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While I neither own, nor play, any of the modern game systems that this device is targeted for, I do have quite a lot of experience with headphones and with consumer electronics. I looked at the sonic qualities of them in use as a traditional headset and I did not evaluate the microphone at all. If you are looking for a review from a gameplayer, this is not it, but if the same level of quality went into the design and implementation of the microphone as it did the sonic quality of the headsets, I think it will be perfect for even the most finicky gamer.
FIT AND FINISH
Physically the headsets have a bit of a Tron-like look to them, which may not be perfectly suited for the average 30+ year old. Thankfully the designers provided several different illumination settings for the headsets. I promptly set the illumination to be disabled -no need to waste precious battery life.
The overall fit of the headset wasn't perfect. Having it be adjustable would be a very welcome feature for those of us that have a bit bigger noggin. The ear cups didn't sit flat because they were a bit on the tight side. I ended up rotating the headband toward the back of my head and thankfully the cups can be rotated to fit your ear angle. This provided a mostly comfortable fit, but still no where near as comfortable as it could be if even slight adjustment was possible.
SETUP
Getting the headsets set up was fairly straightforward. Plug in the USB dongle to the back of your computer or game console, connect the audio output using the 1/8" mini-plug or one of the adapters provided, power on the headsets and let the dongle and headsets pair up. Instant wireless audio. The quick setup documentation left a lot to be desired, but there is a much more thorough user's manual that outlines several key troubleshooting steps as well as how to setup more complex home theater systems should you run into issues.
MUSIC PLAYBACK
THE SETUP: I sat down with a very eclectic selection of music ranging from Classical Mozart (Symphony Number 40 if you'd like to know) all the way through Journey, Dave Matthews Band, Nirvana Unplugged and Disturbed (needed something with some overdriven guitar). I've listened to several wireless speakers and headsets and I was definitely impressed by the quality of sound being generated by this sub-$100 WIRELESS headset. I was listening to uncompressed digital versions of the songs from the original retail CDs and in all cases the Bass was tight and highs were sharp, just the way I like them.
Every now and then with the more "layered" pieces, things got a little muddy with the woofer overtaking the rest of the mix and causing some sharp drops in the mid range. For example during the Dave Matthews Band song "Tripping Billies" the intro has a heavy bass drum hit over the top of the sax and violin, there was a noticeable reduction in the amplitude of the mid/higher end range of the sax/violin to accommodate the very loud output from the woofer. Wanting to investigate this more, I hard wired the headsets into the source directly and that eliminated this problem. It appears that it may be a result of some compression needed to provide enough bandwidth for the wireless connection but only the manufacturers can really confirm that. What I was noticing was something that is commonplace when listening to compressed audio and for most consumers it is a non-issue. I just wanted to indicate here (for those that care about such things) that there are some subtle differences when listening wirelessly compared to listening with a wire but it is very minimal and for casual use won't be a problem.
LITTLE THINGS
The volume adjustment on the headset was a welcome addition as there are times when you do want to adjust that output just a bit and don't want to have to grab a remote or wake your computer to do it.
With regard to the alternate modes that are available on this headset, all of my comparative tests were conducted using the "Pure Audio" setting. There are two other options which the manufacturers title as "Bass Boost" and "Immersive". When Bass Boost was enabled, the bass was sharp and generally undistorted, but overly heavy for music. This might be a desired effect for those who have a particular affinity for bass in their music, but for my tastes the "bass boost" is just too much. As PDP is a gaming centric company, I could see its use in gaming, or movies, but not for music. It is for people that have a need (or just a desire) for heavy bass and don't care about much else. The Immersive option, like the bass boost, would seemingly work better for movie/game play use, not for music. It is intended to create a psycho-acoustic virtual surround sound effect, but again, in my tests, the quality of sound output by the speakers is far better than anything that a circuit can emulate and in Pure Audio mode the headset did a very good job emulating the spatial effects created naturally during recording and intended by the audio mixers of the content. But some users may enjoy it. Thankfully, the manufacturers provided an easy color-coded system indicated on the microphone to tell which mode you are in and made it very easy to switch between them. Try them all and figure out which one works for the content you are enjoying.
