How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a full gaming audio system with a dedicated DAC/amp and certified Hi-Res playback on PS4 or PC, choose Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro; if you need compact wired in-ear monitors with a tunable, audiophile-first sound for music on the go, choose SHANLING MG100.
• Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro — biggest strength: A complete desktop/console audio chain in one box, pairing an ESS Sabre DAC/amp (GameDAC) with Hi-Res certified 96 kHz / 24-bit playback and a 10 Hz–40 kHz dynamic driver.
• Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro — biggest trade-off: It's an over-ear, wired headset with no active noise cancellation, and it's a renewed unit covered by a 90-day limited warranty rather than a new-product warranty.
• SHANLING MG100 — biggest strength: A genuinely tunable in-ear monitor: ceramic-diaphragm 10 mm dynamic driver, dual-magnet design, swappable "balanced"/"ambient" nozzles, and a detachable MMCX cable with both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm plugs.
• SHANLING MG100 — biggest trade-off: It's a wired in-ear only — no mic boom, no DAC, no console integration — and it carries a 3-month warranty.
• Who each is for: Arctis Pro for PS4/PC gamers who want one high-resolution audio system for both play and listening; MG100 for music-first listeners who want a portable, upgradeable IEM.
The Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro is built around one idea: get the digital-to-analog conversion out of the console or PC and into a proper piece of hardware. The included GameDAC is a dedicated DAC and headphone amp that bypasses the low-fidelity converters typically found in console controllers, USB headsets, and PC sound cards. SteelSeries rates the ESS Sabre DAC inside at 121 dB of dynamic range with -115 dB THD+N, and the whole chain is certified Hi-Res, delivering 96 kHz / 24-bit audio at full resolution with no down-sampling. On the headphone side, the dynamic drivers use high-density neodymium magnets and cover 10 Hz to 40 kHz.
Physically, this is an over-ear, closed-back-style headset with aluminum in the enclosure and a black finish, plus a carrying case in the box. It connects over USB and is wired; the spec sheet also lists Bluetooth under wireless technology, but the primary signal path here is the wired GameDAC. Controls are media-style with a touch control method, and there's no active noise cancellation — isolation comes from the over-ear fit, not from electronics.
Who should buy it: PS4 and PC players who want a single setup that handles game audio and serious music listening, and who value the headroom a dedicated DAC/amp provides over plugging into a controller or motherboard jack. If you also care about Hi-Res playback at native resolution, this system was designed for exactly that.
Who should skip it: Anyone who wants a tiny, pocketable pair of in-ears for commuting, or who needs noise cancelling for flights and open offices. Also skip it if you're not comfortable buying renewed hardware — this unit is renewed and covered by a 90-day limited warranty, which is shorter than a typical new-product warranty.
The SHANLING MG100 takes the opposite approach: it's a small, wired in-ear monitor that puts all the engineering into the driver and the cable system. The heart of it is a ceramic diaphragm dynamic driver — a material SHANLING notes is rare even among high-end earphones — paired with a 0.035 mm high-tensile voice coil for higher resolution and faster transients. A dual-magnet design distributes the magnetic field more evenly, which SHANLING says lowers distortion and raises sensitivity; the rated figures are 32 ohm impedance and 113 dB sensitivity, with a 15 Hz–40 kHz frequency range from a 10 mm driver.
The MG100 is also unusually flexible for its class. It ships with two sets of tuning nozzles: "balanced" for even tri-frequency energy and high transparency across most music, and "ambient" for noticeably stronger low end and better dynamics, which SHANLING suggests for rock and jazz. The cable is detachable via MMCX connectors and terminates in both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm plugs, so it works with anything from a phone or USB dongle to a dedicated Hi-Fi player or DAC — and you can swap in aftermarket cables later. The housings are 7000-series aluminum, machined on 5-axis CNC equipment with a black coating, and each earpiece weighs just 5.6 g in a rounded, small-profile shape.
Who should buy it: Music listeners who want an affordable entry into genuinely tunable IEMs, people who already own or plan to own a balanced-output DAC or DAP, and anyone who wants a lightweight wired in-ear that fits a wide range of ears. The nozzle swapping and MMCX cable make it a hobbyist-friendly pick.
Who should skip it: Gamers who need a boom mic, virtual surround, or a single USB connection to a console. There's no microphone listed, no wireless mode, and no amplification built in — the MG100 is only as good as the source you plug it into. It's also covered by a 3-month warranty, so if long-term coverage matters, factor that in.
• Best for console gaming (PS4) → Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro. The GameDAC is designed specifically to bypass the console controller's weak DAC.
• Best for PC gaming plus music at a desk → Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro. USB wired, over-ear, Hi-Res certified at 96 kHz / 24-bit.
• Best for portable music listening → SHANLING MG100. 5.6 g per earpiece, in-ear, wired, and easy to drive at 32 ohm / 113 dB.
• Best for sound tuning flexibility → SHANLING MG100. Two swappable nozzle sets ("balanced" and "ambient") let you shift the tuning without buying new earphones.
• Best for source flexibility and future upgrades → SHANLING MG100. Detachable MMCX cable plus both 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm plugs, including balanced output.
• Best for durability of materials → a tie, with a caveat. Both use aluminum construction — Arctis Pro in polished steel and aluminum alloy, MG100 in 7000-series CNC aluminum — but the Arctis Pro is a renewed unit with a 90-day limited warranty versus the MG100's 3-month warranty.
• Best for wide frequency range → Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro on paper. 10 Hz–40 kHz versus the MG100's 15 Hz–40 kHz, though the audible difference at the extremes is minor.
• Best if you need noise cancellation → neither. Both list no active noise control; isolation depends on fit.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down to what you plug into. If your priority is gaming on PS4 or PC and you want one box that upgrades the whole audio chain — DAC, amp, Hi-Res certification, over-ear comfort — I'd buy the Amazon Renewed SteelSeries Arctis Pro. If your priority is music and portability, with tuning nozzles and a balanced-ready detachable cable, I'd buy the SHANLING MG100. Neither is a compromise; they simply solve different problems. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, and weigh the shorter renewed warranty on the Arctis Pro against the MG100's 3-month coverage.
FAQ
Not strictly — at 32 ohm and 113 dB sensitivity they're easy to drive from a phone or USB dongle. But they include a 4.4 mm balanced plug and an MMCX detachable cable, so they scale up nicely with a dedicated player or DAC.
The SHANLING MG100. It's a 5.6 g in-ear with a rounded, small-profile design and a wired MMCX cable. The Arctis Pro is an over-ear headset with a GameDAC, which is a desk-and-console setup, not something you'd wear on the move.
The MG100 lets you change it — "balanced" nozzles for even, transparent sound, "ambient" nozzles for stronger bass and dynamics. The Arctis Pro's character is fixed by its drivers and the GameDAC, tuned for resolution and a wide frequency range rather than on-the-fly tuning.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.