In what I hope will become a series of reviews, I take a look at those little bits of equipment or software that are meant to make gaming better. First on my list is the Steelseries Siberia Neckband.
There's a wide array of headsets aimed at the talkative gamer and an even larger selection of headphones for the savviest of audiophiles, the Siberia Neckband tries to be both and neither succeeds totally nor crashes in epic failure. A few months ago I started looking for a new set of headphones, but I also wanted a headset for chatting on ventrilo or shouting incoherently on XBL, so I settled on the Steelseries' neckband. If a headset/headphone combo doesn't sound like something you want or need then I'll say straight away that these aren't for you, there are more specific 'sets that will probably fit your needs better.
The Siberia Neckband doesn't sit over your head like most circumaural 'sets, it tightens over your ears with a kind of ratcheting spring in the band between ear cups. At first that may not sound extremely comfortable, but its actually quite alright. The soft foam and the large size of the ear cups makes them very comfortable and it almost feels like there's no weight to them at all, for at least the first hour. In order for the spring in the back to hold the 'set on securely it would have to be very tight, much tighter than it actually is, so eventually gravity wins and it starts to put a lot of weight on the top of your ears. The effects aren't apparent until you've been playing or listening for an hour and a half or more, so you definitely don't want to wear them for those long nights of raiding. I usually don't play for that long at a time so this issue doesn't bother me that much, but it is probably the 'set's biggest drawback.
Sound quality is pretty good for the price range ($80-100 US), Steelseries based the crucial bits on their long standing Siberia line so they had experience backing them up. For listening to music the 'set does a fine job, though things at the high and low end of the sound spectrum don't get represented very well. Where the 'set does a better job is bringing all the sounds of your videogames to your ears. All those little sounds that TV or PC speakers don't do justice come through crystal clear, I've started wearing them offline just to get the full soundscape. The retractable mic is very flexible while remaining sturdy and I haven't gotten any complaints about my voice (except for some terrible screeching it made while I was tinkering with my PC's sound settings).
On a scale of 1 to Critical Hit I'd call these about a 15. If you want a headset that can go from calling out targets on COD to rocking out on the bus to class, these are a sure hit. There are some minor itches that keep this 'set from being the go-to device for many gamers, but it works as dual purpose headphones/headset.
There's a wide array of headsets aimed at the talkative gamer and an even larger selection of headphones for the savviest of audiophiles, the Siberia Neckband tries to be both and neither succeeds totally nor crashes in epic failure. A few months ago I started looking for a new set of headphones, but I also wanted a headset for chatting on ventrilo or shouting incoherently on XBL, so I settled on the Steelseries' neckband. If a headset/headphone combo doesn't sound like something you want or need then I'll say straight away that these aren't for you, there are more specific 'sets that will probably fit your needs better.
The Siberia Neckband doesn't sit over your head like most circumaural 'sets, it tightens over your ears with a kind of ratcheting spring in the band between ear cups. At first that may not sound extremely comfortable, but its actually quite alright. The soft foam and the large size of the ear cups makes them very comfortable and it almost feels like there's no weight to them at all, for at least the first hour. In order for the spring in the back to hold the 'set on securely it would have to be very tight, much tighter than it actually is, so eventually gravity wins and it starts to put a lot of weight on the top of your ears. The effects aren't apparent until you've been playing or listening for an hour and a half or more, so you definitely don't want to wear them for those long nights of raiding. I usually don't play for that long at a time so this issue doesn't bother me that much, but it is probably the 'set's biggest drawback.
Sound quality is pretty good for the price range ($80-100 US), Steelseries based the crucial bits on their long standing Siberia line so they had experience backing them up. For listening to music the 'set does a fine job, though things at the high and low end of the sound spectrum don't get represented very well. Where the 'set does a better job is bringing all the sounds of your videogames to your ears. All those little sounds that TV or PC speakers don't do justice come through crystal clear, I've started wearing them offline just to get the full soundscape. The retractable mic is very flexible while remaining sturdy and I haven't gotten any complaints about my voice (except for some terrible screeching it made while I was tinkering with my PC's sound settings).
On a scale of 1 to Critical Hit I'd call these about a 15. If you want a headset that can go from calling out targets on COD to rocking out on the bus to class, these are a sure hit. There are some minor itches that keep this 'set from being the go-to device for many gamers, but it works as dual purpose headphones/headset.