Sharkoon X-Tatic SR Gaming Headset with Dolby Headphone Technology for XBOX 360/PS3/PC Customer Reviews
This review is from: Sharkoon X-Tatic SR Gaming Headset with Dolby Headphone Technology for XBOX 360/PS3/PC
It's official...they're delicious!, I went ahead and took a chance on these headphones as I was looking for a viable replacement to the Tritton AX720's I had previously owned and given away. As with most gaming headsets, I was going to expect something bulky, yet sturdy since that's kind of the status quo with gaming headsets in general. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of both the headset and the SCU (sound control unit). I was surprised in the sense that the headphones were light, compact, yet appear to be sturdy (no I will not "drop test" them). The SCU likewise is compact, so if spacing is an issue for you, trust me it will not take up much space.
Now to sum up the acoustic quality? It's simply ravishing. I am using this with an Xbox 360, and tested it with games such as Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Medal of Honor. Audio plays a big part in the multi-player gaming experience, since in both games, I was able to hear others try to flank me and I was able get the drop on them first with my team. The sound is crisp and realistic, and supports all the current Dolby platforms, with the exception of Dolby 7.1. Gaming chat is good, if not better than with the standard headset that came with the console. The mic is detachable, flexible, and appears to be quite durable.
Setup of the headphones was really easy, since all the connectivity goes directly to the console. I was also pleased with the fact that it is USB powered, so no need for an additional AC adapter. Thank goodness since all of the outlets on my powerstrip are all occupied.
In conclusion, this headset has got the essentials to meet and even exceed most gamers expectations. It's got a sophisticated/streamlined look and feel, the acoustics are impressive, the setup was a snap, and the overall experience with them thus far is a great one.
Give it a shot sports fans, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Decent midrange headset, I ave actually had several different gaming headsets. I have played on or owned the following headsets.Tritton TRIAX-180 AX 180 Universal Gaming Headset, Tritton TRIAX-720 AX 720 Dolby Digital Surround Sound, Turtle Beach, EarForce X31 Wireless Chat+Gam (Catalog Category: Videogame Accessories / Headsets & Speakers), Ear Force X41 (XBOX LIVE Chat + Wireless Digital RF Game Audio with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound), and Ear Force PX5 Programmable Wireless 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound Headset with Bluetooth. So I have a little background on gaming headsets.The first thing that struck me about this headset when pulling it out of the box was the sheer volume of the number of chords included in the packet. Granted, this headset is billed as being versatile and usable on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC but I would have hoped for a much more streamlined set-up across all devices.
In regards to connecting to an Xbox 360. If you have the original 360 design you will need one of two things. Either the AV cable that has a built in Digital Audio Optical Out port or if you are using HDMI you will need a RCA Audio Cable Adapter for XBOX 360 + Slim. If you are using the new Xbox 360 Slim model this won't be an issue as there is now one built into it.
Now, that all that information is out of the way, what do I think about the headset? I actually used it on my 360 and my PC to see if there was any difference.
While using the headset it I noticed right away it was light, but the ear cups seemed just a tad on the small side and didn't allow a lot of breathing room. Sound quality was good but it didn't blow me away. Chat quality on the Xbox seemed to be lacking a little bit. You need the mic very close to your mouth so your friends can hear you. One complaint I have is when game volume goes up (think explosions and such) chat volume does not compensate for it making you need to ask friends to repeat what they said or wait for the game volume to go back down.
At the end of the day you're reading this review to influence one way or another on purchasing this headset or another. So'll I'll give my opinion on that.
If you are looking around this price point for a gaming headset (at the time of writing this review it's over one hundred dollars) then I would like to recommend either the Turtle Beach X41 or the Tritton 720. They both are a stronger quality headset and offer a better gaming headset.
The Sharkoon's have potential to be a decent option but when they are the same price as other headsets that do more and are easier to hook up it doesn't make much sense. If you want to splurge then really take a look at the Turtle Beach PX5. They are programmable and have blue tooth support. It's my current headset and I love it.
This one is just average across the board. It doesn't really disappoint, but it never wowed me either.
Quality Gaming Headset, I really love this headset so far. Purchased and received last week.I have been using a pair of Sennheiser HD555's with a 1/4" f to 1/8" m headphone adaptor and plugged into my speakers (setup via stereo). Mic solution: wrapped the standard XBox mic around my neck. Good sound, chat worked after adjusting in-game volumes. Basically it worked and sounded good enough, but the transition to a proper, solid gaming headset is night and day.
PROs:
-The first thing I noticed is how lightweight this headset is. It doesn't bear down on you and the cups don't press on your ears too hard. The cups also do a good job of encompassing your ears.
-Fantastic sound. After a few adjustments (in-line volume lower, SCU volume up), I managed to get this to an appropriate sound level. I did a few Wager Matches in Black Ops to break them in and further configure them. Worked great. Tried Bad Company 2. Wow. Just awesome. Crisp sounds and the bass booms when it needs to. This set has also proven that I will never be able to go back to regular stereo sound, either. Digital is phenomenal.
Side note: I found that turning off the "3D Sound Expander" makes it sound muuuuch better, in my opinion. Perhaps I'm using it wrong, but it was disorienting at times and seemed to create unnecessary echo. Might be better for movies perhaps.
-Configurable to any set up. Has a nice set of manuals for anything you may want to connect the headset to. Plenty of adaptors and the main cables are plenty long to connect with most setups.
-Sturdy design. Even though it's light, it doesn't feel cheap. Mic is tough and flexible as well.
CONS
-Lots of cables. My setup right now has three cables coming out of the SCU and three out of the in-line box (one connecting to the XBox controller for voice). This is probably a product of being so configurable.
Side note: This is actually still a pro for me because I don't want to deal with wireless shenanigans (mainly staying on top of rechargable batteries)
-Mic sensitivity. I haven't done any in-game chatting yet, but I have tested it out in party chat to see when it picks up. I noticed that I had to have the mic pretty close to my mouth for it to register. Again, this may bug people, but personally I do not find it bothersome.
-Also, be sure to know that if you want to use Digital, you will need some sort of Optical output on your Xbox. I was lucky enough to already have the VGA adaptor to game on my PC monitor and that has an optical output.