SteelSeries Siberia 350 USB Gaming Headset Review

By Tom Jaskulka

Manufacturer: SteelSeries
Product Name: Siberia 350
Model Number: 51204
UPC: 813682022136
Price As Tested: $106.99 (Newegg | Amazon)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by SteelSeries.

SteelSeries, a company known for their support of eSports and wide range of gaming peripherals, have just about finished refreshing their gaming headset series better known as “Siberia.” The Siberia 350 which Benchmark Reviews will be looking at today is a refresh of the previous SteelSeries Siberia v3 Prism headset. Utilizing 50mm drivers, DTS Headphone X technology and a classic SteelSeries fit and finish, the 350 adds 6.5 million colors through LEDs in the earcups and features SteelSeries technologies like GameSense through SteelSeries’ settings software, SteelSeries Engine 3. Will the 350 be a worthy addition to the Siberia lineup, or will these Siberias leave us out in the cold? Follow along and read about our experiences with SteelSeries’ newest headset.

Siberia 350 Features & Specifications

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SteelSeries Siberia 350 Overview

The Siberia 350 looks similar to the Siberias of the past – it’s a dead ringer for the Siberia v3 Prism, in fact. Let’s dig in and see what this new version has to offer.

The box hides the actual headset from view – the only glimpse you’ll see of the Siberia 350 before you open the package is the product photos on the box.

Thankfully, the main details are accurately depicted through the features listed on the box (front and back). Unlike many other peripherals, I’ve yet to see a headset box allow for any sort of “try before you buy” – these are the details you’ll want to know before purchasing, and SteelSeries does a good job of highlighting each feature of the Siberia 350 despite not being able to see the headset itself before you open the box.

The headset itself is secured in a plastic formed insert – it looks like this particular insert does double duty for other SteelSeries headset models, as there are pockets for items not included with this headset (no, you haven’t lost anything). A small manual and some warranty information (and stickers!) are the only items included with the Siberia 350.

Overall, the headset seems to be well-protected, and should make its way to you without incident.

The design of the suspension headband, brought forward from previous Siberias, means the 350 will comfortably fit a wide range of head shapes, big or small. I’m not sure how they managed it, but the “clamping” force seems to be perfect – not so loose that they’re in danger of falling off, but not so tight that they’ll be uncomfortable.

A retractable microphone and mute switch (located on the left earcup) allow for easy communication – the microphone slides easily in and out, and doesn’t initially feel like it will cause any problems mechanically with extended use.

Siberia 350 Detailed Features

So far, the Siberia 350 appears to be a natural evolution of previous Siberia headsets. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the Siberia 350 headset unique in the lineup.

Memory foam is used for the circular, circumaural earcups (an upgrade of the foam used in the Siberia 200s). A bright orange interior ring adds a splash of color to both the white and black models, and a printed design dresses up the mesh that hides the drivers. The suspension headband seems quite durable – as the picture above illustrates, it can twist to an unreasonable degree without feeling like something might snap.

The Siberia 350 is a USB headset and includes an inline volume control wheel a little more than a foot down the 5-foot USB cable. No quick-release connections here, so be careful not to snag it on anything.

Notice there aren’t any markings on the volume control wheel; this wheel seems to send a “volume up/down” command to Windows rather than adjust the actual volume. This being a USB headset, it’s probably a good way to go – many of these volume control (variable resister/potentiometer) wheels on analog headsets tend to wear out over time or introduce “noise” into the signal.

Despite the appearance of the “mesh,” the Siberia 350s are a closed-back audio design rather than open-air. The mesh design is simply there to display the LEDs. The headset microphone retracts into the left earcup, making it much easier to stow the Siberia 350s when not in use.

There isn’t much to the suspension headband – despite its appearance (there isn’t much there!) it’s quite strong and durable while remaining surprisingly flexible. The interior headstrap expands due to an internal spring-loaded mechanism in the flat headband, just enough to cradle your ears comfortably.

A mute switch for the microphone is cleverly disguised on the left earcup. While I found the switch easy to use while gaming, I was a little surprised that there aren’t any indicators (whether on-screen or on the headset itself) as to the current state of the microphone. Over time I’m sure most users will just learn which position is mute but I can just imagine the scenarios enroute to said learning (my online comrades, for the most part, don’t seem as interested in conversing with my dogs as I am.)

Given the brilliant lighting effects on the Siberia 350 I find it strange a mute LED was overlooked. Either way, the color range of the Prism lighting is impressive – everything from the typical red/blue/green looks great, and the yellow/orange/teal/cyan/purple/pinks are pleasantly vivid.

The LED color is diffused nicely throughout the entire earcup.

