Microsoft’s Xbox Stereo Headset is the no-frills low-priced counterpart to its amazing Wireless Headset, with a completely affixed 3.5mm cable in the location of any Bluetooth or 2.4GHz connectivity. The $59.99 Stereo Headset combines that identical overall performance from its wireless sibling and mixes it with better pricing and the flexibility of a stressed connection, making this headset smooth to suggest to game enthusiasts using any console or PC. It was introduced again within the summertime of 2021 and considering that then, we have additionally visible a twentieth-anniversary variant released in addition to common discounts making it even less costly. While it’s easy to advocate, it is not without its shortcomings.
The Xbox Stereo Headset shares most specifications and hardware with the Xbox Wireless Headset. Both are an over-ear layout, constructed typically from plastic with pleather-wrapped foam padding to cushion your head and ears. Each version homes 40mm neodymium speakers of their respective earcups and similar boom mics on the left aspect that are bendable for positioning towards your mouth or tucking up and away. I wish the boom mics have been removable for an extra streamlined look after they’re no longer wanted, but those headsets aren't designed to update your headphones for devoted track listening.
From there, the headsets have their differences, inclusive of the Stereo Headset the usage of a sliding mute transfer as opposed to the rush-button mute with LED mild of the wi-fi version. As for the sleek turnable earcups for volume adjustment and audio/chat blend featured on the Wireless Headset? The Stereo Headset meets it midway: the proper earcup has the equal volume control, but the left earcup is desk bound with out a added characteristic. That may be why Microsoft opted not to highlight the earcups of the wired version with inexperienced accents, but it yields a sleek headset that is all black, with only a lime-green twine to provide a pop of shade.
Looks and specs aside, the Stereo Headset fits plenty like its wireless accomplice. It’s fairly cozy and supportive on my head, but best as soon as I can discover the right role. My noggin is on the very large side (I put on a size 8 hat), and I actually have a number of hair, so I can handiest put on the Stereo Headset when it’s fully extended. The padded foam headband feels soft to touch, however it didn’t take long at the beginning for ache and fatigue to set in on the pinnacle of my head. By positioning the headband further again to alleviate some pressure, I can play games for as long as two to a few hours before I want a short damage — they’re just a little more prone to tip lower back and slip off.
Playing games with the Stereo Headset made for a fulfilling revel in, with clean and balanced sound that changed into same to its pricier, wi-fi sibling. Testing them aspect by using facet showed the wi-fi version has milliseconds more latency than the wired version. You’re unlikely to note it whilst not immediately comparing, but if you’re the sort that loathes any latency, this could be motive enough to move wired.
The Stereo Headset has the proper quantity of bass thump while the Halo Infinite soundtrack kicks in without drowning out the gameplay sounds. A backstab in Demon’s Souls sounds sharp and gives me a small shiver of excitement up my backbone on every occasion. Boss fights in Metroid Dread had been a surprisingly chaotic and extra immersive way to the sound isolation of the froth earcups. Wearing the headset in my home removed most distractions and created totally quiet surroundings to wander away in another international. But the use of the headset fortune had the opposite impact.
Can you operate the Xbox Stereo Headset to listen to songs? Yes, but in the end, it is exceptionally used for gaming. The act of enjoying an in-game track whilst gambling that online game with all kinds of sound effects or dialog thrown into the mix isn't the same as sitting lower back and listening to those identical tunes on their very own. Hearing the Dead Cells instrumentation whilst I tumble around and slash at monsters with this headset on is super. Listening to that same soundtrack remoted from the sounds of guns and gameplay highlights how overly-boomy and the muddy song sounds thru these cans. Some styles of music felt underwater, with the sound of any electric-powered bass getting greater percussive than tonal. One small exception is that some digital songs sounded passable.
As for the microphone, it rendered my voice cleanly and sincerely, although it additionally alternatives up ambient noise as properly. That turned into not absolutely a hassle for me in a quiet room, but it may be if there are heritage conversations going on in which you play games. Since the mic has no LED mild to confirm it’s turned on, you have to familiarize yourself with the positioning of the mute transfer to realize while you’re on a warm mic (slide it closer to the mic to unmute and faraway from the mic to mute). It’s powerful, but I nevertheless ended up tapping it a few times to awkwardly double-take a look at my mic fame.
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