Next-Gen Headsets

[moosegrinder]

18 minutes ago, JoeK said:

Not sure if it helps, but Amazon have got it on preorder via their europe branch here...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Xbox-Wireless-Headset-Windows-Devices/dp/B08WJSJT4J/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YU4ZZSKEUX87&dchild=1&keywords=xbox+headset+wireless&qid=1624641399&sprefix=X+ox+head%2Caps%2C193&sr=8-3

You absolute fucking star, thanks so much ordered!

[SteveH]

On 24/06/2021 at 10:58, Strafe said:

They look great - please let us know how they sound with a shooty game with lots of explosions and the like!

Loving them more and more every day (the Bang and Olufsen Xbox headset) - tried them with a few games now and although I've read a few reviews where they say they seem a little "flat" out of the box, I don't think that's fair. They just don't overpower you with bass like a lot of gaming headsets do. You get plenty of oomph but can still hear the details around you. 

 I much prefer it that way. I like to dial my sound in, rather than dial the manufacturers default out. There is plenty of bass if you choose to ramp it up. But they offer a lovely rich sound straight out of the box (in my opinion of course)

 Couple of things I really appreciate: I've seen some complaints that you can't use bluetooth at the same time as they are paired to the Xbox. But I believe that has been done on purpose to keep the connection clean. My ears aren't what they once were, but so far they seem completely hiss free. My Audeze Penrose X's and Astro's both have a very very quiet hiss/background noise, when nothing else is playing through them. But these sound absolutely silent.

 I also like the touch volume control slider. It works really well and gives you very precise control, which I didn't think it would. The only niggle I had about the Audeze's is that the volume rotary control is notched, so you don't get a smooth increase/decrease in sound. There always seems to be a spot where you want that little spot in between that you can't hit. 

 Not had a chance to try the microphones yet (it uses multiple built in mics which will obviously not be as good as an actual mic in front of your mouth) 

I can't believe they don't give you a case of any kind though, not even a cloth bag! Managed to get a really nice one off eBay though that fits them perfectly and colours matches nicely as well. 

 Admittedly, it is difficult to justify the cost. If I could only ever have used the Penrose's, I would have been over the moon. But these are definitely a step up. I need to try some good quality classical music next. You can't beat classical for testing out headphones  

[TommyG]

Bought the PC38X about a month ago. Really impressed with them, the best thing about them is the sound stage. For FPS games the ability to distinguish where footsteps or other players are on the map is incredible and a huge improvement over the sennheiser game ones and Astro A40’s I had before. 

[Talvalin]

17 hours ago, TommyG said:

Bought the PC38X about a month ago. Really impressed with them, the best thing about them is the sound stage. For FPS games the ability to distinguish where footsteps or other players are on the map is incredible and a huge improvement over the sennheiser game ones and Astro A40’s I had before. 

 

Just out of interest, what's your setup? Do you have a Mixamp or equivalent, or do you just plug it straight into your controller?

[TommyG]

5 hours ago, Talvalin said:

 

Just out of interest, what's your setup? Do you have a Mixamp or equivalent, or do you just plug it straight into your controller?

Yes I have a Mixamp which is plugs straight into on the Xbox. On the PS5 it plugs straight into the controller

[SteveH]

Well sadly I have just had to start a return for my B&O Portal headset. I was getting lots of sound crackles, pops, split second sound dropouts, static. All very disappointing. With Bluetooth they work absolutely perfectly and sound amazing. And indeed sound amazing on the Xbox when they don't have interference. 

 But for the money, it's unacceptable to have such issues. I have been looking online and it seems a fair few people are having the same problems, especially if using the Xbox wireless dongle to connect to a pc. In all instances, bluetooth works perfectly for those people. 

 I did contact Bang and Olufsen and bizarrely, this was their response:

 

Ken (Bang & Olufsen)

Jul 1, 2021, 9:01 GMT+2

Dear Steve,

Thank you for contacting Bang & Olufsen Support regarding your Beoplay Portal.

We are sorry to learn that your device is producing some crackling sound, and we will be happy to help.

According to your description, the issue is most likely related to Xbox protocol.

"Xbox Wireless" is a proprietary protocol developed by Microsoft for connecting accessories to Xbox One consoles. Like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct, Xbox Wireless enables controllers and select headsets to establish a direct wireless connection with the console, while avoiding the complexities that come with adapters or physical cabling.

