This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of TURTLE BEACH®
For way too long, I’ve only used the cheap headsets that come with the PS4 Pro and Xbox One consoles thinking they must rank as high as those expensive ones on the market.
Hey, why would Sony or Microsoft send along an inferior product accessory to go with their superior gaming consoles, right? It’s like how they only give you one wireless controller. No, they’re not trying to make you feel like a total loser who has no friends to play with, they want you to keep adding to their coffers by buying more from them.
After having enough of those headsets fall apart, I knew there had to be a better alternative. Our team here at Movie TV Tech Geeks aren’t hard on stuff either, so it only lets you know how low quality they are.
Thankfully, the fine folks at Turtle Beach sent over their Ear Force Stealth 600 surround sound gaming headset to test on the new Xbox One X. Yup, we got a sweet review console already, and we have put this Turtle to the test.
To be fair, we even tested it up against some very high priced headsets since judging such a superior product against the headsets that come with the consoles would be like testing a Tesla against a Smart Car.
Right off the bat, I hate having so many wires that come with being a hardcore tech geek. The setup in our gaming media center has a 4K 75″ LG OLED TV, 3D 7.1 Channel sound system, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and now an Xbox One X so you can picture how many yards of cords we have snaking everywhere.
That drives me crazy so having a new tech toy that is one-hundred percent wireless is like taking a bite out of a tiramisu cake or freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Pure heaven!
Most ‘wireless’ console headsets still make you plug them into a controller, a USB port or directly into the console. Not this time though. The Stealth 600 lives up to its name and is a true wireless over the ear headset that is really comfortable. The only time you’ll ever need to connect a cable is when you charge the battery. That’s it!
Next big question, of course, would be about how long the battery life is. Well, Turtle Beach says 15 hours of game time, but we put it through our test, and it lasted just around 18 hours of solid gameplay. Nice when it lasts longer than what the company claims.
So how is the sound quality? Excellent. This is the first headset that sounds amazing and also feels really comfortable. For those of you that get into intense long gaming sessions, you know how important comfort it, and even after a five-hour long gamefest aka Overwatch match, I could have kept going on. No pinching feeling or headaches from discomfort.
The headset adjusts to every aspect of your head (no two are made alike) and fit everyone’s heads here at MTTG. The ear cups have a rounder shape and aren’t the usual 90-degree angle most headsets have. This makes for a much more comfortable feel and experience.
The extra plush foam padding really feels good and rather than having that leather padding that always winds up ripping or tearing; Turtle Beach uses a soft mesh fabric on the earcups and padding. I know this is a little gross, but we all know that ears do sweat and this mesh seems to help keep that at bay.
If you wear glasses, the Stealth 600 has you covered as the padding in the ear cups is plushy soft so none of that pressure on your frames.
The left side of the headset is where you can flip out the microphone for those team talk sessions, and it automatically turns on and off as you snap it into position at the side of your mouth. It mutes when you pull it up which is such a nice change from the tiny toggles on the usual headsets. Trust me, once you try the Stealth 600 for this, you’ll never want to go back to the others.
There are two wheel adjusters on the back of the left ear cup that takes care of the main volume and chat above a larger power button that allows you to to try out specialized audio profiles like “Superhuman Hearing” which lets you hear environmental sounds like a car door shutting behind you or even leaves rustling in the wind. Things are definitely much louder in this mode, but it will make you super alert in games like Fortnite or Halo. You’ll have plenty of fun adjusting and boosting the bass, treble, and vocals even in surround sound mode.
I tested it without trying any of the settings, and the sound quality was surprisingly crisp and oh so clear. Many times people will wear their headset with one cup slightly off the hear because their voice is so loud, but with the Stealth 600 mic monitoring, you can hear your own voice, but it won’t be so muffled or too loud with both cups sitting comfortably over your ears. Being able to hear yourself also helps to keep you from being the annoying gamer who blows out everyone’s ears screaming and not realizing it. Everyone else I used it with came in perfectly clear.
I was a little doubtful of how you could get surround sound from only two speakers, but I could tell when audio was coming from in front of me and behind me making it feel like there were five speakers doing the job.
Watching Blu-ray movies is a pleasure too as you can hear every crunch of a car over leaves or twigs without bothering anyone else in the room who isn’t interested in what you’re watching. I can’t wait to try the PS4 Pro version with the PSVR games as I can only imagine how much more horrifying some of them will be with this amazing sound.
Unlike the PS4 version, which requires you to plug a USB dongle into the console, the Xbox One version has just an extra button on the left ear cup so you can sync it with the built-in wireless protocol. It synced perfectly and even when I walked around; it didn’t fall out.
So, if you like a lot bang for your buck, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 has it plus so much more. It easily blows away some of the really expensive headsets out there, and this one is just $100, so I will be adding this to our electronics gift guide. It is a must holiday want for every gamer or anyone who just wants great sound when they’re playing games.
Our friends at Turtle Beach are letting us give away one set of these amazing Ear Force Stealth 600 wireless headsets to one of you lucky readers. You’ll be able to choose if you want the Green one (pictured throughout this article) to use on your Xbox One (or upcoming Xbox One X) or the Blue set which you can use on your PS4 console.
TO ENTER:
Just RT the tweet below, and you’re all good to go. We make it so easy for you all! You’ve got until Nov 10, 2017 to get busy RT’ing! We’ll contact the winner via Twitter so make sure you’re following us so we can DM you!
Otto & MTTG are ready to give someone a @turtlebeach #Stealth600 wireless headset! Just RT for a shot! #GameWithTBeach #XboxOneX #PS4 #ad pic.twitter.com/SGC9TyNzIA
— Movie TV Tech Geeks (@movietvtechgeek) November 3, 2017
If you can’t wait to get your hands on one, just visit Turtle Beach to check them out.