Road-ready. Briefcase-worthy.Turtle Beach Ear Force X41 - headset
Manufacturer: Voyetra Turtle Beach Part number: TBS2170
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- With their accurate 7.1-channel separation, the Turtle Beach Ear Force X41 headphones are great surround-sound headphones for the Xbox 360--or any other home theater component.
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CNET editors' review
Turtle Beach Ear Force X41 - headset price range: $119.72 - $159.99
- Reviewed by: Jeff Bakalar
- Reviewed on: 11/19/2009
- Released on: 09/15/2009
The good: Great-sounding and accurate 7.1 surround sound wireless headset with Xbox Live chat; removable boom mic; optical audio cable included.
The bad: Occasional audio pop and dropout; can interfere with other devices on the 2.4Ghz spectrum; requires two AAA batteries (included).
The bottom line: With their accurate 7.1-channel separation, the Turtle Beach Ear Force X41 headphones are great surround-sound headphones for the Xbox 360--or any other home theater component.
Wireless headphones have been around for a while, but it's only been in the past few years that quality has gotten high enough for discerning listeners to consider using them. Many manufacturers, for instance, have turned to infrared (IR) technology for wireless signal transmission, which powered the Turtle Beach X4 we looked at last year. Overall we felt the IR radius was a bit narrow and we really disliked the fact that they didn't work well while using a plasma TV.
The Turtle Beach X41 headphones are essentially the same product, but instead of using an IR signal, this headset takes advantage of an RF (radio frequency) to provide wireless audio. Besides a few hiccups and a hefty price tag, the X41s are one of the best wireless gaming headsets around.
While the Ear Force X41s are designed with the Xbox 360 in mind--they include a removable microphone and connections for chatting on Xbox Live--the headphones will actually deliver convincing surround sound from nearly any home theater source, thanks to their built-in 7.1-channel Dolby Digital processing.
The Ear Force X41 headphones include two main components: the wireless headphones themselves and a base station that houses most of the necessary jacks. The base gives you the option of either using a digital audio connection or an analog signal via a set of stereo RCA cables (red/white). That means that they will work with pretty much any audio source--anything with an optical digital output (such as a DVD player or the Apple TV) or standard analog line outs (pretty much everything). You could easily use the X41 headphones with a PlayStation 3 or Wii, but just don't expect to take advantage of voice chat--that'll only work with the Xbox 360.
The system boasts both Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic IIx processing; the former handles the bit-stream surround soundtracks on DVD and Blu-ray movies and most video games, while the latter does a decent job of creating a faux-surround effect from any stereo source. The X41s' transmitter base also have a line-in volume control allowing you to just adjust the level of the incoming source. Up front there's also a headphone jack with a volume adjuster that will play the same audio being broadcasted. Finally, the base also features a "bypass" button that will allow you to hear unprocessed audio.
Setting up the Ear Force X41 headphones is fairly simple. For Dolby Digital processing, you'll use the included 7-foot optical cable to connect your Xbox 360 (or another digital source) to the "digital in" port on the transmitter base. If you're also using an AV receiver and surround speakers, don't worry; there's a digital out port for passing the signal on, so you don't have to constantly unplug and plug in wires whenever you want to play using the headphones.
For power, the X41s ship with a USB cord that plugs directly into the base unit. You can plus the USB end of the wire anywhere (including the 360 itself). We had an empty USB port on our cable set-top box, which worked fine. We should note that USB power is your only option here. The unit does not ship with a USB-to-AC adapter.
In terms of comfort and design, the Ear Force X41 headphones are a bit heavy on the head, but not to the point where they feel overwhelming during long gameplay sessions. On the left ear cup is where you'll find the controls and ports, including a volume adjuster, a power button, bass boost, and the port for the chat adapter that hooks into your Xbox 360 controller. The left ear cup is also home to the flexible microphone boom. We really liked that the boom is detachable, as it can become distracting when not in use. The right ear cup is where you'll install the two AAA batteries. Turtle Beach includes a pair in the packaging and claims they should work for at least 25 hours, but we do recommend getting some rechargeable ones.
