TurtleBeach
Latest
Turtle Beach partners with MLG, will unveil tournament-focused Ear Force Seven Series programmable headsets, TM1 audio mixer at E3 (update: photos)
If you're familiar with Major League Gaming tournaments, you're likely aware that Astro Gaming's Mixamp Pro has been the staple device for providing multi-platform surround sound and team chat to the headset-wearing pros. Things are set to change this fall, however, as Turtle Beach has announced its own partnership with MLG that'll usher in the release of its first ever tournament-focused gaming audio-wares. To start, the TM1 Tournament Mixer will be the "exclusive" sound hookup for MLG when it hits the streets, effectively replacing the Mixamp. The unit will provide virtual surround sound game sound chat functionality to any headset with a 3.5mm jack. One TM1 can provide six players with individual sound whether they are on the same team or playing 3 vs. 3, and two devices can be daisy chained to provide a whopping 12 channels of separate audio. Notably, the TM1 can also support a broadcast feed (details below). On the headset front, TB is blending its programmable audio know-how and recent foray into lifestyle headsets into what's dubbed as the Seven Series. Details are slim, but the first two models set to up the ante on the likes of Astro's A40 and the Sennheiser PC360 will be the Ear Force XP7 and Z7. Each headset features a portable design, detachable microphone and an optional inline remote / mic, so you won't be you stuck to only using 'em in your living room -- unlike pretty much of all the company's past headgear. You'll naturally be able to download your preferred audio settings using TB's Preset Community Portal, which will also include "presets customized for specific [MLG] tournament games." There's sadly little in the way of pictures at the moment (aside from the TM1), but we'll be getting some hands-on time with prototypes of all the goods at E3 next week. Hit up the press release past the break for further details in the meantime. %Gallery-157228% Update: We've been informed by a Turtle Beach rep that the TM1 does not provide virtual surround sound. Furthermore, it seems to be an actual mixer, rather than a Mixamp alternative for consumers. Update 2: We've just gotten a clarification from the company about how the TM1 will work with headsets: The TM1 provides a closed chat network, like the Mixamp does. It can also pass-through Dolby, but it doesn't process it for stereo headphones. The XP7 comes with a control unit (it has a four-pole headphone jack), which is what processes surround sound. We will be providing MLG with both TM1s and control units for all tourney players to use. You can output the TM1's chat feed [the broadcasting feature] and mix it into a livestream so viewers can hear what the players are saying. There's also an input so you can feed in whatever audio you choose for all players to hear that are hooked up to that TM1 unit, be it music or even a shoutcaster feed.
Turtle Beach XP400 wireless gaming headset hands-on
Turtle Beach announced a duo of new XBOX 360 and PS3 gaming headsets on day one of CES, and we were able to spend a bit of time with one of them, the XP400, on the show floor. It's Turtle Beach's flagship gaming headset, featuring adjustable Dolby 5.1 virtual surround sound, a non-A2DP dual-pairing Bluetooth radio for picking up phone calls during gaming sessions, a 15 hour rechargeable battery and dual-band 2.4/5GHZ built-in WiFi. The actual over-the-ear pieces have a much better layout from previous models, though there are almost as many buttons as there are on the controller you'd be wielding -- with volume up / down, chat volume up / down, mute, Bluetooth pairing, limiter button and tone buttons. The included dual-band WiFi adapter that connects to your gaming console of choice is small and pretty minimalistic in design. The adjustable surround angles feature seems useful but we can't help but to feel it's a bit gimmicky -- we have a hard time figuring out which setting is better. One feature that we really like is the new Limiter function, which allows you to keep the volume relatively high to listen for those footsteps (lower in volume) but won't blow your ear drums out when a RPG rocket (explosion-like volume levels) hits you in the face. The sound was also crisp and loud as we completed our spec-op mission at the Turtle Beach gaming booth, where the headset's noise-blocking abilities proved to be particularly handy. Hit up the gallery below for a close look at the $220 gaming headset set to be available this quarter. Joe Pollicino contributed to this report.
