While these are def overpriced, due to my setup I needed wireless for my 360. These were great to keep the wife happy during long gaming sessions at night. These are not programmable as they say. Installed software and just gave option of MW3 presets which are already there. Just ordered dss today. All in all great headset. Pretty comfortable. Tried a set of Xp500 and we're too large for my ears. Went with these due to rechargeable battery. I was afraid of going through too many batteries. All in all great purchase but hindsight is 20/20. In retrospect I would have picked up a set of px3's and added dss. This would give you simulated 7.1 and rechargeable wireless at a better price.

I just purchased these last night, Nov 1st, to use while playing BattleField 3 for xbox 360. These are my first headsets for online gaming and so far they are just OK...I dont think they are worth the $179 price...they seem to be basic wireless headsets with some built-in dsp (digital signal processing) presets..think equilizer for your stereo. Now for the Fun Stuff . From their website:

"The EFB also comes with a "Field Supplies" card, featuring a unique code to unlock access to an exclusive Turtle Beach / CoD: MW3 mini-site where you will find:

* Access to exclusive downloadable artwork
* Discounts on Turtle Beach swag
* Exclusive offers from Turtle Beach and partner companies for deals on MW3 content and other items that you can't get anywhere else
* ...and much more!"

I went to their website and accessed the MW3 "special" area. " [...] " and looked at the "exclusive" content. The only items that are on that page are
* Ear Force Bravo Enhanced Audio Preset Manager Software theres EarForce Delta also, but thats it)
* Additional Call of Duty: MW3 Enhanced Audio Presets for the Ear Force Delta
* Turtle Beach Apparel Promo Code
* Turtle Beach Call of Duty: MW3 PC Wallpaper / Screensavers

With the product description about programmable presets, I was thinking I would be able to customize the presets...WRONG... I install the software, but the "Additional" presets I downloaded are the SAME as the ones already installed with the Manager software..nothing programmable at all. Where is all the "Exclusive" content? Wallpapers of the headsets and discounts for buying clothing?? There are no additional presets like the PX3 has. All that can be done is cycle through the presets.

Pros:
* wireless
* flexible boom mike
* clear speech with no background hiss and decent game sound, but it can get a little muddled when a lot is going on where you cannot tell where even a helicopter is.
* separate Chat and Game sound volume controls
* rechargable lithium-polymer battery
* lightweight
* the headband has a springsteel band (not sure how far it goes into the earcup legs)

Cons:
* Overpriced - nearly $80-90 more compared to a wired version. Probably about $50 more than a wired dolby 5.1 version.
* lightweight feels kind of cheap for the price
* fabric earcup material is a little irritating
* Lackluster "Exclusive" content
* rechargable lithium-polymer battery pack does not appear to be replaceable.
* Programmable "Pre-sets" are just presets...nothing programmable about them. You can cycle through the presets by pressing the preset button on the headset...that is it. I was unable to use any of the other headset presets I downloaded from Turtle Beach.
* Seems to be only simulated surround sound, as the wireless transmitter uses the standard Red/White RCA jacks for the input. They are NOT dolby 5.1/7.1, that requires their DSS accessory for an additional $89!
* For being wireless, there are a LOT of cables -
* USB charging cable for headset
* USB cable for powering the transmitter
* audio splitter cable from source to transmitter (RCA to 3.5mm jack)
* xbox306 talkback audio cable from headset to controller so you can talk.

Result? You may want to consider the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset X41 by Voyetra/Turtle Beach with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound instead...its $20 cheaper and is true 7.1 DSS.

Some readers may remember me from my X4 review. Here we are a little over a year later and I am once again tearing into the box of a shiny new pair of Turtle Beach headphones. I liked the X4s, so why did I invest another $200 on the X41s? Because the X4s had some issues, common issues included sound glitches at certain frequencies (press the B button in Shadowrun), interference from other IR sources (like the Wii sensor bar), and a noticeable hiss when using the voice function. These issues did not ruin the X4s, in fact they were still one of the best gaming centric headphones, and THE best wireless gaming headphones, but the issues could be annoying. Thankfully, the X41s claim to fix everything wrong with the X4s and add some new features to boot. Do they live up to the hype or have hidden issues?

For the rest of my review I will be doing some comparison to the X4 in every aspect of these X41 headphones, as well as comparing them to the other options available. I may leave out some details that I already covered in my X4 review, if something doesn't make sense or you would like more detail check my X4 review to see if I covered it there. In this review I will mostly be pointing out what has changed from X4 to X41. Finally, I personally own 6 pairs of gaming headphones, from the aging AX360 to the Astro A40 and X4. I will be giving my opinion of the X41s performance compared to my experience with most of the other competitors on the market.

Headphone design and feel:
The X41s really shine in this area, like the X4s they are extremely light and comfortable. In addition, they have added a new type of breathable fabric to the pads which keeps your ears cool and comfortable through hours of play. They have also increased the size of the space for your ears. The end result is headphones that are easy to forget exist. The headphones are well built in every other respect. The Bass boost switch is now a button, the headset is black rather than grey, most of the other changes in this area are minor. The X41s are an improvement over the X4s and one of the most comfortable of all the headsets I have used.

Audio Quality:
One of the big draws of the X41s is the new DigitalRF which claims to increase sound quality while decreasing interference and hiss. This claim is completely factual; the X41s have excellent sound that rivals even top level wired headsets. In addition, the X41s have fixed all of the X4s sound glitches, no more will you hear disturbing static or interference when a certain frequency is played. In my experience the X41s reproduce the game sound perfectly without any degradation from being wireless.

On the other hand the extremely low level hiss is still present in the X41s, though perhaps even quieter than the X4 ambient hiss. As I said in my X4 review this constant hiss is impossible to hear if any game sound is playing, and is probably mostly amp noise created by the 50mm speakers an inch from your ear. It is nearly impossible to engineer something like the X41s and completely remove this type of hiss. Thankfully, the X41s do remove the increased hiss when using voice chat that was present on the X4 headset. With the X41s you cannot tell the difference between having the voice chat hooked up and not using it. With the X4s as soon as you plugged in voice chat the normally unobtrusive hiss would double or triple in volume and become quite noticeable. This is a pretty major improvement for the X41s, as the hiss while using voice chat was a common complaint of the X4s.

The X41s have also enhanced their Dolby DSP to handle up to 7.1 surround sound and PL2X. This is not as noticeable as the Digital RF but it is an improvement. The excellent surround sound from the X4s is made even better, and it is even easier to pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from. The surround sound here is really fantastic, don't believe the hype about "true 5.1" headsets that have multiple speakers in each ear, this Dolby processing creates a better surround sound experience. In addition, because there is only 1 speaker per ear the speakers are much larger which makes the excellent audio quality possible. Comparing the X41s to my Tritton headsets is really one sided, the X41s are hands down better in every way when it comes to audio quality. Bottom line, 2 great speakers and Dolby Processing is far better than 8 tiny speakers.

The short version here is that the X41s are a worthy improvement in terms of audio quality. They have fixed essentially all of the major problems the X4s had and added some new features as well. The X41s perform very well when compared to wired headsets also, for the same price you could not find a 5.1 headset with better audio quality than the X41s, and the X41s are wireless.

Other Features:
The X41s don't change very much in this category from the X4s. You still get the excellent voice chat implementation, which will balance voice and game audio so that you can always hear everything clearly. As I already mentioned the noticeable hiss while using voice chat has been removed, so that is a major improvement here.

One notable change to the X41s is the new talkback cable that is now free of the puck. This new cable is simply 2 standard mic connections with volume control and mic mute on a little box in the middle of the wire. This cable uses heavier wire than the old X4 cable, and seems like it will resist the rigors of use more efficiently. In addition, because they did away with the puck the X41s are now compatible with any headset connection. This means with the right USB adapter and cables the X41 voice chat can be used with a PS3 or PC as well as the Xbox 360. This is really a pretty awesome addition, and one that is not touted on the box.

The X41s also have a headset jack for a wired headset with its own volume control. This headset receives all the Dolby Processing and the same sound the wireless one receives. This is nifty if you want to have multiple people listening to the same audio on headphones, and is a better option than the X4s "buy another $100 headset" approach.

The X41s are now powered via a USB cable, which you can hook to your Xbox or any other powered USB port. Not sure if I find this positive or negative, but it is a change from the X4s.

Overall:
The X41s are a worthy improvement over the X4s. The decision to upgrade is something each individual will have to consider, but if some of the X4s flaws or glitches have been bothering you the X41 does a great job of solving those issues. In addition, the X41s add a lot of great features, from Digital RF to the new talkback cable. These features make an already excellent headset even better. As far as gaming headsets go the X41s are among the best. The implementation of voice chat is second to none, and since the X41s eliminated the loud hiss found during voice chat on the X4s, this feature is nearly perfect. The sound quality is excellent, and the Digital RF really does rival wired headsets, and is completely free of audio glitches. You no longer need line of site, and the signal seems very robust and interference free even around multiple wireless networks. The X41s are also significantly more comfortable than the X4s, and the new fabric for the ear pads makes a noticeable positive difference in keeping your ears cool and comfy. In the end, for anyone looking for a gaming headset that incorporates voice and surround sound, the X41s get my unwavering recommendation. They really are the best gaming headphones available right now.

