Arctis Nova 1P Not Working on PS5? Start Here

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P works with PS5 through the DualSense controller’s headset jack: start by seating its five-contact cable end in the headset and its four-contact end in the controller. Then check the headset’s volume and mute controls before changing the PS5’s audio settings or buying replacement hardware.

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Start with the cable and both mute controls

Follow these checks in order, using the supplied cable and connecting directly to the controller:

1. Disconnect and inspect both cable ends. The headset end needs five metal contacts, separated by four insulating bands. The controller end needs four contacts, separated by three bands. Both plugs are 3.5mm, but they are not interchangeable. SteelSeries explicitly specifies this direction for the Nova 1. SteelSeries cable requirements
2. Push each plug fully into its socket. Remove any extension, splitter or controller accessory that prevents full insertion. Check whether a controller cover catches the plug’s plastic housing.
3. Turn the headset’s volume wheel up from minimum. Begin at a moderate level. This wheel is separate from the console’s headphone volume setting.
4. Unmute the headset microphone. Use the physical microphone-mute button on the earcup; extending the microphone does not replace this check.
5. Check the DualSense mute button beneath the PS button. A short press mutes or unmutes microphone input, including a wired headset microphone. Holding it also mutes PS5 audio output. If everything went silent after holding this button, press it again to restore the previous state. Sony’s DualSense mute explanation

The Nova 1P is a wired analog headset. There is no Bluetooth pairing step, wireless dongle or headset battery to charge. SteelSeries’ shared Nova 1/1P/1X guide lists PS5 compatibility and shows a direct connection to a combined audio/microphone socket. The PC splitter omitted from the 1P package is unnecessary for a DualSense connection. SteelSeries product information guide

When game audio is missing or still plays through the TV

Open Settings > Sound > Audio Output > Output Device and select the headset connected to the controller. Look for the controller-headset entry rather than expecting the console to identify the analog headset by its SteelSeries model name.

Next, set Output to Headphones > All Audio. This matters when you can hear chat but game sound remains elsewhere. The same controller connection and All Audio selection appear in Turtle Beach’s documented PS5 setup for an analog headset. PS5 controller-headset setup

Under Settings > Sound > Volume > Headphones, raise the console volume gradually. You now have two volume controls to check: this setting and the Nova 1P’s earcup wheel. Enable Switch Output Device Automatically if you want the PS5 to select a headset when you connect it. PlayStation audio settings

If no controller-headset option appears after reconnecting, move to the hardware checks below. Repeatedly changing surround-sound settings will not establish a missing physical connection.

Distinguish missing audio from unfamiliar tuning. SoundGuys measured the Nova 1’s frequency response and reported deviations from its target in the low frequencies and above 3kHz. That review tested the Nova 1, rather than a separately identified 1P sample; it describes the variants as otherwise identical apart from cosmetic and splitter differences. Those findings concern tonal balance, not a silent earcup or a disconnected microphone. SoundGuys’ measurements and variant explanation

If you hear the game but nobody hears you

Fully extend the retractable microphone and position its front surface toward the corner of your mouth. SteelSeries says the microphone should not be used while retracted. Nova 1 microphone positioning

Go to Settings > Sound > Microphone > Input Device and select the controller-connected headset. Open Adjust Microphone Level, speak normally and watch the input meter. Adjust the level until your voice reaches the indicated Good range. You can also access microphone controls through PS button > Mic. PlayStation microphone settings

Use the result to choose your next step:

• The meter responds with the headset selected: the PS5 is receiving microphone input. Investigate the chat session or game before replacing the cable.
• The meter stays flat: recheck both mute controls and cable orientation, then test another controller or compatible device.
• The selected input is the controller microphone: change it before interpreting the meter. A moving meter from the DualSense’s built-in microphone does not prove the Nova microphone works.

If the microphone becomes muted again after signing in or entering chat, inspect Microphone Status When Logged In and Microphone Status When Starting Voice Chat or Broadcast. These settings can explain a microphone that works during adjustment but starts the next session muted.

SteelSeries’ Nova 1 microphone support page specifically identifies reversed cable insertion and the wrong console input selection as checks to make before contacting support. SteelSeries microphone troubleshooting

When the problem happens only in one game

If the PS5 microphone meter responds and a PlayStation party can hear you, a complete microphone hardware failure is unlikely. Check the affected game’s voice-chat enable switch, selected channel, mute list and push-to-talk setting where available.

Also check whether you are speaking into party chat while expecting people in game chat to hear you. Press PS > Game Base, select the party and use the voice-chat card’s dropdown to switch between party and game chat. The card also provides a balance slider between voice chat and other audio. PlayStation voice-chat troubleshooting

Do not use a friend’s silence as your only microphone test. The PS5 input meter checks reception locally; a conversation additionally depends on the selected chat channel, other players’ settings and the connection.

Installing SteelSeries Sonar on a computer will not repair this PS5 audio path. SteelSeries states that Sonar settings, effects and features do not transfer to consoles. SteelSeries’ Sonar console limitation

Isolate crackling, one silent ear or a dead connection

Change one component at a time. These are diagnostic inferences, not a guarantee that a particular part has failed:

• Try the Nova 1P on another DualSense. If both playback and microphone operation return, the original controller or its connection becomes the main suspect.
• Try a known-working analog headset on the original controller. If that also fails, buying another Nova cable is premature.
• Try the Nova 1P on a device with a combined headset socket. Test playback and make a microphone recording. A headphone-only socket can check the speakers but cannot establish whether the microphone works.
• Try a known-working Nova-compatible cable. If it restores both functions without changing anything else, replace the original cable.

For intermittent sound, note whether normal movement near a plug triggers the failure. That suggests a cable or socket contact problem, but it does not identify which one. Avoid repeatedly bending the cable to force it into a working position.

Buy a replacement cable only when the fault follows it

For a confirmed cable fault, the Geekria Audio Cable for SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless X and 7/1 Series, 3.5mm 5 Pole, 4 ft/1.2 m is a replacement to consider. Geekria explicitly lists the Nova 1P among its compatible headsets. Its limitation is straightforward: the 1.2m cable replaces the connection only; it cannot repair the microphone, headset socket or controller jack. Geekria’s cable specifications and compatibility

Avoid choosing a generic stereo AUX lead simply because both ends fit. SteelSeries requires a five-pole-to-four-pole connection for full Nova 1 functionality. There is no evidence here that warrants warning against a particular competing headset; the purchasing mistake to avoid is the wrong cable specification.

If the Nova 1P still fails with a known-working compatible cable on more than one suitable device, contact SteelSeries about repair, warranty service or an RMA. Provide the symptom, the devices tried and whether the PS5 microphone meter responded. If you cannot substitute a cable, report that limitation: failure on two devices still leaves both the headset and its original cable under suspicion.