Cooler Master Storm Sirus Pro Reviews

The Sirus was Coolermaster’s first attempt at gaming headphones and while a few things need fixing (namely getting more bass out of the headphones), by and large there are plenty of positives that make recommending the Sirus easier. Namely the option of connecting these headphones directly to your existing sound card or using the included 7.1 channel CM Tactical console with options of controlling the volume of each channel on the fly. The headphones themselves are well built and the wire is of top notch quality and braided for extra protection. This generally means that these headphones should last for years together baring any mishaps. All in all I have no qualms recommending these headphones for their street price of around 7k. At 7k I can’t think of too many stereo headphones that are much better than these in all aspects for music performance. And the gaming and movie performance is top notch as well. Definitely a solid all round package of good stereo sound, bundled sound card, real 5.1 performance for games and movies and a sturdy headphone for a price that is not obscene.

The CM Storm Sirus headset is a really mixed bag of tricks we are afraid, but let us explain. During testing using an ASUS Xonar Xense audio platform with the plain Jane analog connection running in 5.1 we found a lot of 'pick-up' noise to exist between the connections made and the headset. We tried isolating the connections used with electrical tape which did help with the fuzziness, but not the hum.

If we're honest, we haven't heard many good 5.1 headsets but in the end, we feel the CM Storm Sirus tries too hard to offer the 5.1 experience. It's far from the worst headset we've used though - it's comfortable and in stereo mode was very capable, even when using the Tactical Mixing Console. However, it often sounded muffled, with a range of audio suffering in all corners of the audio spectrum. It also goes to show how good the Asus Vulcan is, and that if you want 5.1 surround sound, buy a set of speakers rather than a headset.

The CM Storm Sirus 5.1 sounds far better than any virtual surround sound system, and it's brilliant for hardcore gamers, although stereo music performance is something of an afterthought. The headset, although heavy, is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. However, this is a specialist product, and - at almost £100 - the price is prohibitive to casual users. If you want top-notch directional audio for gaming, this is a great buy, but most users will appreciate the lower price and greater versatility of a virtual surround-sound headset such as the Plantronics Gamecom 777.

The Sirus headphones are a bit of a mixed bag. They are most comfortable in a gaming environment and least comfortable when playing high quality musical content. Movie performance is somewhere in between. I believe CM did make a few too many tradeoffs to include four drivers per cup, and certainly the plastic covering over the drivers could use some work to make it more transparent to the audio.

If you are looking for a new headset that is going to give you a nice advantage in your favorite game, then you should add the Cooler Master Storm Sirus 5.1 Gaming Headset to your list of possible candidates. I would highly suggest this headset to someone who is shopping for a new one. Especially if they do not have a high powered sound card installed in their system and wish to use a USB headset that can go on the road with them. I know I will be personally using this headset while I game.

The Sirus is currently the only headset in the CM Storm line of products. Sirus provides 5.1 surround sound and can be connected to a computer via analog connections (3.5mm jacks) or via the included Tactical Mixing Console, which in turn connects via USB. Surround sound enables quite good pinpointing of the enemy’s position. The Tactical Mixing Console is quite useful, both for gamers and all other users, because it allows for easy control without having to interrupt your activities. Furthermore, the Console works without having to install drivers. Capabilities are many, as users may easily silence sounds of battle ahead and increase volume of sounds from the back in order to pinpoint the danger.

After putting out a line of gaming-grade mice, CM Storm – Cooler Master’s special label – now enters the realm of the headsets for gamers with the Sirus. The company is just missing a keyboard to complete the holy trinity of gaming peripherals.

If there was ever a product that deserved an Editors' Choice Award this is it. Top notch quality and top notch sound.

For $129.99 the Sirus provides respectable quality, surround sound, versatility and reliability. If you're picky about specific features, like sound quality, you may be able to get more feature for your dollar with another headset. The Sirus was reliable out of the box with minimal adjustment. For quality sound and true surround sound that works and works well, you want a Sirus on your head.

The Cooler Master Storm Sirus can be easily classified by two words: situational adaptability. Its combination of both USB and analog connections allows it to fit the needs of nearly everyone who is currently looking for a gaming headset. If high fidelity is needed, the analog route is there and for on the fly adjustments, look no further than its USB connection. Audiophiles will likely bitch and moan about the Sirus’ somewhat limited soundstage but for its target audience, we find very hard to recommend anything else.