The frequency that this technology operates on can experience minor interference/noise that becomes more noticeable while using a wireless headset such as the BeoPlay Portal. If the issue does not occur via Bluetooth connection with your mobile phone, the above explained why you are experiencing some crackling sound and interference on the device when using with Xbox, and this has nothing to do with the position of your Xbox.

 

  I'd asked them if my Xbox being behind the TV might be causing problems, as I had had to buy a usb extension lead in order to get the Audeze Penrose X dongle to the front area of my TV to avoid some static and disconnects. But I've since temporarily moved my Xbox and the B&O problem persists. 

 It's a real shame, but of the few people out there who have commented online, far too many of them have issues of one kind or another. Interesting how the B&O guy tries to blame the Xbox protocol, yet Microsofts own headset doesn't have this problem at all and is less than a quarter of the price. 

 I will sit back and see what happens over the coming months. I would have initially requested a replacement, but the mist grey ones are out of stock until the end of August again now. I'm gutted because they sound amazing and are so comfortable to wear. I'll definitely dive in again if these problems are addressed. But as a few people were told to turn off wi-fi to help, then it might be a while. And frankly, asking people to turn off wi-fi when using a gaming headset is ludicrous!

[Jamie John]

I'm potentially in the market for a wireless headset for my XSX. Rtings.com recommend the Arctis 9X. I've got some Arctis 7s already for my PS5, and they're very comfortable, so I might go for these, seeing as they can be had for less than £100 on eBay.

 

Any recommendations? Comfort and ease of use are my two main buying criteria. I've got the Dolby Atmos Headphones licence already.

[Jamie John]

Hmm, apparently the Arctis 7X (not just the Arctis 7, which is what I have already) works with both PS5 and XSX. Can anyone confirm? Does it support Dolby Atmos and PS5's 3D Audio wirelessly as well?

 

 

[spanx]

22 minutes ago, Jamie John said:

Hmm, apparently the Arctis 7X (not just the Arctis 7, which is what I have already) works with both PS5 and XSX. Can anyone confirm? Does it support Dolby Atmos and PS5's 3D Audio wirelessly as well?

 

 

I use the 7X on my PC and can confirm they work with Dolby Atmos. TBH I think all headphones do, it’s the software that creates the soundscape

[Jamie John]

Gah, this is confusing.

 

Is there a headset out there which connects to both PS5 and XSX wirelessly and which doesn't require me to plug and unplug dongles when I'm switching between consoles?

 

The Arctis 7X is compatible with both, but it looks like I have to unplug and plug in the dongle to the console I want to play each time. I know that's a very trivial thing, but it's still something I'd rather avoid if I can. It seems silly to have one headset for the XSX and one for the PS5.

[moosegrinder]

My wireless Xbox branded headset turned up and it's lovely. Also you get Dolby Atmos free till the end of September with it, which is nice.

[spanx]

1 hour ago, Jamie John said:

Gah, this is confusing.

 

Is there a headset out there which connects to both PS5 and XSX wirelessly and which doesn't require me to plug and unplug dongles when I'm switching between consoles?

 

The Arctis 7X is compatible with both, but it looks like I have to unplug and plug in the dongle to the console I want to play each time. I know that's a very trivial thing, but it's still something I'd rather avoid if I can. It seems silly to have one headset for the XSX and one for the PS5.

As far as I know you don’t need the dongle for Xbox, it supports the wireless protocol natively. You do need it for other platforms though. 
 

Only thing I’m not sure about, is because I have the Xbox wireless adaptor for PC (so I don’t have to use an unreliable Bluetooth connection for my controller) can the headset use that rather than needing the dongle?

[auntyclimax]

34 minutes ago, spanx said:

As far as I know you don’t need the dongle for Xbox, it supports the wireless protocol natively. You do need it for other platforms though. 
 

 

I've read this here a few times, but can't find anything to back it up.

 

Anyone?

[Jamie John]

34 minutes ago, auntyclimax said:

 

I've read this here a few times, but can't find anything to back it up.

 

Anyone?

I've looked at the 7X's user guide and it tells you to plug the dongle into the Xbox and set it to 'Xbox', so I think you have to use them with the dongle. If you then want to use them with a different machine you have to plug the dongle into that machine and set it to 'USB'.

 

The Artic 9Xs are dongle-less and just pair with the Xbox wirelessly through Bluetooth, but then you can't use them with the Switch or PS5. The 7Xs' dongle is wide and flat and can go into the Switch quite snugly in handheld mode, too.

