The Elite Pro delivers full, forward, powerful and detailed sound that should work well with any game or movie. Bass is powerful yet is also fast, so it does not muddy up the overall sound signature. The mids are slightly forward so in-game dialogue is very easy to hear and understand. The highs are very detailed yet do not get harsh, so you should be able to easily pick-up minute sound effects like footsteps and the rustling of leaves, which can give you a competitive edge when gaming.
You won’t have any issue wearing the Elite Pro for extended periods. The headband and ear pads feature thick memory foam which feel very soft, and drastically reduce pressure on the head. Also, there are ear cup settings that help to minimize the tension under certain parts of the ear pads, allowing them to compress more to accommodate those who wear glasses when gaming.
The Elite Pro won’t break easily, as the headset is built quite well. The headband adjustment and joints are made of metal, while the rest of the headset is made of high quality plastic which is lightweight yet does not flex or creak.
While you do get great audio quality from the Elite Pro, it is quite expensive. You’ll need to purchase Turtle Beach’s TAC mix-amp separately to get 7.1 surround sound and audio profile switching.
The included microphone won’t be able to give you the best voice chat experience. While the mic audio sounds okay, it picks up ambient noise easily. You’ll need to purchase a separate, noise-cancelling amp from Turtle Beach if you want to get optimal mic performance.
The already decent passive noise isolation is complemented by active noise cancelling. Outside noise frequencies are filtered so they are not likely to interfere with your audio.
A clear advantage of this headset over the competition is that it retains full functionality even in wireless mode. While other wireless headsets require the controller adapter and a wired connection for full voice functionality, this is not the case for the 800.
The 800 delivers great bass levels, giving low frequency sounds a lot of power and boom. In-game explosions sound very immersive with these. What’s great is that the bass does not muddy up the mids and highs so the sound is still fairly detailed. More nuanced game audio like dialogue and high pitched sound effects can easily be appreciated with these.
While this comes at the expense of audio quality, the headset’s 7.1 virtual surround sound feature does help in widening up the sound. This enhances the feeling of being in the game, making the direction of gunshots and explosions easier to pinpoint.
The closed design of the ear cups and the leather-surfaced ear pads keep sound leakage at a minimum. You won’t be bothering other people with in-game audio when using these.
It uses memory foam as cushioning for the ear pads and head band. These are quite comfortable and help ease the pressure on the head that this headset may apply.
The wireless connection has great range, with the headset still playing clearly even when listening from a different room. Signal drops are kept to a minimum.
Aside from functioning as charger and headset stand, the base is also the headset’s wireless transmitter, so you can reposition it for maximum signal stability. There is also an optical pass-through port which allows the audio from the headsets to output to external speakers for others to enjoy.
The 800’s mic does not have great clarity compared to other high-end options. Instead of a boom design, Turtle Beach decided to integrate the mic into an ear cup, which limits the mic’s voice reception.
The buttons on the lower part of the ear cups control various functions of the headset like audio volume adjust, mic volume adjust and other functions. However, the buttons are multi-directional, which can make their functions difficult to memorize. These buttons are also quite sensitive so unintended activation can be frequent.
These headphones won’t have a pinching effect on your head. The ear cups as well as the headband feature really thick cushioning, so these headphones will feel very soft on the head.
You’ll get long hours of wireless music listening off these headphones. The Crossfade 2 can deliver around 13 to 14 hours of music playback from a full charge. Should the battery run out, these headphones can also function wired, so you can go on with your music listening.
You can easily control your music using the buttons on the left ear cup. You get a pause/play/skip/digital assistant button, as well as volume adjustment functionality.
These headphones can get adequate protection from scratches and bumps if you use the included case. It is a hard shell plastic case with a felt inner lining and is durable enough to withstand minor impact. The case is compact (modeled after the headphones when folded) so you can easily fit the case in your bag.
These headphones can be easy to travel with. You can fold the ear cups and yokes up to the headband, reducing the overall footprint. You can easily chuck these headphones into a bag or large purse with ease.