I have rated the X41s 5 out of 5 stars, compared with the X4s 4 out of 5 stars. I would not say the X41s are perfect, just surprisingly close.

Update (Roughly a year later): After a year of using the X41's, with hundreds, or perhaps thousands of hours of play across all platforms. I just want to reaffirm that I still think they are an amazing pair of headphones, and the best wireless sound solution for gamers. A few things that I have noticed in the last year.

First, when the batteries die the headphones often make a violent crackling screech noise (for perhaps a second, very short). This is annoying, not something I find bad enough to reduce the score, but I hope in the next iteration Turtle Beach fixes this, even if it means I get 30 minutes less battery life. I would rather the headphones beeped at me when the battery was low, or perhaps some indicator on the base station could show when the batteries are getting down there. Then when it got critical just make the headphones power off gracefully, rather than dying in a screech and crackle of rage.

Second, they are actually susceptible to interference from 802.11G wireless. In general they work great, but if you position stuff such that some wireless device (be it a router or a wireless client) is closer to you than the base station you can get interference. In general this is easy to fix, for instance I put my wireless devices on the opposite side of the TV from the base station and interference is a thing of the past. It is something to be aware of though, depending on your situation, especially in an apartment or dorm with tons of wireless everywhere, you could have trouble avoiding interference. To fix this perhaps Turtle Beach will switch to the 6 Ghz spectrum and use something similar to DECT. This would increase range, and should completely eliminate interference.

Finally, a quick tip on hooking these up. I found that the best way to hook the headphones up to any modern TV was to plug the X41 power USB cable into the USB slot on the TV (generally used for displaying pictures or similar features). Then use the Optical out on the TV as the connection to the X41 base station. Then you just plug all your devices in with HDMI cables and you can enjoy Dolby Digital on every device without any switching or special adapters. Plus, when you turn the TV off the base station goes off, turn it on, base station is on. In my opinion it is pretty much perfect, and is a joy to switch from watching TV with DD5.1, to my Xbox 360 or PS3 or PC, simply by pressing the source button on my TV remote.

The Good:


+ Easy to setup. The instructions are somewhat abstruse, and not detailed. I had to sort of fill in the blanks, but overall it was quite easy. I think anyone can do it.

+ Comfortable. The headset is lightweight, and has decent padding. It does begin to hurt my ears after a couple hours.

+ Features. The x41 offers a ton of awesome features, including RF technology and Dolby Digital 7.1.


The Bad:


- The transmitter cannot be connected to my LCD HDTV via the optical port and still get Dolby Digital surround sound. You NEED the Xbox 360's AV/Optical plugs in order to access DD 7.1. Most new Xbox's don't include this cable, so it's an additional expense if you want to use this headset. No point in buying these instead of the x31's if you can't get Dolby.

- Occasional scratching, popping, cutting. Nothing destroys immersion and distracts me more than when the sound pops and cuts in the middle of your game. This is not associated with the chat cable's notorious scratching and popping. This is due to a bad RF connection or interference or something. The problem is enhanced if you're downloading anything via a nearby wifi. The headset will often pop so loudly, that all audio is cut for a few seconds, and gradually returns. The pops are occasionally so loud and abrupt, that I wouldn't be surprised if it damaged someone's eardrums.

- The volume turn dials are awkward and poorly designed. The volume dial on the headset won't register any volume until it's turned about 3/4 of the way to MAX. From the 3/4 mark, it increases RAPIDLY. The chat volume dial is even more sensitive. This makes fine tuning a ridiculous chore, and quite impossible.

- Can barely hear myself talk. Turtle Beach purposefully dialed back the monitor volume of the x41's. When I talk into the microphone, it feels as if I'm deaf or underwater. The microphone has other issues with pickup. Sometimes my team mates can't hear me, and other times they say my voice is too loud (because I have to talk loudly in order to get the microphone to pick up the sound). There is no consistency. Also, the microphone causes a steady hissing sound whenever it's attached. When it's not attached, there is still a noticeable buzzing hiss when the game or movie gets quiet.



The Ugly:


-- This is the reason I returned this headset. The volume in the left ear cup is louder than the volume in the right ear cup. This is the case with every game and movie I've tried. I thought I may have installed it wrong, so I re did the installation and setup. Didn't work. I tried changing out the brand new AAA batteries, nothing. I tried changing the setting on my Xbox, nothing. I contacted Turtle Beach, but they haven't been able to help at all.

In every game with background music (all games?), I can only hear the drum and bass in the left side. I tested this with every game, and even audio CD's. I also did a test on Xbox Live with some friends. In Modern Warfare 2, I had a friend stand a few meters in front of me and fire off his automatic rifle in the air. It sounded as if the gun was somewhere to the left. When he stood directly in front of me (1 inch from my face) and fired, it sounded as if it was coming from below me and to the left. Then I had him stand a few meters off and fire clips in the air while I stood in one place and spun around in circles. I was hoping the sound would be "circling" me, but instead it sounded as if it was coming from above/below me when it was supposed to be on my right side. Later in another match, I was approaching a doorway, and I heard someone reload on the left side of the doorway. So I watch the left corner when entering, but in turned out the guy was on the right side of the doorway. Because the headset was louder on the left side, it sounded as if the guy was to the left of me.

I put the headset down, and hooked up my $14.99 Microsoft one, and I guess that says it all. I wish this headset worked. I paid $170 for it, but the lop-sided volume is killing it for me. It's unbearable, and surely less than what I expected for the price.

And don't assume I have a hearing problem in my right ear. I've had several people verify that the left side is noticibly louder. Plus when I reverse the headset, the left side will be louder on my right ear.


I'm giving this headset 1 star, as I feel it's defective. I'm exchanging them for a working pair, and will update this review when they arrive. Besides the negative things I've listed, I like these headphones. If the volume wasn't lop-sided and utterly unbearable, I would've kept them and given them 3 or 4 stars.






***UPDATE***


I just received a replacement pair of Turtle Beach X41's from Amazon. I set them up exactly the same way as the previous defective pair, however, these one's seem to work. The lop-sided volume I experienced in the first set is no longer an issue. I can actually hear the Dolby surround sound in effect this time.


It's not all sunshine and daisies. This pair comes equipped with a host of new problems. Before purchasing the first pair, I had done some research on the Turtle Beach website and forum. It seems that a lot of x41's are experiencing a similar problem where the in-game audio will cut, pop, scratch, etc. So it wasn't a total surprise when my replacement pair started exhibiting these problems. This audio-cutting is a lot worse on my replacement pair, than it was on my original defective pair, for some reason. The "popping" is much louder than the first pair. I was watching a DVD and when the audio "popped" it actually hurt my eardrums. The popping happens suddenly, and is much louder than the volume of the game or DVD, so I wouldn't be surprised if it caused someone ear damage eventually.

And the volume is another issue. My original defective pair seemed to have adequate volume levels. This new pair, however, has a very low maximum volume level (when it's not popping). This is another wide-spread issue expressed on the Turtle Beach forums. From the Turtle Beach support guy, I've deduced that Dolby, in collaboration with Turtle Beach, decided to "dial back" the volume on the x41 so as not to damage the user's ear drums. There's an inherent problem with this. While the volume on several games are adequate, the volume of most DVD's are certainly not. I tried several DVD's in my Xbox 360 and only one had an acceptable volume level.

For example: I wanted to test out the difference in audio volume levels between games and DVD's. I played Modern Warfare 2, and the volume was decent. At MAX volume, it sounded about 90% as loud as I would have liked. I can accept that, knowing it's saving my eardrums. Then I popped in the DVD "Shoot 'Em Up" to gauge the volume level of DVD gunshots in comparison to videogame gunshots, and it's maybe 60% as loud as I'd like. I then tried several other DVD's, including loud action epics, and softer comedies that are filled with spoken-volume dialogue. Both genres offer inadequate volume levels. In the action movies, the loud explosions are not as "exciting" as I'd hoped they'd be. In comedies and dramas, the dialogue isn't loud enough to be enjoyable. If I was listening to DVD's via my home theater system, I would set the volume much louder than I am able to in these headphones.

That's the problem. I don't understand why Turtle Beach would limit the maximum volume levels when they know that many DVD's and games have differing audio levels. Sometimes the max volume is perfect, and it seems Turtle Beach did their homework. Most of the time I wish I could turn the volume up a little or a lot, depending on whether I'm playing a game or watching a DVD. There's no reason to not give us the option to increase the volume beyond Dolby's recommended level. In fact, that argument is flawed, as I have a 5.1 Dolby surround sound system that certainly is MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH louder than these headphones could ever be.

Another issue I have with these x41's is the low level hiss. If you've looked at the Turtle Beach forums, you'd be well aware of the low level hiss complaints. This seems to be another wide-spread issue with x41's. When you turn the set on, you'll hear the hiss. When the game or DVD audio is quiet, even for a second, you'll hear the hiss. This is not a huge problem during most games, as there is usually constant ambient noise to mask the hiss. But with certain DVD's, the low hiss will be unbearable. Movie dialogue is a low level hiss extravaganza. This, coupled with the low volume levels, make watching certain DVD's a chore.

