Product Review: Turtle Beach Ear Force X1 Headset for Xbox 360 and PC

"Can't you be more quiet? I'm trying to sleep!"

"Repeat that, its hard to hear you."

To many gamers alike, these comments and statements should be familiar. One of the hardest things to do is finding a good place and a good time to crank up the volume and feel the grenade explosion in your soul. Luckily, Turtle Beach feels our pain and has released the Ear Force X1, and around-the-ear headset which works with every video game console and computer with a USB port, but specifically designed for the Xbox 360. But no matter what you use it for, it delivers.

The Ear Force X1 Headset was designed mainly for use with Microsoft's Xbox 360, which is quite evident in the design. Painted in the same white and gray matte as the Xbox 360 and its accessories, the X1 certainly looks the part of a Microsoft headset. Large enough to fit around the ear, but not so large that it becomes bulky. The cubs feel very comfortable at first, but can become a little irritating around the left ear if not positioned properly. On the ears are a plastic covering, with a meshed area that helps make the headphones lighter and makes reverberation more prevalent. On the left ear is the attached microphone, which can be fully rotated and bent to preference, depending on the player. Resting on the top of the head is a gray head support, nicely padded and very comfortable. The wire is extremely long, allowing it to easily go from your television, Xbox 360, or computer, to wherever in the room you are sitting. Provided is a volume control on the wire itself, as well as adapters that make using the headset with your system of choice, computer, and Xbox 360 extremely easy. The headset can either use sound directly from an Xbox 360, or use the television's sound for use with movies and other gaming systems. It can also be used with any computer with headset jacks. The only downside is that the headset is USB powered, so if you don't have a USB port around, no sound for you. Overall, the design is extremely efficient and comfortable for use with any device.

While the sound quality might not match up to the more expensive, bigger name products, the Ear Force X1 headset provides adequate bang for the buck. The first thing I noticed when trying this with my various computer and Xbox games is the bass. It is extremely powerful, but in a good way/ Explosions, fractures, gunshots, blow-backs, engine revs; all will be felt by your senses in a very overt manner. I couldn't believe how much atmosphere the bass provided as bombs went off in the distance while playing Call of Duty, or the jet stream I could feel after shooting a rocket in Team Fortress 2. Everything is very clear, as you can hear running, cars wizzing by, gunshots fired in the distance, and other sounds you never knew existed in the games you play. The sound when playing games might not be as good as the best pair of 5.1 surround sound headphones (the Ear Force only provides Stereo sound), but only audiophiles would really complain. For those that want a headset where they can hear things, the Ea Force is more than qualified for use as a gaming headset. Two minor complaints I have about the sound quality are: 1. The in-game sound can become so rich and enthralling that it can be hard to hear teammates in online competitions. 2. This headset is not particularly excellent for music listening, but it was not designed for that in the first place, so no real fault there.

Other than a few minor issues, the Ear Force X1 headset is the perfect replacement for that cheaply made Microsoft Microphone that came with the Xbox 360. Not only does it provide a great way to communicate, but it will change the way you listen to games as you hear footsteps around corners and feel explosions as they resonate through your characters body. Throw in the fact that it can be used for the PC, Sony PlayStation 2 and 3, and every other console that accepts voice chat, and buying the Earforce X1 from Turtle Beach is a no-brainer. I highly recommend it for everyone that wants to game in the best way possible.