Turtle Beach expands its wireless headset lineup, intros XP400 with adjustable surround sound, stereo XP300
If you'll recall, along with its pre-CES unveiling of new gaming and lifestyle headsets, Turtle Beach promised a bigger "surprise announcement" for day one of the show here in Vegas. Well, it's just spilled the beans on an impressive new duo of Xbox-oriented (and PlayStation compatible) Ear Force wireless gaming headsets. Meet the XP400 with Dolby 5.1 virtual surround sound and the identical, but stereo, XP300. We're told that they're essentially the younger siblings of the company's PX5-rooted XP500, featuring a similar design with totally wireless connection to the Xbox 360 (thanks to TB's Xbox Chat Adapter), and a dual-pairing Bluetooth radio for taking calls while gaming. Furthermore, both headsets actually improve upon the XP500's, in a few key areas including: better button placement on the earcups, a new 2.4/5GHz dual-band WiFi 2.4GHz transmitter to avoid interference from nearby wireless devices and an included 15-hour rechargeable battery so you won't be hunting for AAAs. While both headsets feature customizable EQs, the XP400 steps things up from the XP300 with tweakable Dolby 5.1 simulated surround sound, thanks to some special work on Turtle Beach's end. Notably, it's the first headset from Turtle with the ability, dubbed "adjustable surround sound angles," and it means you'll now be able to customize the placement of the virtual speakers to your preference, rather than being stuck to Dolby Headphone's usual preset parameters. Both headsets will be available in earlier 2012, with the XP400 priced at $220 and the XP300 at 50 bucks less. If you'd like the full rundown of specs and features, you'd best check out the press release we've kindly embedded just past the break.
Turtle Beach unleashes M-series mobile headphones, updates Ear Force gaming headset lineup
Last year, at CES Turtle Beach wowed us with its Ear Force PX5 wireless gaming headset, featuring customizable surround sound presets -- this year, the New York-based company is unveiling its first foray into "lifestyle" headsets with its new M-series, as well as updating some of its staple Ear Force gaming headsets. To start, fans of the X31 and X41 wireless Xbox 360 headsets will be pleased to learn about its new X32 and X42, respectively priced at about $100 and $160. The duo build atop their older siblings' 2.4 Ghz RF radio signals, operating over dual-band 2.4 / 5 Ghz WiFi using an included transmitter. While both of these native stereo headsets feature a similar design with 50mm drivers, the X42 notably comes equipped with Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound. Moving onto the PC front, TB is introducing an option for gamers on a budget with its $40 Z11. Much like the company's on-ear Z1, it's a bare-bones stereo headset, but notably, the Z11 opts for an over-ear design with 50mm drivers. Lastly, Turtle's trio of M-series headsets are perfect for those looking to talk trash on Call of Duty and command their favorite music playlists on their smartphone between frag sessions. The lineup consists of the in-ear M1s, on-ear M3s (seen above, and vaguely similar Nox Audio's now-defunct Specialist) and the over-ear (and PX5-like) M5s. Each headset features an Android and iPhone-compatible inline remote / mic, and they're set to sell from $40 to $60 when they hit shelves. While availability for all the goods has yet to be announced, Turtle Beach apparently has another "surprise" announcement planned for CES, and we'll be sure to let you know as soon as when do while we're there. For now, check out the gallery below to see all the goods in the flesh, and the press release after the break for more details.
