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Oct 27, 2017
5,959
Las Vegas
This is probably a dumb question but I'm far from an audio expert. I got the Arctis 7x today and I'm pretty happy with it overall (flat EQ is working best for me). The only issue I have is high pitched sound kind of take on a screeching quality, if that makes sense? Is there a way I can adjust the settings to help rectify that?
 

OldeManWinter

Member
Oct 27, 2017
239
Flyover Country
If you have an Xbox and use Dolby Atmos while playing PUBG I just found these settings the other day and these settings work really great. I used my Rig 800LX and will try my Arctis 9X this week.


I have a Rig800LX and am contemplating getting the Arctis 9X as a replacement. Any thoughts on your experience? Are they comparable beyond the bluetooth capability of they 9x?
 

henhowc

Member
Oct 26, 2017
33,536
Los Angeles, CA
Is there any game in particular you guys use to compare headsets? So far I've just been mostly testing with music so its a lot easier to swap between a bunch of different music tracks quickly while a/b headsets/headphones. Although I know thats not really a good test in terms of how they perform for gaming for things.

Seems like a lot of people are posting that 3d audio kind of sounds bad for games not really designed to use it. So should I just be trying that off for most games? Especially older ones on the PS5?
 

StereoVSN

Member
Nov 1, 2017
13,620
Eastern US
Is there any game in particular you guys use to compare headsets? So far I've just been mostly testing with music so its a lot easier to swap between a bunch of different music tracks quickly while a/b headsets/headphones. Although I know thats not really a good test in terms of how they perform for gaming for things.

Seems like a lot of people are posting that 3d audio kind of sounds bad for games not really designed to use it. So should I just be trying that off for most games? Especially older ones on the PS5?
I mostly test with music on PC. It's easier to control. You can do same with say Spotify on PS5.

I have disabled the 3D Audio since I just play SP games on the PS5, so don't feel the need. I do use Dolby on XSX though.
 
Oct 25, 2017
5,537
So... can anything besides the Uber expensive Arctis Pro Wireless allow both game audio and phone audio through my headphones? I wanna have console audio and discord via my iPhone. So far I've had my nice headphones plugged into the controller (or the Sony Golds) with my Apple earbuds underneath connected to my iPhone. It sucks.
 

henhowc

Member
Oct 26, 2017
33,536
Los Angeles, CA
Here's some profiles to try for anyone with the Steelseries Arctis 7/7x/7p:

steelseries.com

Tweaking Arctis to Perfection

Looking to get the most out of your Arctis headset? Are you trying to hear footsteps a bit better in games like PUBG or Rainbow Six so you can get the drop on someone better? Or what about just wanting a better music listening experience? We asked five of our stream team members what EQ settings...

I think the first one was posted here as a screenshot earlier in the thread. Also here's a thread on reddit where people were posting about issues with headsets and Cold War (related to PS5 Tempest 3D audio I think and not sure if its Steelseries specific?):

 

Iucidium

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,045
I'm just after a headset for PS5/Xbox that doesn't have a shitty thermoplastic design that fits a big melon...
 

AIan

Member
Oct 20, 2019
4,866
Playing Demon's Souls with the Arctis 7P is a wildly different experience compared to no headphones. I can't go back to no headphones now, lol. The prisoner horde in 3-1 sounded terrifying with them on but the sound was barely noticeable without.
 

0ptimusPayne

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,752
This is probably a dumb question but I'm far from an audio expert. I got the Arctis 7x today and I'm pretty happy with it overall (flat EQ is working best for me). The only issue I have is high pitched sound kind of take on a screeching quality, if that makes sense? Is there a way I can adjust the settings to help rectify that?
Plug in your headset and Go into the settings on the computer app and turn off the mic monitoring feature if it's on. It fixed the weird high pitched noises I was having initially.
 

halfjoey

Member
Nov 26, 2017
882
I just want to say that the audio quality on the Audeze Penrose is incredible. Props to whichever ResetERA member I first heard talking about them, you did me a solid.

Don't tell me that. I've been looking for the 7x, but tempted with the Penrose. Did you get the Xbox version? I may get that since it works with everything.
 

Kabuki Waq

Member
Oct 26, 2017
4,825
Guys can't find this Penrose or the 7x in Canada does anyone have other suggestions for good wireless headsets that work on both xsx and ps5.
 

henhowc

Member
Oct 26, 2017
33,536
Los Angeles, CA
Penrose seems like people are praising the audio quality but not really anything else that might factor in like comfort, battery life, mic, and build quality. Seems to have random issues. Possibly get fixed via firmware update. Comfort is always gonna be something subjective though.

