Diablo III is almost out. I probably don’t need to tell you that. I see you over there, sharpening your Brimstone War and organizing your wands. You’re ready to go a-crawling. And what better way to accessorize your multiplayer dungeon-based monster-crushing holiday than with a Diablo-themed headset?
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ased on the Siberia v2 by the same company, the Steelseries Diablo III Headset is designed for the hardened, entrenched Diabo III fan. That’s not to say its’ not a good pair of headphones – it certainly is, with superior sound insulation and a pair of 50mm drivers that provide clear, crisp sound and full bass. As with its forebear, the Diablo III faithfully produces – assuming you don’t only use this headset to play Diablo III, of course – the high-pitched wine of incoming artillery with equal fidelity as the low rumbling of a jet engine or the deep, satisfying thump of a tank gun going off underneath you. The headphones come with software that includes a 5-band equalizer, with 8 saveable presets so you can optimize sound for the games where you kill with swords and listen to trumpet music, the games where you kill with machine guns and listen to rock & roll, and the games where you kill with laser guns and listen techno. (As an aside, though, it was a little strange to discover that there were no suggested or predefined levels for equalizer newbies to take advantage of.) Light frame weight, sufficient ear padding, and good length of cable keep it comfortable to wear and use, and as it’s USB, you’ll be ready to go seconds after plugging it in for the first time.
The recording features pass muster as well. The retractable microphone is handy and sensitive, and its stowability makes for safe traveling. The inline volume control is an added bonus. But the reason why this is specifically for Diablo maniacs is the aesthetic design, which is decidedly….dungeony. Devily. Demony. Diabolic, even. The matte black finish and red highlights are complemented by red LEDs on each phone give it that “Forged in the Fires of Mt. Doom”y feel you’ve been craving. It’s what every barbarian will be sporting this thrashing season! At about a hundred and twenty smackers, it’s not the cheapest set of cans on the market. But how will you really feel inside when you’re sitting there, Diablo Threeing with the cheap little headset that Alienware gave you for free, when the rest of your party is sitting in the dank deep darkness of their rooms, their head and ear areas aglow with sinister read electronic light? Not very barbaric, that I’ll predict. This headset is simply a great product!