Nitpicking:

I would be nice if you could pair more than one x41 headset to the transmitter. When I have friends over, I wish we could both enjoy Dolby quality audio while we play co-op games or whatever.

I wish the x41's were noise canceling. While the headset volume is quite low, you can hear it quite easily from across the room. So if you're like me, and you occasionally play games in close proximity to a sleeping girlfriend, then you assume the risk of waking her up and consequently having an angry girlfriend.




But don't think that the x41 is all bad. The x41 sound quality, when it's not popping or hissing and when the volume level is adequate, is excellent. The ergonomics and comfort are also very good. The build quality and materials are good and bad. The leather top band is adequately padded and comfortable. The chat cable, on the other hand, is made with the same quality as the $14.99 Microsoft headset. Actually, it's worse, since the Turtle Beach has annoyingly sensitive volume controls.

I really tried to tackle every flaw the Turtle Beach Ear Force x41's have. For a $170 headset, I feel it should stand up to even the harshest scrutiny. But in the end, I'm keeping this headset, flaws and all. It's certainly not perfect, but what is? Hopefully Turtle Beach will examine the x41's flaws and take steps to improve the next iteration.

I purchased the X11 for use with Xbox Live because of the problem of being able to use a mic if you also play with headphones for game sound. It seems there is a distinct lack of headphone-mic solutions that have the proper size plug to fit the mic jack on the controller, and that also have independent chat and game volume controls (kind of important if you want to be able to hear chat over game sounds). Thanks to Turtle Beach and their line of headphones this problem is solved. I went with these because I don't mind a wired solution since I play at my computer desk using my monitor and distance isn't a problem.

These headphones work exactly as advertised. If you follow the directions and set your chat settings on Xbox to work through the headphones and turn the volume up to 10 you will not have any problems hearing voice chat without having to crank your chat volume to max, as a previous reviewer wrote. After a week and a half of using these for various games (mostly Bad Company 2) I would say the sound is decent and the controls work quite well. The game and chat volume controls as well as the mute switch are all on the little inline control box for ease of use. The cord is very long so even if you are sitting across the room it should not pose a problem. There is even a velcro strap for tying up excess cord. The earpieces are nice and big so they cover the whole ear instead of crushing your ears plus they are nice and soft, overall very comfortable. The mic boom is much better than typical ones found on other headsets. It's a little longer than most and flexes easily to get it exactly where you want, yet is sturdy enough to stay in place. The pickup on the mic seems excellent also, plus with mic monitoring playing a portion of your talk back into the headphones there is no need to shout into it.

I do have three gripes with these headphones though. One is that the cloth lining on the inside of the right earpiece ripped on the second day of use for no apparent reason. All I did was wear them a few times and just placed them on my desk when not in use. I have no kids or pets who could have damaged them. I fixed this by taking a covering off another headset I had, cutting it down a little and placed it inside the earpiece. I did this because the plastic that was exposed was bothering my ear and this solution worked great without degrading the sound at all.

My second gripe is that there is a constant hiss in the headphones when they are plugged into the USB port for power, even without the volume turned up much at all. I tested it on various ports on the Xbox and on my PC also and it remained. It is not overpowering and does not detract from game play once game sounds are going because you don't notice it over the game sounds. It's just a bit annoying during quiet times when you can hear it. I feel a wired version of headphones should not have this problem if proper noise reduction is put in to counter the powering of the amplifier.

My third gripe is that when I wear these for awhile and then place them down on my desk a blackish type stain is left behind after awhile. I think it might be sweat interacting with the dye on the headphones then dripping out. It is still doing this even after a week and a half of use.

Overall I am satisfied with the headphones because they do the job and fulfill a need for Xbox Live that most other headphones and mics do not, combining both into one. The gripes are minor except the hissing so I took a star off for that one. Otherwise they have decent sound, a pretty good mic, and are simple to use.

PROS:

+ Decent sound, certainly loud enough to hear both game and chat.
+ Very long cord.
+ Independent volume controls for game and chat, and mute switch, all in the same place for ease of use.
+ Excellent mic with great pickup so you don't have to shout.
+ Comfortable to wear long term with big earpieces to cover your whole ear.

CONS:

- The right cloth lining inside the right earpiece ripped, exposing the plastic (maybe just bad luck on my part).
- Seems to leak black dye from the earpiece, possibly interacting with sweat.
- A constant low level hiss when powered, not bad enough to overpower game sounds but still shouldn't be a problem on more expensive headphones.

Okay, I'll start by saying that for around 40, this headset isn't terrible, far from. It's acceptable.

If you have any real appriciation of good quality sound, however, then you can't help but be dissapointed by this headsets biggest flaw. Namely, the VERY noticeable hissing sound that is produced at ALL volumes and at ALL times. This is a real shame, because, in comparison with its predecessor, the X1, the sound quality is crisper with slightly less base, producing a more balanced output. However, while the X1 did produce a similar hissing noise, it was not noticeable at low to medium volumes. Even with the volume control at its minimum setting the hiss is alive and well on the X11s. It is completely UNACCEPTABLE for a later model to exhibit a flaw to a greater extent than that of the previous. The microphone is okay for XBOX LIVE, as XBOX LIVE chat is uniformly poor regardless of the microphone. Avoid this headset for skype because the hiss and average microphone make for an irritating experience.

Confort is also a mixed bag. If you found the X1s uncomfortable, then you'll probably find the X11s to be an improvement. Although those of us that found the X1s to be a perfect fit are in for a bit of a letdown. Because of the earcups now covering the entire ear, they're likely to be less comfortable with less of a snug fit. Sound also escapes more easily due to the seperation from the side of your head, meaning these headsets are far from "quiet", as advertised, for others in the room - even nearby. With music especially, medium volume is clearly audible with the headphones off on the table and you stood several feet away. The X1s had this problem, the X11s have it too, more so in fact. Therefore avoid these for music too, they're strictly for gaming only.

On the plus side, the fantastic mic adjustability is still present, and the size adjusters along the sides have an improved mechanism. The speakers are larger and more powerful, and the game and chat volume controls for the XBOX 360 are all on one panel. The wire connecting the headsets to the XBOX 360 controller is now much smaller, with no annoying puck on the end which used to prevent connection to the XBOX 360 steering whell or chat pad. It slots in now much like a 3mm headphone jack.

They look more stylish too, and suit both the XBOX 360 arcade and elite models.

So, if you own a pair of X1s, I would strongly recommend you stick with them, unless you particularly want the X11s. If you've never tried Turtle Beach before, proceed with caution, as they are, in my opinion, massively overhyped. They might cater for the masses, but for anyone with a decent pair of ears, they can be barely tolerable at times. That said, they are fairly cheap. Ultimately it's for you to decide.

Apologies if this review seems a bit all over the place, it was written quickly and I had alot to say.

This pair of headphones has a truly spectacular frequency response range. Despite the fact these are headphones, you will FEEL the bass reverberating between your ears! The fact that these work with pretty much any audio source you'll run across from stereo analog input to digital fiber optic is pretty sweet.

I've owned many headphones. Be it from cheap stereo to "pseudo-surround", such as the Plantronics Gamecom (pseudo-surround) and I even have a pair of the mid-line SHURE headphones (they have reasonable bass response), this pair will blow them away.

Sound is crisp in the mid/high range as well. For the price, you certainly won't be dissappointed! If you're a SHURE headphone fan, these will really impress you.

The only downside to these are the MASSIVE amount of cables that accompany them. It's not that there's many, it's just that they're really LONG (which is GREAT in most cases!)... Just remember you're going to have to bundle them if you're going to use them on your PC (as I do) so they aren't strewn across your entire desk.

Overall, best headphone purchase I've made to date. Turtle Beach really knows their audio!

I wanted to hold off on writing a review for this headset for a few months before writing a review, mainly because I had heard that some of these gaming audio devices don't hold up over time. Unfortunately, this was the case for the Turtle Beach DPX21's.

The good things first.
They truly sound great. They don't have the absolute best sound on the market, but they DO greatly enhance the level of immersion in games, and they do provide a great advantage in popular competitive games such as COD/Battlefield, etc. They don't have true surround sound (they offer simulated surround sound) but that doesn't mean that you don't have a sense of directionality besides left vs. right, quite the opposite- you'll be amazed at the level of 3-dimensional precision that these headphones add to your sense of perception while playing a game.
They're lightweight, and confortable, so no problems there.
They are very easy to set up. Just plug a couple cables here and there, turn a couple scrolling wheels to adjust the bass, and you're good to go. The cable that connects the headset to the DSS box is long, so it allows for quite a bit of freedom, and the excess length can be easily coiled up to keep it compact.
The microphone works great. It's very flexible, and your voice will go through outstandingly clearly, and with zero to very very little background noise.