Has anyone tried the pc38x in comparison?Albeit wired That seems like the headset that is the closest thing to an actual existing audiophile headphone from the same company. Sounds like essentially a cousin based on the Sennheiser 5xx series. It also seems to be low powered enough to be able to sound good with just a controller? Which in that case is pretty close to being wireless.
 

endlessflood

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
8,693
Australia (GMT+10)
Penrose seems like people are praising the audio quality but not really anything else that might factor in like comfort, battery life, mic, and build quality. Seems to have random issues. Possibly get fixed via firmware update. Comfort is always gonna be something subjective though.
Audio quality is the most important thing for me when it comes to audio devices. I feel like the other areas have been solved with most headsets, but until the Penrose I've never been happy with the audio quality of headsets, so that's the most interesting thing for me. On the other stuff though;

I find the Penrose very comfortable (and I wear glasses). Some people have said the clamping force is quite high but I haven't had any problem there.

For battery life I'm not sure, I've never run out of battery with them and they don't have a battery indicator so I have no idea how long they can last. You can charge them while wearing them if you want, but I've never had to.

The mic was designed with Shure, and my friends said it sounded great in party chat.

For build quality there are no issues, they're a solid unit and based on the existing Mobius design which had no issues.

I've had no issues, it works great. I applied the firmware update and turned off sidetone (as others in this thread have recommended) before I started using it. The firmware update is a must apparently.
 

Deleted member 7148

Oct 25, 2017
6,827
After spending several days with the Arctis 7P it's pretty damn close to the perfect headset for me. The audio quality is really good for the price point. I was playing Fuser on PC with it and it sounded pretty awesome. I used the Engine software to bump the EQ up to Performance mode and it sound even better now. It's extremely comfortable and light. The battery life isn't trash like my Playstation Gold headset. I was playing Phasmophobia with some friends and one of them also bought a 7P and the mics on both ends sounded really clear. The dongle isn't super huge and protrudes out really far. All of the rockers and buttons on the cups are easily accessible and easy to know which is which without taking it off and looking at it. Retractable mic is nice for when I'm not using it. I'm a big fan of this thing.

I was coming off of a Playstation Gold headset (1st gen) and a Razer Kraken. The Kraken is one of the worst headsets I've ever used. I bought it cause it looked cool in the lime green color but I learned my lesson there. It's uncomfortable, it sounds like shit and the wires drove me nuts. The Playstation Gold headset served me well for years but I hated the battery life on that thing.

So yeah, I highly recommend the Arctis 7P/X. It's an awesome headset. If you're an extreme audiophile though, I'm sure you may want to look elsewhere. I still need to test it on my PS5 but I'm not expecting any wildly different results here.
 

nihilence

nøthing but silence
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
15,935
From 'quake area to big OH.
Things that are still holding me back on 7x.

I see so many complaints about the hinge on the cup breaking.
Wish the dongle didn't have to be on a cable. (I suppose I could hide it somehow)

I'm cheap.
 
Oct 29, 2017
1,681
The 7X is a bit too light, or maybe doesn't clamp enough. It doesn't take much for me to move my head before it starts to fall off the back or front of my head.
 

honavery

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,369
Phoenix, AZ
Having a hard time picking between the 7x/p, and the Penrose. Seems like opinions are all over the place on them.
The Penrose costs twice as much as the 7x/p, so I guess I will start with the cheaper headset and go from there. If I can ever find one in stock.
 

Addleburg

The Fallen
Nov 16, 2017
5,068
I've heard anecdotally that the 7x can feel a bit tight on bigger heads. Can anyone corroborate this?
 

Vash63

Member
Oct 28, 2017
1,681
Having a hard time picking between the 7x/p, and the Penrose. Seems like opinions are all over the place on them.
The Penrose costs twice as much as the 7x/p, so I guess I will start with the cheaper headset and go from there. If I can ever find one in stock.

Same here. I think I'm leaning towards the 7P. A lot of reports that the Penrose aren't that comfortable and get really hot during long sessions. I already have very nice HiFiMan HE-400's for music, for my gaming headset it really needs to be comfortable and convenient.
 
