How To Turn Off Sidetone On SteelSeries Headsets: A Step-by-Step Master Guide

To turn off sidetone on a SteelSeries headset, open the SteelSeries GG software, navigate to either the Sonar or Engine tab, locate your connected headset configuration, and toggle the Sidetone slider to Off or 0dB. Alternatively, on headsets equipped with an OLED GameDAC or base station like the Arctis Nova Pro, push the control dial to open Audio Settings, scroll to Sidetone, and select Off.

Pre-Configuration Requirements & Diagnostic Checklist

Disabling audio pass-through—commonly referred to as microphone monitoring or sidetone—requires identifying whether your SteelSeries headset is being managed by hardware settings, the legacy SteelSeries Engine driver, or the modern SteelSeries GG Sonar software suite. Hardware sidetone feeds microphone input directly back into the headphone drivers at the DSP (Digital Signal Processor) level to minimize latency, while software sidetone processes audio through the host operating system.

Before adjusting your audio pipeline, verify that your hardware and software environments meet the technical baseline necessary to retain configuration changes across system reboots.

Hardware & Software Prerequisites

• Essential Gear & Software: A supported SteelSeries headset (Arctis Nova Series, Arctis 7/9/Pro, or Arctis Prime), original USB-C/USB-A wireless transmitter or GameDAC, and SteelSeries GG Software (version 40.0 or higher recommended).
• System Knowledge: Understanding of your primary audio path (Windows Audio Endpoint configuration, macOS Sound Output, or Console Audio Settings) and driver management.
• Estimated Execution Time: 2 to 5 minutes across all hardware variants.
• Budget Benchmark: $0 (requires only native software utility adjustments).

Complete Instructions to Disable SteelSeries Sidetone

Depending on your model and configuration, sidetone can be toggled using SteelSeries GG Sonar software, the legacy SteelSeries Engine hardware interface, the physical GameDAC/OLED Base Station, or on-ear hardware dials. Execute the procedure below that corresponds to your specific device topology.

Step 1: Disabling Sidetone via SteelSeries GG Sonar

SteelSeries GG Sonar acts as a virtual audio device router that overrides native driver settings on modern Windows PCs. If Sonar is active, its virtual channel settings take precedence over standard hardware profile defaults.

1. Launch the SteelSeries GG application from your taskbar or applications folder.
2. Select the Sonar tab located in the left-hand navigation menu.
3. Click on the Microphone tab in the top navigation panel within the Sonar workspace.
4. Scroll down to the Mic Monitoring (Sidetone) module within the processing pipeline options.
5. Click the toggle switch to the Off position. Alternatively, drag the gain slider all the way to the far-left limit until it displays 0% or Disabled.
6. Speak into your microphone while monitoring audio. Verify that zero audio feedback returns through the earcups.

Pro-Tip: If you use Sonar's virtual routing channels for streaming (e.g., separating Chat, Game, and Mic streams), disabling sidetone in the Microphone tab will not mute your broadcast mic output. It strictly cuts off local zero-latency audio monitoring to your personal headphones.

Step 2: Disabling Sidetone via SteelSeries Engine (Legacy & Native Hardware Drivers)

If you prefer not to use the Sonar virtual audio engine, or if you are using an older Arctis headset (such as the original Arctis 7 or Arctis 9), sidetone must be turned off within the hardware firmware settings managed by the Engine tab.

1. Open SteelSeries GG and click on the Engine tab on the left navigation bar.
2. Under the Gear list, locate your connected SteelSeries device (e.g., Arctis Nova 7, Arctis 7+, or Arctis 9X).
3. Click on your headset card to open the device configuration menu.
4. Locate the card or slider labeled Sidetone (on legacy versions, this may appear as a drop-down menu with options: Off, Low, Medium, High).
5. Drag the slider completely to the left, or select Off from the drop-down selector.
6. Click the orange Save button in the bottom right corner to burn this configuration directly to your headset's onboard EEPROM/firmware.

Warning: Failing to click the Save button in the Engine interface will cause your headset to revert to its previous sidetone setting as soon as the headset power is cycled or disconnected from the USB transmitter.

Step 3: Disabling Sidetone via GameDAC or Wireless Base Station (PC & Console)

Headsets equipped with an external OLED base station—such as the Arctis Nova Pro, Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, or Arctis Pro GameDAC—allow hardware-level sidetone adjustment without launching desktop software. This is the primary method for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and standalone console environments.

1. Press and hold the main Control Dial on the GameDAC or Base Station for two seconds to open the main menu on the OLED display.
2. Turn the dial clockwise to scroll down to Audio Settings and press the dial to enter the sub-menu.
3. Scroll through the options until Sidetone is highlighted, then press the dial to select it.
4. Rotate the dial counter-clockwise to shift the level down through High, Medium, Low, down to Off.
5. Press the Control Dial once to confirm the selection.
6. Press the secondary Back/Touch Button to return to the home status screen.

Step 4: Disabling Windows Operating System Audio Pass-Through

In rare cases, your microphone sound may continue looping into your earcups even after turning off sidetone in SteelSeries GG. This occurs when Windows native audio pass-through ("Listen to this device") is active simultaneously with driver-level processing.

