Gunning for Version 2.
Tomorrow we will officially announce SteelSound 5H v2, an updated version of SteelSound 5H, the first headset from SteelSeries. Truth be told, SteelSound 5H was a learning experience for everyone at SteelSeries. In the beginning of 2006, we issued a press release recalling two production batches – almost 4% of the units from those two batches suffered from technical problems with microphones and ear cups. Since we had no way of pinpointing the problems (some of them would only become apparent after several months), we initiated a full return program.
We beefed up our internal quality control, went back to the drawing board and had a thorough look at the construction of SteelSound 5H. Work on an updated/improved version began in February 2006.
As a company we lost a lot of credibility when we had to recall close to 20.000 headsets. Even though we tried to make it up to our affected customers by offering them a free mouse pad, it was the most humbling experience in our history. Shamed by the problems we experienced with SteelSound 5H, it was important to us that we got it “just right†this time.
We figure there is some chance that gamers might forgive us for screwing up once, but we hold no illusions that we will be forgiven a second time.
Looking at the SteelSound 5H, it was pretty obvious that we could improve the product in a number of ways.
Changes on SteelSound 5H v2.
Most importantly we wanted to make sure that technical glitches with wiring and microphones wouldn’t happen again. We completely changed the microphone. The new version boasts better quality and improved circuitry. At the same time we decided to increase the length of the retractable microphone boom by 20mm (0.79â€).
We decided to use a new braided cord to protect the wiring between the headset and the computer. We were surprised to discover just how many of our customers who broke their headsets, when they ran the wheels of their office chair over the cord (we naively assumed that people took greater care of an expensive electronic product). The new braided cord offers way more protection for the wiring, and is further boosted by a longer protective rubber base.
The first version of SteelSound 5H has been reviewed by various gaming/hardware/electronics publications 249 times, according to our review database (it might not be 100% complete, the world is a pretty large place to monitor). In average the headset scored 8,6 out of 10, an average score we’re really proud of. Out of the 249 reviews, 36 reviews mentioned that the headset could become uncomfortable after extended use. We decided to add bigger ear cushions to the headset to help remedy this. The new ear cushions are almost 50% thicker, while the base of the cushion is almost 40% smaller. This means the headset is more comfortable to use, even for extended periods of time (even for people with like REALLY big ears).
Comparison of new and old model.
The last thing we did was to change the retail box. The box itself was (like all other retail boxes) created to present the product in an appealing manner, but we made the “head shape†a bit too big. The headsets would slowly loose frame pressure in the box (especially noticeable after 12+ months), so we made the shape smaller.
We have some Alien-esque wallpapers to celebrate the upcomming release of our new headset - check this page to see them.
/Kim
August 17th, 2006 09:37
They really look comfortable.. And nice to see that you (Steel) really take your products serious!
August 17th, 2006 23:35
I thought the 5H were very good and never had any problem with them at all. Look forward to using the V2, i welcome the extended mic boom :)
August 18th, 2006 02:42
Great to see them learn from their mistakes.
All though im not satisfied with the way they handled the problem. I mean i had 3 SS 5H, and when they crashed (which 2 of them did within 1 month) i went to the store and they were convinced that if i broke em, i would have to pay.
I mean, 5H isnt a cheap headset, you should expect simple things a stability and great spec. Things SteelSeries dont pass.
I hope the 5H is a better product, because i would hate to see a firm supporting Esport that much, get rumbled out because their products areent top notch.
Regards
Marco Johannesen “An unhappy customer”
August 18th, 2006 03:53
the big 5h logo on the ear cup is so displeasing to the eye. i liked the old logo on the side of the earcups, would luv to c this product’s sound be as good as the siberia or even better. i.e. more bass and midrange on the headset or the soundcard version. cant comment on the modded cushion on top until i try them, but otherwise everything else seems to be an improvement. o and version 2.5 or 3 plz, so it can be a more perfect headset =P
p.s will these be available on newegg or other online stores? cheaper, same price, or higher prices?
August 21st, 2006 19:43
Marco, agreed - we cocked up on two batches. You should use the RMA form on SteelSeries.com, and get a replacement.
Jack, the headset should be availble thru the usual online and offline retailers. 5H v2 will cost the same as 5H did when it was released. Prices should drop over the next month, as competition picks up.
September 1st, 2006 23:47
I have had 3 pairs of these break as well. 2 Of which broke right after the CPL 2005 Summer Championships, and I was thouroughly (misspell ftw?) unimpressed with the physical quality of this awesome headset. But customer support was top notch in par with Newegg and other online e-savy sites. And after dealing customer service representatives, I am sure that this new product, which should be here to replace my 3 previous V1’s, will live up to the standards of a company that wont stand for even a 4% failure rate. Bravo Steel… bravo.
