Posted December 31, 1969 by Scott Parrino

There are times when you need a headset so that it is just you and the game without worry of waking up family members in the middle of the night as you launch rockets into your enemy or setting off car alarms to the sound of a whining Counter-Strike player. But a headset shouldn?t be something cheap or a pathetic looking model. This is where Steel Sound?s 5H Professional Gaming Headset steps in.

Armed with impressive specs such as a pull-out microphone, detachable headband, closed back earphones to shut out outside noise, and probably one of the best pair of bass-endowed speakers for a headset, this is a unit that is definitely and seriously geared toward gaming. I used the 5H in a variety of ways, from online gaming to even listening to music and watching DVD?s. That said though, the 5H is built for gaming, so how did exactly fare?

I played a number of games such as Brothers in Arms, Aces High 2, GTR, IL-2, Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, and Doom 3. What I was looking for was typically how well they play the sound of your weapons and your enemies. Overall the quality and volume of sound (set at average level, 75%) was great. With outside noise shut off and just you and the game going, you feel totally immersed in the game itself. Having explosions going off next to your ear and hearing comrades scream for help or listening to the sound of anti-aircraft fire pummel your airplane without any distortion or fading was a treat. Doom 3 however I actually had to stop since the headphones were doing their job too well. I?m still having nightmares, thank you very much.

The pull-out microphone on the 5H serves its purpose in a very neat way. When it is not in use, you can push it back into it?s spot within the earphone and if you need it, just pull it out. It doesn?t get stuck or nor suffer any abuse from this style of storage and in fact it is probably one of the best implements I?ve seen for a headset. The quality of receiving sound on the microphone is pretty good, with the only complaints from my clan mates online is that I should be sounding off like I have a pair.

Functionality of the 5H is something that all gamers should look at. Is it comfortable? Can I rely on its durability? Keep this in mind when you?re looking for headsets so that you?re not stuck with some Wal-Mart hardware that was on clearance and now your headset is in pieces sitting in the garbage can. The 5H first off is very comfortable to wear. The padding around the earphones not only shut off outside sound but also provided a nice cushion for your ears. Generally I?d be afraid of my ears getting hot and sweaty from being enclosed but that is not the case with the 5H. My ears stayed nice and cool and were never irritated by the padding provided on the earphones. My only gripe with the 5H in this department is that trying to wear it around your neck feels bulky with the earphones pressing up against my jaw. While this is the popular look for those with the behind-the-head style headsets, doing it with the 5H will make you look and feel uncomfortable.

The durability of the 5H was tested on my return trip from E3. Apparently security doesn?t want you wearing them while boarding the flight so I had to put them in my backpack. Since it was already crammed with a lot of swag, I was worried of space and if it was going to be damaged. The 5H has the neat ability to detach the headband from the two earphones, which is for easy replacement or add-ons in the future. This is also saves a lot of space as you can bundle them up. I did the same with my pair and packed them in my backpack. I did this on both of my flights and on the way home with the headphones packed tightly amongst other objects in my backpack, bumping around, landing on other luggage, and my surprise was that there were no scratches, dents, the padding on the earphones were perfect, and nothing broke. The 5H overall is pretty sturdy and after nearly two weeks of use, have faced the usual wear and tear around my desk. At this moment they?re still in pristine condition and holding up extremely well.

Over all if you are looking for a great headset for gaming that can immerse you in the game then Steel Sound?s 5H is the way to go. However, the price is a little high, topping at about $120. While it may put a hole in some wallets, serious gamers who build dedicated gaming rigs understand that quality is key and you get what you pay for. If you can afford it, get the 5H and they?ll probably be the last pair you?ll ever need (that is, until you actually run them over with a truck).