Now for the bad...
As great sounding as these are for the price, they are very poorly constructed. The part where the swiveling section of the headset connects to the actual ear cup is pitifully fragile. The two sets of these that I owned broke at the very same spot. The ear cups are ultimately connected to the rest of the headset by a very small (about 1/4" in diameter) concealed plastic cylinder that carries the wiring to the speaker in each ear cup. This small cylinder is the part that fractured in both of the pairs of DPX21's that I purchased, despite my taking VERY good care of them (when you're in college, you get stingy about every dollar that you spend) so you can imagine my disappointment when my first pair broke, and then the replacement that I got broke in the exact same way, in addition to a faltering sound quality that started presenting itself a couple weeks before the headset fractured.
Once my second pair's sound started to give out, and ultimately broke like the first one, I decided not to deal with Turtle Beach again, so i decided to look inside the headset itself just for the heck of it. Now, I'm not an expert when it comes to electronic hardware, but I have done some work in a couple of my classes, and I can tell you that the soldering inside the headset's ear cups and volume control was very shoddily done. It was truly unacceptable how poorly done it was considering that this piece of equipment is so expensive.

I really didn't want to "badmouth" a product on a review, but that is what they are for- to inform others of the quality of the product, so there you go.
I'm giving this product 3 stars because it really is a helpful and outstandingly enjoyable accessory, but is very poorly constructed, at least in my experience.
You can go ahead and purchase this Turtle Beach headset and just hope that yours holds out longer than the two that I owned did, and that I just happened to get two defective ones that were poorly constructed. And I honestly hope that that was the case, because I don't want thousands of people to spend this much money for a product that is likely to break on you or will simply start to deteriorate in performance so quickly.
Good luck.

The P11 headset brings quality at a fair price. It boasts many features that I look for in a headset, while keeping a good 'bang for the buck' price and not sacrificing build quality.

** THE GOOD **
- The overall design for the P11 is fairly simple yet sturdy. The cuffs fit snug on my ears even with glasses!(soft foam earmuffs make a big difference)
- 50mm speakers are a nice addition. You often find smaller 40mm speakers on headsets this price.
- Sound quality is exceptional. These easily have performed better than my older Logitech headset and come close to rivaling my Sennheiser HD 515
- Control Box is simple yet efficient. It has a MUTE button as well as MIC and GAME volume controls
- MIC MONITOR!!! Such a nice feature. You hear your own voice in a subtle fashion so you know how loud you are talking which makes for more natural conversations
- 12ft cord is nice especially when other headsets are 6-8ft . The extra few feet make a big difference

** THE BAD **
- No XBOX 360 support
- Frame itself is sturdy but might be prone to cracking if the headset is stressed
- Requires 2 cable hookup. While this isn't something new to the market the cable management Nerd in me goes bonkers! Not a negative just adds to wire clutter

** THE ULGY **
- The belt clip on the audio controller feels very cheap. Be extra careful with it


* Overall the P11 headset is a lot of bang for your buck. It has a fairly simple setup and works for both PS3 and PC/MAC. It brings very good quality audio to the table, larger/higher quality speakers to the mix, and a small army of features that will make any gamer happy. If you do not own a headset this is a perfect headset for a mid-ranged user. While it isn't top of the line you are getting your money's worth and will not be disappointed in your purchase.

**NOTE: Setup is fairly simple. For a PC/MAC it is plug-n-play. Just plug the green audio cable into your sound card and then plug the USB cable in. After drivers are automatically installed you should be set to go (you might have to manually set the computer to the headset which can be done in Device Manager > Hardware and Sound > Sound

- For a PS3 just plug the USB cable into the PS3. The stereo adapter cables then hook up to the Audio OUT of your TV and you plug the green cable into those or you can plug the green cable into the back of the PS3 and just mute your TV. Go into your PS3 accessory settings and change the headset output to the P11 device. Both PC and PS3 setups are very easy to do


P11 vs PX21 what is the difference?

The P11 is the newest model from Turtle Beach and boasts some "minor" changes to the design. Below is a break down so you can decide which headset is right for you

P11 = PS3, PC/MAC
X11 = 360, PC/MAC
PX21 = PS3, 360, PC/MAC (universal)

X11 and PX21 both use 40mm drivers.... P11 uses 50mm drivers and outputs a bit better bass. The PX21 has a 16ft cord vs the 12ft cord of the X11 and P11. The PX21 also has a flexi-MIC where as the X11 and P11 both use standard mic's. The PX21 also has an option to adjust the Bass boost.

* So overall if you own a PS3 and 360... you want a PX21. What it sacrifices is basically 10mm of speaker power but gives you a nice universal headset for around $10 more. If you only own a PS3, a PC or PS3/PC then you probably should get the P11 as you end up with slightly better audio for less money.

**NOTE: If you have a "hum/buzz" on the speakers here is how to resolve it:
-- The audio output of GAME on the audio controller is set to high. This is noise being picked up from the volume being to loud. Just like turning speakers up to max w/o any audio source. Easy way to resolve it is by lowering the master volume in windows (mine defaulted to 94 which I promptly changed to 70). Then just adjust the GAME audio control on the clip on device until the hum vanishes. You should still have clear, loud audio but w/o the white noise now.

**NOTE: For reference on the PC I set windows to volume: 70 (USB headset); my CHAT slider is about 70-80% and my GAME slider is about 50-60% Gives me loud, crystal clear audio w/o any noise.

The ear force P11 I bought worked fine for a couple of hours, since then intermittently a few seconds.
I dismayed at the result of a little research on internet I should have done prior to purchase, because some other peoples seemed to have the same problems I am having.
Definitively this is cheap low quality stuff, a sort of quality lottery, if you want to try your fortune go ahead.

I bought pre-ordered this headset from Razer's website a few days before they were released. I eagerly popped the awesome packaging open (watch Razer's unboxing video on YouTube if you haven't already) and threw them on.

The Megalodon's are by far the most comfortable computer headphones I've worn. The headband padding is cushy and keeps the headset from feeling too heavy on your noggin. The earcups, which go around your ears, are very soft and padded well. If anyone owned the Barracudas, some people (myself included) had issues where their ears would actually rest directly on the speakers and get sore after a while. Not with these babies! The padding is excellent and the earcups are very deep.

The mic is permanently attached and can rotate 270 degrees. The control pod is easy to use and let's you adjust the volume of each individual speaker channel and the bass separately. You can also of course switch between 2.1 and 7.1 modes with the press of a button.

The only issue though is to check and make sure that your movies and games can output 7.1 surround sound. If not, some sounds will be a little distorted and muffled. In these cases you are supposed to use 2.1 mode. Check your compatibility to see if what you watch/play is compatible now, but also keep in mind that future games and blu-ray releases should support 7.1.

One example of a standout game was Fallout 3. AMAZING. I could hear the wind blowing, characters talking, and could pinpoint exactly where bullets were being fired from. It truly rivaled my own conventional 5.1 setup. I'm going to have a hard time going back to stereo headsets!

I'd been reading reviews about this headset for a long time, and after going through a very long stream of Logitech USB headsets, I finally decided to pony up for "the best".

The audio quality is excellent. The 7.1 virtual surround sound is surreal, and the sound is better than a lot of moderately expensive true 7.1 speaker systems.

The headphones themselves are extremely soft and comfortable, encompassing my whole ear, instead of winding up hitting the edge of my ears (irritating because I wear piercing studs). The weight is negligible, but the workmanship seems solid. Another thing I noticed is how the wiring is cloth braid covered, so that it seems less likely to curl up around itself, making you have to unwind it every so often.

The problem came up when I tried to talk to my fiancee across town with Ventrilo. The quality he was getting from my microphone was so poor that it hurt his ears. It was full of static, and I was barely comprehensible. Ventrilo worked fine a few minutes earlier with my old headset. I tried playing with the mic sensitivity settings and levels, changing vent settings, windows settings, all to no avail. I do have Win7 64 bit, but I immediately did the firmware update that was recommended to fix microphone issues. Still did not help. We also tried TeamSpeak, Skype, and MSN Messenger voice chat to make sure it wasn't something with the Vent server. His voice came through as though he was right next to me, but no matter what we did on my end, I sounded horrible to him, and others.

The only other problem I have with this product, which I can work around, is that the cord from the USB adapter to the control box is longer than the cord from the control box to the headset itself, which means I have to have the control box sitting in my lap most of the time. I think it would be better if they reversed that, so that I could set the control box on the desk, or on top of the computer, and have the longer cord going to me.

I have sent in an exchange order with Amazon, and I'm hoping that this was just a one off defective item. If it weren't for the problem with the microphone and the tiny inconvenience of the control box (which I'm willing to deal with), this is the best headset I've ever had.

I must admit I was a bit put off by the price of this gaming headset and the lack of features. Other PC headsets such as the Logitech G35 and Senn's PC350 were priced more but came with more features and of course, a bigger brand name. But when it comes down to gaming and listening to music, you aren't really asking for a lot. The Razer Carcharias delivers what one would need to enjoy listening to music, and of course, long comfortable gaming sessions.

Out of the box, the Carcharias seems pretty normal, perhaps even a bit cheaply made. Padding is placed in appropriate places, including the headband and loudspeakers. The padding is exceptionally soft, especially around the loudspeakers where the material is felt-like. The thin plastic that covers part of the headphones may seem flimsy, but is very light. A nice mesh around the headphones is also present, and also takes away a bit of weight. A nice part of the construction is the wire that connects the speakers to the headband. It is not only quite sturdy, but also gives some range of motion without compromising that integrity. Speaking of wires, the cable for the headset itself is very lengthy (nine feet) and is braided in fiber. The mic is sturdy itself and can be turned 270 degrees. It is also bendable at the midsection to some degree.

