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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Having tolerated the Turtle Beach X41 wireless headphones for a while, stepping-up to the XP300s has been incredibly satisfying. Turtle Beach seems to have finally provided all the functionality that I've desired (plus some I didn't expect), while improving the overall comfort and feel of the headphones. While a few things have been overlooked, my overall experience has ben positive.
Comfort: I can wear these for hours. The padding on the earcups is very comfortable, and they don't make my ears (or head) warm. The over-the-head band is comfortable as well, but while the headband expands sufficiently to increase size, I still wish they were just slightly smaller. However, they don't fall off and they stay positioned while moving around.
Sound: There are two things to consider regarding sound quality with wireless headphones:
1) the transmission through wireless. These are considerably improved over the X41s I was using. I can't detect any hiss during non-audio segments, and haven't had any issues with interference with other wireless networks (I am running simultaneous wireless-G and wireless-N networks in my home, in addition to 5 Ghz cordless phones). The XP300s run on two bands (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), and will automatically switch between them based upon interference. Only once in a while do I detect this transition, but it is seamless. No pops, no clicks -perfect audio always.
2) sound output. While these are improved over the X41s, they still don't exactly hit the mark when it comes to the bass response. Overall, however, the sound quality is relatively balanced, with very good midrange (for voices) and decent, if not exceptional bass response. Treble/highs are perfect, from my perspective. The headphones offer the ability to adjust the "tone", so you can boost the bass (or bass and treble, as an option). While there is also an option to increase the stereo field (like an artifical surround sound), I think it stretches the sound too thin.
Connection: I am using this with an Xbox 360. Unlike the X41s, however, there is no optical input on the control device. You have to use any available analog audio output (either on your 360 or on the back of your TV) and connect it directly to the control device. This could make connections challenging in some situations, and the lack of an optical input provides a less-than-ideal audio response. Fortunately, the control device/transmitter is small, and it does provide an auxilary-in jack, so you can also connect an MP3 player or any other device to it. The control unit/transmitter is powered by USB, so you will need a free USB jack in order to power the transmitter.
Power: the headphones have built-in, non-replaceable rechargeable batteries. They are charged via a proprietary USB cable (you'll need another USB port for this). Fortunately, they can be charged while in-use, so a "low battery" warning doesn't mean you need to switch to something else. Unfortunately, once the low battery warning starts to beep, you have no idea how much additional time you have available. Fortunately, I've been getting 15-20 hours from them.
Wireless Chat: These XP300's solve the one problem I've had with the X41s and other similar headphones -they now provide true wireless chat with the 360. The package includes a small bluetooth transmitter that plugs into your 360's controller. It then syncs with the headphones, and transmits audio via bluetooth. From my perspective, incoming chat is perfect, and nobody has complained about the quality of my voice. The benefit here is that I can finally put my controller down, and get up and walk around the room (or out of the room, within about 30 feet), without having to carry a semi-wired controller around with me. I can still hear things and talk to others without being tied to the controller. NOTE: if you are using the 360's "Chatpad", you can't use the included controller transmitter. You will either need to remove your Chatpad from the controller or use the included cable to hardwire your headphones to your controller (which is how the X41s work).
Bluetooth: In addition to wireless chat, the headphones will also sync to a cellphone via bluetooth...and it can handle booth wireless chat and a cellphone connection simultaneously. This means that you can take calls from your phone while gaming -this is incredible functionality that is extremely helpful -no more missed calls, and no more taking a headset off in order to take a phone call.
What keeps these from being perfect? The documentation isn't entirely clear. I spent the better part of 20 minutes just trying to get the headset to sync to its transmitter, because the documentation wasn't clear (just hold the power button down beyond the initial tones). From my perspective, the documentation also seemed to be "backwards" regarding the wireless chat "sync indicator". Like a normal bluetooth headset, if it's flashing infrequently, it is synchronized. I had to experiment using a second 360 over LIVE just to figure this all out. However, once you get everything synchronized, things seem to work quite well thereafter without further intervention required.
I also haven't had much luck with balancing the mix of chat and game audio. No matter what settings I choose in the 360's dashboard settings in conjunction with various volume levels/controls on the headphones, I can't find a mix that works best for me. I typically end-up turning down game audio to compensate.
Overall, I'm pleased with the XP300s. However, I can't overlook the lack of an optical connection, the confusing documentation and syncing processes and indicators, and the chat/game-audio mix issues. They still aren't "perfect", but they hit enough of the mark for me that they are my new favorite gaming headphones.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine ProgramI upgraded to this Turtle Beach Ear Force XP300 from a pair of MW3 Ear Force Bravos, so most of my thoughts and comparisons are from my experience with those.