In terms of sound quality, we were impressed with the overall channel separation. During our trial with Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer, we could easily tell when an enemy was behind us because of the footsteps and gunfire. During the most intense combat, we were able to visualize all of the action and tell where it was coming from in our virtual space. Our only complaint with the headphones is that they don't really allow for complete noise reduction or isolation. If there is other sound playing in the same room, you may notice it more than you'd like.
A few times during our testing we experienced a brief pop and breakup of audio but couldn't recreate it. It's possible it was because of Wi-Fi interference, since the headset operates on the same 2.4GHz frequency that Wi-Fi routers do.
We enjoyed having a volume adjuster on the side of the headphones, but didn't really notice much of a discernible difference when turning the bass-boost switch on. It does add a sliver of richness, but it's not drastic, by any means. If you're concerned with maximizing battery life on the headphones, we'd recommend leaving the feature off.
Our experience with using the X41s to chat during gameplay was excellent. Incorporating chat requires you to connect the headphones to your 360 controller via the included wired adapter. This is almost exactly the same adapter that is on the end of the Microsoft-branded headset, complete with a microphone mute switch and volume wheel. A wireless solution for chat would have been ideal, but we'd imagine this would severely compromise battery life on the headphones. While we didn't necessarily notice it in action, Turtle Beach claims the X41s contain an autoadjusting chat-volume feature to compensate for noisy gaming sessions. Regardless, there was never an issue with hearing anyone during our online play with Modern Warfare 2.
Overall, the Ear Force X41 headphones provide a great-sounding experience for playing games when using external speaks isn't an option. We'd imagine a few gamers would even prefer the X41s, regardless of the situation, as they provide accurate 7.1-channel surround-sound effects. Similarly, this is certainly a well-advised alternative for those gamers who don't have an external surround-sound system. The $200 list price is a bit steep, but with online prices closer to $180, you could think of it as an alternative to buying three mediocre games. And, when you consider that the Ear Force X41 headphones are compatible with almost any source, they may be the only wireless headphones you'll need for a while.
User reviews
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Headphones meant for gamers!
by Gio_Black on November 22, 2009
Pros: Seperate chat and game volume controls.
Comfortable to wear.
Wireless.Cons: Chance of static if boom comes loose.
Summary: This product works very well. I wanted a headset I could use all day while gaming and this was it. I was using the original Microsoft headphones that came with ...
Summary: This product works very well. I wanted a headset I could use all day while gaming and this was it. I was using the original Microsoft headphones that came with the XBox 360 Elite and had trouble hearing my game partner who was also using the Microsoft heaphones. I wanted a seperate volume control to boost his sound and was really surprised how clear he came through with these headphones.
I am a sound engineer and had been playing with a pair of Mackie HR24s. Moving to the sound in the earcups gave my gaming a whole new dimension. Although, I must admit I miss the shaking floor, I am more attentive to the game with the outside noise eliminated. I have the headphones connected directly to the Digital Out on my XBox 360. With that these headphones are rated to pick up frequencies down to 20Hz with the Bass Boost. Don't get me wrong, these headphones sound good, but I feel that the bass could be accentuated just a little more. When playing Gears of War 2 or Modern Warfare 2, the explosions could have a little more boom.
The initial setup was a bit confusing. When setting these headphones up you have to make sure that these headphones are paired (or synched) with the transmitter (base). There are directions in the box to show you how to do this. After I had everything setup, (Which did not take long.) my online partner could not hear anything but static. After much cursing because I read that many other people were having the same problem, and felt that I was getting suckered into spending all this money for naught. I realized the problem I was having was that the boom for the microphone was not plugged in properly. The company had not seated the boom completely. Hence, I had a faulty connection. Once I disconnected and reseated the boom, the problem disappeared.
After all is said and done, I am happy I purchased these headphones. I highly recommend giving these headphones a try if you are looking for a set of headphones.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Worthwile if you don't want to wake anyone up...
by mouseclick on November 13, 2009
Pros: Good quality. Works as advertised - mostly. Actually is slightly better than your home stereo because the sound is right in your ear. Setup is easy.
