DtL here, I'm currently in the market for an entry level gaming headset. My girlfriend and I work varying schedules so one is us is often sleeping while the other is up. So I'm in the market for a cheap headset that I can use so I don't wake her while gaming or watching a movie. I'll be connecting this up to my receiver, so no matter what I buy I'll have the benefit of 5.1 surround on them, so that feature is not important to me. I have a very small list of criteria that I need it to fit Needs - Priced at $60 or under - Works with Xbox 360 - Comfortable (reasonably comfortable) Wants - Double as headphones for mp3 player Potential Units $60 - Turtle Beach X12s (x11s now discontinued) $50 - Tritton Trigger Headset $60 - Tritton Ax 120 Headset I'll be going to stores to get some hands on testing, so I'll post my initial impressions here for anyone else looking to buy an entry gaming headset. I'll be asking you guys what specific headsets you've tested in my price range as well, and what you recommend based upon your experiences.
I say the turtle beach, I recently bought one as my first headset and am thoroughly pleased with it. I am unsure if they can double as regular headphones, I can get back to you on that bit, but they are pretty comfortable. They do begin to bother the back of my ears but that is due to a personal issue I have. Can't say much about the others as I've never had a headset other than this one though.
I bought the Turtle Beach's x12s and I am very happy with them. I haven't used the other ones. But I seriously recommend those headsets.
I got my little brother a pair of X31's for $65 when they're usually around $90. If you can find that deal somewhere else, you're in luck.
Turtle beaches can be doubled as a MP3 headset, as long as you have a USB port to plug into for the power. and yeah go with Turtle beaches, not the wireless ones though, because they run on 2 triple A's and die quickly, also they mess with your wireless router.
The cheaper end of the Turtle Beach spectrum is just that, cheap. If you get them, don't expect longevity. You should look at reviews online at places like CNET and the major sites that sell them. I don't know about you, but when I buy electronics, it's an investment.
its an entry level headset, its not meant to be the most badass thing ever to grace the earth, nor is it meant to last forever. The turtle beaches do what they are meant to, and they do it well. At least in my opinion.
After extensive research (I too am looking for a new headset, as my Tritton AX 720's are on their last leg), it seems that if you want superior sound quality, go with Turtle Beach, but if you want the best all around headset, go with Tritton. From the reviews I've read, most complaints about the X12 involve mic static when controller vibrates and super-sensitive volume controls getting adjusted accidentally. Tritton headset reviews most often list weight and lack of any bass boost as their most noticeable flaws. I, personally, never noticed either of these problems with my AX 720's, and the mic problems have me wary of the X12's. It's ultimately up to you and what you want. Disclaimer: I have no experience with the AX 120's. They may be completely different than the AX 720's.
The turtle beach will have the better sound quality, that's for sure, but they won't last as long as the trittons. If you want all round quality, go for the Trittons. With the TB, you could be buying another headset in a couple of months, or less. The turtle beach I had, not sure the model, doubles as MP3 players (I think they all do), and the quality was great. They broke after a couple of months though, and I take great care of my stuff. I still have my Trittons, which I got once those TB broke. They're great, but the quality isn't that of the TB.
Okay, well I've managed to test two units out, so I'll share my experiences with everyone. The Turtle Beach X31s (not on the list and a bit out of my price range) Tritton Triggers Sound Quality The X31's sound quality was better in comparison to the Triggers, not by a large margin, but noticeable nonetheless. The mid range sounds were crisper and the sound stage felt larger. The X31s did have a slight background noise to them, but this could only be heard during complete silence... nothing that will get in the way of gaming. The Trittons also had a background noise, and I discovered that this was caused by the mic line and not the in game audio. When I pulled the chat cable, the background noise disappeared. I'm wondering if this is due to the cable, or the microphone. Again though, this is only noticeable when there is no game audio playing. Comfort The X31s fit completely over my ears surrounding them entirely. The set didn't grip my head too tightly like I was expecting it to. I only had about 10 minutes time using them, but they weren't immediately irritating. The Trigger's ear cups are smaller in comparison, and rest more upon the ear. I actually preferred this fit to the turtle beaches, but I haven't tested the comfort after a few hours of gaming. The Trigger's also lacked mic monitoring, which is the ability to hear your voice through the headset. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of this feature. Build Surprisingly the Trittons seemed more sturdy than the Turtle Beach headset. The headset overall was much smaller than the turtle beach, so it felt less clumsy in my hands. Both had comfortable ear cups and non removable mics, although I didn't didn't wear each headset for a considerable amount of time. Overall I'd say that the X31's were the better headset overall, but they're also twice the price as the Triggers. If the X12's have the same audio quality and features of the x31's (minus the wireless of course) then they'll be my obvious choice.