IEMs and a standalone mic.

It’s a usb headset mic, it’s the same as almost any other flagship headset. There is a reason most pros use IEMs not a bulky headset btw.

Second this, no more fucking around with cables when the battery is low is a godsend. The noise cancellation is excellent as well.

Imo the best gamee headphones on the market rn is arctic nova pros I'm not gonna list everything about them but it is really customizable has great design and comes with a deck that works it bunch of stuff

Arctic pro is an old model arctis nova pro is better

I have nova pros and can only use them gaming. Sound is not good enough for music imo.

Bought Steel Series Arctis Nova Pro. They feel well balanced for every game I’ve played. Also can add presets on the app.

Yeah the sonar software for nova pro. I have the arctis 5 for PlayStation and use the app on mobile.

Had them, returned them. Getting up between game sessions to go downstairs, the headphones would do loud, awful "pops" and "cracks" in your ear, probably well into harmful decibel levels. My Astro A50's never did that, no matter how far I was from the base station. The sound on them was good, but outside of the cracks/pops, I had issues with the comfort and the software being pretty useles. The base station had good features, but that's about it. These were one of the headphones I tried that I absolutely do not udnerstand the hype around, and was severely let down.

Hard disagree - apart from the better mic I returned mine. Not enough of a value proposition here to warrant the price increase from the pros. Perhaps if they looked into planarmagnetic I could put away my Audeze as my go to set of cans. Use the pros for console exclusively.

Artics Nova Pro - you won’t regret it

For $600… I bought modded hd 8xx’s, which are basically the best gaming headphones money can buy. For an extra $50, I got a modmic… I can’t quite describe how much better sound wise they would be in comparison. I used them for a year, then sold them and got all my money back (because good wired headphones keep their value), switching to a 560s with inline mic for simplicity ($175 total). Both of these will have much better sound quality, particularly for gaming, than this. I’ve owned (and returned) the nova pro btw. The incredibly mediocre sound is what led me down the rabbit hole to find the 560s. If you need the wireless features… yes they are dang convenient and super useful. But then get the nova pro on sale. The nova elite seems to be the better sounding and better built nova pro… but they still won’t be better than audiophile stuff for gaming or music at a fraction of the price. Maybe the noise cancellation is much improved… that could be compelling. But I haven’t heard they made a huge improvement there.  So if you need the sweet wireless stuff… and don’t want the audeze Maxwell, but want better sound quality than the nova pro, and don’t care about the price, then yes, I can see how they are cool. And if that’s you? Amazing, seriously, enjoy them (probably wait for a sale though). But for everyone else… if you really care about sound quality and don’t 100% need the wireless stuff… I implore you to look at wired audiophile options… they really are shockingly better than what the vast majority of current wireless headsets provide

I got steele series arctis nova pro X. Within 1 month three of my friends bought the same headset because they could tell i had such a strong hearing advantage

I have the nova pros and love them

Im always away from home so its nice i can be connected to the pc and to my phone through Bluetooth to talk to the wife without having my airpod in my ear under the headset and still hear the game

To me, yes. I never have them full volume. No problems yet after about a year

J ai aussi les pro et viens de recevoir les Élite, ils ne sonnent pas du tout comme les pros. Ils sont largement meilleurs. J entend des sons que je n entendais pas avant avec les pros, surtout dans les scène intenses.

I can share some insight on choosing the nova over the maxwell. I did not choose the Elite, but the pro. In fact, when I purchased my pro, I did not know the elite existed. But at the 600 price tag it would not have made a difference.  The reason I returned my maxwell is simple: weight and bulk. They're huge and heavy. I have chronic lower back issues that my mid and upper back compensate for.  The maxwells did sound incredible, but they were so heavy they would make me very sore after an extended gaming session. Also, they caused a hotspot right at the midpoint of the leather strap on the top of my skull. They are also very bulky to consider for a mixed use that's 80% gaming at home-20% travelling for work, where I don't use them for gaming but listening to music and seminars for work. So I chose the nova pro for the much lower weight, and honestly didn't lose much that's noticeable in terms of quality. The comfort is night and day, I could wear those in any context. I'm not an audiophile and I can't tell the difference most of the time. Also, my previous headset was the asus rog strix go, which was average at best.  Shave 200g from the maxwells and I would have kept them gladly. 

Arctis Nova Pro. Although I would go for the wireless version. It's a life changer.