No sense praising the construction if it isn't even comfortable, and this is the part where the Carcharias excels at. Placing these headphones on for the first time felt amazing, as if it was conforming to the shape of my head. Of course, I felt this way about many headphones at first, so naturally I decided to start up a few games (which easily lasted several hours), after which I listened to a few hours of music while studying. There was absolutely no discomfort at all after all that time. The lightweight construction and circumaural design is a real blessing to the ears. The headphones themselves are also very easy to adjust.

The audio quality for these headphones is quite exceptional, enough to justify wearing these headphones for hours. As probably mentioned, audiophiles may want to look elsewhere, but for the casual listener, the quality is more than good enough. Although the bass is quite deep ("boomy"), it does not overwhelm the treble. The highs for this headphones can be quite distinct (ie loud), and since the volume can go quite high on this thing, may be overwhelming sometimes. Much of this is perfectly suited to games, especially first-person shooters. Keep in mind that this headset does not provide surround sound, and never was intended to. You can take a look at the aforementioned models for that.

The noise-filtering mic for this headset works well. I tested it with Ventrilo, Skype, and Left 4 Dead, and others could hear me very well, with a noticeable lack of background noise from my side. I should note that I had the mic at its default positioning (no additional bending). It can be adjusted to be a bit closer or further.

Overall, the Razer Carcharias does its job as a gaming headset very well. I consider it Razer's best headset in terms of price vs performance; a step above the Mako, and better than the Barracuda and Megalodon. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys long gaming sessions and listening to music. The comfort along with its exceptional audio quality and mic justifies the pricing; just don't expect any extra features.

Side note: I also think the name for this headset is awesome. As someone who's interested in cartilaginous fishes, I don't think they could have picked a better name.

This is my second Razer headset now and they are built far too flimsy to justify the purchase. My first one had bad wires to the mic and I simply upgraded. This new one decided to only play in Monotone after 6 months and it had bad wires to the dongle. Razer use to stand for quality, and the sound is still top notch but the construction of these headphones are Chinese sweat shop quality. Buyer beware.

Plugged into a portable mp3 player or iPod like device they are plenty loud on 80% volume.
When plugged into a computer you would not want to turn them up past 50% and I use my between 35% and 42%

At the high end of the scale, like 80% on the iPod/mp3Player and 45% on the computer, the headphones are jumping. You feel like you are listening to a superior car stereo. If you like to feel bass these are it.

Disconnected cables are KILLER!!! (comes with 2 neon green leads, one with and one without a built in mic. The audio cables also lock in to the headphones. It's a well kept secret but once you connect on the headphone side just turn it 1/2 turn and they don't come out)
Leather ear cups are KILLER!!! (they tilt and shift too and fold up nicely)

From looking at the picture I thought they were going to be odd, mostly the headband but it is great.

These don't have active noise canceling but they don't need it. I personally find noise canceling a gimmick and a waste of expensive batteries. If you have a shaved head the leather ear cups make a great seal here. You can listen to them on full volume and people next to you won't hear a thing.
I wouldn't use them for this but you could mow a lawn and still be able to hear your music.

Razer has thought of everything with these and nailed it!!!!!

I bought these at Gamestop($129.99) and have been using them heavily for about a month, particularly for Starcraft2 and listening to music. The fit and finish on the headset is very high quality. The plastic and metal bits seem very durable and should hold up to normal use. The headset is also very comfortable to wear, although it does not seal securely around the ear, which allows in a lot of ambient sound. The colors of the lights can be easily changed, or mix and matched to your particular preference. There is a lot to like about the design, however in function this headset is absolute garbage. The first week was ok, but it all quickly went south. The mic, when it works, will just randomly stop working at the most inconvenient times (often while in SC2). Occasionally when launching games, the sound will stop working altogether, and requires you to re-seat the usb connector to reestablish the connection to the computer. This process baselines all of your previously saved software settings, and requires you to reset everything. When it is working, the sound is great, however I always know whats coming. I own or have owned 4 Razer mice, 1 keyboard, and 1 other headset. This product is not up to Razer standards, and it appears they got the SC2 naming license and just phoned it in for some easy cash. Disappointing at best. I have decided to pitch this into the Land of Unused Electronics and go with another brand, preferably one that's manufactured in the United States. As a footnote, I have a technical background and have worked in I.T. for over fifteen years. I have put numerous hours into trying multiple configurations to get this headset to work with no luck.

These headphones a great if you crave bass. These headphones are awesome for watching movies when you don't want to bother anyone else. When you put them on you'll notice they do a considerably good job with noise cancelling and when you watch a movie or play a game they make you feel like you have a home theater system on your head. As for music they are best for hip hop/rap, electro, and any music with heavy bass below 50Hz.Although they are not so good for rock, heavy metal or any other type of rock because there is a gap in the frequency response of the main driver and the sub woofer where most of the bass in rock music is. I was disappointed by that. When I first saw these I was instantly in love with them and I didn't bother to read about them or let the reviews change my point of view, and if your like me this is probably the case. If you are gonna get them you'll have the mess with the equalizer of your audio source to make them sound how you want them to. They seem like a really cool thing, o look these have sub woofers in them how awesome is that. But keep in mind they are "vibrating" sub woofers and do NOT perform like a normal sub woofer and like I said lack bass in the 50Hz to 200Hz region. That's about where a lot of a bass guitars sound and where most of your vibration occurs. So if you do get these don't expect then to be act like miniature sub woofers cause they are meant to shake more than they are to reproduce sound. And also they headband is not exactly as what is pictured, it has a soft foam piece where the top of your head meets the headband, the new headband is more comfortable than what is pictured and is very strong and astonishingly light for it's size. These are a great set of headphones. They are very good at keeping outside noise out and youe noise in. Therefore you can be blasting these suckers and the person beside you will hardly even notice. The SQ is great and easily compares to some of the more recognized headphones companies such as Sennheiser which retail for around $100 - $150. Overall they are one of the best headphones you can ge for the price even if you aren't looking for the sub woofer, they offer superior noise canceling abilities, great SQ , are very light, and have a sub woofer in them. There isn't much more more you can ask for for $40-$50. If you don't mind the small region of bass between 50-200Hz that isn't as strong as with a conventional set of headphones then I would highly recommend these. And if you are worried about what I said then you should go and heck out Evergreen Technologies RumbleFX Force Feedback headphones, they are the best you can get with subwoofers in them, very loud, 40mm drivers, and light, although they don't offer as much noise canceling as the SkullCrushers do, if you do want to get a pair a the EverGreen Technologies you'll have to look around hard because rumor has it they are stopping production on the universal pair but if you don't need the universal pair just grab the AudioFX version with an USB connection instead. They are definitely worth it. Or if you prefer something smaller try the in ear Pelican Earsubs, only $20-$30 and have basically all the characteristics of the skullCrushers in a earbud form. There are also a new set of earbuds coming out soon caled the bass freguency V-Moda earbuds.

I was dead set on getting these headphones because I thought they looked oh-so-cool and the idea of a subwoofer in my headphones just sounded too awesome to be true. Well, it was. I had to return them because I absolutely could not stand the sound. At first I disregarded the negative reviews cuz I thought, whatever I will probably like them since you can customize the bass so well anyway! But the vibrating subwoofer was way more annoying than I had anticipated.

With the bass boosting feature off, the sound was very thin; it sounded like 5 dollar headphones from the drugstore. When I turned on the vibrating subwoofer it still had that thin, 5 dollar drugstore sound but periodically drowned out by loud muffled crappy bass. It is impossible to adjust to because the ultra low frequencies are extremely loud and other 60hz+ sounds are extremely quiet and/or tin sounding. If you adjust for the bass, you can't hear the rest. When you compensate for the rest, you still can't hear it because the bass rattles and drowns everything else out.

When I was first reading reviews and heard people complaining about the bass, I thought, whatever they are probably just old or something. But no.... you know when you are standing outside of a really crappy car with a system, and you can hear nothing but muffled bass and a rattling license plate? It sounds like that, but attached to your ears.

The reason I gave them 2 stars instead of 1 is that a) they are really comfortable and b) I got the same ones for my 17 year old brother and he likes them. He pretty much only sticks to rap and hip hop top 40s, which these headphones are ok for I suppose (for him anyway) but if you have any dynamic whatsoever it sounds terrible. Plus I think he just likes to wear them around wherever he goes because he thinks he looks cool. I was so eager to listen to skrillex after I got these because I thought it would be so awesome, but it sounded absolutely ridiculous since the bass is inconsistent. It sounded like a bunch of whining and farting. As someone else mentioned before, it also sounds like garbage listening to rock since the typical bass guitar fall outside of the vibrating subwoofer's range.