Turtle Beach unveils limited edition Modern Warfare 3 headsets, Simon Riley would've approved
Listen up, soldier. Engadget HQ was dismayed when lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley -- along with his skull balaclava and mondo communications headset -- saw an arguably unjust demise in Modern Warfare 2. That being said, if he could play the upcoming installment we'd bet it'd be with one of the four limited edition offerings from Turtle Beach and Activision. The headsets all sport the same night vision-esque design, but offer varying specialties. On the front line is the $300 Ear Force Delta; based on the XP500 programmable virtual 7.1 headset, it adds a custom travel-case and MW3 specific sound presets. Next up is the $150 Ear Force Bravo, a variant of the PX3, which offers the same presets as the former in wireless stereo. Following close in formation is the $130 Ear Force Charlie, a take on the PC oriented Z6A; it delivers discrete 5.1 with a grand total of eight drivers. Rounding out the reserves is the $100 Ear Force Foxtrot; a PX21 universal stereo headset that's also just received a fresh coat of battle paint. All of the gear will be available in October along with "bonus content," which gives you time to set aside extra funds for the game's November 8th release. You'll find photo-based intel below and more details in the PR past the break. At ease, soldier. %Gallery-128526%
Turtle Beach Xbox Chat Adapter gets the hands-on treatment, admirably untethers talkative gamers
Back at E3, Turtle Beach unveiled its wire-ridding Xbox 360 Bluetooth Chat Adapter bundled with its XP500 headset (a re-badged PX5), but there were no accounts of how the dongle performed. That's now changed thanks to Joystiq, who've gotten their lucky mitts on one of ten prototypes. Spoiler: they're really enjoying the little guy. Voice quality was reported as being "excellent" and the device easily paired with headsets. There's no annoying charging cable required either as the XBA juices off the controller, but only time will tell how that impacts battery life. The big quirk critics found was that its single button, which operates as a muting / pairing and on / off switch, was oft-engaged accidentally -- obviously not ideal for newb trash-talking. Sure, it's not totally seamless like Tritton's official digs, but Xbox aficionados should certainly be stoked about soon having options to ditch those chat cables for good.
Turtle Beach XP500 and PX3 gaming headsets hands-on
Not ready to take the $250 plunge to snag a pair of Ear Force PX5s, but still want in on Turtle Beach's preset-powered super hearing? The big boy's baby brother, the Ear Force PX3, just might scratch your itch. We heard these stereo gaming cans ditched surround sound and Bluetooth support to save buyers a Benjamin, but how does these super-saver specials hold up? We tried them on. %Gallery-125852%
Turtle Beach's XP500 headset brings totally wireless 7.1 to the Xbox 360, PX5 is mildly jealous
Turtle Beach's PS3-oriented PX5 performed great in our recent review, and just after we've arrived at E3 the company has announced another new release for the show: the XP500 for the Xbox 360. It's essentially a PX5, featuring the same design and programmable Dolby virtual 7.1 goodness, but with a Microsoft loving green trim and a rechargeable Xbox 360 Bluetooth Chat Adapter -- the latter plugs into your controller for some wireless chatting action. This makes it the only other completely wireless Xbox headset besides the Tritton / Microsoft cans we got a glimpse of last week. The XP500 will cost $260 -- $10 more than the PX5 -- when Turtle Beach releases it this fall, but current PX5 owners can just purchase the $30 Chat Adapter to join the fun. In addition, TB is also announcing the $30 XL1 as a replacement for your Xbox's standard headset -- you can view its full-on stereo glory alongside the XP500 in our gallery below. We'll hopefully grab some ears-on time with all of the new gear while we're here at E3. %Gallery-125261%
Turtle Beach announces PX3 and Z6A gaming headsets, set to debut at E3
Turtle Beach impressed the pants off of us last month with its Ear Force PX5 headset, which is why our mouths began watering when we found out that the company has two new gaming products on the way -- the Ear Force PX3 and Z6A. Much like the PX5, the wireless PX3 (pictured above) boasts 18 interchangeable audio settings and supports additional presets that users can download directly from Turtle Beach. Though it was designed with PS3 users in mind, the PX3 can also run on an Xbox 360 and is the first Turtle Beach headset to feature a rechargeable, ten-hour battery. The PC and Xbox-friendly, surround sound Z6A, meanwhile, rocks eight amplified speakers (including two subwoofers) and is juiced by a 5.1 channel amp that promises to bathe your head with booming bass. The USB-powered device may leave you tethered to your console, but at least it will house your ears in an oversized mesh cushion, which may make those late-night gaming marathons a little more bearable. The PX3 will retail for about $150, with the Z6A set at around $100, and both headsets will be on display at E3 next week in Los Angeles, so we'll be sure to give you our feedback once we get our paws on them. For now, you can sate your appetite with the full PR and an image of the Z6A -- both of which are waiting for you after the break. Updated: The Z6A is designed for both PC and Xbox platforms.
