Cooler Master Storm Sirus 5.1 Gaming Headset Review
Author: Darren McCain
Published: Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Headset Specifications
Sound quality is supplied by 8 discrete speaker channel pairs; Front Rear, Center and Sub. Unlike most 5.1 headphones, Cooler Master has provided some impressive 30mm speakers paired with a nice 40mm sub. The result is clear positional sound and an impressive bass thump that excels when fed a true 5.1 signal.
Comfort is also key when wearing headphones for an extended session of gaming or simply sitting through a movie on your laptop. Traditionally 5.1 headsets are a bit heavy due to the extra hardware and the Sirus headset is no exception. The extra weight is less noticeable thanks to a good half inch of cloth padding across the top and the large ear cups firm grip on your head. The padding does take a bit of getting used to and provides just enough pressure to make wearing a ball cap uncomfortable.
The default ear cups are black microfiber and offer a more breathable solution that allows some outside sound through without being too distracting. A second set of leatherette ear cups are included for a much tighter sound stage shutting out almost all external noise. I enjoyed the leatherette set enough my wife had to physically touch me to get my attention mid fire fight! I will warn you that they do get a bit hot over time and the combination of the fabric and a slight sweat provided a seal that had me pondering switching back to cloth.
Another nice touch is the CM storm logo on the side of each earpiece. When the USB is plugged in, these logos give off a nice complementary red glow that looks great and might help find then should you find yourself gaming with the lights down.
The default ear cups are black microfiber and offer a more breathable solution that allows some outside sound through without being too distracting. A second set of leatherette ear cups are included for a much tighter sound stage shutting out almost all external noise. I enjoyed the leatherette set enough my wife had to physically touch me to get my attention mid fire fight! I will warn you that they do get a bit hot over time and the combination of the fabric and a slight sweat provided a seal that had me pondering switching back to cloth.
Another nice touch is the CM storm logo on the side of each earpiece. When the USB is plugged in, these logos give off a nice complementary red glow that looks great and might help find then should you find yourself gaming with the lights down.
The USB lead is available even when using the analog RCA 3.5mm jacks shown here. However, the Sirus also comes with a desktop control that uses two USB ports. The control module is solid and uses a large rubber pad to remain solidly on your desk. Finding a spot for the control module is easy thanks to its 82 inch (~208cm) cable. Another 52 inches (~132cm) from the control to the headset keeps you from feeling too tethered down. Cables are gold tipped and covered in a black weave for protection.
