Steel Sound 4H

If you want quality sound but don't have a lot to spend, check these out. Just remember you have to sacrifice something.

A few months back we had the pleasure of reviewing the Steel Sound 5H v2 as part of our gaming headphones roundup. It was one of the best in show, scoring well on all counts, so it is great to get a look at its little sibling, the 4H. For a little less money, how different could they be?

Right off the bat you can see the corner-cutting involved with bringing out a cheaper product.

The headband, cups, cable, and cushions seem to have seen a quality drop. The cable in particular is shorter – 1.8m rather than 1m plus 2m – and not the sexy cloth covered, single-sided arrangement that really makes a big difference to ease of use. The cushions seem a little less ergonomic, and the phones don’t maintain overall comfort as long as the 5H does.

But this is nitpicking with something that is outstanding, and in its own right the 4H sits well. The same retractable microphone is here, which is one of the best in the game. A clip on the cable includes a volume control, which we can’t say we’d ever use, and a mic level switch, which is a good idea – three settings, high, low, and off.

The great news is the performance is very close to that of the 5H. Audio is clear, and the deep semi-open cups offer a great stage when compared to more ‘portable’ flat-cupped phones. For the stat fiends, we’re talking 16 to 28kHz frequency response and 40 ohm impedance. The mic delivers 75 to 16kHz and being uni-directional it is a good idea to play around with it to find its clarity sweet spot.

This is a nice set of phones, but it isn’t so much cheaper than the 5H v2 that you’re getting good value. Audio performance is great, and if you only have this money available then the performance will not disappoint. We just worry you will all too soon be hit by upgrade envy when you encounter someone with the 5H. Vigilant use of the swear jar for a few weeks – or hours – should earn you the extra you need.