Oct 27, 2017
3,962
After spending several days with the Arctis 7P it's pretty damn close to the perfect headset for me. The audio quality is really good for the price point. I was playing Fuser on PC with it and it sounded pretty awesome. I used the Engine software to bump the EQ up to Performance mode and it sound even better now. It's extremely comfortable and light. The battery life isn't trash like my Playstation Gold headset. I was playing Phasmophobia with some friends and one of them also bought a 7P and the mics on both ends sounded really clear. The dongle isn't super huge and protrudes out really far. All of the rockers and buttons on the cups are easily accessible and easy to know which is which without taking it off and looking at it. Retractable mic is nice for when I'm not using it. I'm a big fan of this thing.

I was coming off of a Playstation Gold headset (1st gen) and a Razer Kraken. The Kraken is one of the worst headsets I've ever used. I bought it cause it looked cool in the lime green color but I learned my lesson there. It's uncomfortable, it sounds like shit and the wires drove me nuts. The Playstation Gold headset served me well for years but I hated the battery life on that thing.

So yeah, I highly recommend the Arctis 7P/X. It's an awesome headset. If you're an extreme audiophile though, I'm sure you may want to look elsewhere. I still need to test it on my PS5 but I'm not expecting any wildly different results here.
Volume loud enough?
 
Mar 8, 2018
1,161
The longer that the 7X remains out of stock, the longer I get the itch to snag the Penrose. The idea of dual connectivity with console+bluetooth is tantalizing. Would be great for switch online voice chat.
 

Addleburg

The Fallen
Nov 16, 2017
5,068
I have a fairly big noggin and I find 7x quite comfortable.

As far as Penrose vs 7x, I would be shocked of it isn't better. However it's literally 2x the price.

Nice, thanks for the quick response. I don't typically have comfort issues using headphones in general, so I'll assume the 7x should fit okay for me.

Now, to actually find one in stock... has Steel Series issued any info about when they'll be becoming available again? I'm surprised they've been sold out as long as they have been, even with the launch of the new consoles driving up demand.
 

catpurrcat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,790
Guys can't find this Penrose or the 7x in Canada does anyone have other suggestions for good wireless headsets that work on both xsx and ps5.

Candian here, I just went with the 7p from Best Buy. If I badly want to use headphones on xbox, I just use the controller wire. 7p or 7x makes no difference to me convenience wise because switching dongles between consoles is just as inconvenient as using a wire to connect the headphones to a controller.
 

BubbaKrumpz

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,402
Yay Area
I've had the penrose for a while and they are definitely way more comfortable after broken in. I can have them on my bobblehead for over an hour or two without discomfort now. I use them for music now as my AirPods stopped working. They sound amazing.
 

tokkun

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,407
Penrose seems like people are praising the audio quality but not really anything else that might factor in like comfort, battery life, mic, and build quality. Seems to have random issues. Possibly get fixed via firmware update. Comfort is always gonna be something subjective though.

The mic is pretty good following the firmware update. Even in wireless mode it sounds as good or better than most headset mics.

Has anyone tried the pc38x in comparison?Albeit wired That seems like the headset that is the closest thing to an actual existing audiophile headphone from the same company. Sounds like essentially a cousin based on the Sennheiser 5xx series. It also seems to be low powered enough to be able to sound good with just a controller? Which in that case is pretty close to being wireless.

If I were planning to connect via a 3.5 mm jack, I wouldn't buy a gaming headset. I'd get a V-Moda BoomPro to add a mic to a normal pair of audiophile headphones.
 

Heysoos

Prophet of Truth
Member
Nov 3, 2017
1,341
Loving the Penrose X so far, really need to try them out with more games other than Overwatch though.
 

Kwyjibo

Member
Oct 31, 2017
378
I've had the penrose for a while and they are definitely way more comfortable after broken in. I can have them on my bobblehead for over an hour or two without discomfort now. I use them for music now as my AirPods stopped working. They sound amazing.

It's been mentioned the cup materials make your face/head hot and sweaty......what is your experience?
 

endlessflood

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
8,693
Australia (GMT+10)
On the subject of the Penrose being hot on the head: I live in Sydney, and it's Summer, and I've had no issues there, although admittedly we haven't had any particularly hot days recently.
 

Tobor

Member
Oct 25, 2017
28,492
Richmond, VA
I have a fairly big noggin and I find 7x quite comfortable.

As far as Penrose vs 7x, I would be shocked of it isn't better. However it's literally 2x the price.

I had the opposite experience with Arctis 9's. They were too tight on my head to the point of major discomfort at the widest strap setting. I had to return them as they had no give whatsoever.

