Once upon a time, desktop pc audio system really mattered. That was greater than a decade in the past, lengthy earlier than gaming headsets crammed the land and wi-fi Bluetooth headphones have been any good. In the early 2000’s, extra individuals additionally had precise desktops computer systems chained to desks, so it was price investing a bit in first rate audio. SteelSeries’ new Arena 9 encompass sound PC audio system jogs my memory of that period, a time after I eagerly strung cables all through my dorm room to attach Logitech’s legendary Z-680 encompass sound audio system. (Apologies for anybody who lived close to me. I attempted to maintain issues civil, I swear!)

Luckily, it isn’t as robust to go encompass sound as we speak – although it’s going to nonetheless price you a ton. The $550 Arena 9 join over USB, so you do not have to fret a few specialised sound card, and so they function wi-fi rear satellites, which solely have to be related to energy and one another. There’s no have to string something to the entrance audio system. That solves an enormous ache level, and it makes the Arena 9 a much more viable choice for the cable-averse. But is organising a encompass sound system price it when gaming headphones are cheaper, extra immersive and kinder to your neighbors? You’ll should resolve that for your self.

Pros

• Excellent two-way speaker design
• Fantastic sound high quality for gaming and flicks
• Convenient wi-fi rears
• Bluetooth help

Cons

• Built-in speaker cables could also be exhausting to repair
• Subwoofer is small for a system this measurement
• No onboard encompass sound processing
• No 5.1 encompass for PS5
• Average construct high quality

Assuming you do need to fill your room with audio system, the Arena 9 are notable for present in any respect. There aren’t many PC alternate options as we speak, and so they’re largely a number of years previous, like Logitech’s Z906 (launched in 2011). You may, in fact, arrange an amplifier and join no matter audio system you need, however anybody doing that in all probability is not out there for a self-contained package. SteelSeries is putting a fragile stability between complexity and comfort – for essentially the most half, I feel the Arena 9 is successful.

In the field, you will discover two entrance audio system (each geared up with RGB lighting alongside their base and rears), two wi-fi rear satellites, a middle channel, a management module, and a 6.5-inch downward-firing subwoofer. The two-way audio system do not precisely really feel high-end, however their matte plastic casing ought to mix in together with your keyboards and different PC parts. They’re additionally far lighter than I anticipated, which is never a very good signal with audio gear. My largest gripe, although, comes all the way down to the cabling. The entrance and middle audio system are hard-wired to the rear of the subwoofer. From what I can inform, there is no straightforward approach to change these cables, so that you’re caught chucking your complete speaker if one thing goes improper (or getting very aware of soldering). I’d a lot fairly have detachable cables as a substitute of superfluous RGB lighting.

I can perceive why SteelSeries selected to incorporate all of its audio inputs behind the subwoofer. It will get extra cables away out of your desk, and it is a sensible place to deal with the amplifier and energy parts. But that is additionally the one place with an aux connection, so you will have to string an extended 3.5mm cable if you wish to plug in every other units. Thankfully, there’s additionally Bluetooth help, which supplies you a straightforward approach to wirelessly stream tunes when your pc is off. For units with digital audio, just like the PlayStation 5, you may join them through an optical cable (there’s additionally optical output port to move sound to different gear).

Unfortunately, the PS5 can solely output 2.1 sound (two entrance audio system and the subwoofer) over optical or USB. You may upmix that audio throughout all your audio system through the management pod, however that might nonetheless simply be simulated encompass. That’s a disgrace for anybody who desires a system that may seamlessly work throughout their gaming methods and computer systems. It’s additionally doubly disappointing because the Logitech Z-680 dealt with Dolby Digital and DTS encompass processing from consoles and different units all the way back in 2003 for simply $400. For the worth, I’m stunned the Arena 9 cannot deal with their very own decoding.

At least SteelSeries is not attempting to push the Arena 9 as a perfect encompass sound system in your house theater. What’s notable is that it is the first 5.1 gaming audio system that work over a single USB connection. Typically, PC audio system both depend on three 3.5mm jacks or a digital connection like optical or coaxial. Since it is counting on USB, setup is easy – even for laptop computer customers, who would sometimes should get some kind of exterior sound card to make use of a 5.1 system.

It solely took a couple of minutes to get the Arena 9’s entrance and middle audio system hooked as much as the subwoofer, whereas the rears discovered houses on bookshelves behind my desk chair. Those took a bit extra effort, since I needed to discover a close by outlet to energy the correct rear speaker, in addition to string a cable throughout the ground to the left one. (If you have received a big house, you too can use an additional lengthy RCA cable to attach these audio system.) On my desk, the Arena 9 appears cleaner than the large KEF Q150 bookshelves I sometimes use.

I’ll be trustworthy, although, I care much more about sound high quality than aesthetics on the subject of audio system. Despite their comparatively small measurement and common construct high quality, the Arena 9 sounds unbelievable throughout video games and flicks. The opening monster assault in Netflix’s The Sea Beast rocked my workplace with explosions, the sounds of large waves and the rumble of a pissed off monster. While taking part in Halo Infinite, I felt totally immersed in each firefight, a lot in order that I may clearly hear enemies creeping up behind me on the rear audio system. One Halo Infinite match, which geared up everybody with rocket launchers and skewers, gave the impression of I used to be entrance row in a 15-minute lengthy fireworks present.

The Arena 9s are greatest when you may crank the quantity as a lot as attainable – making them ill-suited for flats and smaller houses. (Do as I say, not as I did.) They’re peppy and energetic sufficient for video games and movies with massive soundscapes. I’d have preferred to see a bigger subwoofer, although. A 6.5-inch ported unit for a system this costly simply feels limiting. I needed to push the subwoofer’s quantity dial nearly to its most to get a satisfying quantity of low-end punch. A bigger sub would not have to work so exhausting.