Turtle Beach Ear Force PX5 review
You like video games, right? If you're the type that takes game-playing more seriously than your average Joe, the PX5 might have caught your eye when we previewed this headset at CES this year. Now they're available for purchase, and we've been playing our hearts out, cans on ears. Is this gaming headset worth shelling out $250 for? Hit the review and find out! %Gallery-113309%
Turtle Beach Earforce PX5 gaming headset preview
On the show floor of CES the madness is virtually endless. But lucky for us, within the sea of rabid gadget lovers and enthusiasts we came across Turtle Beach's booth and got our greasy In-n-Out Burger fingers on the just-announced Earforce PX5. Not only did we get to wear the headphones and feast our eyes on the wireless hub, we experienced Dolby 7.1 surround sound while playing Halo: Reach on the Xbox 360. We've got pics and our initial impressions after the break, so hit it! %Gallery-113309%
Turtle Beach adds dual radios, customizable presets and voice morphing to 7.1 Ear Force PX5 gaming headset
Hear that? That's the sound of a million new products being introduced here in Vegas... in glistening 7.1 Dolby surround sound, no less. Turtle Beach has just ushered out its new flagship device, the Ear Force PX5. Designed for use with Sony's PlayStation 3 (but perfectly usable with the Xbox 360 or any other audio source), this here gaming headset is wireless in nature and is the company's first to incorporate dual radios -- one for surround sound, and another for chatting on the PlayStation Network via Bluetooth. This is also the first of its kind to incorporate customizable presets; there's a DSP chip that lives inside, and the bundled software interface allows you to program voice prompts, custom EQ, compressors, Bass Boost, etc. Then, those settings are saved right on the headset, enabling your CPU to take a breather while the cans themselves handle the math. Moreover, the BT feature can be used to accept mobile phone calls or listen to audio streams, and if you needed any more reason to invest, it also supports voice morphing. You heard right -- it can be programmed to disguise a gamer's voice, which is partially awesome, and partially the worst thing ever to happen to online chat. Hop on past the break for the full feature list, and look for this one to land in the Spring for $249.95.
Turtle Beach crams 7.1 channels into Ear Force DX11 gaming headset
5.1 channels of faux surround sound not enough for your two ears? Fret not, dear gamers, as Turtle Beach has outdone itself once more. The Ear Force DX11 gaming headset launched today for Xbox 360 and PC gamers, providing a pair of 40mm drivers, a fold-down microphone (with accompanying 'fro, naturally), a breakout Dolby 7.1 processor, bass boost, S/PDIF-to-analog converter, front panel USB pass-through port and independent volume controls for game and voice signals. It's available to pre-order right now exclusively from Best Buy, with a rather lofty $129.99 price standing between you and multi-channel nirvana.
Turtle Beach Ear Force Z2 ears-on
With its Ear Force line, Turtle Beach has turned the gaming headset from niche product into must-have accessory for many serious gamers -- particularly those engaging in some warfare of a modern variety. The wireless, 7.1-channel X41 model sits on the high end, but Turtle Beach is now offering those on a bit of a budget a new option: the Ear Force Z2. At $69.95 it isn't exactly cheap, but compared to the other products on the segment it is something of a bargain. Click on through for our impressions. %Gallery-95631%
Turtle Beach upgrades, iterates USB soundcard line, adds optical output for true 5.1 surround
The USB soundcard race may not be the hottest, but it just got a little warmer just the same. Turtle Beach upgraded its Amigo and Micro external cards to be the -- wait for it -- Amigo II and Micro II. Both feature a new design that makes them larger than before but extends the device away from your laptop (or whatever you connect it to), giving a bit more flex room to connect your headphones or microphone. That's all you'll be connecting to the Amigo II, as it sports a pair of 3.5mm connectors: audio output and microphone input. The Micro II ditches the input, but adds S/PDIF digital optical output (via adapter) so you can get proper 5.1 out of your laptop. Both devices are said to be available soon for a very reasonable $24.95.
