14 DAY TRIAL // Wireless headsets usually have better features and technologies than normal ones, mostly because the wireless support would be “wasted” on anything unseemly. SteelSeries went further than usual when it made the H though.
Known by its full name of H Wireless Headset, the product hasn't been made available yet. That will only happen later this month (November 2013), for $299.99 / €299.99.
That's okay though. SteelSeries wants to raise awareness first. Which is to say, it wants people to know about it, and all the reasons why they should buy it despite that price.
The wireless connectivity is just a small part of it, albeit an essential one. The actual emphasis, however, is placed on multiplatform compatibility.
The new product from SteelSeries can connect to PCs, Mac systems, mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, music players), game consoles, and home entertainment/streaming devices (like set-top boxes).
That includes Xbox and PlayStation, Apple TV, Roku set-top box, etc. All thanks to the Sound Share Port, which can establish links over the air or via the many cables included in H Headset product bundle.
There are USB (mini), Optical In and Out (S/PDIF), Analog In (3.5mm, 3-pole) and Chat Out connectors (3.5mm, 3-pole). I suppose this means that more than one source can be handled by the headset at any time (say, game audio from the PC and audio from a phone call), but it's not totally clear.
The newcomer also possesses Dolby Digital multichannel audio, can create the sensation of up to 7.1-channel multi-speaker surround sound via Dolby Headphone, and can make sound realistic via Dolby Pro Logic Iix.
The result is a fixed-latency, frequency-hopping system that automatically searches between available wireless frequencies and removes the possibility for interruptions and interference.
Then, there's the ChatMix technology (lets the user set the balance between game audio and chat audio) and LiveMix (which makes it automatic by reducing game audio when chat audio is detected).
Not only that, but there's a clickable scroll wheel on the top of the right earcup, allowing remote control of all functions without having to approach the transmitter box itself (small, unassuming thing with bright OLED display). Up to 5 audio profiles can be saved too.
Finally, thanks to two 20-hour lithium-ion batteries, the all-black headset (contrasting glossy and matte black finishes) can function without ever going wired, since one battery will always be in the charger, ready for use.