1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type mmsys.cpl and hit Enter to open the classic Windows Sound Control Panel.
3. Switch to the Recording tab at the top of the window.
4. Right-click your active SteelSeries Headphone/Microphone endpoint (e.g., SteelSeries Sonar - Microphone or Arctis Nova Chat) and select Properties.
5. Navigate to the Listen tab in the properties window.
6. Check the box labeled Listen to this device. If it is checked, click to uncheck it.
7. Click Apply, then click OK to permanently close the properties window.

Technical Specifications & Control Matrix

Understanding how different models handle local audio pass-through helps ensure you apply the correct modification method. The matrix below outlines how sidetone behaves across the primary SteelSeries headset product lines.

Troubleshooting Common Sidetone & Mic Monitoring Failures

Sidetone Persists After Disabling It in SteelSeries Engine

• Root Cause: SteelSeries GG Sonar is running in the background and overriding the static hardware driver profile, or the Windows audio subsystem has its own microphone loopback enabled.
• Actionable Fix: Open SteelSeries GG, go to Sonar > Microphone, and verify that the Mic Monitoring toggle is explicitly switched off. Next, navigate to mmsys.cpl, select your microphone properties under the Recording tab, open the Listen tab, and confirm that "Listen to this device" is completely unchecked.

Sidetone Re-Enables Automatically Every Time Headset Restarts

• Root Cause: Onboard profile failed to flash to the peripheral's internal EEPROM, usually caused by corrupt device drivers or an outdated firmware build.
• Actionable Fix: Connect your headset directly to your PC using a wired USB cable (do not use a USB hub). Open SteelSeries GG > Settings > About, and check for firmware updates. Run the firmware flash utility to completion. Once finished, open the Engine tab, toggle Sidetone to Off, and click Save.

On-Ear Sidetone/ChatMix Dial Does Not Adjust Sidetone

• Root Cause: The physical wheel on select models (like the Arctis Nova 7) is mapped to secondary ChatMix functions rather than direct sidetone gain control, or GG Sonar has rebound the hardware wheel.
• Actionable Fix: Open SteelSeries GG > Engine > Devices > [Your Headset]. Look for the Wheel Function Mapping setting. Ensure the dial is assigned to Sidetone Volume if you want manual hardware control, or assign it to ChatMix if you prefer controlling sidetone strictly through software while preserving hardware chat balance.

Microphone Pass-Through Audio Sounds Distorted or Robot-Like

• Root Cause: Dual monitoring feedback loop created when both SteelSeries Sonar Mic Monitoring and a third-party application (such as Discord, OBS Studio, or Streamlabs) are looping microphone audio back into your headset simultaneously.
• Actionable Fix: Turn off sidetone inside SteelSeries GG completely. Open Discord, go to User Settings > Voice & Video, scroll to Voice Diagnostics, and disable any local loopback tests. In OBS Studio, open Advanced Audio Properties and ensure your microphone channel is set to Monitor Off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my SteelSeries headset keep playing my voice back into my ears?

Your headset has an active feature called sidetone (or microphone monitoring). It is designed to play a zero-latency feed of your voice back into the earcups so you do not yell while wearing noise-isolating headphones. You can disable this feature entirely inside the SteelSeries GG software suite or via your GameDAC menu.

How do I turn off sidetone on PS5 or Xbox without connecting to a PC?

If your headset features an integrated OLED GameDAC or Base Station (like the Arctis Nova Pro), you can navigate to Audio Settings > Sidetone > Off directly on the DAC screen. If your headset uses a simple USB dongle (like the Arctis Nova 7 or Arctis 7+), you must connect the headset to a PC once, turn off sidetone inside SteelSeries Engine, and save the profile to onboard memory before returning to your console.

What is the difference between ChatMix and Sidetone on SteelSeries devices?

ChatMix is a balance control that changes the volume ratio between game audio and voice chat applications (such as Discord or party chat). Sidetone is an isolated audio loopback system that feeds your own local microphone input directly back into your headphones so you can hear your own speaking voice.

Why is the sidetone slider greyed out inside the SteelSeries GG software?

The sidetone option becomes greyed out when your headset is not actively connected via its primary 2.4GHz wireless dongle or USB connection, or when the headset is operating purely in Bluetooth mode. Connect your headset directly using its primary wireless transmitter or USB cable to unlock hardware profile adjustments.

Does turning off sidetone improve wireless battery life on SteelSeries headsets?

Yes. Disabling sidetone marginally reduces battery consumption. Because sidetone forces the internal Audio DSP and analog-to-digital converters to constantly sample, process, and feed real-time audio through the earcup drivers, turning it off saves power and can extend wireless battery runtime.

Maximize Your Audio Performance

Optimizing your SteelSeries peripheral ecosystem requires fine-tuning driver performance, audio routing, and hardware profiles. Check out our comprehensive guide to custom SteelSeries Sonar EQ profiles for tactical FPS gaming to achieve optimal spatial awareness and peak audio performance.