Set up:
I found these just as simple as other models of Turtle Beach headsets. I set mine up with a PS3, and just as with previous models, you use an included RCA splitter cable, transmitter (XP300 dual-band) and a USB charging cable. To chat via Bluetooth on the PS3, you sync it by going through your PS3 main menu in Settings -> Accessory Settings -> Manage Bluetooth Devices. Start the system scanning for this new headset then press and hold down the Bluetooth button on your headset at the same time. It will beep and the two will be paired. You then need to select this headset in your PS3 Bluetooth menu to start using it. If prompted for a code it's "0000". For the xBox, there is an included XBA Bluetooth adapter that connects directly to the controller to set up Bluetooth chat.
You can also connect music players like MP3 players, iPods and such via a 3.5mm cable (not included) to the transmitter and listen you your music at the same time as hearing everything going on in game and in chat. You can also sync the Bluetooth in this headset with your cell phone (if it has Bluetooth) and use it to answer incoming calls. You just press the Bluetooth button once to answer it and again to end the call. You can also make outgoing calls if need be, however unless you're using voice dialing, you will still be using the phone itself to dial the number.
Pros:
Pretty simple and clear directions in the included handbook. Maybe a little better outlined than in previous versions. An issue in the past for some people during initial set up was the mixing up of the two USB cables, one that transmits sound, the other for charging the headset. Looking similar, if they were hooked up wrong, headsets would still charge but no sound could be heard. To fix this they have made the USB cable that transmits the sound permanently attached to the back of the transmitter, with only the USB power/charging cable detachable. This is bound to save time for people, if nothing else the customer service people who walk customers through troubleshooting set up.
The mic on the headset is nice. Extremely maneuverable and a good length so you don't have it too close to your mouth. It picks up sound very well, so if you have stuff going on in the next room, it's likely those you're talking to will hear it faintly.
The ability to attach a music player via 3.5mm cable is great, You can listen to your music and talk to people in game without forcing everyone else to listen to your music too. I have hooked mine up with my tablet (Kindle Fire), an iPod touch and an iPod shuffle, they all work great. Just plug in and push play on your player and you have your music.
Several pre-set settings for sound.
With the Tone button you get:
1) Flat
2) Bass Boost
3) Treble Boost
4) Bass and Treble Boost
With the Sound Field button you get:
1) Normal
2) Narrow
3) Wide
These setting are definitely needed for different games. I've been listening to the game play through this headset with games like MW3, Heavy Rain, inFamous 2, GTA IV and Uncharted 3. Each game needs a totally different set up to get the best sound. With games like Heavy Rain where it's often very quiet with subtle background sounds and talking, it needs a completely different configuration then games like Modern Warfare 3. So before deciding if you like these, be sure to try out all the different sound settings, since with some games the wrong setting can make the game sound bad.
The cushioning on the headset is ample. It has a very wide band over the head with lots of cushioning, so no problem with comfort there. The ear pads are also very plush, which help keep out outside sounds when wearing them. They keep out sound so well that the only way I hear things going on around me is if they are being picked up by the mic.
To save battery this headset also automatically shuts off after approx 5 minutes of not being used. The battery lasts a good amount time time at about 15 hours per charge.
Cons:
Just a few minor ones.
When playing music with an MP3 player/iPod by attaching it to the transmitter, the music quality is not quite as good as headphones hooked directly into a player. This probably has more to do with the sound pre-sets being optimized for game sounds instead of regular music. However, you do still get decent sound for listening to your songs while playing.
No included 3.5mm cable for use with the auxiliary input. While this isn't necessary for use during game play or for chat, it is needed to listen to music through the transmitter. With a great feature like this and at these prices, it would have been good to have this added in as one of the included cables. If you want to buy one, you're going to need something like this Mediabridge 3.5mm Male To 3.5mm Male Stereo Audio Cable to play music through your headset.
Conclusion:
Large and comfortable headset with easy to navigate buttons, it takes no time at all to adjust the sound to what works best for the type of game/movie/music/chat you're hearing. Two separate volume settings (one for chat, the other for game volume) make adjusting the settings during game play extremely easy, so you don't miss a second of what's going on. This Turtle Beach Ear Force XP300 headset is sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the wireless headset market.