Same mine started making a weird buzzing noise and it randomly cuts out and my batteries last like two hours instead of 5-6 hours like when I first got it. I actually gave mine to a family member so I’m going to need a replacement. I might just go back my good ol arctis pro wireless, what I had before this Nova pro crap. I was so excited when I heard steel series was coming out with a new wireless headset to replace the Arctis pro, and then the nova pro happened and I bought it and I was seriously unimpressed and was sad I sold my arctis pro wireless to make of for the funds I spent on the nova pro

I tried the Pros, 7x, and 5x - kept the 5x. For the money VERY little difference in sound quality, IMO. I paid $118 just a few days ago.

Incredible set of cans, Ive had the nova pros, a50x and the stealth pros. These are better than all of those.

Best feature of these is the 2 batteries. You never have to worry about charging them if you keep the one in the dock. Have had mine for like 3-4 years. Replaced the strap a couple times and replacing earphones now. Not expensive and easy to do. I use them 3-4 hours a day so they got lot of wear. 

The batteries are also commonly used in other electronics. After 3 years one of mine didn’t hold a charge as long anymore. Not sure if defect or wear and tear. Anywho, I got a 2 pack of new aftermarket batteries for like $15 and they work great! 

HD6XX from drop if you’re in the US, you’d need a mic but they sound amazing. I had the arctis nova pro though and in terms of plug and play they’re pretty great,

What's the point of a mic if you're just playing single player? Anyway, arctis nova pro's are a must. They're the best on the market, mic isn't the best but almost all are ass anyway, I got a modmic to compensate for it

I’ve been wildly impressed with my arcs nova pro

+1 for Arctis. I grabbed the Arctis nova pro this year after returning other premium headsets and love it. Grab the 3rd party cushion upgrades and he will be in heaven

Steelseries headsets are pretty good and usually have a decent discount. I think the Nova Pros have something ridiculous like ~$140 off. Best deal you’re going to get though is whenever they drop accommodations. I managed to get the Corsair Void v2s right after they came out for half-off. Not the greatest gaming headset out there but very good for under $70.

I have the Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro and love them. Great sound and a fairly good mic. They just released the Elite, which I considered upgrading to myself, but the current Xbox wouldn't be able to take advantage of that. It might be worth it if you also play on PC.

Disagree, these sounded worse for me than the pros, maybe it’s a fit difference? Def not worth the 250 price jump though. Ended up returning these and going back to my pros.

Disagree, these sounded worse for me than the pros, maybe it’s a fit difference? Def not worth the 250 price jump though. Ended up returning these and going back to my pros.

$600 is wild. The Arctis Nova Pro is a great headset.

Cloud 3s are kind of a downgrade. A lot of people say they don't feel or sound as good as the cloud 2. I'd say go with another pair of Cloud 2s honestly. Unless you're wanting to venture into something new. Here's my advice on the current lineup of headphones from major companies * Blackshark v2 Pro. Great headset, however, the build design has several flaws. Figure they will last you a year or 2 at most before something breaks on it physically. Just sucks that the sound quality is great, but the actual materials and how they're built are bad * Logitech GPW Wireless. Great headset, a little heavy compared to the competition but still comfortable. Sound quality is a little less than the Blacksharks V2 pros, but still great. Personally, I recommend this pair if you can find them for $150. * Corsair....just don't bother. The software is atrotious and the sound quality is meh at best. * Audeze Maxwell. The best of the best in wireless gaming headsets. You're getting superior sound quality. They're decently comfortable, but my god they're expensive. Think the cheapest I've seen them is $350. * Steelseries Nova series. Personally, I've only used the Nova Pros which are $300. Great headset, however, not for big heads. I would not recommend for 1 reason though, the software can act up sometimes, but not as bad as Razer Synapse. I've never used the Cloud series headphones, but I've only heard good things about the Cloud 2, and that the Cloud 3 aren't as good.

It’s a good headset, the mic is shit, and i prefer the sound of the Astros. Some people might prefer the sound profile of the steel series but not me

Sad to see that the hinge is probably going to break at these too!

It's almost as if someone wants more MONEEYYY.

The issue was always that the metal meets a plastic part so the plastic tears by time.

Common issue. Some say never to put the headphones on while holding the cups because it puts strain on the place where the plastic cups meet the steel bar. Instead always stretch the metal bar and hold it so the cups aren't stressed. The design is shitty and it will break in time.