WHAT ABOUT FOR JUST WATCHING TV?
For those of you that were hoping to use these headsets for casual television watching, you will really enjoy the volume adjustment so that you can listen at a louder level than your partner might enjoy. Being a closed ear design, you can even be in the same room as your partner and they could be sleeping or reading and you won't be disturbing each other. Of course you can use these headsets with a wire and that will provide the simplest form of connectivity. Unfortunately, the wire that comes with the headset is fairly short (as it is intended to be used with portable gaming consoles or Ultrabooks that may lack a USB port). If you are looking to use them as a wired headset, you will need to get a longer cable. Thankfully, the port that the manufacturer used on the headsets is a standard 1/8" Mini plug available at most local electronics stores. If your TV or amplifier doesn't have a "headphone" out plug then you will need to use the included RCA plug to 1/8" stereo plug which the manufacturer includes.
NOTE: You can only use the "pure audio" mode when using these headsets with a wire.
BUT WHAT ABOUT WIRELESS TV WATCHING?
Wireless from the TV is potentially a bit more challenging. If your TV has a USB port (many newer models do), you may be able to plug the USB dongle into that and then use the included RCA to 1/8" stereo plug (sorry no optical input available) that the manufacturer includes to hookup the audio. Our test TV is an older LCD that doesn't have any kind of USB plug available. In my tests, I discovered one could use a powered USB hub (for example this: ) to plug in the USB dongle and then hook the audio cable up to whatever audio out is available on your TV. The hub doesn't get connected to a computer, the included AC adapter provides the power for the wireless connection and then you can use these headsets without the burden of the wire following you around everywhere. As an added bonus, while using the wireless mode you then regain the ability to use the alternate Bass Boost and Immersive modes (which were not available with the wire) should you be interested in doing so.
A COMMENT ABOUT WIRELESS RANGE
The wireless range of these headsets is quite good. In very non-official and non-quantitative tests I was able to walk out of our suite of offices (about 2000 square feet) and down the hall 20-30 feet before I lost connectivity. This is obviously dependent on location of the source and devices/construction materials between the headset and the source. But in a typical residential environment a user should be able to walk around a 1,000-2,000 square foot house if the source is centrally located without loosing connection to the source.
FINAL SUMMARY
Overall these are a great set of headphones for consumption of multimedia content. Whether it is to be used with a portable device like an iPad or other game platform, or with a home theater so you don't disturb those around you, most users will find the sound delivered by these headphones to be light years beyond what they are accustomed to. Physically, the overall design (a little on the "bright" side for my traditional tastes) and the lack of size adjustment makes them difficult for me to wear comfortably both privately or in a public setting. The alternative modes may work for your particular listening needs, give them all a try and choose what works for you. But all in all, at this price point, it would be difficult to find a better sounding headset that offers all of the features and options this unit includes.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I previously had reviewed the Turtle Beach Ear Force X42 Wireless Dolby Surround Sound Gaming Headset. For a headset that normally goes for a $160, I was expecting a lot from the Turtle Beach...and it did fairly well. I was pretty disappointed by the lackluster bass performance, however.
The mic on this headset performs about as well as the Turtle Beach does. Range is also quite excellent I'm able to walk to the other side of my house and still hear what's going on without interference which is impressive given that I do have a dual-band router plus an assortment of electronics throughout the house.
Where this headset excels over the Turtle Beach, however, is in bass reproduction. For a headset that retails for $90 less than Turtle Beach's X42, it puts it to shame. It's not going to be a contender for a Beats or a Bose headset, mind you, but it really puts the Turtle Beach to shame. Playing Borderlands, I hear the satisfying low roar of a rocket launcher firing and the thud of a far off explosion which sounds puny on the Turtle Beach. The Immersive Audio mode is by far my favorite audio mode for playing games and it sounds great.
