The SteelSeries Arena 9 Speakers is almost the ideal addition to any gaming rig thanks to its amazing audio quality and three-dimensional, immersive audio experience.
A good deal of customization is available, and the volume is loud enough to wake the neighbors. There is also plenty of connectivity. Software-related issues do exist, but they are simple to resolve.
SteelSeries Arena 9 Speakers: Price
It’s important to remember that most 5.1 systems are designed for home theaters when comparing the $549 (599€/AU$599) price of the SteelSeries Arena 9 to other systems.
Design
For some reason, PC speaker manufacturers like to give their speakers a cylindrical, almost extraterrestrial egg-like shape. The SteelSeries Arena 9 speakers, excluding the subwoofer, are also identical to one another.
Almost every other computer speaker also has matte-black hard plastic enclosures, a feature all speakers share.
The system creates a surround sound effect thanks to the presence of two rear speakers, one for the left and one for the right.
All of the rear speakers—left and right—can also be mounted on walls. Make sure you have a place for the rear speakers because this is a 5.1 system. You won’t be able to benefit from that surround sound if you don’t do that.
On its circular OLED display, it has two buttons: one to accept an entry (or press enter) and the other to return to a menu; it also has an enclosure that doubles as a scroll or volume wheel.
You can quickly change the volume through this control pod. Select audio inputs and pair Bluetooth devices, experiment with EQ and choose from various RGB lighting effects.
Performance
Besides being loud enough, the SteelSeries Arena 9 has a lively and interesting sound. It isn’t quite an audiophile level because of a mid-high boost that makes everything sound more exciting but is also a little too rich in that frequency range. However, music tends to make it more apparent. The bass is strong in comparison to the other frequency range.
With the one in Sonar, you can increase or decrease frequencies by up to 12 decibels at any desired frequency. A Q control also allows you to regulate the boost or cut’s width or narrowness. When using the speakers late at night, the “Smart Volume” setting, which compresses the audio signal to ensure that nothing is too loud or quiet, is a great feature.
Features
In addition to the Arena 7/9’s reactive RGB lighting effects, all three configurations offer wired and Bluetooth connections. However, the Arena 9 is the most impressive due to its surround sound.
The brilliant SteelSeries Sonar app, which enables you to personalize your sound profiles, is supported by the Arena speakers, making it one of their most notable features. By identifying specific sounds to pay attention to, you can adjust the audio to your tastes for each of your favorite games.
Although a wired headset’s audio can be quickly filtered through the Arena speakers, the microphone’s circumference doesn’t completely obstruct your eardrum. Instead, it has a soft rubbery design and three different hooks to fit every ear size.
This makes it comfortable for extended sessions. In addition, the ClearCast noise-canceling technology from SteelSeries, also used in the company’s gaming headsets, was incorporated into the Arena Wireless Mic.
