As the warmth of the summer sun diminishes on a daily basis my thoughts inevitably turn to keeping warm during those long winter gaming sessions. After a few hours of near total inactivity my extremities are usually quite cold so the arrival of another set of headphones the other day was a bit of a relief. With these and two PowerGloves on all I would need are some gaming socks and I could play for 12 hours straight without having to consider the effects of poor circulation.

Icemat's Siberia headphones are some of the most visually striking cans I've ever laid eyes on. The set I was sent are a delicious pure white colour, although they are also available in black. Resembling what a Transformer turned into headphones would look like if it were designed by as set dressing for THX1138, the Siberias are just about the sexiest looking things I've ever plugged into a PC. Fortunately the beauty of the form is complimented by some excellent overall planning. Just about every area of the Siberia's layout and construction demonstrates superb design credentials. For example, rather then having an adjustable headpiece the Siberias feature a soft and comfortable band of foam-filled plastic slung underneath the head-arch. This band is attached by two sets of robust looking springs. So rather then have to fiddle around with catches and sliders all you have to do is pop the headphones onto your noggin and they will adjust themselves accordingly. If like me you have a large head there's more than enough travel in the springs to ensure a comfortable and snug fit. The microphone comes attached to the audio cable by way of a few clips so it can easily be removed and used on its own. Icemat provide a couple of small plastic brackets and some sticky-backed Velcro strips so you can attach the mike to just about any surface you desire. The thought that has gone into the headphones really is most impressive; I actually found myself holding the Siberias and looking at them admiringly, the design is that good. If you frequent LAN parties you are also guaranteed to have the smartest looking head out of all the attendees.

The same can be said for the actual earpieces themselves. Icemat opted for a design that encloses the entire ear rather then something that sits on top of the lugs. This has two benefits, the most immediately noticeable of which is comfort. After a few hours I find that the normal design which sits on top of the ears becomes annoyingly uncomfortable and require frequent scratching and rubbing. After ten hours of continuous use the Siberias were just as welcome on my head as they were when I first put them on, partly thanks to their light weight. The padding used not only ensures that there's no unnecessary pressure on the side of the skull and they allow enough air to get in to stop each earpiece from resembling a mini oven and roasting one set of sensory organs. My ears were a little warm after a very long session but not to the point of discomfort. Unlike the Plantronics I recently reviewed, the presence of a pair of spectacles didn't faze the Siberias either. The only way I could see these headphones being uncomfortable is if you try to listen to them while lying on your side.

Now who plays games on their while lying on their side you may ask? Well, probably not all that many people but a lot more listen to in that position, I'd wager. And fortunately the sound quality of the Siberias compliments the superb physical design, so much so that I lay in bed listening to MP3s with them on a number of occasions. While these are not audiophile standard cans they certainly beat the performance of both my in-ear headphones and other PC headphones I have used, so while you may not buy the Siberias purely for use as music headphones they certainly won't disappoint with their versatility.

With the headphones totally enclosing the ears the sound reproduction 'sounds' more personal and up close. While playing games I was often bowled over by the depth of the sound field and the sheer presence of the noise emanating from the unit. Playing the demo of 2 was an exercise in grinning and chuckling, while extended sessions of World of Warcraft gave me a better appreciation of the fine sound work done for that game, especially its music and ambient sounds. The voices of my guildmates were also clearly audible while by all accounts the microphone did a wonderful job of reproducing my voice, even though it could do little to compensate for my funny accent. The bass levels were satisfyingly meaty without tumbling over into distorted farce while the mid and high ranges possessed enough fidelity to enliven most gaming soundtracks. In my opinion there is still room for improvement in the audio capabilities of these headphones but when you take the price and wonderful design into consideration the Siberias are great value for money.

I find it hard to come up with substantial faults in these headphones; even the plastic construction seems both firm and reliable. The only thing missing from the package is a splitter for the audio lead. As the Siberia plugs into the back of the soundcard, not via USB, you will need a splitter if you don't want to have to rummage around the back of your PC each time you swap between headphones and speakers. It is a minor point however.

The Siberias are better provisioned than a Rolling Stones rider with concessions made to all listening demands. The Siberias benefit from long, strong cables that are comfortable against the skin, non-stick earpieces, fine sound reproduction and an aching elegance that helps to form a very complete and desirable package. If Icemat continue to work on the sound reproduction for a new version then they could well find themselves selling the ultimate pair of reasonably priced headphones. Until then I still wouldn't hesitate in recommending these to PC users, both gamers and non-gamers alike.

90% HEADPHONE:
Frequency resp: 18-28.000 Hz
Impedance: 40 Ohm
SPL@1kHz, 1V rms: 99 - 104dB
Cable length: 1,0+1,8=2,8m.
Jack: 3,5 mm. + 6,3 mm. converter.

MICROPHONE:
Frequency Response: 80-15.000 Hz
Pick-up pattern: Sensitive uni-directional
1V/P@1kHz: 38dB

By Sam Gibson

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