And can the X42 work on the PC? Or the Playstation? Or with a mobile phone? I think not this Afterglow actually is compatible with ALL of these devices at a fraction of the price.
Battery life promises 10 hours I have used it for 9 thus far and not a glimmer/hint of the headset's battery life waning. The lithium ion battery appears to work as advertised thus far.
As for build, this headset doesn't feel like it's going to break like the X42 does. It's pretty solid and actually withstands some deformation without breaking (don't push it though the intent is to protect damage from "casual" use, not so you can show your friends how it bends like a reed). The ear pads also feel like they are better quality with a nice comfortable leather feel. The headset does feel a bit on the small side for me, but then size 8 hats feel almost uncomfortably snug on me so I'm sure that it will feel pretty comfortable on the average head.
A brief note on the mic I like the fact that it's retractable. Having the swivel mic on the Turtle Beach set was occasionally annoying; having the ability to tuck away the mic when I'm not using it gets a big thumbs up from me.
This headset will never replace my audiophile headsets, but for gameplay, this set really puts Turtle Beach on notice...Turtle Beach is NOT the company that I remember anymore.
Highly recommended!
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This is honestly the perfect headset for me. I have used it for gaming, skype calls, and listening to music and it works great for all of those things. I love how I can walk around my house or sit on my balcony while talking on Skype, the range is great as well. The only time it ever cut out on me is when I tried walking out to my car with them on. They don't have a whole lot of adjustability, but they fit my head just fine. Not to mention that they look better than any other headset available. I got the one day shipping for three dollars with Prime and it arrived in about 12 hours which is quite impressive if you ask me. They seem to be made of quality material, so they should hold up just fine.
Honest reviews on Afterglow Universal Wireless Headset - Blue - Xbox 360
People have had different views of PDP Afterglow's products. I'm not quite an expert though because this is my first product I've bought from them. Might buy a controller later on but anyway;
Sound This Headset sounds great for its cost. The three different audios are clear, The Bass Boost really does add a nice oomph of impact depending on what game/music your listening to. On PC, I use a Equalizer to increase the effect further when I really feel like having my head rattled so much the headset technically shakes itself(though long term usage-wise..it might not be advised to abuse it.)-Another NoteThe've done well to add the Bass Boost without really distorting the Highs of the sound, though you can still notice the difference in contrast though.. The Virtual Surround Sound mode is probably what you will use with everything you listen to. It isn't no 7.1 but it does do a pretty good job of opening the "field of sound" from just your ears to your whole head to give a overall nice richness of sound.. The VSS mode, as it has on the box, will be able to obtain the highest high's out of all 3 modes and it can still capture a nice low to an extent. Technically, it's the Jack of all Trade mode. Then the Pure Audio is pretty much the normal default mode. It will always be set to it when you turn the headphones on.
Value About power usage, well, They certainly told the truth about how long they last. I haven't really ran into a loss of power problem since I've got them. Of course, I don't quite have the time to fully play them for 10-12 straight hours and if you use them in a mobile device, they don't really use power unless you manually turn the lighting effect on(because it's not automatic unless they're used on console or PC)The glow effect is awesome, of course. Some people I show them off to always ask do they sound as good as the look. All I do is let them have a test and they shut right on up lol.
Design The only thing I have a problem with is that the ear cups are quite bulky. Being 50mm drivers though, they do envelop your whole ear. And it will take a little time to get use to the feel. You can rotate the padding though until they feel right to you....and depending on the person, they may slightly squeeze your head when you first put the on. you just have to stretch them out a bit and "break them in" before they start feeling comfortable enough. Until then, you might have to take them off after a little while to give your head a rest.
