Hopefully this will help gain the insight you'll need to make a decision.
Please leave feedback, did I miss anything?
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--I needed a nice headset for late night gaming. (As to not wake the neigbors, and what not) I searched for the best, which would probably be the Astro headset. However, the price, at almost $300 put me off abit. The tritton 720's, a nice quality headset for a nice price. I bought these for my PS3 only. The features:1) Sturdy quality
2) Microphone, solid and bendable
3) comfort level is a 9 (headset is a little heavy) but not terrible, no neck fatigue, or head aches, even after long hours of game play, but I do get up to fix drink, rest room...etc.
4) Speaker volume, microphone volume/mute (both are seperately controlled), very nice...sometimes you wanna play with your buds, sometimes you want strangers to shut up. *flip the switch...all you got is game sound!
5) I find the controls and set up very easy to use and manage. Nothing is complicated or cumbersome. *note this is NOT a wireless headset. The wire is nice and long, got the voice control velcroed to the side of my Lazy-boy. Plenty of wire to not compromise my mobility. On a surpising note...I can actually hear other things going on in the house, phone ringing, doorbell, etc... I thought for sure I would be closed off to the world..NOT SO!
6) Head phones are very nice and comfy. Surrounds the ENTIRE ear! One bad note, it seems the padding comes off a little too easy. So far it isn't anoying (yet) But I have to pull the head phones apart then take the set off. Do not recommend that you just pull them off of your head. --this almost cost it a star...it still might.
I have read over many reviews, including Amazon that the next version up of this headset, which is $200, is nothing but problems...that was a main decsion factor in my purchase of this headset. Also finding a PS3 compatible headset seemed to be kind of an issue. Other thoughts:
1) movie watching...very nice, sound quality is good, bass is nice...no complaints. Is it the same as your surround sound set? Hell no! But a wonderful compromise for late night gaming or movie watching in private.
2) Music? don't know, don't care...not the purpose of these headphones. Not what they are advertised for or for what they are intended. I play games and watch/listen to the occasional movie with them. For this purpose, they fit the bill, the price is right, the quality is solid.
Setup:
I found the installation to be easy and straightforward (PS3) Took all of 4 mins to install and play! Literally plug and play! The directions are superb!
Final thought: Two thumbs up. If you are looking for a quality, working, easy set-up gaming head phone, look no further. The price is perfect. These are my first headphones..so I am not sure about the others, but I like these and hope that they last awhile. If they dont, I will be getting the Astro's. I have had these for over two months, so far good so good.
Best Deals for Mad Catz AX 720 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset
I've been trying to decide on a gaming headset for Modern Warfare and other FPS for a while and researched many products. I even tried a few. I started out with the Ear Force X41 and while they were great for the surround sound effect, I found the quality very lacking (tinny) and sometimes painful (crackling, popping, hissing, you name it). I also liked that it was wireless... until I used it for a few days. After three, 3-4 hour sessions, the battery was dead. I have plenty of rechargeables but I just didn't like having the headsets go out during a match and then having to find replacement batteries (and getting killed in the process). Being wireless is a convenience and a nuisance at the same time.Then I tried the Ear Force PX21 because it was able to connect to PC, PS3, and 360, all of which I play on. BUT, there was no surround effect to speak of.. at least none that I could detect. The quality was there but just in stereo. Not much else to say about it.
Lastly, I ordered the Tritton AX 720. What a difference from the PX21 and the X41. It's better than the PX21 because it does have surround and can connect to all 3 systems. It's better than the X41 in sound quality. I'm not an audiophile but these had much warmer lows and cleaner highs that was clearly noticeable from the X41. I immediately returned both of the previous headsets. The surround sound on the AX 720 is there and very noticeable. I found myself instinctively turning toward footsteps before I saw them. The only thing the X41 has is the chat boot feature... but I haven't had any issues talking to my friend in-game with the 720s.
Now, I set about 6 feet away from the TV in my office and the wire from the volume control to the audio processor doesn't get in my way. The wireless headsets out there including the X41 only removes that one wire from the volume control to the audio processor. You still need the volume control and the mic cable to your controller if you're on the 360. Not a big deal for me... the crackling, popping, and hissing was.
Aside for all that, here's the most important reason I like the 720s... I wear glasses and anyone who does can attest to the fact that over-the-ear headsets can be painful! The X41 are a good example. The cups pressed on my rather large ears and onto the stems on the glasses. At first, it was unnoticeable but after a couple of hours, I had to take my glasses off and hang them over the cups so I could still see (at an odd angle no less). My ears and the skin behind them were sore from the pressure. The PX21s led to the same effect.
I don't know what it is with the AX 720s but they designed a great headset for glass wearing geeks. They don't press on my ears or the stems on the glasses AT ALL! Most of the pressure (which isn't much) come from the top rim of the soft cups so the rest of the cup doesn't seem to apply that much pressure. I've gamed for 8hours with my glasses on without any pain. It's a miracle!
