The Most Immersive Gaming Speaker System I've Ever Tested Is $101 Off

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The SteelSeries Arena 9 features a full-fledged 5.1 situation sound system, including subwoofers for added bass.
• It allows you to link 3 devices simultaneously via Bluetooth, USB, and optical cable.
• While it offers robust EQ customization via nan OLED dial and Sonar desktop app, nan OLED dial doesn't springiness you arsenic overmuch power arsenic nan Sonar app for non-PC devices.

The SteelSeries Arena 9 strategy is presently $101 disconnected connected Amazon, bringing nan value to $579.

I person to admit: erstwhile I first saw nan SteelSeries Arena 9 speaker system, I thought it was complete overkill. Five speakers and a subwoofer (plus nan OLED controller and nan many, galore cables) felt for illustration an absurd magnitude of audio instrumentality for astir gamers who whitethorn only person 1 level they prefer: PC, Xbox, Switch, aliases PS5. And it is.

Also: This Yamaha soundbar delivers glorious sound for half nan value of my $1,000 JBL

That said, if you often move betwixt console and PC gaming, aliases your location agency doubles arsenic your gaming room, nan Arena 9 transforms into a location theatre powerhouse that's a much affordable action than a accepted 5.1CH strategy from brands for illustration LG aliases Samsung. I've been testing nan Arena 9 -- here's everything you request to cognize astir it.

Setting up nan Arena 9 is simply a batch little intimidating than nan included quick-start guideline makes it seem. The main left, right, and halfway speakers link straight to nan subwoofer, while nan rear speakers link wirelessly (and person their ain AC powerfulness cable).

The strategy besides comes pinch an OLED power dial for speedy and easy adjustments to measurement and EQ presets, connecting via Bluetooth, and viewing basal merchandise accusation for illustration nan serial and exemplary numbers for warranty claims.

Taylor Clemons/ZDNET

The subwoofer besides acts arsenic nan main relationship constituent for audio output via USB, Bluetooth, aliases optical cablegram -- you tin usage nan subwoofer arsenic an optical passthrough for theoretically connecting third-party soundbars aliases speakers if you already person thing you're utilizing to boost speech aliases ambient sound.

While you tin group up each 3 relationship types astatine once, you tin only usage 1 beingness relationship astatine a time, on pinch nan Bluetooth-connected device. The Bluetooth root will operation pinch nan beingness one, allowing you to drawback PC aliases console notifications while utilizing different instrumentality to watercourse music, movies, and shows.

I connected nan Arena 9 to my PS5 via USB and utilized Bluetooth to link to my iPhone 13 and desktop PC. While you'll get an fantabulous speech and hi-tone boost consecutive retired of nan box, you do person to return immoderate clip to tweak settings, either via nan OLED controller aliases Sonar desktop app, to get nan champion tones and measurement levels for each group of speakers. The rear speakers for illustration to beryllium very quiet and flat-sounding astatine first, but switching to nan Excite aliases Bass Boost EQ preset connected nan OLED controller instantly improves nan situation sound effect and wide quality.

The OLED dial gives you a bully magnitude of elasticity and power erstwhile selecting EQ presets aliases making manual adjustments, particularly if you're connected to a non-PC instrumentality for illustration a compartment phone. You tin toggle nan 5.1CH Upmix connected and off, which disables nan rear speakers for much focused audio, though it does sound overmuch much level and uninteresting than erstwhile enabled.

Also: One of nan champion portable speakers I've tested delivers glorious sound crossed various genres

SteelSeries has added a caller streamer mode to nan app that allows you to abstracted your programs into different output streams for greater power complete your audio. You tin group programs to beryllium recognized arsenic games, media, aliases chat and customize nan output operation to favour 1 aliases another.

This was a godsend erstwhile organizing Discord movie nights pinch friends, allowing maine to boost nan film's audio complete nan sound chat, truthful I didn't miss immoderate important crippled aliases dialogue. If you want moreover much in-depth customization options, each media type has its ain EQ tab wrong nan app, letting you take different presets from what you find connected nan OLED controller aliases tweak frequencies to suit your abstraction and preferences.  

Taylor Clemons/ZDNET

You tin moreover toggle spatial audio connected and off, which is awesome for switching betwixt games wherever you request to beryllium capable to pinpoint audio cues and movies wherever you whitethorn not want nan audio to consciousness for illustration it's coming from different places.

I spent respective days moving my measurement done a New Game+ tally of Gotham Knights' Heroic Assault mode connected my PS5, while besides bingeing The Real Housewives of Orange County connected my dual-purpose work/gaming desktop. Not only did nan Arena 9 grip some connections beautifully, but it was besides easy capable to tweak settings wrong nan Sonar app to equilibrium nan two, truthful I didn't get overwhelmed pinch arguments astir not getting invited to a statement while I was trying to escort a laser cannon done a mob.

Also: This portable Bluetooth speaker from Anker is truthful good, I forgot really affordable it was

The speaker strategy is besides fantabulous for streaming music; I played nan Old Gods of Asgard medium Rebirth while doing photography for upcoming reviews, and nan original 13-minute trim of "Herald of Darkness" is simply a borderline belief acquisition pinch nan correct EQ tweaks.

My 1 large title astir nan SteelSeries Arena 9 is that you really do consciousness that driblet successful power erstwhile dealing pinch a instrumentality that's been connected via USB aliases optical cable. The OLED dial allows you to take betwixt a fewer different presets, but only offers a azygous action for a civilization sound profile. In contrast, nan Sonar app lets you create a civilization soundscape for each media type and connected device.  

ZDNET's buying proposal

There is simply a batch that comes pinch nan SteelSeries Arena 9, betwixt nan speakers and subwoofer, controller, and cables. It's easy 1 of nan best-sounding systems I've tested, and nan expertise to tweak circumstantial audio settings is game-changing.

That said, if you chiefly usage a azygous level for illustration nan PC aliases a console for gaming, you whitethorn want to opt for nan smaller but still capable Arena 7 instead, since it comes pinch a azygous brace of speakers and a subwoofer. It doesn't see a power dial for illustration nan Arena 9, but you tin quickly set basal measurement and bass boost levels pinch nan on-device knobs for watching shows and movies.

If you're simply looking for a reliable group of PC speakers, nan Arena 3 is an fantabulous choice; it doesn't person nan RGB lighting features for illustration nan Arena 7 and Arena 9, which are amended choices for shared activity spaces aliases location offices that double arsenic gaming rooms.

This article was primitively published connected February 23, 2024, and was updated connected July 15, 2025.