Cons: Button placement can be confusing. Some hiss when there is no audio. Expensive. Might not be loud enough for the most discerning of audiophiles but certainly loud enough for most.
Summary: In a nutshell, the X41s are very good. I have mine for an XBox 360 Elite. Setup is simple and quick. If you have a universal remote (I have the ...
Summary: In a nutshell, the X41s are very good. I have mine for an XBox 360 Elite. Setup is simple and quick. If you have a universal remote (I have the Harmony One) and previously were using external 5.1 sound, don?t forget to reprogram the remote to not go through your home stereo. That is unless you still want to have 5.1 through your home stereo. For me, the purpose was to not have to so I don?t wake everyone up with late night gaming and still have 5.1 sound via the X41s (actually, they are 7.1). So, that?s the good viewpoint ? overall, they are worth it. In researching which ones to buy, I read some folks complaining about loud crackles and pops. I don?t have this problem. The manual actually covers this, stating if you get crackles and pops, you probably have it too close to another electronics device and it is causing interference, or you have it too far away. I have mine setup next to the XBox, probably some 6 inches away and I sit with the wireless headset around 12 feet away and I get no crackles or pops.
After playing with these now for a couple of months and many, many hours, here's an update on some negatives. Still, overall, I'd rate them 4 stars... The crackle noise folks complain about is likely due to batteries dying. But, I replace the batteries and it goes away. The cable for the chat can very, very easily com unplugged as it is easy to accidentally snag it with your hand during play and they pop out too easy - nothing to lock it in. This cable is also the cause of hiss problems. Turn up the chat volume and you get a loud hiss. Could be the cable quality or could be console quality, not sure which but if you have chat too loud, it is bad. Chat with certain players is too loud, while too low for others - hard to get the perfect volume (the difference with how loud some people are is like one yelling and one whispering). The volume control on chat is bad - either too low or too high and difficult to get the perfect volume because of old-style wheel turn for volume
The volume level is good enough for me but, I can actually see some folks who might want it louder. If I had to try and paint you an analogy as to how loud they are ? imagine driving and that car next to you has their stereo loud enough you can make out the lyrics of the song playing (both your windows being down). Now imagine you were sitting in their car ? that?s how loud it is. But, some folks that might be looking for high performance headsets might actually want it loud enough that three cars away could make out the lyrics (and suffer hearing loss in the meantime). The bass boost is OK but, not great ? you can tell a slight difference. Despite claims on the Turtle Beach website that it is so quiet when you first turn them on that you don?t know if they are working or not, I do hear a noticeable hiss but, the hiss does not have any impact on my game play (I don?t notice it once I start playing). I used the flimsy optical connect that came with it (very, very thin and appears to be low quality). Perhaps a better grade of optical connect may get rid of the hiss or at least lessen it (I still have to try this). There is no warning on battery life going down so, just plan to buy a set of rechargeables or have a set of batteries on standby. You will not be warned (except maybe degraded performance) that the batteries are low ? plan to swap them every 10-15 hours of game play so there is no concern that they?ll give out during game play. The volume, bass boost and power controls are all close together on the headset so, it is easy to accidentally hit the wrong button (for example, to turn off bass boost when you meant to change the volume). That?s about it from the complaints department. Oh yeah, they are expensive at around $170-$220. Paying that much for headsets just has that perception because they seem like dumb devices (I paid $199 for my iPhone) but, if that is not a problem to you, you should be pleased with the X41s.
Updated on Jan 17, 20102 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Beautiful and flawless
by kotarski1 on November 13, 2010
Pros: It's great, wearing this headset actually makes me feel like a better person. They look good, they feel good, they smell great, they sound incredible.
Cons: When I'm not wearing them I feel bad.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Headphones, some minor flaws but fixable.
by wnp79 on January 22, 2010
Pros: Great sound,
Very comfortable,
Ease of use,
Design flaws can be over-come.Cons: The price,
Some minor design flaws,Summary: After reading many reviews I was worried if I was parting with £150 for something that would end up disappointing me.