Overall They sound great, they look great, they're wireless with a nice range to them. -Side NoteThe wireless transmitor has a 3.5mm jack that can go into a mobile device as well, so if you have a AC wall unit with a usb, then you can pretty much turn your mobile device into wireless as well, as sort of an alternative to bluetooth. Anyway, all I can say is that they'll have to survive the test of time of course( months to years) without messing up in some way. The Golden Rule still applies: Take care of your things. Other than that, what more can you ask of in headphones. These are all-around nice.
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After over five months of using the Afterglow Universal Wireless Headset, it's time to find something else.
I purchased these after the battery in my Logitech Wireless Headset H600 Over-The-Head Design (981-000341) stopped holding a charge. The initial reviews, feature set, and reasonable price appeared to be a fine choice. It's also a relatively new offering where the choices that already existed in the category all failed in one way or another.
The good:
Insanely verstile: The headset itself is both wired and wireless. You can plug an audio source and an Xbox 360 controller directly into the headset with wires if that's what you need. It also functions as a wireless headset with its USB transmitter. The transmitter even has a stereo audio cable hanging off of it which can be used simultaneously with the USB audio adapter. In my case, I could plug it into my Mac for game audio and microphone input to TeamSpeak while having the transmitter's 3.5mm connector on my iPhone to listen to podcasts. The headset has a fade control to tweak the mixing of the two audio sources. It does all of these things very well, which is wonderful.
Great sound quality that comes through sufficiently loud: This really says it all. The quality of wireless and wired audio is perfect for gaming, listening to music, or anything else. Other wireless USB headsets I've tested were too quiet to be useful in many situations, but this headset does not have the same problem.
Excellent battery life: I easily got through two nights of hardcore gaming on a single charge. When the battery does eventually run out, you can keep it going by plugging in a mini USB cable to a source of power. You can even use the headset while it's charging. Some USB wireless headsets cannot do this.
Great wireless range: I had no trouble roaming my house while listening on this headset. It's nice.
The bad:
Bright LED lights everywhere: The wireless transmitter has a super-bright LED in it which is always on when connected and blinking when disconnected. I had to cover it up a bit with electrical tape to tone it down. The headset itself is also a beacon of blue light. Look closely at the photo of the item. Anything blue there is a bright light, including the headband.
Ugly: I won't sugar-coat this detail. You will look like an absolute jackass wearing this thing. It's a monstrous blue plastic demon with no fashion sense. It looks worse than basketball shoes. The clear plastic band sits over an inch above your head, and the remaining bulky plastic enclosure lets the world know that you only venture outside of the house when your parents yell at you to go find a job. Believe it or not, I have seen someone out in public wearing these. He did not make the headset look any better than I do.
The horrible:
The controls are digital: The volume and chat/game fade controls are non-stepping dials, but they are not analog or fine. Both jump to different volume levels as the dial is smoothly turned. It would have been better to just make them up/down buttons like an iPhone's volume controls.
The controls are buggy: Have you had your headset powered up for too long? The volume and chat/game fade controls will both stop working. Every once in a while you've gotta turn the headset off and on or you're stuck. This wouldn't be such a big deal if not for the fact that...
The mute button is also the power button: You have to hold the mute button down for two seconds to power the headset off. This is dumb. It should be a switch, or possibly the very bottom of an analog volume dial.
Uncomfortable: The clear plastic band does such a good job of holding the device on your head that it feels like a vice. The design is quite unfriendly to folks, like myself, who wear eyeglasses as it presses the frames into your skill with such force it leaves a mark afterwards. I've had to adjust the headset's position frequently to keep my head from feeling like it was going to be smashed in. As a result, I've discovered...
The clear plastic headband is not shatterproof: The clear band has developed some ominous cracks. I don't think this thing can last for a full year of regular use.
I really wish this headset were more comfortable and with better controls, because it is so perfectly versatile and has such great sound and microphone quality. Alas, it is not so. I only recommend this headset to homebound folks who have very small heads and don't wear glasses. Otherwise, you might want to reconsider your decision to try out a wireless USB headset. There are really no good options out here.