The Crossfade 2 Wireless produces detailed audio with a good level of oomph. The highs are boosted, so you’ll be able to hear a lot of detail from your music. However, the high frequencies do not get harsh, so these are quite easy to listen to for extended periods. The bass is powerful, as with most of V-Moda’s headphones. However, the bass does not sound bloated, so overall clarity of the audio is still very good, and the punchy bass helps make music sound more exciting.
These headphones feel high quality, and give the impression that they will last long. The headband is made out of metal which is very resistant to damage, yet also is quite flexible. The ear cups are made of thick plastic and not feel brittle, while the aluminum shields add a satisfying heft and premium feel to the headphones.
Bass performance from the Thresher is great, as the output is powerful and slightly boomy, which highlights the different explosions, gunshots and attacks that in-game characters make. The mids have good clarity, yet are slightly recessed so dialogue may be quite difficult to hear in busy game moments. The highs are not the most natural sounding as they are boosted, but this also makes audio details like the rustle of grass or the blowing of the wind easy to hear.
You’ll experience a better sense of direction and immersion from the audio that you hear. The Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound feature makes the sound feel wider and more enveloping. This feature also helps you easily identify where the different sounds that you hear are coming from, and can give you a competitive edge. The microphone can also be pushed into the left ear cup when not in use.
You aren’t likely to feel excess pressure or discomfort on the top of your head. Instead of a single piece of cushioned plastic or metal as a headband, the Thresher features a 2 piece hammock design with a steel piece giving the headband structure while a separate, leather-wrapped foam piece that acts as a cushion on your head. This foam piece feels very soft as there is no solid piece for your head to hit. This part of the headband also automatically adjusts to best fit your head size and shape.
The ear pads drastically reduce pressure around the ears. The pads have thick cushioning and have a leather surface, making them feel soft and smooth on the skin. Razer also offers replacement pads with gel as cushioning instead of foam, which may feel even more comfortable.
Your teammates should easily hear your voice chats in-game. The microphone produces great sound quality, and should make your voice sound full and clear. Noise cancelling is also quite good, and is able to prevent ambient noise and most of your button presses or mouse clicks from mixing with your audio.
You can easily hook up the Thresher Ultimate to your PC as well as game consoles. The base station offers optical in/out as well as USB in so you do not need converters and the like for console and PC compatibility. You can also hook up both a PC and a console at the same time, and you can toggle between the 2 sources using the switch at the rear of the base. Surround sound processing is also handled by the base station so you do not need any software for this function to work.
Storing this headset when not in use shouldn’t be difficult. The Ultimate pack comes with an all-plastic headset stand. It can be placed over the base station for a sleek look.
You won’t get full surround sound functionality when using a variant of the headset on a different platform. The Thresher comes in Xbox and PS4 models. Both work with the PC and consoles with optical and/or USB audio out. However, you only get surround sound for the Xbox platform when using the Xbox-specific variant, and the same is true with the PS4 version.
The area around your ears may feel warm and sweaty rather quickly, as the leather ear pad surface traps heat. You may want to invest in the Razer cooling gel ear pads to alleviate this problem.
Your head and neck may feel tired when using the Thresher for extended periods of time. It weighs in at around 410g which is noticeably heavier compared to other wireless gaming headsets.
This headset's wireless connection (both RF and Bluetooth) is stable and the sound is detailed and powerful. The base station also accepts a variety of analog and digital inputs, making this a very versatile headset. It also has a long battery life complemented by a charging system that allows you to charge one battery pack while using the other.
The Siberia 840 comes with a spare battery pack in addition to the one already provided. The spare battery can be charged independently in the base station, so you can use the headset while the other battery pack charges. Swapping from one battery to another is also quick and easy to do.
This headset has a fun sound signature. The highs are slightly boosted, which helps make the audio sound very airy. The enhanced bass makes explosions quite powerful and immersive. The mids, while not forward, are present and give body to the audio.
The range and stability of the wireless connection is very good. The signal remains stable with clear audio even if the headset is more than 30 feet away from the base. There is also no noticeable delay between what is happening on screen and when you hear the audio.
You can connect this headset to your smartphone/tablet and other Bluetooth capable audio devices, which is a major upgrade over the old 800 model. This allows you to take calls from your phone and improves device compatibility, and are perks that you may find to be very useful.