The Siberia 350 is a SteelSeries GameSense enabled product, so certain games can display different colors on the headset for in-game events. The only two profiles showing on my installation are CS:GO and Dota 2 (with a mod available for MineCraft); each change the LED color along a spectrum depending on your character’s remaining health/ammo count/round kills/etc. I could see this feature being great for LAN parties or eSports tournaments, since an audience can see at a glance certain events happening even if they aren’t viewing that particular player’s screen/perspective. Obviously, these effects don’t benefit the person wearing the headset at all (they can’t see the colors while wearing the headset), but it’s a welcome feature to assist in informing those around you what you’re experiencing in-game.

SteelSeries Engine 3 Software

The Siberia 350 uses SteelSeries’ Engine 3. While it isn’t as integrated (each module launches that device’s configurator rather than keeping everything in the same window) as some other software drivers, I’m okay with this approach – especially since it doesn’t require a constant connection to the cloud like some other products. That option is there if you want to make use of it, but it isn’t necessary for the device to function.

Each SteelSeries product you own (that is compatible, of course) will show in this list – just click on the product you’d like to configure and you’re on your way.

If you’re content with a single profile (“configuration”), you can just customize the default settings. If you’d like different equalizer settings for specific games, you can add them as configurations to automatically launch with whatever settings you configure.

A different LED color can be set for each profile/configuration, or you can just set it to cycle through a spectrum of colors with the ColorShift feature.

There are only four ColorShift profiles, and the spectrum shift isn’t configurable in any of them. You’re stuck with a smooth transition between all colors, a “warm” and “cool” gradient, and finally a fade between red, yellow, green, teal, blue, and purple.

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I snapped a quick video of the ColorShift effect – the sample shown is a quick 15 sec .gif of the fourth ColorShift configuration (although 15 seconds wasn’t enough time to show the yellow fade, the rest of the colors are there).

The rest of the settings involve audio. Of course, the leading feature of the Siberia 350 compared to some others in the lineup is the DTS: Headphone X support. This ability allows the Siberia 350s to recreate a surround sound experience through two speakers. While I couldn’t tell much of a difference between the three DTS Headphone X presets of Movie, Music and Game, the expanded sound stage was noticeable when switching the DTS Headphone X feature on.

Standard equalizer presets are available as well, with each one accentuating a different portion of the audio spectrum. This can be custom tweaked as well and saved under the “Custom” setting for each configuration.

Finally, the microphone setting is pretty straightforward. A volume wheel controls the volume, and a feature called “Mic Auto Optimization” can be enabled (according to the description, this feature seems to act like an automatic gain for your voice – it will level out the loud and quiet sounds coming through the microphone).

Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

I used a lot of the resources from audiocheck.net to experience the technical limits of the Siberia 350s, but most of my time spent with them was listening to whatever I was most familiar with. I always try to spend an evening listening to albums that I like to compare different sound devices with – I tend to stick to more “electronic” tracks that are usually pretty instrumental.

I’ll break out the Tron: Legacy soundtrack for it’s Daft Punk collaborated orchestral pieces, and my go to album for almost anything is The Glitch Mob’s Drink The Sea.

I try to stream some radio stations from my Amazon Prime account as well (with some classical music thrown in for good measure), but the real fun is using them in a game with great sound engineering like the Battlefield series (although I can’t get enough of those giant robot footfalls from MechWarrior: Online – a great test of the lower frequencies if anything). I’ll be the first to admit my hearing isn’t what it used to be (and I’m no sound engineer in the first place), so if possible I’d recommend trying out any pair of headphones in person that you’re interested in – the experience can vary greatly per person.

Test System

• Motherboard: Gigabyte Z97N Wifi
• System Memory: 2×4 GB DDR3 1866 MHz
• Processor: Intel Core i5 4690K @4.4 GHz
• Audio: N/A (USB Headset)
• Video: Gigabyte GTX 970 OC
• Disk Drive 1: Samsung 250 EVO 250GB SSD
• Disk Drive 2: Seagate 1TB 7200 RPM HDD
• Enclosure: Corsair 380T
• PSU: Fractal Design 450W
• Monitor: Acer XG270HU (2560×1440/144 Hz)
• Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

Results

Let’s start with the audiocheck.net sound samples. Their headphone tests are pretty straightforward, and walk you through frequency tests, binaural recordings, driver matching tests and polarity checks (among others). I found the frequency tests especially interesting, although they correspond more to the abilities of your ears rather than the capabilities of the drivers. For what it’s worth, the 20 Hz-17 KHz spectrum I heard was a bit different than the claimed 10-28 KHz listed on the box of the Siberia 350.

