The Xbox Stereo Headset is compatible with Xbox Accessories software on PC, but you can’t change any of its settings, which is a little disappointing. If you want to enable the virtual soundstage feature, Windows Sonic Spatial Audio, on PC, you need to connect an Xbox controller to the PC as well as connect the controller to the headset. Then, you can go to the ‘Windows Sound Settings’ page and enable this feature.
Customer Reviews: Microsoft Stereo Headset for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S Black S4V-00001
Connected to my iPhone, I listened to several songs from different genres and was pleased with the range and quality of sound. Gaming so far has been pretty great with them, I don’t even miss the simulated 5.1 from the Tritton decoder that much.
The best Xbox One headsets for 2021
With game audio being better than ever, and so key to our experiences, upgrading to one of the best Xbox One headsets is an ironclad way to further immerse yourself in your favorite worlds, stories, and in-game moments. Specially engineered to work wirelessly with the console, it provides a near-perfect connection, combined with a rich audio experience, and impressive battery life. While the headset comes with 40mm drivers, which are smaller than many similarly priced competitors, they’re well-tuned and deliver audio that punches well above its weight while retaining a nice clarity and richness. The trademark SteelSeries ‘headband’ design offers good comfort levels too, meaning you can play for hours without really noticing that you’re wearing the headset, which clocks in at a respectable 13oz / 368g.
The Stealth 700 Gen 2 has gotten a design upgrade from the original headset, with a slightly toned-down look (no more bright green on the Xbox version) and a flip-to-mute mic that folds neatly into the earcup. Turn on Superhuman Hearing mode to get the upperhand in online shooters, or enable the bass boost for some serious rumble during a heart-pumping campaign mission.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 is a great headset for the price point – and will have you covered for new-gen gaming on the XBox Series X|S too. The first big wallop of excellence comes in the unavoidably good-value price tag: at just $99/£89, it is way cheaper than rival headsets that are of the same weight category, quality-wise.
Razer Nari Ultimate for Xbox One Feature packed and with excellent wireless audio Specifications Acoustic design: Open Back Cable length: Wireless Drivers: 50mm Weight: 15 oz Compatibility: Xbox One, PC TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Razer Reasons to buy + Haptic feedback feels good + Superior audio quality + Very solid wireless Reasons to avoid – Mic isn’t the best In addition to bringing excellent surround sound, the headset also offers haptic feedback, which means this vibrates in time with the audio so you can literally feel the big noises (usually explosions). Elsewhere it’s worth noting that the Nari Ultimate is wireless, and that the battery life is surprisingly good considering this has haptic feedback as well as the usual audio features. In fact, the only real issue is the mic, which doesn’t offer the same premium sound quality as the rest of the features of the headset.
Note that you can buy this Xbox One specific Nari Ultimate headset which is very focussed for the console and gaming, but will then require the Microsoft Wireless Adapter to use it with your PC as it does not include a 3.5mm connection option. Turtle Beach Recon 500 A refresh for the model ends in great quality and value for XSX Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back, over ear Drivers: 60mm Eclipse Weight: c.600g Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Mobile TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Best Buy View at Walmart Reasons to buy + THAT excellent sound + No ‘gamer aesthetic’ flare or design quirks + Zero distortion Reasons to avoid – Nothing special about its construction materials
You won’t find lavish gamer-y design flairs or the most premium construction materials on the Recon 500, then, since Turtle Beach’s latest in the long-running line costs less than $100/£100. Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 A great mid-range wireless Xbox One headset Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back, over ear Drivers: 50mm Battery life: 15 hours Weight: 580g Compatibility: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Walmart View at Best Buy 100 Walmart customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Solid battery life + Comfortable for glasses wearers + Excellent audio and microphone accuracy + Next-gen compatible Reasons to avoid – Plastic across headband feels cheap – Ear cups started to hurt after long-term wear This is certainly a great choice for gaming on a budget, as the sound quality is top-tier and the microphone sensitivity is ideal for those who want to communicate without shouting. The 50mm drivers deliver a clear, loud 5.1 sound that easily matches the quality found in headsets that cost way more than the Tournament Edition.
It’s one of the best headsets for online play, helping you pick out enemy movements and distant gunfire at a decent range and with great accuracy. Elsewhere, the Kraken TE is light, comfortable (thanks to cooling tech in the ear-cushions), and sturdy – three things you really need in a mid-priced Xbox One headset.