In summary, I found that

1. vibrating subwoofers sound like a hooptie ride in your brain
2. I DO care about frequencies outside of 20-60hz
3. these are very comfortable headphones (although I can see how they might be too tight for guys)
4. If you enjoy listening to a low, monotone thud thud, by all means these are for you

This is my first pair of Skullcandy Headphones, and I'll admit, I was skeptical at first. I few of my DJ friends have often claimed that Skullcandy Headphones are "all show" and "only for looks", but after purchasing the SK Pro Carbon, I'm sold.
Not only was I really impressed with the sound quality (which I would say easily rivals that of other headphones that sell for nearly double the price), but the construction feels solid, and it shows.
Unlike some of the cheaper models, the SK PRO is made of a heavier plastic it seems, which is both a plus and minus. Due to this, the headphones feel heavy when worn, and bulky when worn around the neck. However, even after an hour of continuous use, I did not get a headache, like other people claim.
In the end, the SK PRO is well worth the money. The bass is powerful, but not obnoxious, and the mids and highs are crystal clear. You get more than your money's worth with this model, however a more robust selection of colors and styles would've been nice. I'm surprised there isn't an option to choose what colors the headphones are when you order. It's a minor complaint, but when there isn't a whole lot to gripe about, it's worth mentioning

When I was considering buying these headphones, I was reading a lot of reviews on them that made me not want to buy them. People were saying they were the crappiest headphones ever & that they're a waste of money. Truthfully, these people are just plain wrong. They're expecting way too much out of $50 headphones. I think that these are pretty beast for $50 headphones. They sound amazing & the bass is awesome as well but not so overpowering that it distorts the sound. They also do an awesome job of blocking out surrounding noises. I know there are a lot of people who say these hurt your ears after wearing them for too long, don't worry about that too much. Just a simple readjustment will stop that from happening. The only thing that's a bad thing is that they do leak some sound. But that's not that big of a deal for me so to me, this product is flawless. Another thing: everyone is saying that these are made out of some cheap crappy material that breaks easily. Once again, wrong. If you don't yank them off your head & actually make an effort to take care of them, they should last a while. & even if they do break, Skullcandy will either replace it at no charge or replace it for 50% depending on what happened. So if you're not planning on buying these because of all those reviews that say this product sucks, you should just go ahead and buy them. You'd be surprised at how amazing they are & how all those reviews were just a bunch of bs. These headphones are just so amazing. My very first pair & I couldn't ask for anything better for such a cheap price. Oh yeah, they're also stylish as well (;

There are absolutely better headphones out there to enjoy music on, that should be 100% obvious. But I would assume someone with a budget, who can't spend more that a few bucks, isn't going to consider a $300 pair of cans when shopping around. I'm going to be as objective as I can be and only review the Hesh based on its price range.

MY EXPERIENCE: I've loved listening to music for years. I'm 27, and was raised listening to all genres/formats. I have what I consider to be a trustable opinion on how each genre should sound when you hear it. Professionally, I've been in a career for 5 years now that involves using my highly trained ears to do hours of critical listening. I won't bore you with the details, but I will say that almost every day I wear a nearly 2 lb headset for around 12 hours straight. I hope that you will trust me with at least the technical aspects of this review.

THE BUILD TYPE: The Hesh is a pair of Closed Back Circumaural (around the ears) 50mm driver headphones. The two main types of circumaural headphones are closed back and open (or semi-open). Most likely, you won't be able to find a set of open-back headphones for under $50. That shouldn't bother you though, since open-back headphones have an airy sound (tinny sound to the unexperienced). Most people who want to 'enjoy' their music will prefer a closed-back set, this allows for a typically deeper sound, with more natural bass. The soundstage may become more cramped, but I would say people who are going for the Skullcandy are looking for a more exciting extraction of the music they listen to. This is to say that the main demographic of Skullcandy consumers is those who want Beats by Dre but can't afford it. You want bass, you want it in your face, and no less. I get that, and hopefully Skullcandy gets that enough to include some quality in their production.

THE BUILD QUALITY (4 out of 10): I've already seen a fair share of negative reviews criticizing the build quality of these cans. Know one thing, something made of thin plastic is easier to break than something made of metal or wood. It shouldn't take a genius to realize that its more affordable to build something out of plastic than other nicer materials. The Hesh is made of cheap plastic, so it can be sold cheap. Increase the material quality = increase the price, duh. That being said, there are a few things to be realized. I am a responsible adult when it comes to taking care of my electronics. When I buy something that lacks durability, I treat it as such, and am careful with it. Most Skullcandy users are probably the young crowd, teens or whatever. A younger person can't be expected to be as responsible with their possessions, especially since their parents probably paid for it. Parents, if you're complaining this headset falls apart after a short period of normal use, you should probably re-evaluate YOUR definition of 'normal use'. A kid will probably break this headset before an adult does, this is just the nature of responsibility (in my opinion). Continuing, here's what I think of the quality. The worst offense, I'd say, is the ear-cushions. They are very stiff right out of the box. The first few hours/days of wear time will be somewhat uncomfortable until the stiffness loosens up. I hope in time they will soften up, because I'm use to gel-filled pads with my work headphones, and soft leather ones with my studio reference cans. The earcups are also somewhat on the small side. I have a larger head, with medium size ears so I was a little surprised how small the earcups were when putting it on for the first time. The head band is also cheaply made, with minimal cushioning against the head, but not completely awful. Wear times longer than an hour or 2 could get pretty uncomfortable, and perhaps sweaty. I don't think these headphones were made for very large heads either (like I was saying, more for teens) as the compression on my head is fairly tight. The cable is shorter than would like it to be, its about the same length as my earbuds cable. I would prefer at least 6 feet for circumaural cans, a cable as short as this one just makes the headphones feel more like a toy. The build quality of the cable is also pretty cheap, and will probably be damaged by accidental crimping, tangles, tie-ups, etc. To avoid this I just have to treat with care, like I plan to. To summarize the build quality, I will just say two things you should expect: cheap plastic, stiff cushioning.

THE LOOK (6 out of 10): This brand (and market) of headphones is usually more about style than substance anyways. Quality costs more, but looks cost almost nothing. These are larger headphones, so wearing them may make you look goofy; but only as much as any pair of larger headphones you put on. They look okay, and there are several flashy styles/colors to choose from. If looks is more your thing, get Skullcandy.

SOUND QUALITY (2 categories)

1. BURN IN- 10 minutes (5 out of 10): Right out of the box they sound like expected. Unrefined across the
entire spectrum (w/IPOD). But know that almost all headphones need a break in period (called the burn-in).
The burn-in period could be 24 hours of play-time or it could be 200 hours of play time. It really depends.
At the time of only 10-30 minutes of play time, I find it to be too strong in the low-mids and also
high-mids. The bass at first seems to be attractive, but I realized after a few minutes that it was
actually the pumped up low-mids that sound like bass frequencies (they are just above the bass frequencies).
The chief problem with boosted low mids (or any part of the mid frequencies) is the problem of listening
fatigue. Some headphones are so well balanced in sound that you could listen all day and your ears won't
be tired or worn out. I already listen to headphones all day professionally, so listening fatigue is extra
irritating to me. The last thing I want while listening to my music is a headache from boosted dB in any
part of the frequency spectrum. It just shouldn't be there, but at $50 or this kind of deficiency should
be anticipated. You should also know that at this point I've only tried these on an IPOD, which I'll go
over soon. My opinion at 10 minutes of burn-in: Almost poor. It needs more time to break in, then I'll
re-evaluate it.

24 hours (combined playtime): When I get there...

2. FORMATS: IPOD (5 out of 10)- Most customers of the Hesh will probably use it primarily for the IPOD.
EVERYONE should realize the problem with listening to an IPOD with any kind of headphones: The audio source
quality is just as important as the headphones thru which you listen to it. If you plug a set of $300
headphones into an IPOD, do NOT be surprised if it sounds just as crappy as a $20 pair of headphones.
The IPOD, while it is a great media for playing music on the go, is not made for the HI-FI market. You
MUST expect a lower quality of audio when plugged into it, and should NOT be surprised when your music
sounds like junk listening to it thru any set of cans. This problem is exacerbated when you listen to a
compressed audio file (MP3). To truly evaluate the headphones, without unfocused or unknowledgable bias,
I have to check the IPOD against other formats. As a tip, if you're going to listen to music on the IPOD
with these, select R & B or Classical as the EQ setting. I find either one of those settings covers most
music genres nicely, and makes them more pleasant to listen to. Bottom line, the IPOD is far from the
most ideal listening source, when it comes to audio fidelity.

Laptop (6 out of 10) - Not much better than the IPOD, with one exception: I can control a 10
band eq with most audio programs I use. The key to using the EQ is you want to subtract the right
frequencies rather than boost anything. This will help to avoid listening fatigue, which if you don't
know by now I HATE. It in any program (such as ITUNES) try these settings: Boost 32hz and 64hz 4 decibels,
cut 125hz and 1khz by 3 decibels, boost 250hz and 500hz by 1 and 2 decibels, respectively. Boost 2khz and
4khz by 1-2 decibels. Boost 8khz by 2-3 decibels and leave 16khz alone. This might help bring better
sound out of the headphones even if only marginally.

Computer w/sound card - Haven't tried, will let know when I do. Its very desirable to put an
independent sound card into your computer though if you plan on wearing headphones all the time. Its
especially desirable to get one with a DAC (digital to analogue converter) or built-in headphone amp. I
repeat, very desirable.