You can adjust the various settings of the Siberia 840 on your computer via Steelseries’ Engine 3 app. You get more fine tuning options compared to what the base station can provide, and you’ll also be able to set and sync audio profiles with your other Steelseries devices, allowing on the fly audio changes depending on the inputs to your Steelseries mouse and/or keyboard.
The microphone is flexible and can easily be bent or angled as preferred. If not in use, the mic can be pushed into the ear cup so it won’t get in the way.
While the charging system and the inclusion of two batteries is a unique and innovative feature, it can also be an inconvenience. You can’t charge the battery while the headset is in use, which can be an issue if you forget to charge your spare battery while the other one is in use. This can also be a problem when you lose headset power mid-game and you need to swap out batteries.
You can easily remove the mic from the left ear cup when not in use. With the microphone on, you can swivel it to various directions or positions as the mic is flexible and bendable.
The sound signature of the Hyper X Cloud II is fun, with boosted bass and highs, while the mids are slightly recessed. This results in game or movie sound effects getting a lot of detail and oomph. However, dialogue and more midrange-centric sounds may sound a bit softer in comparison.
The optional in-line dongle features a button to enable virtual 7.1 surround sound, which gives the sound a much wider feel, with enhanced positional audio. This should help make it easier to identify and determine where objects or other players are in the game world based on sound.
The headset itself comes with a 3.5mm fixed cable which should work with a lot of audio capable devices. Then, there is the headphone dongle that features a 3.5mm female port to USB. This allows the headset to be used with most computers and devices which only feature USB as I/O.
If you decide to connect the headset to the USB dongle, you will gain access to extra features control options. On the dongle is the button to toggle 7.1 surround sound on or off and also features volume adjustments for the headphones and mic, along with a mute button.
Aside from the pads being easily removable, users also get a pair of velour ear pads along with the attached pair of faux leather ones. Not only does this give users a backup pair of ear pads, but this also gives the choice as to which pair fits comfort preferences better.
The ear cups feature a closed design, which means that only very little sound can leak out of them. Outside noise is also blocked, and can help users focus better when gaming.
The 3.5mm cable on the headset is non-removable so should it get damaged, it will be very hard to replace, and may involve RMA or extensive DIY repairs. This also means that the headset is not ideal for mobile use as you will have to deal with the cable when traveling.
Plastic is the primary material of this headset, but the types chosen look and feel great and do not make creaks easily. The yokes and headband adjustment are made of brushed aluminum which adds a premium look and a welcome amount of heft to the product.
The wires are sleeved, so they look and feel more premium compared to just the bare wires.
Thick foam material is used in the headband and ear cups. This makes the headset feel really soft on the ears and head, resulting in optimal comfort even with long gaming sessions.
The cable of the HyperX II is split up in two parts. The headset itself has a 43 inch (110 cm) cable, which can be a little bit on the short side depending on where your audio-ports are located. If you use the full length of the headset with a USB-port, the full length equals to around 10 feet (305 cm).
These headphones are extremely comfortable and can be worn with very little to no discomfort at all, even for hours at a time. This is primarily due to the large ear pads which feature a velour surface and a soft foam material underneath. The comfort of the headband is also notable. It features a synthetic leather material with a thick foam inside. In combination, these cushioned parts of the headphones feel like pillows on the head.
Even for an open back pair of headphones, the sound stage that the HD 598 produces is amazing. It is quite wide yet natural at the same time, which makes music listening seem like watching the artist perform the song live. This wide sound stage and great imaging also makes these headphones a nice choice for gaming. The quality of the soundstage makes it very easy for gamers to determine the position of other in-game characters through sound.
The sound signature of these headphones is quite versatile. The detail that these headphones produce is awesome which adds immersion when gaming, and also helps users to better identify the position of other characters in the game world or map. This also makes the HD 598 versatile enough for a wide range of music, allowing users to easily pick out the various details of the instruments that are playing. The mids are also great, which add a lot of body to the sound, and can really enhance the various rumbles and explosions that are common effects in many games today.
These headphones may be a bit large, but the detachable cable makes this pair much easier to bring along should you decide to take these on the go. This feature will also make it very easy for you to replace the cable should it get damaged.