 

Anyway, I'm going to order the 7Xs and sell my 7s. There's a 15% off code on Steelseries' site which brings them down to about £135 for a brand new pair, which isn't much more expensive than what they go for used. My Xbox is my main console so I'll keep the dongle in that most of the time.

[deerokus]

You definitely do need to use the dongle for xbox for the 7x. That's where the DAC is I believe. 

[spanx]

Yeah my mistake. 

[deerokus]

Something like this solves the problem - connect everything you want to use the headset with to it and then just switch it over. 

 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WMG6LB7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_dl_V86K3JPVMG0EBMWZCC42

[Jamie John]

7 minutes ago, deerokus said:

Something like this solves the problem - connect everything you want to use the headset with to it and then just switch it over. 

 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WMG6LB7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_dl_V86K3JPVMG0EBMWZCC42

Would that not add more latency to the wireless connection, though?

[HarryBizzle]

I think Astro have a headset that you can buy an additional dongle for to get both Xbox and PS5 compatibility. Astro make some bloody ugly headsets, though.

 

I’ve got Arctis 7s and they’re brilliant but I do find not having full wireless on all devices is a bit irritating. I have them set up wirelessly on my PC and then use them wired on Xbox and PS5, but this means I use them on consoles a lot less than I would. Doesn’t help that the kids keep hiding the wire.

 

I’ve been thinking about getting the official Xbox headset for Xbox and PC and using the 7 for my PS5, but then I remembered how little I actually use any of these devices and can’t justify the ~£100 expense.

 

Although I’ve just realised I can probably buy a headset with Reward points, so perhaps it’s back on the cards!

[Dan]

18 hours ago, moosegrinder said:

My wireless Xbox branded headset turned up and it's lovely. Also you get Dolby Atmos free till the end of September with it, which is nice.

It’s even better once you adjust the settings, if you haven’t already☺️ The settings I used are in this thread somewhere. 

[moosegrinder]

18 minutes ago, Dan said:

It’s even better once you adjust the settings, if you haven’t already☺️ The settings I used are in this thread somewhere. 

 

Right, I'll have a dig. Ta 

[SteveH]

25 minutes ago, moosegrinder said:

 

Right, I'll have a dig. Ta 

Yeah definitely have a dig here and online. You can improve them quite dramatically.

[Garwoofoo]

This whole thing is a complete minefield, I'm bamboozled by all the options.

 

I'm currently using an ancient pair of Sennheiser HD 580 headphones that I've dug out of a drawer and replaced all the foam on because it had rotted. I plug them into the Xbox controller and use the Dolby Atmos plug-in. They sound great and they are really comfortable. I like the big earcups and the open-back design. Someone on eBay sells replacement leads with inline mics so I've added one of those, the mic's pretty quiet because it's down by my chest but in general I use them mostly for single-player games so I'm happy.

 

My son uses them constantly for Fortnite though and the little git keeps pulling them out of the controller by tugging on the lead, as a result I'm already on my third lead and this shit is getting expensive. I'm considering getting a proper wireless headset to improve the mic quality and make it son-proof, however I don't want to compromise on sound quality or comfort. I'm really only looking for something to use on the Xbox Series X.

 

For comparison purposes I used to use the official Sony Platinum headset on the PS4 (and for a while, wired on the Xbox) and that was a seriously uncomfortable pair of headphones for me that pressed constantly on the arms of my glasses.

 

I'm leading towards the Audeze Penrose X because the sound quality is apparently superb but I'm seeing lots of people complain about crackling and popping, lots of people complaining about comfort and a few people talking about audio hiss. @SteveH any thoughts as you seemed to own a pair of these? The B&O Beoplays are just way too expensive and every other option seems compromised in one way or another.

 

I like the design (and price) of the official Xbox headset but I'm fairly sure it'll be a downgrade from my current setup in terms of sound quality. I guess I could make my son use those and keep my nice Sennheisers for myself...

[SteveH]

@Garwoofoo To be honest I haven't abandoned my Penrose X's since getting the B&O ones. I am now using them on the PS5 and they sound fantastic. But they do feel a bit heavier on my head now compared to the Portal's. However, if I hadn't ever used the Portals I certainly wouldn't complain about the weight of the Penrose's. They feel like a nice sturdy piece of kit. 