The next set of headphones in this league (the ...Summary: After reading many reviews I was worried if I was parting with £150 for something that would end up disappointing me.
The next set of headphones in this league (the Astros) are £50 more, didn?t have the same reported problems, but I would be back to trailing cables across my front room. My girlfriend is a star at tripping on cables and my cat loves the taste of them so I decided to take the risk. I?m glad I did.
Before I run through the minor problems with this product, I?ll first like to say how your £150 WILL put a smile on your face. Out of the box I had this hooked up and working in under 5 minutes. Very straight-forward. Five minutes after that, I was in a game of MW2 with a great big grin across my face. It provides a completely different gaming experience if you have not used gaming headphones before. The sound is crisp, very detailed, very loud, and the 7.1 surround sound decoder does a decent job of making you feel ?in the game?. Enemies are easily located by their foot-falls or even reloading sound. No one sneaks up on me anymore (ninja pro aside!). Details you had not noticed in your game before become apparent, and you wonder how you ever missed them. The bass boost function adds even more low-end wallop to the already clear and well-defined bass. On one occasion I carelessly wandered past a doorway with my back to it. The resulting shotgun blast from the unseen enemy nearly made me drop my controller. With Forza Motorsport 3, you can anticipate an overtaking maneuver as you now have a much better idea of not only who is behind you from the note of the engine, but where they are as well. No more missing the breaking point from looking behind me.
And now to the problems. OK I know that for £150, Turtle Beach should really have dealt with most of this during the R&D phase, but the point of this review is that with a little bit of care and some minor additional expense, you can solve these problems. I do agree with the reviews that say we shouldn?t have to do this though for £150. You decide if it?s worth it for you.
The fist flaw, and the most likely to be the deal-breaker for a lot of people is the reports of interference, or popping, crackling and cut-outs. There are varying reports and opinions of the cause, the most common being wi-fi interference as they share the 2.4GHz band most wireless routers use. I found that after about 1 hour of play after first using these, some of the popping and cut-outs started. It got worse after another hour. The first thing I did was to swap out the cheap batteries these headphones came with, and replaced with high-end 1000mAh rechargeable ones. The popping became GREATLY reduced, but not completely eliminated. Whilst wearing my headphones and leaning right over the router, it made no difference at all. No more or less interference. I then played some music through the xbox and completely shut off my router. I also removed the wireless N adapter fro the back of my Xbox. The popping continued! Again no more or less interference. I then moved the base away from my entertainment stand. The popping completely stopped! I have ordered a 5m USB extension cable + 5m TOSLINK cable for a total of £10, and now have the base away from all other electronics. It seems that the base unit extremely sensitive to all manor of electrical noise, not necessarily wi-fi. If you can accommodate a base location at least one meter away from your other electronics you should be ok. Make sure you use decent rechargeable batteries and keep them charged up too.
The second issue is the reported increase in ?hiss? when the chat cable is plugged in. I can confirm that yes, when you are in the lobby of MW2, or the xbox dashboard and plug the chat cable in, the hiss noise is very noticeable. However, once the game (in this case MW2) starts to load, it has almost completely gone. By the time you are in your game, and chatting with your team mates, the only noise comes from your team mates as they complain about becoming the victim of the dreaded speculative grenade.
The last problem is the chat cable itself. It very easily comes loose from the headphones. There are two potential fixes for this that I have found to work. Firstly, don?t plug the chat cable in as per the instructions. Do the opposite. Plug the ?L? shaped plug into the headphones, and the straight plug into the Xbox controller. Secondly, find a small rubber band! Tie one end around the end of the chat cable, and the other end around the base of the boom mic. This further counteracts the effects of gravity and movement. Yes I know we shouldn?t have to. But there you go. Ironically the connection for the boom mic is also a 2.5mm plug, yet is very securely locked into place in the headphones, cannot swivel once in place, and takes quite a pull to remove!