Gaming headphones are for comfort primarily IMO. The Arctis Nova Pro is the most comfortable set of headphones I've ever tried out on, the Nova 7 was very close and way cheaper. I've listened to Staxx headphones, and currently have analog "audiophile" denons, and have had many Sennheisers. I've heard very expensive audio setups, specifically with headphones primarily. Are the Sens more accurate than the Arctis Novas? Sure. Do the Denons have better bass and treble? Sure. But the Arctis can be EQd to sound similar enough to preference. But for simplicity, and being able to instantly pair wirelessly with any device, with near no delay or noticeably audio quality degradation, yeah I'll choose convenience and overall ease or comfort. Lol man some people on here. Sure pal, go have fun hooking up a Modmic to a PS5 and wire it to your headphones. Inevitably you'll stand up and yank that wire out or off and damage something. If your on PC, then yeah you have a lot more options. But any modern console, convenience wins all.

Very happy with the Arctis Nova Pro’s on the PS5. Highly recommended.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro. Best headphones I've ever used.

Are you talking about Nova Pros? Although still quite decent, Arctis Pros do not have hot-swap batteries nor ANC.

Um no, Pro Wireless comes with 2 batteries but turns off when you switch batteries, Nova Pro stays on for a few secs while you change batteries, hence hot-swap.

second this, best one i’ve ever had

The hinge AND the the connector point is metal now and not plastic. Doesnt hurt to do some basic research, especially from people who own them before just spreading information because you're butthurt

artic nova pro’s (steel series) expensive BUT lordy they are amazing, can EQ them , very comfortable and they have batteries that are interchangeable so when you’re not constantly running out of juice for your gaming 😃 also, they go over the PSVR2 very comfortably and the build quality is great unlike the absolutely horrendous ELITE headphones by sony 😂😂

artic nova pros, steel series. EASILY the best headphones i’ve ever owned.

for the most part, i’ve got a sonos beam as my sound output when i’m not using my steel series artic nova pros. i’m covered on both fronts 😂

Second this, been using for about 2 years now, absolutely love them

He the nova pros. They’re the nicest looking gaming headset on the market and sound great. Also really comfortable for long sessions. Best headset I’ve owned

The Nova pro is honestly junk. Maxwell sounds amazing but lacks some of the features. Fractal Scape is great. So is the cloud III S wireless. (not the III wireless). The cloud alpha 2 wireless also is promising.

SteelSeries artic Nova pros, had them for a year and went from hardstuck plat to d3 in like 2 months.

So how does this work vs the Pro? I’ve bought that for 180€ on a sale and I’m happy about it, I don’t know what steelseries has possibly added to justify this diabolical price, their hardware ain’t even close on audiophiles experience… The only + side I’m seeing is having 3 inputs by usb vs the pro, because that has BT too and on sale saves you half an iPhone or Samsung flagship…

Steelseries hardware is very sadly known to mess up firmware, they’ve replaced my keyboard twice and headset once, because the dial on my dac stopped working + side… it only went insta 0-100% But stock hardware is pretty good, my novas pro set me back €180 and using them for 3 years now after Logitech went rogue on me saying my mechanical keyboard chattering was not covered by warranty

It also depends on if he’s playing on a console or not. A lot of people in here are recommending high quality regular headphones, which is ideal. But unfortunately if your boyfriend is playing on a console, a lot of these options might not be great because they don’t have mics and, as of now, consoles don’t support external microphones. I play on Xbox and I have the Steelseries arctis nova pros and they’ve been amazing. They’re a bit pricey but they come with 2 batteries and a charging station/dock that tells you where your volume slider is, battery level, etc

Nova pro's aren't that deep. The nova 7s were better for me. However the blacks hark v2 or v3 pro should be plenty deep for you.

Does the mic extend farther out than on the nova pros? I feel like the mic on the pros stops a couple of inches short which makes it so that my mic doesn’t always pick up everything I say or I have to jack up the sensitivity too high.

Yea I have the cloud 2 Kingston. I’ve tried the seinheisser hd560s and the steel series Arctis nova pro. Both of which are double the price but imo sound worse than the cloud 2. I am on console pubg.

I'm using the Arctis 9X (including a Dolby Atmos license). First on Xbox, which was fine, but on PC it sometimes has a little cracking sound because of the Xbox wireless protocol. Went and bought the Nova Pro, but in terms of sound quality it was almost the same to me. So for me, it's not worth the 300 dollar price tag. However, if you're using a budget headphone now, I think it's worth the investment!

I’ve been using arctis 9x for a few years, love them, but when it’s time replace I’m going nova pro’s. The 9x was a huge step up years ago, and i got several friends now who use them

I bought a pair but returned them as the boom mic wasn’t picking up voice properly. Even without sonar the boom mic was barely hitting 10% volume with default settings… I’m assuming it was defective. The ear mic was working fine. Even spent time with support but they weren’t very helpful.

