SteelSeriesArctis Nova 1 Multi-System Gaming Headset — Hi-Fi Drivers — 360° Spatial Audio — Comfort Design — Durable — Ultra Lightweight — Noise-Cancelling Mic — PC, PS5/PS4, Switch, Xbox - Black

(note: I wear glasses. I feel like this is important to mention with headsets >.>)Honestly, I never expected headphones to make such a big difference in experience. My first headset was a 25$-ish headset that broke, so I decided well, lets try something a bit better from a reputable brand, and ended up buying this one for 40$, and it is worth every. single. cent. spent.Audio is amazing, and it comes with an application you can download that allows you to tweak the sound depending on your use. It did seem a bit overwhelming at first, but its actually fairly simple to use once you get to understand it a bit.The headset does feel a little tight on the head, but so far its not uncomfortable to use for long periods of time, as long as you put it on right. Even while using glasses, this feels ok on the head. If you put it on wrong however, like I did when I first got it, it would be very uncomfortable and even painful.My only complaints would be that, because its all plastic and feels a bit hard, I get worried about breaking it and try to use it as gently as I can. However, I have seen a Youtuber do a review of this headset and he stretches it beyond what my heart can handle without breaking, so there's that little bit of relief found there xD. The 2nd complaint is the short wire length. Would have loved having it be a bit longer, but its not bad.Overall, my experience with it has been pretty well. So well that, despite the 2 complaints I listed above, I'd still be willing to give this a 5/5. (edit: 4.5 now, due to below issue)Edit: after using it for a couple months, this headset is amazing and is no longer as tight on the head. However, now I'm facing a new issue, and that is the mic wont fully retract into the headset and would get stuck like there is something blocking it from being pushed into its slot. This comes and goes and I have to use some level of force here and there to get it fully in, but out of fear of breaking it, I stopped doing that. Still, because I only use it for the pc, its not really much of an issue except when I'm eating. For that inconvenience, id drop the review to 4.5. Would still buy a steelseries though because its a fantastic audio experience.

Update: Still loving this headset, only had it for a little bit, but I'm still blown away. Off my head I can hear them from my living room, but if I put them in my leg I can barely hear a thing. Amazing! Great sound too!I get AMAZING sound using a 3.5mm to USB and connecting that to a USB to USB C. Using the 3.5mm jack doesn't sound as good. It might be the material? These adapters in the photo are fairly cheap and work very well, they feel very well made. Plus they'll provide better flexibility for these amazing headsets

The media could not be loaded. EDIT:I contacted SteelSeries and they assured me that this was simply a one-off hardware issue. They had me destroy the original headset and then sent me a new one. I received a new Arctis Nova 1 and, hilariously, it suffers from the same exact issue as the the last one. This is either a core design issue, or just laughably bad quality control. Either way it's unacceptable. Even worse, after showing video evidence to SteelSeries that they sent me a second broken headset, they recognized it was broken but still refused to refund my purchase. DO NOT BUY THIS HEADSET. Take another look at your options before you get sent a broken headset like I did.Original Review:The hardware mute button doesn't actually MUTE the microphone. Instead, it just slightly lowers the output volume of any sound that goes through. If a loud enough sound is made while the mic is muted, it can still be heard easily. I normally mute my headset if I have to cough or sneeze for example, with the Arctis Nova 1 my friends can still hear me clear as day WHILE I AM MUTED. This is the first headset I have ever used that has been missing such a simple core feature, for $60 it's honestly bafflingly bad. $5 earbuds don't struggle with this issue. I recommend you buy a different headset.

Final Update: I kept coming back to these headphones because I had a feeling something wasn't just broken, turns out its not the headphones being bad, its setting issues! I've decided that the Minecraft gaming equalizer setting was best for game music. These headphones are definitely built for 3D environments. Download the GG Steelseries app to get the most out of these headphones, they have a lot of subtle audio customizations if all your fundamental settings match up.First impressions: I switched over to these from my Razer headphones. Needless to say by the title I am not impressed by the sound quality of these headphones. I will be returning them which is a shame. I ordered these hoping to take a gamble because my razers have been glitching lately. I switched back to my old headphones immediately because I just couldnt deal with the bad quality audio its physically painful. I would not consider myself an audiophile but I have very sensitive ears, switching back to the razers there were elements of the music that the steelseries didn't even pick up.Update: I gave them another try, and have compiled a pros and cons listPros: very comfortable and tight enough on the head that they won't slip off if you move.When they decide to work they work greatThe mic is very sensitive, I can be heard even when whisperingCute looking and I personally like the satin feel of the plasticLightweightCons: VERY fickle about if they work or not, which defeats their entire purpose. This includes that they will stop working in the middle of using them.

It doesn't have any batteries so it's perfect. 🤣SOUND AND MIC CHECK, perfect. I sound crystal clear and my friends complimented how nice my voice quality is.Connectivity is great.Set is is easy.Design is okay but definitely comfortable.It seems very durable so far and isn't too heavy.