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This headset is very flawed. I would love to blame it on the fact that maybe I just got a bad set it happens. But I have now returned TWO of these same model. My first set I had for one month and one night the chat stopped working, I could hear others but they couldn't hear me. It also had many problems with wireless chat disconnecting randomly. It was very easy to put it back on by pressing the button on the puck that connects to the controller, but this would happen sometimes over 5 times in one gaming session. Annoying to say the least when you get cut of in mid-sentence. With the second set, the chat disconnected even more frequently and also would come completely unsynched from the transmitter often. After a week it wouldnt even synch at all to the transmitter and was completely dead (even when charging). I've returned both sets and am considering going with a different brand. I like the idea of wireless chat but I refuse to spend more on the XP400's or XP500's just to have the same problems. Very dissapointed in Turtle Beach after this experience.Honest reviews on Turtle Beach Ear Force XP300 Wireless Gaming Headset - Xbox 360
Pros:-Very comfortable headset. The fabric mesh is so cushioned and the headband adjustments fit 99% of all heads
-High quality sound. Something that Turtle Beach has always came through in
-Very customizable. You are able to adjust any sound cues possible, as well as how far you want the sound-field
-Many different features. Pick up phone calls with the headset while gaming (dual pairing bluetooth).
You can use the headset with Skype as well. An auxiliary input lets you connect an iPod Touch or any mp3 player to listen to music while gaming
-No interference. New 5GHZ WiFi base station gives you no interference at all
-Fully wireless. The new XBA allows you to chat wirelessly, making this headset capable of using no wires at all
Cons:
-Wish the price would be dropped a bit :(
-At first the headset does not feel the most comfortable, but you will get used to it quickly
Final Verdict:
The Turtle Beach XP300 Headset is definitely worth your money, but it will cut your savings pretty low. The features alone make this headset worth every penny. Having a wireless headset makes it so much simpler to game, not worrying if you'll trip over them. It provides a much cleaner setup. I would recommend anyone to purchase this headset who is looking for a durable, light, comfortable, great sounding, feature packed headset for their Xbox 360 or PS3.
I give this headset a 9.4 out of 10
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I bought this headset to replace my Turtle Beach X12Turtle Beach EarForce X12 Headset which had finally gone out on me after a little over a year of use. And to be fair, people had accidently stepped on it a few times and that headset was used for 10 hour gaming sessions sometimes so in all circumstances it help up well. But anyway, for the XP300, I've had it for almsot 2 months now and so far its been working great with just a few minor propblems but first I'll list the pros.The first good thing about this headset compared to the X12 is obivoulsy is that its wireless which was a god send 'cuz i cant tell you how many times ive tripped over the cords from that X12. Another good thing is that the battery surprisingy lasts for a good while, about 6-8 depending on wether or not I use the mic. It also still works when your charging it too so you dont have to wait for it to recharge. The next good thing is that its easy to set up, just hook up the cables, link up the bluetooth in the headset to the bluetooth adapter and your pretty much golden, its that simple. Another big pro for this one compared to the X12 is that lowering the chat volume actually lowers it this time, unlike the X12. And this one even changes the tone of the sound in the headset.
Now as for the cons, I have a few problems that aren't major but annoying. The first is that the description said I could hook up my phone to the headset via bluetooth to answer calls and talk trough the headset. Well i tried that and my phone wont seem to connect at all to it, though i suspect it has something to do with my phone since i've researched this online and havent really found a lot of other people having this problem. The last problem I have with this headset is that sometimes the bluetooth adapter on the controller disconnets from the headset and I have to re connect. But due to it like only taking 5-10 seconds to reconnect it, its that that big of a issue.
This one right here is neutral since this headset was my first wireless headset of any kind so I can't really judge this category very well. But I found the range on this not to terribly long, I would go to the kitchen to get a drink which is only like 20-25 feet at the most from my room which I game and sometimes the game audio cuts out. The chat audio and mic still come in clear but not the game audio. Like i said i dont know wether this is good, average, or bad range on a wireless headset so I cant say wether this part is a pro or con.
Overall I think this headset is a pretty good upgrade from the X12, though if you want a little more, get the XP500 not the 400. The XP400 is identical to the 300. the only difference is that the 400 has a dolby sound processor. Thats it. So if you want more get the XP500. But anyway ya, espically since they lowered the price here on amazon down to $100 from the $170 its usally at because of the new Xbox One which doesnt work with these headset, its a good deal on this headset if you plan to keep playing on your 360 for at least the next 6 months. So my answer is buy this headset
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