DAC - Don't have one, not planning on it. If I happen to test these on one, I'll post the
review.

Headphone Amp - I will be buying a tube driven (adds warmth) headphone amp soon for listening
to vinyl records as well as using it for home recording studio use. When I get it, I will put these
headphones to test on it; and, of course will post the results. My firm opinion will always be to get a
dedicated headphone amp, they are built specifically to drive headphones and make incoming audio sound
better. If you can afford it, get a headphone amp.

Stereo system - I have a surround sound A/V reciever system at home. When I try the headphone
output, I'll post the results here.

Thanks for reading folks, this is the first draft of this review. After a few weeks, I hope to add something positive to this review. I know the Skullcandy Hesh is a cheap piece of plastic to most, even me. But its not made for HI-FI snobs, its made for the affordable crowd who want a flashy pair of cans with pumped up bass, even if the listening spectrum is somewhat unfocused. If $50 or less is your budget, I say get them. But be prepared to give them time to adjust to being played, treat them with care, and plug them into a good audio source. Later.

As far as I'm aware, I've only known MONSTER for selling really really expensive overpriced cables for TV/home theater/audio input components. Well, Monster has teamed up with hip hop artist/actor/record producer, Dr. Dre (made Eminem famous) and created this "High-Definition" headphones, which they call BEATS.

I'll be comparing the Monster Beats headphone with the Sennheiser HD-595, since it's the most expensive headset that I own (till this one), and I'd be shocked to find something that sounds better than the HD-595 (that's around the same price range or less).

I think it's obvious most people will expect the bass to be the #1 priority with this headphone, considering it's by MONSTER + Dr. Dre and called Beats. Well, it definitely doesn't disappoint there. The Monster Beats definitely wins in terms of bass. (Of course, Dr. Dre's genre relies heavily on it). If you listen to lots of rock/rap then you'll love the bass on these. If you get headaches with bass or you just can't stand it, then obviously, these aren't really for you.

The Monster Beats headphones require two AAA batteries to listen. You cannot use the headphones if no batteries are inserted, or if you don't have the switch to ON (located on the right side of the headphone). The batteries go inside the left compartment of the headphone. I've been listening with this headphone for the past two days and the batteries are still going. I'll have to use it longer to fully test the battery life, but hopefully it'll last several months because that would be really annoying if I have to keep replacing batteries. Since the headphone is powered by the battery, the sound is obviously amplified more, as well as the bass, than regular headphones. Whether you're using this on your computer, portable device or iPod, you can have the volume at a low setting and it'll still sound a lot louder than if you were to use a different headset at that volume setting.

For taking the headphones on-the-go and for traveling, the Monster Beats win again in terms of portability. The Monster Beats can be collapsed nicely and comes with a nice protective case to store it in; so you won't be damaging that nice shiny glossy sleek look of the headphone. The Beats definitely has a more youthful look and the shiny piano black finish will definitely catch more attention; however, personally, I think the Sennheiser HD-595 has more of a professional look. The Sennheisher HD-595 has more of a soft earmuffs cushion and the cups are larger, whereas the Beats are leather and smaller. The headphone cable for the Beats is also shorter, so the length is suitable for portable devices; whereas the HD-595, the cord is insanely long and not really made for walking around with it (but you can always replace the cord).

Without taking off your Beats headphone, you can press and hold the center button (The beat logo) on the right side of the headphone and it'll mute the sound until you release it again; this is convenient when someone needs to tell you something for a brief moment or you want to hear what's going outside for just awhile. The Beats headphone are closed headphones, so just by putting the headphone, you'll notice outside noise being reduced.

The vocals treble seem to be slightly higher than normal, but then again, it is also counter-balanced because again, the bass is stronger than what most headphones produce. The Monster Beats is great for hip hop/rap/rock music that use bass, of course, but what about others?

For overall music, despite the impressive bass on the Beats, I am still way more impressed with the sound of the HD-595. Compared to the HD-595, I feel the Beats lack more depth in surround sound. Granted, the Beats headphone are closed headphones, whereas the HD-595 are open for a more natural sound than some confined studio recording feel. When I'm listening to the same music with the HD-595, I feel like I'm actually there listening to a concert/theater and can really hear the separation of instruments/vocals/sound effects/etc.; it really feels like true surround sound. On the other hand, the Beats doesn't quite have that feel. With the Beats, despite some surround sound, I still know I'm listening with headphones. Don't get me wrong, the Beats doesn't have poor surround sound, but once you experience other high-end headphones, you will notice the difference in depth/separate channels.

Pros:
+ Impressive Bass. Best for bass lovers.
+ Amplifies sound for portable mp3 players/iPod
+ Noise cancellation
+ Stylish/glossy finish design (great packaging/presentation)
+ Leather cushion/material feels high quality/comfortable
+ Headphones can collapse when you put it away
+ Nice solid case for storing the headphones
+ Quick mute button on the right side of the headphone (the Beat logo) by holding it.
+ Headphone cord only on the left side. (Also comes with iPhone, Blackberry, etc speaker black cord)

Cons:
- Could use more depth in surround sound. (compared to Sennheiser, there's more surround sound with the HD-595, as you'll be able to distinguish different instruments/beats as separate channels/different directions)
- Requires two AAA and you must turn on the headphone switch ON. Forgetting to turn the switch off can waste the battery. Headphones will NOT run without batteries.
- Too expensive. (like any other Monster Products)

Overall, if you absolutely love bass and listen to mostly hip-hop/rap/rock; noise-canceling; made for traveling; then these headphones are for you. However, if you want overall balanced sound, greater depth/surround sound concert/theater feel, then I highly recommend the Sennheiser HD-595 (not to mention, it's about half the price cheaper now than what I paid for it).

I'll start out by saying I collect mid-priced headphones(between $50 - $300). It may be an odd hobby, but it gives me a certain perspective that others may not have. I'm also an engineering major, and I found the general lack of objective, in-depth headphone reviews on Amazon to be disconcerting. So, here I am, taking a shot at reviewing some of the headphones I either own or have spent a lot of time listening to.

I've devised a simple six-song test and rating system, where 0 - 2 is abysmal, 2.1 - 4 is poor, 4.1 - 6 is mediocre, 6.1 - 8 is above average, and 8.1 - 10 is excellent.

The songs are very diverse; I was trying to represent a wide range of genres. They are "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac(encoded in 256 kbps Ogg Vorbis), "Every Planet We've Reached is Dead" by Gorillaz(256 kbps .ogg), "Concerto Grosso #26 in D major" by Handel(256 kbps .ogg), "I Know You Are, But What Am I?" by Mogwai(500 kbps .ogg), "Afro Blue" by Triplexity(192 kbps .ogg), and "The Patient" by Tool(500 kbps .ogg).

I listened to everything on an iAudio 7 with the equalizer set to flat and all the sound effects turned off.

Sound Quality(6.8/10)

The Chain(6/10) - bass is nice and deep, slightly exaggerated, but still pleasant to listen to. Distortion is present, but very minimal. Mid tones and highs are somewhat underrepresented and bland, but otherwise sound decent. Instrument separation is a bit muddy. The main negative here is the sound stage, which is tiny.

Every Planet(8/10) - lows and highs both sound very smooth and rich in this song. Mid tones, as before, are underrepresented and bland. Instrument separation is good, but the sound stage is very underwhelming.

Concerto(6/10) - the bass in this song is deep and vibrant. Lows are nicely responsive. Mids and highs don't have quite the balanced presence they should have. Instrument separation is fairly muddy. Once again, the sound stage is lacking.

I Know You Are(7/10) - bass, as expected, is nice and vivid. Distortion was too high near the beginning of the song, but gradually leveled off. Highs were nice and crisp, but mid tones were lacking. Instrument separation, as was the case with most other songs, is a bit muddy, and the sound stage, while not as bad in this song, is still mediocre.

Afro Blue(8/10) - the lows in this song were pleasantly punchy, and the highs were fairly crisp and smooth. Mid tones were muddy, however, as was the overall instrument separation(no surprises here). The sound stage is similar to what it was in "I Know You Are, But What Am I?"; it is more present than in most songs, but doesn't have the fullness I would expect of circumaural headphones at this price.

The Patient(6/10) - right off the bat, the bass guitar in this song sounds great. Treble is decent, but underrepresented, as are the mid tones. The primary complaint I had in this song was actually not the sound stage(which isn't emphasized anyway), but the instrument separation, which I felt was greatly lacking in precision.

Overall Sound(6.8/10) - the bass from these cans is overall clean and pleasant. Somewhat exaggerated, but not greatly so. Distortion, while present at times, is also in small amounts. These aren't the subs-attached-to-your-head that some might expect before having listened to them. Treble sounds above average, but slightly underrepresented. The mid tones even more so - to the extent that they come across as bland. Instrument separation is also a bit muddy(although not too terrible). Another reviewer commented that these headphones were designed to sound slightly muddy, but I find this hard to believe, since the advertisement on Amazon claims "precise audio clarity". But as I've mentioned time and again, the biggest drawback to these cans is the sound stage, which just wasn't there. Overall, though, I would give these headphones an above average score in terms of sound quality.


