Turtle Beach X32 Headset (Xbox 360)

Amazing sound from these and a very good upgrade from the X31. Love them! Turtle Beach seem to have managed to reduce buzz and clarity in chat is a lot better as well.

I've waited a month to write this to make sure I was giving this headset a fair review. I have only really used this to play one game but I play that game, on average, for three hours per day so it's had a pretty intensive first month.

Out of the box it's very easy to set up: all the instructions are easy to follow and all the wires and connectors are clearly labeled and colour-coded.

One of the features that encouraged me to buy this headset was the "Tone" presets. To be honest, I flicked through them and have reverted to the standard setup. So far I've had no need to use any of the "Effects" either. I know other reviewers have complained about the small buttons on the headset being in an awkward place to adjust but these aren't features you need to fiddle with regularly. Once you find a setting you like you'll stick with it.

The same goes for the volume control. The PX21's had the volume control part way down the cable which meant that I could just glance down, find the volume control and adjust it. This one is on the rear of the left ear-piece. It takes a LITTLE to get used to but after that it's not an issue.

Now onto the really important bit: the quality of the audio. My Xbox is running off the wifi connection but granted the wifi router is about 8 metres/ 25 feet away. I have had absolutely NO interference whatsoever. There's no buzzing, no crackling, no hissing, or certainly no more than you would expect for a device powered by electricity connected to an audio output. People who are complaining about it have either been unlucky and gotten a faulty set, have absurdly sensitive hearing or play games with such minimal audio it begs the question why they need a headset. The audio insulation in the earpieces is very good (perhaps too good) and blocks out almost all normal household noises. The quality of the audio is excellent. I play with a lot of friends online so the balance between in-game audio and voice audio is crucial. The voice volume is part way down the cable that connects the headset to the Xbox controller. It just takes a LITTLE bit of fiddling to get the volume right. As a hint/ tip: get the in-game audio level right first, THEN adjust your voice chat volume.

Design: The headset is very light and comfortable for extended (up to eight hours almost non-stop) periods of game play. The shape is slightly unusual in that I find I have to have the headband slightly further back on my crown than I did for my PX21s. If I don't I'll get a bit of pain on my ears which is related to the angle the headband comes off the earpieces. Now that I know what the issue is I've not had the problem again. The battery housing cover on the right earpiece is lightweight plastic, something someone else has commented on. It requires you to be a little gentle with it, nothing more. As long as you don't treat it like a military grade product (OMG, I've lost my audio, I must replace my batteries NOW or people will die!!!!!!) it will be fine.

Finally, I'm getting maybe a week out of the batteries which, considering how much I use these, isn't too bad. I bought some rechargeable batteries after about two weeks and haven't looked back. It takes two AAAs (which came with it) but I can strongly recommend the Energizer brand of rechargeables. I bought the 850 MAh (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Energizer-Rechargeable-AAA-Batteries-850mAh/dp/B000V3QT0Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361046856&sr=8-1) and a charger (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Energizer-Battery-Charger-2000mAh-Batteries/dp/B002FKQ3KY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1361046955&sr=8-8). The AAs that come with this charger I use for my Xbox controller and get even more than a week out of them. The great thing is that the recharger will recharge a pair of batteries before the last pair run out of juice so as long as you plug them in as soon as they come out of the headset/ Xbox controller you will ALWAYS have fresh batteries. The charger will charge a pair of AAAs and a pair of AAs at the same time. BONUS!

So, overall, a fantastic headset, does everything you need and at a pretty good price as well when compared to other headsets. Highly recommended.

The headphones were delivered very quickly and are just what they say. The quality of sound is really good and it blocks out all outside sounds so the game can be heard and concentrated on. Highly recommended for any gamer.