September 3rd, 2006 20:55
Very happy with V1 too. Had a problem with a cable inside one of the cones, but the store changed them without even testing them. Top quality, and would buy V2 for sure if my V1 would brake.
Great job team!
September 4th, 2006 15:36
good!
September 6th, 2006 01:12
great. Just want them on my ears
September 6th, 2006 04:31
nice :>
September 12th, 2006 23:18
I can’t find the 5H v2 anywere but direct through steel website for a little more for the headset and alot more on the shipping. Anyone know who has the new v2’s ?
September 13th, 2006 14:32
Even If some of the headsets was bad manufactured and quality not always good, I liked the product. Well thats until it did fall apart.
But when I today saw how the producer explains what went wrong and how they improved it I must say that im impressed. I like the truth! And they realy tried to compensate in a good way.
Thanks for being honest!
September 22nd, 2006 01:59
found the v2, after some searching. BUY.COM had the best price, got them yesterday and they are awesome.
September 25th, 2006 13:24
Did you bother to add any bass? Alot of people who review the 5H v1 were saying its a good headset except they lack in the music department.
September 27th, 2006 23:34
didn’t have to add any bass, at least for my taste. I think they are very accurate for music, I hear every note and subtly in all types of music I have. Battlefield 2 and Half life2 have never sounded this good. And best of all they drown out background nagging from girlfriends. :)
October 2nd, 2006 06:17
Just bought some, amazon/buy.com have the best deal at the moment (after a 10-12 week $30 rebate). One of my friends has told me good things about his v1, and was almost surpised enough to buy the v2 when I told him about it today.
October 5th, 2006 21:48
Nihilism, no, the units are exactly the same. The bigger cushions might give you the effect you ask for tho, as the ear is now positioned a big longer from the unit.
October 6th, 2006 22:35
I had the 5H regular headset non-USB for 3-4 months and I am very dis-pleased with this product. I lay it down one second come back to game and boom no right ear sound. You pay good money for a headset you should atleast get quality.Also the microphone on v1 wasn’t as good as I expected.The sound that they produced were O.K. but I still like my friends Siberia’s better hopefully the v2 will be better.But hopefully when I send this back I can get a better product then before.
October 8th, 2006 18:35
Alright, I got my headset. Was uncomfortably tight at first, but I stretched them a little and they are very comfortable now. The mic is nice (which was the reason I got these). I can’t really tell if the 7.1 works any better compared to my old 5.1 headset. I like it.
October 11th, 2006 20:58
I’m having trouble getting the microphone to sound good in cs 1.6 and cs:s. I KNOW it’s the encoder, but maybe you can help.
October 15th, 2006 14:56
I have read some bad and good things about this headset. It’s hard to find the perfect headset nowaday’s, the specifications are all the same these day’s! my mate has bought the 5h v1, and he is happy with it, tho the bass isnt perfectly. I still don’t know wich headset to buy, Icemat Siberia/Steelsound 5H v2/Sennheiser PC160/ ..
Grtz, Frank ‘naLu’ Graave
October 22nd, 2006 20:08
Hi,
Would it be possible to get a serial number range for the affected 5H v1 series? I bought mine in Nov. 2005 and haven´t had any problems so far (knock on wood) but it would be nice to check out whether I might expect some kind of problem later on.
Best regards
René (DK)
November 7th, 2006 22:34
i think theyre great
November 26th, 2006 11:56
Hello:
I’m glad to see that you are honest about the problems with the original 5H, but unfortunately, mine still has a nagging problem, even after getting it replaced by SteelSound once and after trying 2 different drivers.
When my 5H v1 works, it works well, and I like it. But pretty regularly, in the middle of a game, I start hearing static and scratchy sound. I usually have to either exit the game to stop this, or go back to a main menu and change sound settings to “reset” the headset sound. I really think this is a problem with either the driver, or USB sound card, not the headset, but who knows.
Basically, I’m not happy with my original set because of this problem, but don’t know what to do about it. I have already returned the first one, so should I even bother returning the second one? I have had them for about a year now.
What I would like to see is a discounted price or some kind of exchange program for 5H v1 customers. I suppose I should have tried to return the headset after the 2nd one started having the same problem, but I guess I thought it was too late - especially since it didn’t have the problem right away, but started having it again after a few weeks.
Do you have any plans to offer an exchange program or discount to 5H v1 owners who would like to upgrade? I’m not sure I want to spend more money on this product, but heck, it can’t be any worse that the one I have. I feel like throwing it against the floor every time I have to exit my game to reset the sound!