Our previous champion was the Razer Kraken Pro V2, but the TE now offers superior value and audio for roughly the same price (in some cases, you can even find it cheaper), so it replaces the older model.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless Perfect for multiplayer with great positional audio mic Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back Drivers: 50mm Weight: 13.2oz (374g) Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at CORSAIR Reasons to buy + Excellent mic + Great audio with booming bass + Comes with premium Dolby Atmos app Reasons to avoid – Quite big – A bit dear The build and design quality also help to further justify the price of admission, with the brushed metal earcup yokes feeling like they’ll protect the headset from any drops – on their sides at least – while looking good too. Razer Kaira Pro Razer’s latest plays nice with Xbox One too Specifications Acoustic design: Closed Back / over ear Battery life: up to 15 hours Drivers: 50mm Weight: 0.73lbs (330g) Compatibility: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, mobile TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime View at Amazon View at Razer View at Best Buy Reasons to buy + Fantastic surround sound + Adjustable profiles + Game/chat balancer Reasons to avoid – Mic doesn’t impress as much as it should
Audeze Penrose X A seriously premium Xbox One headset Specifications Acoustic design: Over-ear, closed-circumaural Cable length: Wireless (c.50″ / 127cm aux cable) Drivers: 100mm Planar Magnetic Weight: 11.3oz / 320g Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One , PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Mobile TODAY’S BEST DEALS View at Adorama Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Rich and detailed sound + Comfortable for long sessions + Easy to use and tweak game audio and chat volume in the mix Reasons to avoid – Expensive – Microphone can be a bit awkward If you have a healthy budget and want some of the most specialised, exquisite audio you can get from an Xbox One wireless headset, then the Audeze Penrose X is a great set to consider.
Plus, and although the price of admission is considerable,m you’re also getting one of the top wireless Xbox Series X headsets too so this will have you covered for two whole generations (and on PC if you want further flexibility). You’re getting a practically unrivaled audio experience out of the Penrose X; deep bass, incredible clarity, and a real depth and detail to the sound that helps to immerse you into your favorite virtual worlds and give you better insight into the action unfolding around you in multiplayer arenas. As we say, the Penrose X is expensive, but it’s also an investment for the future: it’s a premium headphone offering from Audeze that delivers a quality, depth, and density in its sound that few of its peers are able to match. This is the official Xbox One headset produced by Microsoft, and despite its modest price it still delivers a full range of rich stereo audio. Its low weight, combined with the breathable fabric ear cups, meaning you can happily wear it for long gaming sessions without getting too fatigued. This is a thoughtfully designed piece of kit, available in Xbox green obviously, with a sturdy yet comfortable build and some impressive audio qualities.
Thanks to memory foam ear-cups and a comfy headband, the Corsair HS35 is still snug without being uncomfortable after several hours of play, and it’s tough enough to withstand being pulled on and off your head without too much care. Sure, the bass levels aren’t quite a good as other top-end headsets, but that makes the biggest difference when you try to use it for other media like movies and music. But that doesn’t compromise build quality – the Elite Pro 2 mixes metal and sturdy, white plastic to great effect, offering an Xbox One headset that’s both stylish and durable. Note: This is a slightly older model of Xbox One headset now so you might see stock fluctuating, prices change, and maybe even a lack of availability.
Microsoft unveils super-affordable wired Xbox Stereo Headset
It also supports the same group of spatial audio technologies: Dolby Atmos, DTS Headphone:X and Windows Sonic. Firstly, the cheaper model plugs into the Xbox controllers via a 3.5mm cable – there’s no wireless connectivity whatsoever. Microsoft says “the team tuned the headset to replicate the intended audio recording source that the creators wanted you to experience.”
Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset review
The ear pads are thick, and covered in soft leatherette, which makes for a decent seal, but the headband is very tight. After a few days of consistent use, it either loosened or my head got used to it, and the discomfort went away—regardless, expect a breaking-in period if you have a slightly larger noggin. You can use the app to switch between EQ presets, adjust mic monitoring volume, and even check the battery level.
However, if you’re a PC gamer, and you’ve decided this is the headset for you, you’ll have to buy an Xbox Wireless Adapter, which runs for around $25 USD.
