A lower price doesn’t mean poor
quality…
When someone says that a particular device
is at the lower end of a range, that can often mean a whole lot of bad things.
But, for some devices and certain brands, all that really means is that it has
a few less bells and whistles, and is more cost effective. That certainly is
the case for Turtle Beach.
Take their Ear Force XL1 headset as an
example. This is their low-end Xbox 360 offering. But, in terms of comfort and
performance, you wouldn’t really think so.
Turtle
Beach Ear Force XL I Headset
At the core of the system are the 50mm
drivers housed in the ear cups. This shows the Turtle Beach approach
beautifully – these drivers are used across their entire range, delivering
great sound no matter which model you choose. The result of this larger drivers
is clear sound across all frequencies, including excellent bass response. While
one could easily be forgiven for expecting compromised performance in a device
like this, that simply isn’t the case.
As one would expect, the XL1 is a wired
headset. While this means that you will have to deal with wires, the upside is
that there is no recharging or battery changing required. And the cable is very
long, measuring almost 5 meters. In other words, you can comfortably play your
Xbox 360 games using this headset, pretty much regardless of what kind of
set-up you have.
The downside is that this headset isn’t
particularly versatile. It’s made for Xbox 360, and that’s what it’s going to
work with; unlike some other Turtle Beach options, you’re not going to be using
it with any other device. That said, its range positioning means that it is at a
lower price point than other devices, so its specific nature won’t impact your
pocket too much.
While it doesn’t have some of the special
features that one would find with more expensive Turtle Beach products, it
offers enough to make it a compelling option. In other words, this isn’t just a
bog-standard headset. It comes armed with amplified audio and bass boost, which
help deliver very good sound quality. Mic monitor allows you to hear your chat
input clearly, and the in-line volume controls have independent settings for
audio and chat.
In terms of comfort, the generous, fabric
mesh covered ear cups don’t put too much strain on the ears, and the padded
headband adds even more comfort. And the device only weighs 181g, meaning that
the user will stay comfortable after long usage periods.
On the downside, it requires a USB port to
be powered. That said, if you have a newer Xbox 360, that shouldn’t be a
problem at all, because the new consoles have lots of USB space.
Just because something costs less doesn’t
make it cheap – the XL1 is great proof of that, and is a good option for Xbox
gamers.
At a
glance
Summary
A great option for Xbox owners on a tighter budget who want
awesome personal audio…
Tech Specs:
- 50mm drivers
- In-line volume control
- 4.88mm cable
- USB powered
- Bass boost
- Audio amplifier
Manufacturer: Turtle Beach
RRP: $57.5
Pros: Good value, Comfortable,
Good sound
Cons: USB powered
Score: 79
|