November 30th, 2006 06:33
Great. So I have a broken 5H v1 that I managed to open up (after great difficulty and being denied by customer support) and solder back together until it was in working condition. Hooray for me.
Now they pulled the drivers off the website for their old product, and I’m basically boned,I can’t even use the microphone.
Jesus guys. Get it right!
December 3rd, 2006 17:02
where are the drivers to the steelsound 5h version 1…i really need it pls help me seems like they dont have it on steelseries.com any longer …
December 4th, 2006 20:44
http://www.steelseries.com/drivers/SteelSound_5H_v2_driver_disk_ver._1.1_-_20060629.zip
December 9th, 2006 09:49
Readed…
Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief, or ignorance…
December 9th, 2006 18:23
Ping…
Man is what he believes…
December 25th, 2006 18:46
I and a friend got a 5h after some of my friends who ran the former www.wolflan.com parties recommended them. From the off i thought they were rubbish and i really begrudged paying £50 when usually i’d only pay £20 for a headset. The mic on it was the real problem, an intermittent buzzing caused trouble from the start. The plastic shielding on the cord showed signs of massive splitting within hours where i assume it wasn’t glued properly or something and some of the weak plastic snapped off now and then. I put up with it tho because the sound was excellant and i haven’t had any problems with wearing it for hours on end. To top it off the volume control stopped working at some point and will hiss and crackle unless its set to a certain level. My friends lasted 6 months until it gave up the ghost, he sent it back under the guise of me (as i had only had mine about 4) and got a replacement. I’ve been making bodge job repairs every time mine broke, for instance, in the top section one of the solder joints broke and had to be resoldered.
Anyway, my 5h has lasted from 12 Feb 06 till today when the mic just quit on me, which is rubbish. Despite vowing to not pay £50 for a headset ever again, i’ve ordered a 5h v2. The reason y; the sound on my 5h throughout was amazing, lets hope my v2 lasts longer.
December 27th, 2006 16:35
Mine came for christmas, but it wont work, i think it might be something to do with drivers but i cant find any :/
December 28th, 2006 18:41
Unless u got a usb version u won’t need drivers for the headset only the soundcard. If u did get the usb version then i pity you, and you should check the box for a driver disc. Good luck.
December 30th, 2006 00:26
Where can I find the drivers for V2?
January 3rd, 2007 00:04
I want to buy it but i have a little question before…
How much connectors it has? 2 or 3? I don’t understand this… because i haven’t a very good sound card and i want know this before to buy thi new version of 5H ;)
January 5th, 2007 02:53
Ignore my comment.
January 5th, 2007 23:47
Hye… I got a seriouse problem with my Steelsound
5H v2… The micrphone makes a piping noice in the background.. any help?
February 22nd, 2007 08:54
when steel will gone to launch a new drivers for the 5h v2 with usb sound card i need it beacouse the sound is horrible with non driver thnx
February 22nd, 2007 19:37
I had got the stalk path h5 in June 2005, and was speak about that very, super head tel., after lend to a knowledge for a pro lanparty was at the these nokje’s of the ear shells broked so that I was possible free a little more.
after I had gotten in touch with: www.ncautomatisering.nl and send the broke headset they send me a brand new one, a steelsound 5hv2,
excelent servis and manny thanks.
when i can give a nummber, the are numer 1 in service in association with Steelseries.
Great.. you have make me smile again and i play with fun my games now…
greetzzz Cees
April 15th, 2007 17:29
Is there still a volumecontrol on the cord? cant find information about it anywhere (or pictures. I like the one I had on my “5h v1″..
regard
April 18th, 2007 15:29
My steelsound [5H] v2 - USB, has really bad quality, and the v1 worked fine.. anyone knows how to fix the problem?
April 20th, 2007 21:18
#39 yes there is :)
May 4th, 2007 14:48
I planning get but I don’t know how 5Hv2-USB works on VISTA? I hope somebody can advise my.
May 19th, 2007 17:28
plise, need drivers for Windows Vista 32
May 25th, 2007 01:00
Vista dont have support for so many drivers yet. Get you a xp, or you have to be without drivers, unless you wait and see..
June 26th, 2007 18:28
best headset ever :D
September 10th, 2007 20:42
I have these headphones too with usb …But I can’t play with 7.1 surrounding sound because then I can’t hear apsolutly nothing…I can’t hear from where enemies are coming…Wtf… :/ So I didn’t installed any drivers from disc and what can I say…I can hear something but not everything..
November 25th, 2007 04:30
buy lorazepam…
news…