Just for those interested, I also was looking at the Tritton AX Pro for the discreet adjustments you can make on each channel. I'm wondering if that would make an even bigger difference in noticing the surround sound effects. Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't sell them directly as well as costing $70 more, and returns with 3rd party sellers are a pain. I also, just yesterday, came across the Sharkoon Xstatic 5.1 which seems exactly like the Tritton AX Pro as far as the audio processor goes down to the volume control module (but about $30 less or $40 more than the AX 720) ...hmmm. They're either a sister company or someone's going to get sued for patent infringement. lol
All in all, you can't go wrong with the AX 720... especially if you wear glasses.
Honest reviews on Mad Catz AX 720 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset
I never write recommendations, simply because I don't see the point. Ironically, I always look at customer reviews whenever I purchase anything around the $50 or higher mark. Let's just say my strenuous search for gaming headphones ended when I purchased this product.I initially had just a mic and put my sound through my stereo, but since my girlfriend's hours changed I needed a sound alternative when she was sleeping. I initially purchased the Ear Force PX21 from Turtle Beach for $79.99. Please don't make the same mistake I did; they promise good quality sound but even when I got past the discomfort of the earpieces, the sound was just simply loud, not good quality. So I took them back and searched for a better product around the same price.
I was skeptical at first because I really didn't want to spend an EXTRA sixty bucks. But after reading some the good reviews for the Tritton AX720's I decided to go for it, because if they were as promised--it'd be worth it.
Not a day goes by where I'm not 100% happy that I made that decision. Now I haven't heard the higher-end headphones, but I don't see how it could get any better for how much more expensive they can be.
Exterior, the product has a great look, extremely comfortable headphones, a small amp that is so light it can sit atop another console (I have mine on top my Wii.) And the mic is detachable in case you're playing a one-player game.
Performance, the greatest sound I've heard from headphones. I'm sure they're no Bose, but they are an amazing value. I frequently play Modern Warfare 2 multi-player, and these headphones not only make it a new experience, but also gives you advantages in some situations. For instance, if some one is out of your view but re-loading or walking towards you, you can depict which direction he/she's coming from. IT'S DIGITAL 5.1 SURROUND SOUND AND VIDEO GAMES UNITED!!!
I highly suggest this product for anyone shopping for a sound alternative. I even use these for when I watch Blu-rays. Between these headphones and my 1080p 42" LCD, I won't be headed to the movie theaters anytime soon. I've actually watched some movies again just because of the improved experience. GO OUT AND GET THESE HEADPHONES NOW!!!
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Mad Catz AX 720 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset
Pre-Product ReviewAfter reading all the reviews about the other headset: Turtle Beach, astro A40, Tritton AX Pro, Tritton AX 720
and I have decided to get a Tritton AX 720, and here is why.
Before you continue reading my review, I want to let you know I am in my early adult years, and I am a very decent FPS player, scoring top 1st majority of the times, in games noticeably Battlefield bad company 2; COD modern warfare, etc
From my personal experience, I have never owned a surround sound system, but I sure had some time with them, and I sure want one. But because I live with other people in the house I sure do not to want disturb the peace especially at night.
At first I was looking into audio headset with game sound output, and I didn't know such electronic existed. But researching on different brand of headset, reading reviews and updates extensively while on a budget constraint.
I game on PS3 and I have read that the turtle beach may offer marginal better sound quality but at the cost there is probability that it will break within 6 month, so I swayed away from turtle beach.
If I had the money I would definitely get the Astro A40, but on a budget constraint, I was left with the Tritton Ax Pro or the Ax 720.
I have read that Ax Pro have "real 5.1 surround sound", while the Ax 720 have "simulated surround sound". Ax Pro have 4 speakers on each side of the headset total of 8, which offers more precise directional sound. It features three 30mm driver for front and rear, and 1 40mm for sub-woofer.
While the Ax 720 features only one 40mm driver. But I have read although the Ax Pro does offer superior directional sound, the mid to high range in frequency is worse than the Ax 720 which is superior at. The bass is also better in the Ax 720.
Another pro that the Ax 720 has over the Ax Pro is that it does not require external power, while the Ax Pro requires an external AC power for the headset to work. This would mean that it would require 2 AC adapter to work, one for headset, one for the decoder. Keep in mind that these headset setup already requires a lot of wires connecting and rerouting, so it's good if there is less wiring. This is what killed it for me on the Ax Pro.
But the Ax Pro have more versatility in term of surround sound, because it can use the G9 adapter and convert the headset to analog 5.1 3.5mm wiring on the go. It does not require the decoder box to get the surround sound, but the decoder box is for the fiber optic TOSLINK mostly.
In the ax 720 there is less versatility even in term of emulated surround sound because the decoder box runs only on fiber optic cable. Without the decoder box you can do the wire adapter to use the analog 3.5mm wire, but you will only get only stereo audio (no surround sound). Which means you will have a headset no better than cheaper headset which offer similar stereo at the same quality. But as mention earlier the Ax 720 does not require an external power to use the headset unlike the Ax Pro.