This has been the status quo for a long time now, but it’s still ridiculous to need to spend that much more money just to let your headset work wirelessly on your computer. However, this Xbox gaming headset is a little less hamstrung by its connection method than most, offering a few alternative options if you don’t want to pay the dongle toll.
For starters, the headset supports wired audio via its USB-C port, so you can plug it into your PC to charge and continue to use it. At a consistent output of ~75dB(SPL), this headset lasted 19 hours, 18 minutes—not nearly the longest life on the market, but nothing to sneeze at.
The headset’s big volume knob makes adjusting your audio on the fly a cinch, which is great if you’re doing something you can’t pause. The headset handles the mix of orchestral music and hectic in-game sound of Final Fantasy XIV on PC without any issue, and everything comes through similarly clearly playing a shooter like Apex Legends.
The headset doesn’t offer much in the way of bells and whistles, but it supports Windows Sonic surround sound, which as well here as anywhere else. The increased mid-range output means nobody’s voice will struggle to come through, but you may that high-range sounds are occasionally pretty hard to hear in bass-heavy moments.
This increased mid-range response should ensure dialogue or players over voice chat don’t get totally lost amid the din of battle. Basically, you shouldn’t have any issues most of the time, but you might find it a little hard to differentiate between sounds when things get really hectic. It still looks like a gaming headset, but avoids a lot of the gaudier design elements typical of the product category, which means with won’t stick out in a work Zoom call. Headsets like the Razer BlackShark V2 and HyperX Cloud Alpha work everywhere (including Xbox Series X/S) and are better in almost every way—you won’t even need to recharge these ones.
The Razer Kaira Pro and SteelSeries Arctis 9 (there’s a specific Xbox version) both offer better audio, microphone, battery life, and Bluetooth experiences, and they’re both very comfortable.
Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Headset is a mic-drop moment
Next to the Series X, it looks the part with a touch of glossy green detailing around the ear cup dials, covered in matte black plastic. The little holes in the recessed areas between the faux leather ear pads and the dials seem to be there just for cosmetic reasons, but it looks fantastic nevertheless.
And while I wish this model had a bungee-style headband and swiveling ear cups like most SteelSeries headsets, not having these features didn’t equate to comfort issues here. In addition to how the headset looks, its functionality is similar to the Surface Headphones, with twistable dials on the outside of each ear cup for adjusting elements of the audio.
The left dial acts as a chat and game audio mixer, so you can tune your playmates down a bit during a dialogue-heavy cutscene or vice versa. Most gaming headsets require days of continued use to fully learn their respective button layouts, but this one’s dead simple.
During my tests, I listened to Spotify, and the music sounded good enough to stick with this headset instead of automatically reaching for my Sony 1000XM3s. The soundtrack and all of the various hellish sound effects have an adequate amount of crunch and punch, and I was head-banging to the music while I played. When there’s a lot happening in the mid and high frequencies, the sound can lack clarity if you’re listening closely. Microsoft claims 15 hours per charge, and both times I ran the non-replaceable battery down during testing, it lasted for about that long.
There are three levels (low, medium, and high), and Microsoft says each step up will increase how aggressively the mic mutes things that aren’t your voice. Two other small but cool features in the Xbox Accessories app let you tweak how bright the mute light is, making it easier to see in your peripheral vision.
Up until now, the $150 Razer Kaira Pro was the Xbox-specific headset I told people to get because it’s comfortable, and it supports Bluetooth in addition to the Xbox Wireless protocol. Microsoft’s new Xbox Wireless headset is well ahead of that model in terms of design, ease of use, and functionality — all in a more affordable package.
If Microsoft is to be judged compared to Sony on how well it designed a headset to accompany its latest consoles — as it inevitably will be — this one handily edges out the Pulse 3D even though they’re the same price. Sony’s model is comfortable and looks equally dashing next to the console it was made for, and it has a 3.5mm headphone jack and 3D Audio support in its court.
Xbox Wireless Headset Review
The earcups and headband are a bit stiff at first, but once the headphones are fitted to your head size, the Xbox Wireless Headset feels lightweight and comfortable. The big, flat circles on each earcup are large, smoothly spinning dials that act as the headset’s primary controls.