Turtle Beach keeps tweens boasting with Ear Force X41 Xbox 360 headset
Just over a year after Turtle Beach gave whining teenyboppers a decent Xbox 360 headset to annoy mature gamers with, the outfit is hitting back with the third-generation. We should caution you that these are far from a major upgrade, but those just now looking to take the plunge into cord-free bragging should find plenty to appreciate. The Ear Force X41 cans claim to handle Dolby 7.1 channel surround sound, but given that there are precisely two ear cups here, we're somewhat (read: tremendously) skeptical of said claims. At any rate, the RF-based headphones now sport a dedicated Digital Signal Processor along with a feature that will likely entice young brats and frighten those with actual jobs: Chat Boost. As you can imagine, this enables users to automatically jack the volume of the Xbox Live chat as the game gets louder, which -- in our experience -- is probably not a good thing. Those with the patience of Job can buy in anyway for a nickle under $200.[Via TG Daily]
Turtle Beach keeps series alive with Ear Force X4 wireless headphones
Be honest, you were terrified that Turtle Beach would leave the awesomely titled Ear Force series sitting in lurk at X3, weren't you? Thankfully, that's not the case at all, as the Ear Force X4 wireless headphones have just been revealed. Designed with Xbox 360 gamers in mind, this headset / headphone combo promises to provide Dolby 5.1 surround sound out of just two earcups (we're still checking on the velvet-lined part), and more importantly, the Chat Boost Dynamic Talkback Expander "automatically adjusts incoming XBOX Live chat levels during loud game moments" to keep you from going deaf when NewbX1337 gets all whiny on you. Can't say we're thrilled by the $199.95 price tag, but these are available now for those who are.[Via IGN]
Turtle Beach intros Ear Force X3 Xbox 360 headset
Turtle Beach has just expanded the headset options for Xbox 360 gamers even further, with it today introducing its Ear Force X3 unit, apparently the first wireless headset to boast independent volume control of amplified chat and game audio. You'll also get a "dynamic talkback expander" feature to automatically adjust incoming Xbox Live chat levels during loud gaming moments, along with features like automatic shut-off, bass boost, and a stereo expander to provide a "wider sound field." Of course, while they're designed for the Xbox 360, you can also simply use them as a standard pair of headphones with any other device. Look for these to start shipping early next month with a retail price of $99.95.
Turtle Beach's AK-R8 eight-speaker USB surround sound headphones
If we had a revolution for every surround sound headphone that promises us one, we'd all be so directionally aware we wouldn't know what do with ourselves. Today's "revolutionary" headphones come to us from Turtle Beach, who promises to turn the very waveform on its head with this new Ear Force AK-R8 "True Surround Sound" headset. Lucky for Turtle Beach, it has indeed packed a couple of notable features into the AK-R8, including a whoppin' eight speakers, dual mics to monitor outside sounds, and a USB audio interface / sound card that includes a 10 band EQ and positioning abilities to (theoretically) get that big room system feel without all the calls from the neighbors. The AK-R8 also includes a removable boom microphone for chatting up your frag buddies, is Windows only, includes an optical S/PDIF adapter for tapping into your sound system, and should be retailing now for about $150.
DS headsets thrown into ring, forced to fight to the death
Did you pick up a DS headset today along with your preorder of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl? What will you be using to take advantage of the online voice chat feature? Nintendo's official headset, Turtle Beach's Earforce D2, or Datel's Communicator? Or will you be slumming it with the handheld's built-in microphone?If you're still in the market for a headset solution, Nintendo Gal has posted a comparison chart and her analysis on the three products. Testing their comfort, durability, sound output, and recording quality, she was able to determine which one deserves our hard-earned allowance money. There are even recording samples available that you can listen to and weigh in on yourself.We're surprised that the Earforce D2 was judged as the best of the lot, but seeing that it's also the most expensive at $19.99 (Nintendo's headset is on sale for $9.99 at Amazon), it's good to know that you're not paying that premium for nothing. Turtle Beach's headset outclassed the official one in every category except recording quality, while Datel's Communicator was laughed out of the competition.
