SteelSeries Siberia V2
Close Look
Published: 23rd March 2010 | Source: SteelSeries | Price: £63.22 |
A Close Look
Following the generalities, let's look closely at the main parts of the Siberia V2.
Purposeful is the first adjective that springs to mind when looking at the Siberia V2. Nothing needless, everything designed to be light and robust. The main headband is very comfortable and auto-adjusts to the size you require, something that is a boon especially when gaming as they are taken on and off regularly. The two loops are springy and should absorb any shocks that the headset endures.
Naturally I haven't thrown them around, but I don't doubt for a moment that should you drop them in disgust at that last frag, or knock them off the desk, they wont flinch.
SteelSeries have gone for an open backed design which should provide a nice airy sound, although at the expense of the peace and quiet of anyone in the same room as you. The hinging allows the bottom of the cans to move out, but not in tighter. So if you've got a square head you're in luck, but if you look like you were pushed through a snooker triangle at birth they might not quite clamp to your head as hard as you like.
The ear pieces themselves are well padded and covered in extremely soft leather. They are large enough to cover the ears of all but perhaps a international rugby prop or ex-heavyweight boxer.
The top of the headband has a very tasteful SteelSeries logo screen printed onto the very comfortable headband.
Cable
The Siberia V2 comes with loads of cable and, thankfully for those with pukka soundcards, it comes with jacks rather than a USB plug. As you can see the jacks themselves are gold plated and not merely just enough gold to make it look good but a very deep lustrous plate.
There is a nice remote volume control about two foot down the cable that has an easy-to-grab microphone mute and a nice volume control. Anyone who has switched from Skype to a game and then a film knows that volume is not the same for everything.
Two foot after the remote is a breakout extension so if you use front panel connectors you're not lumbered with miles of cable you don't need. Both the connector and the end of the extension are plated in an equally high-quality gold plate.
The only slight downside is that the cable isn't braided like we've seen on other headsets, rather it's the fairly standard plastic coating. Disappointing on a headset around the £65 mark.
Microphone
The microphone as a far cry from some of the more obtrusive ones we've seen. Unlike many the Siberia V2 doesn't have a "hard" microphone that can get in the way, rather the microphone is kept within the left ear piece and you can pull it out when necessary. Just grab the mic and pull gently and it stands up proud.
You can then bend it to your requirements, and it will stay there happily like a fixed model until you push it back in. The whole action is exceptionally smooth and easy.
Finally, although the Siberia V2 we have on test are white, SteelSeries also produce them in what can only be described as fire-engine red. Given their Siberia cognomen the red doesn't make a lot of sense but if you want something very different indeed there is no denying they look very cool. So here are a couple of pictures from the SteelSeries website.
Testing time.
Most Recent Comments
So since you don't have a review for them could you tell me how they compare? Or have you not used the Carcharias yet? Thanks!
However, as the Carcharias are almost identical in design to the Megaladons, I think for music the Siberia V2 are better.
Neither are bad at all. The Siberia V2 are very very good.
Closed type refers to ones that surround the ears. Please compare the Ozone Strato we recently reviewed to the Siberia.
Thanks anyway.
Closed back = no mesh on the outside of the headphone. Like with the Zowie or SteelSeries Neckband we've previously reviewed. Closed back is a "tighter" sound and leaks less noise. Open back allows some of the audio to spill out of the headphones giving a airier and nicer sound, but meaning people around you can hear if the volume is loud.
Hope that's cleared things up.
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