Steel Series Artics Nova Pro are amazing! With an extra battery included you will never run out.

If you have the budget, Steelseries Arctis Nova Pro (Wired or Wireless). Just got it in replacement of my aging Siberia V2 and couldn’t be happier.

Any issues with white noise using ANC? With my Elite, there is a noticeable white noise/buzzing sound on medium and high ANC setting. On low setting it's dead silent. Stock pads. I see others saying the same thing but some say it's quiet. Just asking various owners to try and figure out if I got a defective unit.

Picking up a second set today. 😁

No they are charging $600 for a different color. 🙄🤦

Yep. I returned mine. 'Better' than the Pros, sure, but honestly not that impressed especially because I own other headphones and headsets that sound better just with less features.

Best gaming headsets from my personal experience are: • Razer - BlackShark V2 Pro (Best Mic Quality) • SteelSeries - Nova Pro (If you’re gonna spend the money for this headset you might as well get the Astros) • Logitech - Astro A50x (Best Overall)

I had a *connected* set of Audeze Penrose that *connected* would constantly lose connection *connected* every couple minutes or so and it would drive me *connected* bananas. I ended up buying a Steel Series Nova Pro and never looked back. Not a fan of this brand.

U rather pay px8 than nova elite? Px8 is not even that good to ever justify their asking price, and compare nova elite, px8 doesn't even have half of the features that nova elite has. Don't get me wrong, anything audio over 600 is pushing it, as bathys tester, would never pay that kinda money for such a niche extra performances after you are given chance to have any headphones(almost), when compare to value, nova elite just straight rekt any bt "hifi" market with their features alone...

Hi there, I literally JUST changed out my Steelseries Arctis 7 this week, so this post caught my eye. I am assuming by your budget, that you are using the wired version. I am using the wireless version. But I loved my Arctis 7's, they had just gotten aged with wear and tear so it was time to replace. I stayed with Steelseries (since I also have an Apex Pro keyboard and am used to the driver software now), and I went with the Arctis Novo Pro. I couldn't be happier, I love them. I instantly heard a difference in them over my Arctis 7s. Like, instantly, I heard differences in the surround field that I had not been hearing in the 7s, and in the first game I brought up I was hearing ambient sounds that I have never heard before, same game, no changes other than switching from the 7 to the Novo Pro. Just thought I'd let you know my experience since I had steelseries also.

Just got these too since my Nova 7x broke. They sound amazing, and I'm not fussed about the price since, like you said, it will get used a ton. Pretty good with movies. Music is excellent. Were you able to connect to the Arctis app? I can't get it to connect, I have a ticket with their support team going.

Nuts. Must be an issue where the app needs an update. Curious what their support team ends up telling me.

iPhone 17? They told me there’s a known issue with the 17. Can’t connect to Windows either. So I’m close to asking for warranty replacement in case I got a dud.

I just picked up steelseries arctis nova pros, but tarkov audio sucks so just pick your budget and do your research to find what the best headset is in that range

"far more control" How so? I've had both the Nova Pro and Arctis Nova Pros, the new software is awful (SteelSeries GG is shit compared to the old software, they took away a load of customisation & control), and these don't use anything different, right? So saying "far more control" just sounds like shilling to me, when it's the same as what I'm using (which is bad). I'd also need to hear what the bass sounds like, as in both of my SteelSeries headsets, the bass is awful, and I kind of doubt that's going to change based on the fact a lot of their changes seem to be a bit backwards (and the stats look the same on their site, but maybe the carbon fibre is better?) The microphone also has worse sensitivity than the Arctis Nova Pro which seems a bit weird for a nearly 2x cost. The mic on the Pros is also definitely not "studio" quality, not sure where you got that from, and this new one is possibly worse in some ways. Looking at the audio drivers stats on the SteelSeries website, the Elites are actually possibly worse, and at best about equal with the Pros. The Elites list the wired & wireless frequencies, whereas the Pros only list 1 frequency, which means they either missed that on the Pro description or the Elites have a worse wireless freq response than the Pros... Basically, the only actual difference I can see between the 2 products realistically would be that the drivers are made out of brass + carbon fibre rather than neodymium. Seems possibly like a case of "make minor change, put premium colours on it, charge twice the price".