As you can see comparing both the Ax Pro and the Ax 720, both offers pros and cons.
Product Review
Upon unboxing, everything was clean and easy. The wire are packaged, the headset 12 foot cable is packed neatly in Velcro.
After reading the manual and setting up the decoder box on to the PS3 with the fiber optic cable, and hooking up what the default plug in (6-Pin Mini Din) on the headset to the decoder box. Turned on the decoder, press the volume up and dolby mode to enable the surround sound emulator.
What I found is that the Dolby Pro Logic II mode only lights up as dolby define: transforms movie soundtracks and stereo music into 5.1 channels of surround sound. So only when you watch movie on your console, then it emulates surround sound.
The last icon on the decoder box indicate either game mode or music/ video mode. Comparing the sound quality If u enabled it to game mode, the sound has more bass, but in my opinion is a bit too much for me, especially when you have explosion and grenades going off.
When you enabled music mode, the sound has a bit more treble and a bit reduced bass, so if you're either in game or watching a movie, explosion and grenades aren't that harsh to the ear.
Composition of the headset:
Although the headset looks very sturdy, the headset lack customization, although adjustable to head size, the muff on both end can not be tilt left or right which is a blunder, compared to other headset like turtle beach brands and astro a40.
The cups are hollow inside, so about 90% of the background noise can be heard, exception when you have in game sound on.
Beware I have read that the headset may not fit everyone's head, especially those with bigger head, but for me I am a glasses wearer also and it fit comfortable for me. I wore my headset straight for 5 hour and there no was no headache or pain
The headset for me was pretty decent because this is the first time I ever used over the ear headset and my ears don't sweat like other headset I have used. The ear cups fits over the ear and does not touch ear.
The headset is very balanced and the microphone attachment does not obscure your view or annoy you from the peripheral view. You will not/rarely see the microphone mic.
The headset does not have noticeable noise bleed meaning that sound will leak out even if the volume is set very low, and your neighbor hears what you are listening. Only at considerable very high volume noise will start to bleed out of the headset.
Sound quality experience:
comparing these to my other $100 dollar earphone and headphones, The Ax 720 have more bass, and can only be controlled by software equalizer. The mid-high range sound frequency does a little poorer than my other headset and headphone in term of crispness.
However in terms of gaming with the Ax 720, the bass with the mid-high range sound makes it sound so good when you game with it. When building collapse, explosion, grenades going off, if you set the volume very high enough it will feel like the headset is shaking.
Sound/ Game testing:
After setting the ingame sound option to hi-fi/ theater mode/ surround-sound headphone mode. It was time to test out how well it picks up directional surround sound.
Yes these headset will help you pick up footstep a lot better. It may as well make you paranoid whether its a teammate running up behind you or the enemy. Also when you fire the sniper rifle you will feel that loud boom/pop as if you are firing real sniper rifle. I have never notice this when I use the monitor speaker, until I used gaming headset.
For directional sound, judging left and right are easy because sound is easily isolated to only the left or right speakers. But for front / rear, and distance sound level separation, this is where the decoder box for surround sound emulation comes in.
From my experience I notice if the enemy are in front of you running and shooting, the treble and bass are higher, while if the enemy are behind you, the sound seems reduced and the sound is a bit flatter and volume lowered. It is hard to discern from the front sound and rear sound as Ax720 are surround sound emulation rather than the Ax Pro which offer real 5.1 surround sound.
For distance sound, I had a harder time discerning and testing, but it did a fair job at how loud things were based on the distance. Although these headset did allow me to pinpoint where the enemy are shooting at me from a distance, the left and right speaker will equalize itself so it can give you a tell.
So base on this review you can tell it's more of a review judging between the Ax 720 and the Ax Pro, along with some other similar price brand headphone and earphone.
Sorry if this is a very long review, but I have created this review to give you further insight on deciding which headset you want to buy as I had a hard time too with many choices.
Update:
About 1 month of use now, some additional features I've found out is that the volume control on headset is detachable exposing the 3.5mm output and voice input, so you can plug in your own headphones or headsets. Which can be good if you do not want to use the tritton headset. I recommend you to buy headphone that have more bass, if you do try it with this decoder box set up, or else it will sound very lacking.
I have test it with both $100+ headphones and earphones, and the ax 720 still offer more bass and better sound. Probably because the decoder box is designed for the ax720 headset. It works pretty well, although the surround sound is not as noticeable as the ax720 headset.
Toslink-cables ONLY support 2 channel 5.1 surround sound at most. Even if other more expensive surround sound decoder brand that advertise 7.1 surround sound, you will not get that marginal benefit.
The problem I had with discerning front sound and rear sound is that 5.1 setup don't offer rear sound while the 7.1 does.
While you can pick out the sound between the front-left and front-right, the rear sound will sound flatter because it will sound like the rear speaker is missing and will just use the left and right speaker to mimic the rear sounds.
Those who were complaining about the hissing in the headset, it can easily be solved by lowering the volume adjustment knob and just boost up the volume from the source.
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