The left earcup’s back edge houses a small, green button that functions as both power and pairing. Between the lower bitrate limiting the audio quality and the Bluetooth connection’s higher latency, you should purchase the $25 Xbox Wireless Adapter if you plan to use the headset with your PC. However, these adjustments only work with Xbox consoles or a USB-C connection to a Windows 10 computer; you can’t make tweaks over Bluetooth. Your voice will likely come through better over your Xbox than your PC with Bluetooth, which means the microphone isn’t exactly well-suited for recording or streaming. It handled our bass test track, The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” at maximum (and unsafe) volume without any distortion. Switching to another preset, such as Movie or Music, through the Xbox Accessories app helped tone down the rumble and give the game a more pleasant balance. The Windows Sonic simulated surround processing on the console gives a good sense of directionality for higher frequency sound effects, with accurate left-right panning.
You won’t pinpoint the demons’ exact locations, especially if the bass overshadows the other sound effects, but you’ll get a good sense of their general directions. Fortnite also sounds good on the Xbox Wireless Headset, with even better directionality (thanks to a soundtrack that isn’t nearly as overwhelmingly thumpy as Doom Eternal’s). Weapon exchanges pack plenty of power, and the hum and whine of nearby loot boxes can be clearly distinguished from other sounds.
By default, the headset significantly boots the soundtrack’s low frequencies, which takes attention away from the beautiful melodies and atmospheric sounds. For just $99.99, it offers powerful sound and a lightweight, comfortable fit, with helpful audio customization options via the Xbox Accessories app. If you want to primarily use the headset with your PC, you should consider other options that don’t rely on Bluetooth and include their own wireless adapters, like the Astro Gaming A20 or Razer Nari Essential. Remembers multiple wireless signals View More Cons Bluetooth lacks high-end audio codecs
Xbox Wireless Headset review
We’d expect to pay triple the price to experience this sort of sound quality, particularly from a wireless headset, though there is a caveat you need to bear in mind. We found that to get the most out of these headphones, you’ll need to spend time tweaking the EQ in the Xbox Accessories app to dial in exactly how you want them to sound. You’ll probably get a richer, slightly fuller tone from the boom mics found on competing headphones, but the Xbox Wireless Headset’s microphone sounds great, and has clever technology like auto-mute to eliminate background noise when you’re not speaking. The all-black design is embellished with tasteful touches, such as the thin green rings that surround the outside of each earcup and the embossed Xbox logo on the right-hand side.
The inside of the earcups, which are handily marked with large ‘L’ and ‘R’ letters, also have a faint green hue that seeps through the mesh, as the driver’s are also coated in Xbox’s familiar brand color. Adjusting volume or balancing game and voice chat is nothing short of a pleasure on the Xbox Wireless Headset thanks to the rubberized dials that we’ve seen in another of Microsoft’s audio products, the Surface Headphones. The Xbox Wireless Headset wasn’t prone to any creaking during our testing, and the overall clamping force was more than reasonable to ensure a comfortable fit. You can also comfortably crank up the volume with room to spare thanks to the headset’s 32 Ohm impedance, and the speaker response of 20Hz – 20kHz should mean no audio details you’ve come to expect in your go-to games are missed. But while that’s all well and good, having a purely bass-driven pair of headphones isn’t ideal when you’re playing competitive shooters or even more cinematic single-player experiences. Too much bass can overpower and muddy the other frequencies that are equally as important, leaving you with a muffled sound that won’t do you any favors in online multiplayer games. We’re used to a flatter soundstage overall, so headed to the Xbox Accessories app to dial back the bass to a point where it could still provide a satisfying thud, but not cannibalize every other frequency as a result. If you don’t own Dolby Atmos, simply connecting the Xbox Wireless Headset will give you six months access for free, so there’s no excuse not to experiment with the wonders of spatial audio.
Despite being a closed back pair of headphones with great noise isolation, we were pleased by how clear and detailed the best Dolby Atmos Xbox Series X games sounded. It’s astonishing to think that you can get this type of audio performance for less than $100, and Microsoft deserves a great deal of credit for including a pair of 40mm drivers that are so responsive to changes from the user.
EQs aren’t new after all, but we’ve often found that some headsets can’t really be tweaked to produce positive results, no matter how much we fiddle with certain levels. Xbox, do more Microsoft’s wireless headset not only nails the audio quality and microphone, but it comes with some desirable features that are usually reserved for higher end headphones. We found that on the high setting the Xbox Wireless Headset did a fine job at isolating the music we were playing off our phone once we stopped speaking.
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