Design(9/10)
These are a closed-air, cirumaural design, and a very attractive one at that. I like the styling very much. Lines on these phones are aggressive, but clean and elegant at the same time. They are also very comfortable. They're lightweight and have plenty of padding. My only complaint here is the headband, which I felt was too rigid, and didn't conform to my head as much as I'd have liked. I also like how mobile these are - they fold up, and come with a nice case to carry them around in. Great for traveling.

They are also built pretty well. I would rather see more aluminum at this price, but the plastic they're composed of is nice and solid. They seem durable, and I doubt they would fall apart anytime soon.

Noise Isolation(7/10)
Noise isolation in these Monsters is accomplished via the closed circumaural design, which features plenty of thick padding, and active destruction of outside sound waves entering the headphone. I am a fan of the former; the latter, not so much. In my experience, active noise cancellation interferes with sound quality, not only because of the waves that must be emitted to interfere with incoming ambient noise, but also because an external headphone amplifier can't really be used with noise-canceling headphones due to their built-in amplifier, which is typically not of premium quality. It's difficult to judge on a case-by-case basis, because the built-in amp can't be removed, but going by the sound produced by the Monster Beats, I don't think they're an exception to this rule.

All of that aside, the Monsters were definitely designed to be noise-canceling, so I won't dock points for that. What I will take off points for is relative effectiveness, which I didn't feel was where it should be, all things considered. They do block quite a lot of noise, but plenty of noise still bleeds through. I've heard noise-canceling headphones that are considerably more effective. Then again, I've also heard much worse, and these, in my opinion, are above average.

Bottom Line(6/10)
Monster Beats by Dr. Dre are a good, above-average sounding and noise-isolating pair of headphones that feature a comfortable, highly stylish, and mobile design. This doesn't come close to justifying their high price, however. Sound quality should be significantly higher in this price range. But as always, different people perceive sound quality in different ways, and I highly encourage you to listen for yourself to a wide range of headphones before spending money. Those interested in good, deep bass at or under the price of the Monsters should also listen to various Beyerdynamic headphones, and the ATH-D40fs model by Audio Technica.

Last year, I tried out a pair of Beats Studio noise-cancelling headphones at an Apple Store and, upon listening to the music selection, decided that it was the best sounding headphones I had ever listened to. I was impressed enough that I was tempted to purchase them on the spot...but I had some hesitations which led me to walk out empty-handed. The caveats then were:
-Battery required for operation (due to the noise-cancelling function, which I didn't need)
-Large size
-The plastic material felt cheap and likely to crack easily
-and of course, the price (about three-hundred fifty USD at the time)

The sound of the Beats Studio had "haunted" me since, as I searched in vain for a cheaper and better quality pair of headphones which matched or beat that sound. I tried pairs from Grado, Ultimate Ears, Sennheiser, Bose, but never felt satisfied with the sound quality as I had with the Beats Studio. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I learned that these headphones, the Beats Solo, were coming out. I saw that the price was below two-hundred USD and ordered them immediately. My hope was that the sound quality would be just as good as the more expensive Beats Studio.

These headphones have met all my expectations. The sound is truly amazing and I can clearly hear so much detail in my music. The headphones do a swell job of projecting the background detail enough, but not too much that it drowns out the rest of the music. Also, the bass is slightly amplified so you hear some slight "thump thump" but is definitely not overpowering like "THUMP! THUMP!"

As for the caveats that I had with the more expensive Beats Studio, they are all addressed to my satisfaction with the Beats Solo:
+These headphones are not noise-cancelling, and as a result do not use a battery. They are simply plug-in headphones without an on/off switch.
+The Beats Solo is more compact than and not as bulky as the Studio phones. They also fold and can be stored in the included neoprene carrying pouch.
+The quality of the plastic in these phones is much superior. These phones feel solid and worth the price.
+The price is still high, but I believe it's more reasonable.

There are some other differences that are noteworthy about the Beats Solo over the Beats Studio:
+The Solo headphones are worn so that they rest on TOP of your ear, and not surrounding them. If you are familiar with Bose's line of headphones, then the Beats Solo would compare to the Bose On-Ear headphones. The Studio phones, however, fit around the ear and would compare to the Bose QC2/Quiet Comfort 15 phones.
+The cheaper Solo headphones have a 3-year warranty vs. 1-year warranty for the more expensive Studio headphones. (Interesting...)
+While both headphones include a cable with a mic that can be used with an iPhone or similar phones, the Solo headphone cord also has a remote control that can control the volume and other functions. However, this feature isn't perfect. The button that controls playback functions is too small that I typically would hit the volume button at the same time. Also, I tried using the phones while making calls with my iPhone 3GS, and the people on the other end complained that they heard a substantial amount of background noise.

In conclusion, I believe the Beats Solo headphones have excellent sound, quality construction and sleek design which make them worthy of their price. They are, in my mind, a better buy than the more expensive Beats Studio headphones. Only if you are a frequent flyer who would benefit from noise-cancelling should you consider buying the Studio headphones. Otherwise, the Solo headphones are the ones to get.

--------------------------
EDIT (February 25, 2010) - Apparently Monster has decided to shorten the warranty on the Beats Solo to 1 year only. I went into the Apple Store today where I had purchased my set and saw that of the stock they have, a few of the units had "Three Year Limited Warranty" written on the box (lower part of the left spine) while the rest had "One Year Limited Warranty" instead. I spoke with one of the Apple Store guys who confirmed that the 1-year warranty units were their newer stock. I wouldn't consider this a reason to take off any stars since I still think these are great headphones; I guess Monster chose to match Bose and Sony in regards to the warranty length, which is indeed a shame.

Thanks to Suzie Mcleod for first discovering this change.


--------------------------
EDIT (December 16, 2010) - Thought I'd add a little update that after owning these headphones for more than 1 year, they're still working great for me! I noticed many of the negative reviews about the head band breaking; mine has not broken fortunately, but I've been very gentle with my headphones and have been careful to not overstretch the band when putting them on. I'd say if you're careful and patient enough to take a few extra seconds when putting on these phones, you shouldn't have to worry about the head band breaking. As for the sound quality, I still think it's terrific. I recently did an accidental comparison of these phones to my pair of Ultimate Ears 700 earbuds (which I've also given a positive review of here on Amazon). Basically I had taken off the Beats and put on the Ultimate Ears buds immediately as I was heading out of the house. I had never done that before. The difference in sound quality was very noticeable, like night and day. The Beats headphones trumped the Ultimate Ears. With the Beats, I felt like I was in a concert hall listening to the music, and the details were noticeable. With the earbuds, I felt like I was listening to the music through a tin can. The sound quality felt cheap and awful, and the detail was not as impressive. Granted, this could be a common comparison between a pair of full-size headphones like the Beats and a pair of in-ear buds. Nevertheless, I thought I'd throw it out here just to give my perspective. I still highly recommend these phones.

--------------------------
EDIT (May 28, 2011) - Well, so my headphones DID break! I was taking them off normally and in a gentle manner when I heard a snap, and knew instantly what happened. While it was frustrating to have the headphones break, exchanging them under warranty was literally painless. I called Monster's warranty line and got someone in the U.S. with barely any wait time. The lady took down my particulars and gave me an RMA number and address to ship the broken pair of headphones. She also emailed it as well, which was really handy. I did have to pay out-of-pocket to ship the broken pair of headphones (under $10), which was fine to me although I know some people will complain about that. She told me that it would take them 3-4 weeks to process my exchange, but literally a week after I shipped off the busted pair I was surprised to get a package from Monster. They sent me a brand-new pair of the same model complete in sealed retail packaging with all accessories. The replacement pair I got was identical to my previous pair in both looks and feel of the material and construction. I couldn't help but notice that on the new package is a sticker saying "Featuring Superior Strength Headband". I did not, and do not intend to, test this claim

Overall, I too got the "broken headphone syndrome". However, Monster's customer service and fast warranty service was very good and practically hassle-free, and I got a new pair in less than 2 weeks. I was glad to see Monster stand behind their product like that, and hence I do not see any reason to take any stars off my original 5-star rating. Hopefully my new pair will last longer.

I tried a pair of these headphones at a Best Buy demo station and was immediately blown away by the bass. I quickly bought a pair hoping all my music would sound just as good with that kind of bass. Unfortunately when I got home and started listening to music on my iPod I was very disappointed by the overall sound quality.

Yes, the bass is amazing, but the mid-range is blown out and not at all natural sounding for most music. Even worse the highs are very weak and it seemed like I was missing a lot of the high range while listening to the music. For example, many female singers sounded distant and muffled. I am not an audiophile, but I had a pair of Sony v900 studio headphones which had recently given out after 10 years of use, which the Beats solo were supposed to replace. The v900's had far better balance and a much more natural sound than the Beats, and I only paid $150 compared to the $180 for the Beats.

On the positive side the Beat's look very nice and the build quality seemed decent, although I did see a demo pair at Best Buy with the headband broke in two. They also fold up nicely and come with a carrying case.

If you listen to a lot of different types of music and this is going to be your main pair of headphones, then I would pass on them. If you mainly listen to rap or synth music with a lot of bass, then you may be extremely happy with them as they have some of the most powerful bass I have ever heard from a pair of headphones.