When comparing Steelseries Arctis 7 vs Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, the Slant community recommends Audio-Technica ATH-M40x for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Audio-Technica ATH-M40x is ranked 17th while Steelseries Arctis 7 is ranked 35th. The most important reason people chose Audio-Technica ATH-M40x is:
Sound signature is quite accurate, almost flat. Bass is much more controlled instead of boomy, while there is a slight elevation on the highs, resulting in extra energy and detail up top. These offer a nice middle ground between a fun sound and a more reference/analytical sound signature. This sound quality makes the headphones quite versatile as music enjoyment headphones or studio-use cans.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Great highs and mids
The highs are the highlight of the Arctis 7’s sound signature. They are slightly boosted, which gives the sound a lot of detail. It should be very easy for you to hear environmental audio effects like the wind and the rustling of leaves or grass. This also makes distant footsteps and gunshots easier to hear, and can give you an edge in competitive gaming. The mids sound natural and full, so game dialogue won’t easily get lost in the mix. The bass is not very powerful, though you still get a decent amount of punch from explosions and gunshots.
Pro Excellent battery life
You’ll get long hours of wireless audio listening experience with the Arctis 7. From a full charge, the headset can last around 16 to 24 hours of use at medium to high volume levels.
Pro Should fit well on most heads
The Arctis 7’s headband adjusts to your head size. Instead of the usual one-piece headband design, the Arctis 7 features a two-piece setup. The top part is a thin piece of aluminum with thin padding, while a stretchable fabric strap is what comes into contact with the head.
Pro On-ear cup controls
A myriad of headset functions are within easy reach, as there are buttons and dials on the ear cups. You get a mute button, the volume wheel, USB charging port and 3.5mm audio out on the left ear cup and on the right ear cup, you get a balance adjust wheel between game and chat audio.
Pro Fairly neutral sound signature
Sound signature is quite accurate, almost flat. Bass is much more controlled instead of boomy, while there is a slight elevation on the highs, resulting in extra energy and detail up top. These offer a nice middle ground between a fun sound and a more reference/analytical sound signature. This sound quality makes the headphones quite versatile as music enjoyment headphones or studio-use cans.
Pro These have a high quality and durable feel
The M40xs feel solid and are known to be quite durable. The plastics used in the build do not easily flex or make creaks, giving the impression that these can last quite a long time.
Pro Can be used in noisy environments
The over-ear, closed back design along with the thick pleather ear pads can block out quite a lot of ambient noise, and will help users to focus in on the music. These make the headphones great for travel or for mixing/monitoring use.
Pro Comes with two detachable cables
The headphones come with a straight cable and a coiled cable, making them useful in the studio or while walking.
Cons
Con Audio isn’t powerful
The Arctis 7’s sound signature is focused on the highs and mids, while the bass lacks power. In-game attacks and explosions may sound underwhelming with this headset.
Con The mic is not very good
The microphone audio does not sound full, and instead sounds a bit tinny, which can make your voice chats difficult to understand. Also, the microphone picks up ambient noise like keyboard and mouse presses, which can be annoying for your teammates.
Con Not very comfortable
You may experience some discomfort when wearing this headset for extended periods of time. The padding on the ear cups is not very thick. Your ears may come into contact with the driver housing which may hurt. Also, if you have a larger sized head, the top portion may come into contact with the metal headband piece, which may cause pain.
Con Incompatible with cables from other brands
Only Audio Technica cables can be used with these headphones.