"far more control" How so? I've had both the Nova Pro and Arctis Nova Pros, the new software is awful (SteelSeries GG is shit compared to the old software, they took away a load of customisation & control), and these don't use anything different, right? So saying "far more control" just sounds like shilling to me, when it's the same as what I'm using (which is bad). I'd also need to hear what the bass sounds like, as in both of my SteelSeries headsets, the bass is awful, and I kind of doubt that's going to change based on the fact a lot of their changes seem to be a bit backwards (and the stats look the same on their site, but maybe the carbon fibre is better?) The microphone also has worse sensitivity than the Arctis Nova Pro which seems a bit weird for a nearly 2x cost. The mic on the Pros is also definitely not "studio" quality, not sure where you got that from, and this new one is possibly worse in some ways. Looking at the audio drivers stats on the SteelSeries website, the Elites are actually possibly worse, and at best about equal with the Pros. The Elites list the wired & wireless frequencies, whereas the Pros only list 1 frequency, which means they either missed that on the Pro description or the Elites have a worse wireless freq response than the Pros... Basically, the only actual difference I can see between the 2 products realistically would be that the drivers are made out of brass + carbon fibre rather than neodymium. Seems possibly like a case of "make minor change, put premium colours on it, charge twice the price".

I feel as a Steelseries user, I need to elaborate on this. Some big issues with their headsets and 1 positive 1. The sound quality is cheap and nothing like any review states. I've had my Arctis Nova Pro's for around 1.5 years. I had a pair of $150 Sony headphones that sounded 100% better than the Nova Pro's. Nova Pro's are $400 headset up in Canada and they sound like a pair of $100 headphones. 2. There seems to be some issues with connection every once in a while. Gets all blurbly and static at times. Very disturbing and distracting while playing. 3. The quality build on the Nova Pro's is great. I threw them once time across the room very hard and they didn't break at all. So they get a very very good durability score.

These are over your budget, but they have really good Sound quality, comfort is superb and battery life is great - Turtle beach stealth pro wireless - Steel Series arctis nova pro - Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED - Audeze maxwell. These are HEAVY so you need to try them. I have them and they are simply amazing, but for some people they are too heavy and thus does not feel good when used in long seasions.

I received mine yesterday and played some COD BO6 and BO7 beta. I also played some BF 2042 in anticipation for BF6. Yea the price is high but these Elite's are the real deal.. I have them connected to a PS5 Pro and a Switch 2. They work, and sound great on both systems.. I previously had Audeze LCD GX ($800) when I had my PC and these sound just as good as they did.. No joke! While waiting on delivery, I ordered Wicked Cushions for them and man, these things are lightweight and super comfortable.. The build quality is superb and appears to be mostly metal on the failure points.. Footsteps in COD was amazing and all the chaos in BF 2042 was amazing and stunning.. Great headset that pricey... It's a premium headset at a premium price..

SteelSeries artic nova pros. Had the Astros before that and they were nice too

The only reason I kept my Nova Pro's over the Maxwell's was simultaneous Bluetooth. Well, and the swappable batteries, what a game changer.

How is the sidetone on the Elites? I have the Nova Pro's and I feel nobody even remembers what the sidetone was. At launch the sidetone was very good, then they updated the set and almost completely nuked the sidetone performance. I think it had something to do with the ANC, but essentially after the firmware update, full sidetone was maybe the same as the lowest sidetone setting before the update. I ended up returning the set, re purchasing and NEVER updating them. I'm still using that set since they launched and have never updated them. I repurchased last year and updated the new set, and the sidetone was still barely there compared to my original set. I returned the new ones and stayed with my none updated ones. Wondering how the sidetone is with the Elites if you're a guy who likes a strong sidetone.

My Nova Pro's are 2 years old and have small cracks on each side by the hinge. They probably wont make it to year 3

Received the elites today and I had both dacs plugged in to my PC, elite and nova pro wireless. With the same flat EQ in sonar and then a custom eq from GadgetryTech for the nova pros which I used on both headsets to compare. Build quality, really nice and stable. They don't move around on my head and they seem to stay in place better than the nova pros but I've had those for a year or so now so they may have loosened up by now. The sound profile on the elite has a bit more detail but I also feel the audio overall feels "muffled" or not as vibrant. I think this may be due to the earcups and how much snugger they feel compared to the nova pros. The nova pros even on flat EQ sound more open and surrounding than the elites as if the soundstage seems louder while the elites have more detail in certain areas of music like low/high notes and cleaner vocals and a bit better bass. I kept going back and forth between the two with music and I could get used to the elites but I dunno at the same volume level the nova pros felt a notch louder. I think this may be since they don't seal as good? ANC is definitely better on the elites. I still need to try GadgetryTech's EQ for the elites and if I get some time I'll try them with battlefield 6. So at this point I'm thinking I'll return them. I guess I was expecting to be more impressed. If I had never had the nova pros I'd probably keep them as I do need the versatility and simultaneous Bluetooth and PC connection which the pros also offer. Also I noticed a weird thing with the elites DAC, it doesn't turn off when I turn off my PC. Even when plugged into the same USB port I used for the nova pros. The nova pro DAC turns off a couple of seconds after my PC is shut down. For some reason the elite DAC stays on so I unplugged it. Not sure if it's a bug or what but I didn't expect this behavior.

