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SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro

Inle

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The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is an excellent gaming headset. While being analog, it comes with the GameDAC Gen 2, an external USB sound card with two USB-C inputs, and a host of exciting features.

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How do they compare to the wireless model of Nova Pro?
 
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How do they compare to the wireless model of Nova Pro?

It's better. Steelseries doesn't fully highres certify their wireless stuff because really you can never actually get true highres over wireless. You're paying more for crap that sounds worse!
 
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It's better. Steelseries doesn't fully highres certify their wireless stuff because really you can never actually get true highres over wireless. You're paying more for crap that sounds worse!

Marginally worse. 95+% of people probably couldn't tell the difference in an A-B test. I'd wager more users will be interested in ANC and/or Transparency Mode, which the wireless version has, but wired doesn't. Also, you know, being wireless. It all depends what's important to an individual. Audio fidelity isn't the be-all, end-all for everyone, and Inle seems to think it's pretty good.
 

Inle

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How do they compare to the wireless model of Nova Pro?

I covered this in the review. In terms of sound quality:

The overall sonic character of the Arctis Nova Pro is very similar to that of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, although the wired Arctis Nova Pro has a stronger emphasis on the bass. This is likely down to the difference in amplifiers powering them, as their speaker drivers should be identical. I don't see this added bass as a negative; in fact, in my review of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless I suggested a slight boost to its bottom end through the equalizer to get the set to sound fuller, warmer, and more engaging.

You can compare their measured frequency responses:


In terms of features, the differences are substantial. Please check out my Nova Pro Wireless review to find out about everything you're getting with it. In a money-no-object scenario, I'd go with the wireless variant. It's quite possibly the best and most feature-packed gaming headset currently on the market.
 

staringeyes

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I am having problems with the wireless version and active sonar, as sometimes when playing games and if the CPU is working at 100% the audio is dirty and it goes intermittently. on the internet I have found people who have had the same problem, and there is no real solution. to date, unfortunately, I have not been able to solve them, I have tried them all. that you know disabling sonar and using the audio in engine with dolby atmos active I would hear many differences compared to sonar?
 
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Marginally worse. 95+% of people probably couldn't tell the difference in an A-B test. I'd wager more users will be interested in ANC and/or Transparency Mode, which the wireless version has, but wired doesn't. Also, you know, being wireless. It all depends what's important to an individual. Audio fidelity isn't the be-all, end-all for everyone, and Inle seems to think it's pretty good.

For a lot of people ANC and wireless are outright negatives. I wouldn't buy a product that was either of those things.

I covered this in the review. In terms of sound quality:

The overall sonic character of the Arctis Nova Pro is very similar to that of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, although the wired Arctis Nova Pro has a stronger emphasis on the bass. This is likely down to the difference in amplifiers powering them, as their speaker drivers should be identical. I don't see this added bass as a negative; in fact, in my review of the Arctis Nova Pro Wireless I suggested a slight boost to its bottom end through the equalizer to get the set to sound fuller, warmer, and more engaging.

You can compare their measured frequency responses:


In terms of features, the differences are substantial. Please check out my Nova Pro Wireless review to find out about everything you're getting with it. In a money-no-object scenario, I'd go with the wireless variant. It's quite possibly the best and most feature-packed gaming headset currently on the market.
Cool. I'd still stick with nonwireless. I impulse bought the old wired pro with dac and was honestly pretty shocked with it for a "gaming" brand. They really did nail it. These look like a nice update but I can't justify the upgrade.
 
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I got the nova pro wireless, and the most enjoyable feature is ANC, also like to use this headset for a casual listening on android/windows 11 laptop, less for competitive gaming
 
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