Cooler Master (CM) has released a 5.1 channel surround sound gaming headset, going up against gaming peripheral heavyweights like Razer and Turtle Beach but winning on price.
The CM Storm Sirus sits relatively cheaply at $139, with eight drivers sitting across two large ear cups alongside a noise-cancelling microphone and a ‘tactical mixing console’ for mixing the eight sound channels on the fly.

The closed-back headphones are equipped with four drivers per ear that deliver 5.1 channel audio. Each ear houses three 30mm speakers and a 40mm subwoofer.

The interchangeable earpads allow users to switch between leatherette ears for better noise cancellation or a breathable micro fibre set. Leatherette will usually bake your ears during long gaming sessions, while fibre will usually leak sound – in any case, the options are a sweet touch.

The biggest perk with this set is the detachable inline controller for customising each channel’s sound – what CM dubs the tactical mixing console. The tweaking isn’t as intricate as some of the more expensive competitors, though the physical layout looks like it makes the process a lot simpler.

 CM is distributed in Australia through Rectron, Australia IT and DMA.