I've got arctic 5s.... probably owned for 5 years. My kid has them now and they've taken a beating.... still mint. My buddies arctic 1 went at least over 5 years. I don't know beyond that, as it got passed on to ppl hard up on cash. My Nova pros 2 years strong so far.... debating doing something to use warranty for new pair, cuz I'm not sure i want to risk a faulty set, even though I've had great luck.

My nova pros are still going strong, and I’m happy with them. That said, you do you, and I respect that, but 600 for Steelseries would be a hard pass for me. It’s not about being steep, but what is available in that price range. That’s me though, and as long as you’re happy that’s all that matters. As for longevity, same experience with turtle beach, though one year, just outside of warranty for me, and same issues with my lucidsound ls50x.

I had an Arctic Pro Wireless and it was just fine, but the Nova Pro has those issues too. Still love the features and the in headset Bluetooth audio mixing which is why I still use it

I own the nova pro and the plastic around the boom arm is peeling. I was thinking of replacing / upgrading, but feel thst 600 is super expensive and I paid around 350 with coupon for the nova pro on release direct from steelseries. Would you say the fractal scape is equal or better than the nova pro? Or should I stick with the nova pro until the boom arm gives out? Other than that they are in great condition. I do hate that I need to swap out the USB when I connect to PC

Nice! Get mine tomorrow and can’t wait. I had the nova pros and wasn’t too impressed. Have the Astro a50x which are great but I find them uncomfortable. Out of curiosity which color did you go with? I typically go with black on any headset but I went with sage and gold this time. Hoping not to regret the color.

Sam love them and you can add custom EQs for what game your playing

I have the artist Nova pro and it's been amazing works with computer and Xbox too love it 🔥

I've been using the ss arctis nova pros. The 350 monsters, I'm going back to the cloud3 now that the s is released. They just sound more precise with fps. Make sure you update the firmware and eq using negenutiy. My cloud 3s are best sounding headset I've ever tried tbh.

This is what I have too and I’m very happy with my purchase.

I moved from Arctis 9X to Nova Pro. I'm using this neutral EQ (with bass boosted, both 31 and 62Hz at +3dB): https://i.rtings.com/assets/pages/6NAt1PKy/custom-eq-engine-large.jpg

I just got the nova arctis pro after researching this at length. Must say I am satisfied.

As someone who also purchased these. Sounds exactly the same as nova pros. Save your money. Also cant figure out how to get Dolby atmos to work for battlefield. Sonar doesnt work properly

I'm so hesitant. I bought the Arctis Nova Pros, they sound great when things are playing but at low volume there is such a horrible hiss. I gave them to my stepdad, he loves them. Really let me down

I returned my A50s when I got the series X. I don’t know why they got rid of the optical port. Arctis Nova Pros have been solid for me since.

So for the extra $300 you get wicked ear cushions and better EQ settings? I already have that on my Pros.

Got them. They're good. Ask anything. :D

To respond further, the Nova Elite is NOWHERE near as comfortable to wear as the Nova Pro Wireless, due to the simple fact that the clamping pressure is far greater on the Elite. The Nova Pro feels like putting on a loose fitting glove, it's so comfy. The Elite isn't in the same league here, and I don't understand why it has to be so darn tight fitting.

I strongly disagree, I’ve had both and the Nova Pros were noticeably better, I exclusively play COD SnD.

Fully agree. I wouldn't recommend these headphones for the price to anyone who doesn't have a lot of value in the unique features it offers, but damn do they deliver.

They dont require Sonar. I have the pros and totally disabled sonar on my pc.

Im really curious about these. Im going to try to find some side by side reviews. I have the pros and 350 was a tad high for them. They are good tho. However I cant picture what tehy could possibly upgrade to make these worth 250 more.

I use Arctis Nova Pro. The USB DAC they include allows for seamless switching between consoles or PC. The best part of the headset is the batteries. The DAC has a slot to charge one battery while you use the other. Takes about 20 seconds to swap out. You can also use Bluetooth at the same time. They are pricey but man are they awesome!

I use SteelSeries Pro and love them. Little expensive though.

