CM Storm Sirus Headset Review - PAGE 3

The CM Storm Sirus will be put to the test with music, movies and gaming.  It will be tested using ASUS's Xonar Xense gaming soundcard, and compared against the Sennheiser PC350, the Thermaltake eSports Shock, the Corsair HS1 and the Psyko 5.1 Original.

Music

The CM Storm Sirus works decently for listening to music, but at one condition: all speakers in its 5.1 setup must be put to work. In analog mode, this will mean configuring the soundcard to a 5.1 configuration, but specifying a stereo sound source so that the other channels duplicate the front ones.

So in its best configuration and using the ASUS Xonar Xense soundcard, the Sirius felt on par with the stereo Thermaltake eSports Shock headset. It still was no match for the Seinheiser PC350. Most importantly, in many of our tested audio tracks, the Sirius clearly missed out some very low frequency sounds that were audible with the PC350. What's odd is that according to the specifications, both headsets should have the same low frequency response threshold. Furthermore, the low frequency sounds which were audible with the Sirus were perhaps a bit overpowering.

These two drawbacks together made many sounds come across as much more acute; for example if one spans the 10Hz-20Hz range but the headset actually cuts out at 15Hz and amplifies the ranges above, in the end it's not the same effect at all. This can partly be fixed by playing with the soundcard's equalizer, assuming there is one available to play with. The Sirus demonstrated some distortion with the voice of Alice Russel in Mr. Scruff's Music Takes Me Up, when in fact, the headset specifications promised no more than 10 times as much as the PC350.

When plugged in via USB, it was perhaps unsurprising to see that the sound quality was greatly reduced, below what the eSports Shock offers. In this configuration, it performs at the level of the Corsair HS1, which also uses the USB interface. It's still decent though; most people not in search for the best sound quality possible should still be pleased.

Gaming

With its 5.1 speaker setup, the Sirus is clearly targeted to those who want a great surround sound experience. Locating nearby noises in games can definitely give an edge to a player, especially in first-person shooter titles, and to this extent the Sirus performed on average. Sounds from the front and back were a bit tough to discern, as were those from the center. With some practice, a minor difference could be heard, but it's just not as natural as with a true 5.1 surround speaker setup, or even the Psyko headset using the patented PsykoWave technology. The Sirius is definitely better than other stereo headsets simulating surround sound, though.

The other important factor for gaming is communication. To that extent, the Sirius microphone performed reasonably well. Voice sounded clear, although the recording volume is a bit low. This sets it a bit above the Psyko, but below the other comparison headsets used. The Sirius handled background noise cancellation nicely, as music emerging from some speakers on the desk at a reasonable volume sounded faint in the microphone recordings.

Movies

As in gaming, the Sirius allows for great spacial representation of sounds. It's much more immersive than a stereo setup! The sound quality is pretty much the same as with music, obviously. One thing worth noting is how well the explosions sounded, so in the end the overpowered low frequencies weren't actually that bad.

Comfort and Practicality

Cooler Master was able to pack 8 speakers in a headset that remains light enough to be fairly comfortable. The soft cushions too play a big role in the fact that one does not have to "break in" the Sirus compared to many other headsets, namely the heavy Psyko.

Furthermore, the two sets of ear cushions, with the extra pair being mock leather, will cater to every taste out there. That's not considering how easy it is to wash them or replace them if they break. It would have been great is the head cushion also had a leather replacement to match the optional earcups, but that's purely aesthetic as hair would prevent the user from feeling the texture up there anyways.

Being able to adjust each channel individually In USB mode without the need of software is great, especially when a fullscreen game is running. Speaking of software, here are some screenshots of its driver, accessible via the system tray or the start menu. The first two images show how one can adjust the headphones and microphone volume. Custom user profiles can also be created and selected. The bottommost image shows the GUI preferences which pop up by clicking on the small gear at the top right corner.