Sony WH-1000XM2 vs SteelSeries Siberia 840

The bass has good punch and control which works really well with most genres of music. The mids are slightly forward at just the right levels, which ensures that vocals can be clearly heard. The highs are emphasized and sound great with a lot of clarity and detail, especially on the upper registers.

Swiping or tapping on the right ear cup's surface can pause or play track, go to the next track or go back to the previous one and can control volume levels as well. Also, the right ear cup has more of a textured surface compared to the old MDR1000x model's smooth, leather-like surface. This makes gesture control much more accurate on the WH-1000XM2.

If you need to talk while using these, all you need to do is to cover the right ear cup with the palm of your hand. This activates Quick Attention mode which cuts off the music and amplifies voice for easy conversation. To get back to listening to music, all you need to do is to remove the palm from the ear cup.

Aside from just turning noise cancelling on or off, users can set it to Ambient Sound which offers 2 further options.Normal Mode allows some outside noise through, while Voice Mode allows voice frequencies through the noise cancelling.

The WH1000XM2 comes with a companion mobile app that allows you to easily tweak the various settings of the headphones including EQ and noise cancelling levels. The app can also take advantage of the accelerometers in your smartphone as you move, adjusting noise cancelling and audio settings on the fly to give you the optimal listening experience.

These have great noise isolating properties and can block out a good amount of sound even with the noise cancelling off. The ear cups are closed back, while the ear pads go over the ear and seal well, awhich effectively minimizes sound leakage to and from the headphones.

The ear cups can be folded into the headband. This reduces the headphones' size so that it can easily fit inside bags.

The WH-1000XM2's active noise cancelling is one of the best in the market today. With the mode activated, a significant amount of outside noise is blocked, allowing you to really enjoy your music with minimal distractions. The Bose QC 35 II slightly edges out the Sony in this aspect though.

There is a built in microphone which negates the need to remove the headphones to answer a call.

You can use these headphones wired using the detachable 3.5mm cable or you can go wireless with Bluetooth.

The internal battery can last up to 30 hours of listening to music in wireless mode with noise cancelling on. This number goes up to 40 hours in wired mode with noise cancelling activated.

This comes with a carrying case that is made from high quality materials. It should provide extra protection to the headphones against scratches and minor impacts, which are quite common when taking these while traveling.

The ear cups feature a closed design which blocks outside noise. People near you won't hear the in-game audio while you're wearing these.

This is versatile gaming headset works with PC, Xbox One and a host of other devices.

The microphone is flexible and can easily be bent or angled as preferred. If not in use, the mic can be pushed into the ear cup so it won’t get in the way.

You can adjust the various settings of the Siberia 840 on your computer via Steelseries’ Engine 3 app. You get more fine tuning options compared to what the base station can provide, and you’ll also be able to set and sync audio profiles with your other Steelseries devices, allowing on the fly audio changes depending on the inputs to your Steelseries mouse and/or keyboard.

The range and stability of the wireless connection is very good. The signal remains stable with clear audio even if the headset is more than 30 feet away from the base. There is also no noticeable delay between what is happening on screen and when you hear the audio.

You can connect this headset to your smartphone/tablet and other Bluetooth capable audio devices, which is a major upgrade over the old 800 model. This allows you to take calls from your phone and improves device compatibility, and are perks that you may find to be very useful.

This headset has a fun sound signature. The highs are slightly boosted, which helps make the audio sound very airy. The enhanced bass makes explosions quite powerful and immersive. The mids, while not forward, are present and give body to the audio.

The Siberia 840 comes with a spare battery pack in addition to the one already provided. The spare battery can be charged independently in the base station, so you can use the headset while the other battery pack charges. Swapping from one battery to another is also quick and easy to do.

This headset's wireless connection (both RF and Bluetooth) is stable and the sound is detailed and powerful. The base station also accepts a variety of analog and digital inputs, making this a very versatile headset. It also has a long battery life complemented by a charging system that allows you to charge one battery pack while using the other.