Ive had both the new astro a50x and the steelseries pro. Astros sound quality is by far better, but i hated that I had to connect all my devices to an hdmi switch so I stayed with the steelseries. They aren't my favorites but after dropping 200 dollars each in headsets that retail over 350 that dont have a direct connection to my console it was starting to get frustrating. I also heard mixed reviews about the audeze so never got them.

Iv had so many headsets cheap 10$ ones to 350$+ ones and to be honest none compared in comfortability and sound quality to my 50$ Astro A10s. I have Stealth 700 gen 2 rn and before these I had steel series pros and I still think the A10s are better in every way besides the wire.

Had Astro a50’s for years and years and swore by them. Got these and they have way better audio quality, better features etc. the kids and highs are so crispy and clean you can hear tiny details that I never heard on the Astro’s. Since they are closed back the sound stage isn’t mind blowing but it works well and you still get great depth

I had no luck finding a decent all pink headset. But I really love my current headset. I have the Steelseries Arctis Nova in white! You can swap out some of the white parts with pink accessories they sell. Like [this](https://steelseries.com/gaming-accessories/nova-booster-pack?color=rose-quartz). You can also buy replacement ear cups from third parties that are pink in color!

I'd stick with the standard Arctis line, not the Novas imho. there's not a lot between two two, I think Novas as slightly lighter, but their headband wasn't as comfortable. They felt cheaper too. Plus whatever they did to the mic, wasn't as good as my original Arctis 7's. The entire soundstage wasn't as good in fact. I refunded mine to get the Pro wireless, which has its own issues tbf and I honestly considered going back to the standard Arctis 7's, or 9's.

They’re comfy and do their job well. A bit pricey tho

Are you still enjoying them as much? How fast do they recharge if they run out? I use my headphones quite a bit and one of the best things I find with the arctis novas is I can just fast swap the battery, but I'd love having a smaller (and portable) solution in general.

Steel Series Arctis Novas are always a solid choice. The band on the headset makes it the most comfortable over others.

I just bought mine and have used it for a few days. I find when the EQ is adjusted with 3D audio turned off on PS5 for headphones they work very nice. I wear glasses and I can get a nice comfortable position as well I have a MacBook so can’t use Sonar :(. But using GG engine I used another Reddit user settings and find them very good. The mic is very nice and sounded good to my son when we played Borderlands 3. https://preview.redd.it/f4wnagbqsk1e1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8cd369f953847fe916700602e2cb606d1d56604 The above is another user from Reddit. These are the settings I am using. He suggested turning off 3D audio due to artifact it causes in the sound signature.

any steelseries headset, preferably arctis nova

Make sure to try on a headset that has a web across the top so it's not hard plastic on the top of your head. I have the steelseries arctis novas and they're so much more comfortable than my previous pair.

Problem with this headset is no chat/game mid wheel like the old arctis 7. You have to use their software to balance it now. Old Arctis 7 is the best headset I’ve ever owned. The nova line lacks their best feature (chat/game mix wheel) and feels cheaper than the OG Arctis. Only positive over the OG is USB-C charging. Overall the nova line is fine, but I would not tell anyone that they need to buy this headset like I used to with the OG.

Drop the edition xs and audeze maxwells; those don’t precise imaging particularly well. Not sure about the mmx330 pro. The 560s and dt900 are both great picks. The nova pro/nova 7 are good on the wireless side. Toss in the turtle beach stealth pros for that as well. The hd490 pros are like the 560s but built better. The hd550 are like the 560s but better as an all-rounder. A good amount of treble is kinda a requirement for good imaging; those are the frequencies that carry almost all of the directional information.

Yes. Headset with amazing sound stage for 3d audio is incredibly detailed and immersive. Try a 3d audio game with any set of headphones you might have lying around. (I use an old set of fairly chunky hi-fi headphones). Buying a new headset I concur with other people who said Arctis steelseries with the 40mm "Nova" drivers. I honestly thought they would be a bit rubbish, at least a step down from the previous 50mm in bass. But wow, they're surprisingly good. I have a sort of neckband thing for VR racing, it feels like a HANS device and gives a sort of personal bubble of surround sound. It's a bit of a unique case, but I picked it up cheaply and it makes a huge difference (not isolated, not loud, and not TV speakers).

I would avoid Arctis Nova, as other people already said they don't last very long, go for HyperX-Cloud-Alpha, the metal beam is not going to break on you and they sound great!

I'm replacing my virtuouso with the nova. The v's cups are too small for my ears and the headband fatigues my skull, they are super heavy aswell. I did like the build quality and the detachable mic though. Battery has been dieing much quicker after a year but that could be my fault.