The driver matching test moves through the entire spectrum of sound waves. I didn’t notice any discrepancies between the left and right drivers on the Siberia 350.

The “bass shaker” test was interesting, as it is designed to uncover any unwanted noises from rapidly-vibrating drivers. Perhaps you have heard a vehicle pass by that has a powerful subwoofer installed – and you can tell by the entire trunk assembly buzzing like a nest of angry hornets. That is what this test is designed to highlight (and to be clear, that isn’t an effect you would want in a headset. Or a car, for that matter). The Siberia 350s passed the test without any buzzing, although the bass started to noticeably lose its impact at the very low frequencies.

The Dynamic Volume test starts at a “full volume,” then lowers the volume in steps with the last audible step being the dynamic range of the headset (or more accurately, your ears). I could still hear the voiceover at 42 dB below full scale volume with hints of the voiceover beneath that – not quite as good as the Func HS-260 I had tested long ago (which uses 50mm drivers as well) but who knows if my hearing has gotten worse over the past year…

The polarity tests showed the Siberia 350 to be wired correctly, and the binaural test revealed a sound stage that was capable of reproducing an accurate sensation of direction and distance. In fact, the sound stage is quite realistic if the source material supports it. It’s been awhile since I’ve tested headsets and I had forgotten what the binaural recording used for a test (I was just running down the list and noting my responses each audio clip). When I clicked the binaural file, I immediately heard a knock on the window about six feet to the right of my computer. I got up and opened the shades and was quite confused when nothing was there…I should have read the last sentence containing the description of the recording (it’s a knock on a wooden door). It’s amazing to me, when recorded correctly, how we can quite convincingly place sounds in a 3D space using only two speakers! Needless to say, the ability of the Siberia 350 to place sounds positionally is very convincing.

Gaming Headset Final Thoughts

This was my first experience with any headset from SteelSeries. I’ve been impressed with the other SteelSeries peripherals I’ve used (mice and keyboards), and I expected more of that SteelSeries touch with the legendary Siberia line of headsets. First, and most importantly, I love the sound stage. It’s incredibly immersive, it’s powerful, it makes gaming more fun. It lacks a bit on the low end, but that helps everything sound more crisp anyway. I also consider myself fortunate I finally got to sample the notorious comfort of the SteelSeries Siberia headsets – even with glasses I didn’t experience any discomfort after 5+ hour gaming sessions. I’m sure there are better headsets out there, but I’m satisfied with the sound and comfort of the Siberia 350. It’s a bit unfortunate that any USB headset can’t take advantage of dedicated sound cards for even more audio punch, but something like the Siberia 350 is perfect for my mini-ITX gaming build (which doesn’t have room for one).

The microphone was a different story. Perhaps it was the USB3.0 port I was using, but the microphone was bad enough over TeamSpeak3 to have some online friends immediately complain (and request that I switch back to my previous headset/mic). This was using both the Opus Voice and Opus Music codecs, and the same settings as all of my microphones. While my voice was clear enough, the quality just wasn’t up to par – especially considering the price. There is always the possibility that I missed a setting somewhere, but switching back to my previous headset solved my issue. It wasn’t that my teammates couldn’t hear me, they just all preferred the sound from my previous microphone rather than the harsher (but still very clear) SteelSeries mic. I tried speaking with all manner of volume settings and with the auto optimization feature on and off, but nothing prevented me from sounding “tinny.” To be fair, in a vacuum, no one would have likely noticed – and whatever compression SteelSeries is using to get their “crystal clear” sound is more than likely removing the lower frequencies from my voice in order to clean up the signal. The best tone I got was about 50% mic volume with the “Mic Auto Optimization” feature turned on – again, it likely wouldn’t have been an issue if this was the only headset I’ve spoken with my teammates online, but coming straight from another headset the difference was impossible to ignore.

I hesitated to add this next bit, given the new status of the drivers in SteelSeries Engine 3 for the Siberia 350, and it could be something with my configuration as well – but it’s worth mentioning, as it appears I may not be the only one. I had trouble changing colors and other settings within the Siberia 350 configuration tool – most settings could only be changed once, and it generally required a removal/reinsert cycle to “take.” All of the settings seemed to work, but after that first change nothing else seemed to actually function until you unplug the headset and try again. I would anticipate if this is an issue with SSE3 it would be resolved eventually, but that isn’t something a new recipient of a $120 headset is going to appreciate.

EDIT: For what it’s worth, a fresh install of SSE3 on a Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit system didn’t experience the same issues as the Windows 10 system above. I was able to configure all settings as expected and without any problems – I’ve adjusted the final score up from my initial figure, but those with Win10 machines may want to take note regardless. Given the rapid adoption of Windows 10 as an OS, it’s something many users may still encounter.