Also, the detachable cable mechanism is a twist to lock system which minimizes the chances of the cable getting disconnected while in use.
Anyone in the room with you will be able to hear anything coming from these headphones loud and clear. If you are gaming, then gunshots and other game effects can clearly be heard by others, which they may find to be annoying or distracting.
Explosions can sound really good with the G933 as the bass is quite powerful. You'll be able to experience a lot of rumble and punch from the lower frequencies. Also, the upper mids and the highs are quite boosted. This gives a nice thickness and warmth to the sound.
Voices from game dialogue can be clearly heard, while audio details are clear and also easy to distinguish.
The G933 Artemis is praised for its extremely long wireless range, up to 30 feet indoors and even 40 feet outdoors. Stability is also excellent: the wireless functionality doesn't distort the audio quality at all.
The mic design integrates into the left ear cup very well. If you do decide to stow away the mic and push it up, it will look like the mic is just part of the ear cup instead of being a separate unit.
This headset has adjustable lighting, so you can choose a RGB-color in the software suite of the headset. You can also adjust the equalizer, surround sound settings, and you can allocate shortcuts and macro's to programmable buttons on the left ear cup.
There are a few known bugs with the drivers, including one where the headset frequently restarts itself when you've got it plugged in via USB and the lighting is set to "breathing".
The G933 is quite sturdy and has a rugged exterior, but offers good comfort for users. Build quality is also excellent, with a combination of high quality plastic and metal being used in the headset's construction. Also, the it does not have a lot of creaks or unnecessary flex.
Thick memory foam is used in the ear pads along with a velour material on the surface which feels great on the skin. These pads are also removable and washable, making them easy to maintain.
The headband also features padding with a reasonable thickness so the top of a user's head will not feel painful when wearing these.
Battery life is average at best. In most cases, the headset will last around 12 hours. However, actual battery life may vary depending on the adjustable lightning, in some cases a full charge will only last 8 hours. The battery is removable.
The included microphone of the headset isn't terrible, but it's definitely a bit disappointing for a wireless headset in this price range. Voices have a hollow touch when recorded, which makes it seem a bit unnatural.
The open back design gives a feeling of width to the sound, which is great for movies and games. This effect is achieved without having to rely on virtual surround sound software techniques.
Inside the ear pads, reasonably thick memory foam is used so they feel really soft. On the surface is high quality velour which not only feels really smooth but also allows for some airflow to the ears, minimizing heat build-up.
The GAME ONE has excellent sound quality and offers good balance between the different sound frequencies. The bass is tight and punchy instead of the overpowering and bloated low-end that most gaming headsets have.
Mids have good presence and fullness, so game dialogue should be easily heard. The highs are crisp and airy so a lot of detail can be enjoyed from games, yet the headset is not fatiguing to listen to, even with long gaming sessions.
The GAME ONE won't cause a lot of strain or discomfort even when for straight hours of gaming. It is quite light with just the right amount of clamping force, so there is no unnecessary pressure on the top or sides of your head.
The mic is quite large and while it can be bent further away from the face, its bulk means that it is still quite visible and can hit your head should you remove or put on the headset. Also, the mic can only swing up and is not removable or retractable, adding to the size of the headset.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is one of the most comfortable headsets that you can get today with thick padding on the ear cups and headband along with the light weight. The sound is also pretty good with boosted bass and okay detail on the highs. This combination of features is quite difficult to find in this price range.
The low-end of the HyperX Cloud is powerful, so you’ll get a lot of punch and rumble from explosions, guns shots and similar sound effects from games and movies. The mids are also quite forward so you’ll be able to easily hear dialogue. The highs have great clarity but are quite recessed, and the mids and bass tend to overpower the treble, so it may be a little difficult for you to hear the minute details of the audio.
You’ll get a good sense of width and separation from in-game audio, making it much easier for you to determine the direction from where sounds are coming from. The HyperX Cloud Alpha features a dual-chamber design which separates the bass from the mids and highs, and results in well-defined audio source separation and direction.
This headset can be worn for many hours straight with little to no pain, due to the thick padding on the earcups and headband along with its light weight.