Do you want a head*set* or a head*phone*? The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is great but the ANC is weak.  If you want a head*set* I’d up the budget slightly for a Fractal Scape. The Arctis Nova series is also solid, from my own demos. This is coming from someone who owns and has tried much more expensive gear, if that makes you any more comfortable with my recommendation.

I have the SteelSeries Arctis 7 and SteelSeries Nova. The Nova is lighter and more comfortable if you have a bigger head. Unfortunately, even on the smallest setting my head is too small for it and it slides off easy. The Arctis 7 is heavier but because of the ski goggles band fits on my head very well. I mainly use the Arctis 7. I’ve had SteelSeries for many years and can’t imagine switching anytime soon.

The Arctis ones do it with a cool little dedicated box where you can also control other things. I had some years ago and it was a very handy feature...though yes, windows now does much better, channel-based volume control. Still not as cool as a dial on a box though :)

I live and breathe by the steel series arctis series. They have lasted me a LONG time and has withstood a lot over the years with zero damage.

steelseries arctis are as good as it gets for me. I've tested every major headset over the last year and they've been the best sounding and by far most comfortable. they suffer from some software issues when using in pc but outside of that i will be sticking with steelseries offeringsbfor the foreseeable future

I’d look into a hyperx headset. Those usually are good quality and last quite a while. I haven’t found one I’m not a fan of but I’m also not an enthusiast although I currently bounce between the alpha and a Steelseries arctis headset.

Steelseries and something in your budget in the arctis series. I am on my 3rd model. I love the headband part that doesn’t press on my head, and the material on the earpads are so comfortable.

Just got these. I can recommend them. Not tested mic yet. As for comfort: I have a large head, and am finding the clamping a bit tight however, and the earcups just fit around my ears - it's a bit snug. Nothing bad, per se, but not quite in the super comfort zone of some other headphones. They'd be fine for gaming sessions, but not something I'd want to wear all day. I'd have preferred a bit more of a relaxed fit. On the other hand, a relaxed fit means very big headphone that can turn some people off.

Having owned the arctis, and now just picked up the Scape, I can tell you that it's in a different league to the Arctis. It's very good. Not quite as good as my high end audiophile headphones, but very, very good compared to most gaming headsets. I'd rate them in the same class as the Audeze maxwell. Happy to listen to music on them. Excellent controls too. And very nice looking in person. I have a large head, and am finding the clamping a bit tight however, and the earcups just fit around my ears - it's a bit snug. Nothing bad, per se, but not quite in the super comfort zone of some other headphones.

I love my Steelseries Arctis. It's a touch out of your price range but the features are top notch.

My steelseries Arctis headset is still going strong after 7 years. I had a hyper x one that didn’t even last a month.

I use the Steelseries Arctic for 3 years. Still solid

What headset you recommend? Currently have a hypercloud 2 and it´s breaking down as I´ve got it for 8 years now lol, bought the hypercloud 3 and it´s whack, literally feeling pressure on my ears and the microphone is bad. Tried arctic steelseries and even that one felt like pressure on my ears.

Audeze Maxwell - Considered one of the best wireless gaming headsets. Popular with music creators as well as for gaming. Mic is reasonably good, though can clip a little. Comes with leather earpads, but they can be replaced easily. Drop + EPOS PC38X - One of the best wired gaming headsets for sound clarity and mic quality. Bass reproduction is a bit muted, which is common for older style EPOS / Sennheiser headsets, and common with open back headphones in general. The mic is essentially the best of any consumer headset you can buy. Generally can only be bought directly from Drop's site. Comes with both cloth and velour earpads. [https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-gaming-headset](https://drop.com/buy/drop-epos-pc38x-gaming-headset) Steel Series Arctis headsets are generally a decent middle ground in terms of decent bass and mic quality. The overall audio quality isn't as good as either the Maxwell or PC38X, but they're closed back so their bass response is more like the Maxwell. And the mic quality is generally better than the Maxwell, but no where near as good as the PC38X. Most (maybe all?) use cloth earpads. Nova Pro Wireless and Nova 9 are both quite good, with the Nova 9 being slightly better in terms of audio clarity and mic quality, but the Pro Wireless has better bass and noise cancelling.

The Arctis steel series ones that are marketed for Xbox work with PlayStation too and I see now they have some PlayStation branded ones too

Arctis steel series. I can hear more than my teammates typically with incoming cars etc

This is the best answer. I went steel series arctis until i upgrad