Coming from Astro A50's which were super comfortable, the Steelseries were way too tight.

I'm hoping Astro comes out with a new A50 that doesn't need the optical port.
 

Jawmuncher

Crisis Dino
Moderator
Oct 25, 2017
38,506
Ibis Island
Grabbed the arctis 7x as it was actually in-stock near me. Excited to have a headset useable on all my platforms, that was the big thing I wanted.
 

StereoVSN

Member
Nov 1, 2017
13,620
Eastern US
I had the opposite experience with Arctis 9's. They were too tight on my head to the point of major discomfort at the widest strap setting. I had to return them as they had no give whatsoever.

Coming from Astro A50's which were super comfortable, the Steelseries were way too tight.

I'm hoping Astro comes out with a new A50 that doesn't need the optical port.
7x aren't particularly tight and are very comfortable so I am guessing design has changed.

Never had a pair of A50s , but I do have Sennheiser HD6xx, Philips X2HR, and Audio Technica M50x. I would say 7x is better vs Audio Technica and on par with Sennheiser.
 

StereoVSN

Member
Nov 1, 2017
13,620
Eastern US
Candian here, I just went with the 7p from Best Buy. If I badly want to use headphones on xbox, I just use the controller wire. 7p or 7x makes no difference to me convenience wise because switching dongles between consoles is just as inconvenient as using a wire to connect the headphones to a controller.
FYI, in US at least, Walmart also carries 7x, but stock situation isn't great. Something to check at least.
 

Snake Eater

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
11,385
Candian here, I just went with the 7p from Best Buy. If I badly want to use headphones on xbox, I just use the controller wire. 7p or 7x makes no difference to me convenience wise because switching dongles between consoles is just as inconvenient as using a wire to connect the headphones to a controller.

Quality will drop connecting it to the controller
 

catpurrcat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,790
I could be wrong, I thought I heard that in a few reviews I've watched
That's definitely the case with the Penrose. Wireless via the USB dongle is lossless, but AUX connection to the controller is lossy (due to lossy wireless connection between controller and console).

from what little I could find online, it looks like the Xbox uses Wi-Fi direct as the protocol which apparently has much more bandwidth than Bluetooth which is what the PS uses.

would explain why wired in to the Series controller seems completely fine, but wired into the PS controller sounds like the headphones are "cheap"
 

endlessflood

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
8,693
Australia (GMT+10)
from what little I could find online, it looks like the Xbox uses Wi-Fi direct as the protocol which apparently has much more bandwidth than Bluetooth which is what the PS uses.

would explain why wired in to the Series controller seems completely fine, but wired into the PS controller sounds like the headphones are "cheap"
"Microsoft uses a proprietary wireless communication protocol (not Wi-Fi Direct) to connect Xbox One controllers to its gaming console"
www.theverge.com

Microsoft's new 'Xbox Wireless' lets PCs support Xbox controllers without dongles

The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.

The issue that both face is that their interface has to then transport both low latency controller inputs as well as the audio. Audeze have pointed out that just getting lossless audio via their dedicated wireless connection leaves minimal room for mic audio bandwidth. With the controllers having to do that plus low latency controller inputs, you can see why they're on the back foot to begin with.
 

henhowc

Member
Oct 26, 2017
33,536
Los Angeles, CA
I guess it could just be the sound signature I prefer but I have listened to multiple headphones that I can plug into the controller that I think sound better than most if not all of the wireless headsets I've tried.
 

catpurrcat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,790
"Microsoft uses a proprietary wireless communication protocol (not Wi-Fi Direct) to connect Xbox One controllers to its gaming console"
www.theverge.com

Microsoft's new 'Xbox Wireless' lets PCs support Xbox controllers without dongles

The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.

The issue that both face is that their interface has to then transport both low latency controller inputs as well as the audio. Audeze have pointed out that just getting lossless audio via their dedicated wireless connection leaves minimal room for mic audio bandwidth. With the controllers having to do that plus low latency controller inputs, you can see why they're on the back foot to begin with.

I thought the series X controller used a new updated wireless protocol? That was why it didn't work immediately with PC.
 

BloodHound

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,006
I thought the series X controller used a new updated wireless protocol? That was why it didn't work immediately with PC.
At the end of the day, regardless of wireless protocol, if you plug headphones into a controller, the controller will now have to pass controller inputs alongside sound and chat. You are sharing on a one lane highway and it will always be more compressed than getting your own dedicated highway a la a usb dongle.