This headset does not put a lot of pressure on the head, and further enhances comfort. The clamp force is firm enough to keep the headset on the head, but is not too tight that you feel an uncomfortable pinching sensation on the head. The headband is made out of lightweight aluminum, and the yokes are perforated, further reducing weight without compromising the rigidity of the headset.
In-game conversations shouldn’t be a hassle with this headset. Audio quality from the mic is quite good and with good volume, so your friends and teammates should be able to easily hear what you are saying. The mic also filters out background noise pretty well, so keyboard/mouse/game controller presses and other sounds do not overpower your voice. You can also remove the microphone when not in use.
Should the Cloud Alpha’s cable get damaged, replacing it shouldn’t be too difficult. The cable features standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm male connectors, so you should be able to easily find a replacement when needed. This also makes the headset easier to store as you won’t have to deal with a long and fixed cable.
You won't get virtual surround sound audio out of the box. The Cloud Alpha does not come with the USB module that grants 7.1 surround sound to the previous Cloud models. You can purchase the module separately for use with this headset though.
You won’t get a highly detailed audio experience with this headset. The highs are quite recessed, and combined with the powerful bass and forward mids, the finer audio details can be difficult to hear.
You may feel heat build-up quickly on your head and around your ears. The ear cups and headband feature a leather surface which may feel smooth on the skin, but does not allow a lot of airflow.
The AKG Q701 are more tuned for clarity in details than sound warmth. These means that although they are not as good for listening to music as some other options, they are a fantastic choice for gaming.
Soundstage is the "illusion created by stereo speakers that instruments have "place" on the stage" and is very important for creating an immersive gaming environment. Expert reviews of the AD700s show that it has one of the biggest (detailed and wide ranged) soundstages of any headphones in its price range.
Audio from the mic is clear without too much distortion. Also, it doesn't sound tinny like most integrated mics do, so teammates will clearly hear your voice. The mic also has great noise cancelling properties, so button/keyboard presses or mouse clicks will be near-inaudible.
The highs are what make this headset sound good. They are slightly boosted yet are not harsh, which results in a lot of detail.
Bass reproduction is okay. While there is not a lot of bass rumble and punch, the bass is present enough to prevent the sound from being too lean.
The mids are slightly recessed though, so some movie or in-game dialogue can be a little more difficult to hear, especially when there are a lot of explosions and similar sound effects present.
A lot of plastic is used in the construction of this headset, including the head band and the headset's yoke. This makes the headset quite lightweight despite being large, so this is not too tiring to wear, even for long gaming sessions.
The ear pads feature thick foam cushioning. Combined with the use of supple faux leather on the ear pads' surface, the headset is great to wear for long gaming sessions, as it is less likely to cause pain on the ears/side of the head.
Razer's Synapse application gives users a lot of features to tweak and control. Some features that can be controlled via this software includes EQ, 7.1 surround sound, RGB lighting settings and many more.
Each ear cup features the Razer logo and has RGB lighting underneath. Users can customize the light color and glow patterns of the logo, and sync them with other Razer peripherals if desired.
The ear cups are large and thick. The headband is also pretty large, and is comprised of a number of plastic pieces. This will look quite big on the head and will most certainly take a lot of space on your desk.
The Man O' War is made primarily of plastic parts. This can make the headset feel cheap and flimsy as the product, specifically the headband and ear cups, flex easily and make a lot of creaks when held or moved.
The Tiamat 7.1 is mostly praised for it's superior sound quality, especially in gaming situations. The real surround experience is also noticeable and is an improvement when comparing this 7.1 surround solution with 10 different speakers to other headsets with only virtual headphones.
You can control the audio of the Razer Tiamat via the included control pod, where you can adjust the volume of all the different speakers (front, center, side, sub, rear, mic) on the fly. There's also a dedicated mute-button.
The Razer Tiamat is definitely a bulky headset, but luckily that doesn't result in bad comfort. The headset is remarkably comfortable, even for longer gaming sessions.
While the Tiamat 7.1 is generally praised for its sound quality, it requires a rather expensive 7.1-capable sound card in order to reproduce the best possible sound quality due to the use of multiple 3.5 mm analog jacks. Sound quality is reported to be lackluster on average or integrated soundcards and is also limited to the usual stereo with two channels.