SteelSeries Siberia 350 Conclusion

Before I conclude, there’s a few things to keep in mind. Headsets in general are pretty subjective – all the graphs / curves / features won’t make a difference if you don’t like how they feel on your head (or if you don’t want to be seen wearing them!). Everyone has different tastes and opinions for how their favorite music and games are supposed to sound, so personal preference ends up playing a big part with any headset. If you demand the absolute best sound, you really shouldn’t be looking at devices under $300 anyway – there’s obviously better sounding headphones available if you’re willing to pay for them, but this review was written with computer enthusiasts in mind that want a single device to game/chat with their friends/listen to music. With those things in mind, let’s talk about the SteelSeries Siberia 350.

The Siberia 350 headset performed well. I wasn’t completely blown away, mind you, but for single-player games or any game that spent any time on their audio, the enhanced sound stage provided by the DTS: Headphone X tech added that extra layer of immersion and really made playing games a bit more fun. Other than a very slight buzz/white noise when connected (it’s virtually inaudible and may just be a result of using a front panel USB port – the cord isn’t long enough to reach to the back…) I don’t have any complaints about the audio delivery, but the microphone – while clear, and probably okay with nothing to compare it to – garnered a few complaints from fellow gamers on TeamSpeak compared to other headsets.

I’ve always like the appearance of the Siberia headsets from SteelSeries, and the Siberia 350 is no exception. The added splash of LED color and overall design makes for a very attractive bit of kit. Some headsets look clunky or boring – the Siberia 350 is svelte and interesting. It’s a very good looking headset, in my opinion.

That appearance reflects an overall level of quality. I didn’t experience any issues with the construction of the Siberia 350 headset, and I got the impression it would hold up just as well as any gaming audio device on the market. In addition to the solid construction, they were very comfortable in use – I’d easily rate them among the top three of any headset I’ve personally tried for level of comfort.

The functionality provided by the Siberia 350 is adequate, but your personal tastes will make or break this category. If you are after some GameSense features or really like the Prism/LED lighting, the Siberia 350s will provide that – along with some DTS surround technologies – in a familiar Siberia package. If you aren’t looking for that extra bit of lighting customization and prefer to use a discrete sound card/amp with your headsets, the Siberia 350 won’t have the functionality you’re looking for.

I think the reason why I’m so torn on the Siberia 350 is due to the final category: value. As of May 2016, the SteelSeries Siberia 350 retails online for $106.99 (Newegg | Amazon). While that’s a bit down from the launch price of $119.99, I can’t shake the nagging feeling that I’d have a better experience purchasing an older Siberia v2 headset for $50 and spending the difference on a dedicated sound card to attain the Dolby/DTS technologies and effects. If it’s the lighting that makes you tick, Logitech’s G633 Artemis RGB headset is a $20 jump up from the $120 retail price of the Siberia 350s, or an equal jump down to $100 nets one of Corsair’s Void Wireless 7.1 RGB headsets. Really, the price isn’t out of line with the rest of the gaming headset market – I just wasn’t as impressed with $120 of gaming headset as I felt I should be. Your experience might very well be different, but I found myself reaching back for my Func HS-260 headset towards the end of my experience with the Siberia 350.

While I still enjoyed solo gaming with the SteelSeries Siberia 350 headset due to the plush comfort and immersive sound, I feel like you’d have a better audio experience with a $50-$80 headset and a dedicated $50 sound card to drive them. For a certain range of (mini-ITX) builds or for those that appreciate the lighting effects, this type of USB headset might make a lot more sense. For me, I’m not sure I would have moved past the $80 range to attain the extra features of the Siberia 350 over the Siberia 200 or other similar headsets. Those that are looking for the specific features offered by the Siberia 350 more than likely won’t be disappointed, but there are some remaining issues that make me wary of paying full price for this headset over other similar offerings.

Pros:

+ One of the most comfortable headsets I’ve reviewed
+ Self-adjusting suspension headband is legendary for a good reason
+ Memory foam ear pads are luxurious
+ Sound is truly immersive, enhances gameplay
+ LEDs can be customized to match any system with potential for in-game effects

Cons:

– Software struggles to adjust more than one setting a session (EDIT: Doesn’t seem to be an issue on Windows 7)
– Microphone – while clear – drew complaints from teammates
– Relatively short USB cable, not compatible with any other audio device (mobile, etc.)

Ratings:

• Performance: 7.75
• Appearance: 9.00
• Construction: 9.00
• Functionality: 6.25 7.25
• Value: 6.75

Final Score: 7.95 out of 10.