 I did have hiss and crackles on the Penrose's at first. But I'm sure it is down to a relatively poor signal from the USB dongle. I have my Series X behind my TV and would get some crackle and occasional disconnects, so I bought a USB extension lead so that I could position the dongle in front of the TV and it made a world of difference. No more disconnects, no crackling and barely any hiss. With the hiss though, I'm 57 now and my hearing isn't what it once was so it's entirely possible younger ears are hearing more hiss than me. But really, even the tiny amount (and I mean tiny) I could hear is when they are switched on with no sound from the console. Once you are playing a game you can't hear hiss at all. 

 The Penrose do feel a bit tight at first and you might feel they are a bit uncomfortable with glasses to be honest. I'd say you should at least give them a try, but buy from Amazon as they are obviously the easiest place to send them back to if you don't like them. 

[Garwoofoo]

@SteveHThanks - really appreciate that. Lots to think about there, I might well just give them a go and as you say send them back if they don't suit.

[Jamie John]

@Garwoofoo - why not keep the Senns for yourself and buy your son a cheap headset from Argos or somewhere? Buy him his own third party controller, too, so he doesn't keep yanking the lead out of yours, which might end up buggering the 3.5mm port.

 

Generally, no wireless gaming headset is going to challenge a decent pair of stereo headphones when it comes to sound quality, so if you're happy with your current set up then I'd leave it as it is. I was using stereo headphones wired to my XSX controller but decided to buy a wireless headset anyway, mainly for the convenience, but also because I'm addicted to buying headphones. I went for the Arctis 7X and I've been really impressed by them - they work straight away every time, the sound is good, the mic is tucked away, and (most importantly) they're extremely comfortable, even after long seasions. I also looked at the Penrose but the bad reviews (and the price) put me off.

 

Overall, though, it you can live with the wire and you can find a way to stop your boy yanking out the cable, stick with the Senns. If you fancied an upgrade for the novelty, there are a pair of 599SEs on sale in Trading at the moment, which are excellent. I recently sold my pair as well and I can tell you from experience that they're the most comfortable headphones I've ever used.

[SteveH]

Well, I thought I'd give an update on the B&O Portals for the Xbox. I had to send the first pair back as they kept getting awful interference and disconnects. I decided to take a chance with a second pair, which up until a week or so ago were great. But then started having an intermittent "pop" sound in the right ear piece.

 B&O suggested all sorts of stuff, the usual thing of checking anything else using wi-fi might be interfering etc. At first they were great, answering emails promptly. But that got progressively slower so I contacted Amazon thinking they would just either swap them of refund me (despite it being just over the 30 days) but all they did was refer me back to Bang and Olufsen. But this time to a guy who seemed genuinely helpful. He said he was passing it on to the technical team to see what they would do warranty-wise.

 

 Just had an email today saying basically they are doing fuck all about it! They again are trying to blame the Microsoft Wireless Protocol and gave me the same checklist of things to try that they have done half a dozen times before. Oddly they keep referring me to a Steel Series troubleshooting page, do they own that company?

 I have explained to them that I have the official Xbox headset that uses the exact same protocol and doesn't suffer any interference at all, but they don't seem to care. First and last time I buy anything from them. It's genuinely one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had. I expected so much more from a premium brand. 

[Onze]

40 minutes ago, SteveH said:

I have explained to them that I have the official Xbox headset that uses the exact same protocol and doesn't suffer any interference at all, but they don't seem to care. First and last time I buy anything from them. It's genuinely one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had. I expected so much more from a premium brand. 

The official Xbox wireless headset isn't free from interference and disconnects, well not in my experience of them. I get sound cut outs quite often with mine. Unless my headset is broke too?  

 

Anyhow good luck getting it sorted out, as said you would have expected more from a premium brand.

[TommyG]

Just had to pop in here and say how incredible the Sennheiser PC38X are. Leaps and bounds above everything I’ve tried for sound stage. They are incredible at isolating footsteps and gun shots around a map. It’s like having sonar 😆

[Len]

@Garwoofoo @SteveH

 

I've got a pair of the Penrose for wifi sofa gaming on my ps5 and love the sound, no problems with any hiss or crackle or connections. 

 

I do have a question though, more for @SteveH. Is the volume wheel on the left ear really hard to move for you? Mine is incredibly hard to turn to the point of sometimes having to take them off to move it and if not being really hard to tell if it has moved at all which is ridiculous. I'm tempted to send back as maybe an issue with it?