So, if you are prepared to buy a couple of extension cables, some decent batteries, and can find a small rubber band, these headphones are a fantastic buy.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best headphones ever....for the xbox
by whitefeather8 on January 4, 2010
Pros: amazing sound quality, great comfort, chat works great and battery life is above average
Cons: battery life could be better and i have rechargeable batteries and it goes through them like a beast. it doesnt seem to have a quick self-power off switch which isn't huge and the xbox cord male cord to the headphones sometimes come loose
Summary: amazing 7.1 ss quality, there are enough jacks and the extra headphone spot is a huge plus. the comfort is great and unlike the x1s, they don't hurt ...
Summary: amazing 7.1 ss quality, there are enough jacks and the extra headphone spot is a huge plus. the comfort is great and unlike the x1s, they don't hurt your ears after 5 hours of straight use. The bass boost is a very nice feature for fps's; as other genres don't have big bases needs. While playing mw2, you can hear people's footsteps from quite a distance away (even the ones who use ninja pro....well, till they are like 10 feet away from you) and the gun sounds will make you giggle like a schoolgirl. Even though the price tag is a little hefty, they are worth the price and, in my opinion, a better option for gaming and movies than speakers
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very disappointed with the product overall.
by Dclavoie on May 2, 2012
Pros: Great sound
Cons: Eats batteries, sound voids,
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Great wireless headset good for all platforms.
by GadgetGeek8907 on April 25, 2012
Pros: -Superb 7.1 Surround Sound
-Wireless with good distance
-Chat and Game variable volume controlCons: -Occasional popping sound (Rare)
Summary: The X41s are one of the best headsets I have tested. The sound in my opinion is unmatched to none. It can be use with all platforms including PC. Although ...
Summary: The X41s are one of the best headsets I have tested. The sound in my opinion is unmatched to none. It can be use with all platforms including PC. Although Turtle Beach doesn't make this headset anymore, there are still a ton in stock at stores like Amazon. The price listed on here for Amazon is way high! I have found them for cheaper and have done a thorough review and test at http://www.turtlebeachreview.com
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Amazing Sound. Everything is Replaceable.
by aceoftunes on December 18, 2011
Pros: The sound quality is amazing. All of the components are replaceable. For ex. if your mic breaks, you can unplug the boom and order a new one to replace it. Whoops lost your battery cover? Have no fear their website has a decently priced on available.
Cons: As mentioned in the main review there can be audio pops (painful) if there is a device that interferes with them.
At release they were a bit pricey but I believe that the price has gone down.Summary: Amazing headphones. I recommend picking up a charger and rechargeable AAA batteries to save yourself tons of money in the long run, as depending on how much sound passes through ...
Summary: Amazing headphones. I recommend picking up a charger and rechargeable AAA batteries to save yourself tons of money in the long run, as depending on how much sound passes through them, they can be battery hungry.
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Great sound but everything else sucks
by cinco5five on October 3, 2011
Pros: Great sound.
Cons: -Battery life is terrible...I've already used an entire industrial-sized sleeve of AAA batteries from Costco.
-Interferes horribly with WiFi...it took me a while to figure out why my WiFi wasn't working even when I wasn't using my Xbox (base station was sSummary: I would not recommend buying these.
Summary: I would not recommend buying these.
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Great headphones with a very short lifespan.
by patrickegan21 on August 24, 2011
Pros: Sound was amazing and the headphones are light and comfortable. The mike worked well, was removable and/or swiveled out of the way.
Cons: The right side sound stopped working about 2 months after the warranty was up. Turtle Beach does not offer repairs. The only recourse is to buy a new headset. They are too expensive to have to replace that quickly.
Summary: Turtle Beach has a great reputation and an excellent product, but our headset turned out to be a bad purchase.
Summary: Turtle Beach has a great reputation and an excellent product, but our headset turned out to be a bad purchase.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Voyetra Turtle Beach
- Part number: TBS2170
- Description: The Ear Force X41 is our top-of-the-line XBOX 360 headset featuring 7.1 channel Dolby surround sound, XBOX Live chat and a digital RF wireless connection for crystal-clear game audio. Combining outstanding comfort with a stunning 360 degree sound field and enhanced online communication, the X41 puts you in the middle of the action so you will enjoy a gaming experience that is second to none. Playing your favorite XBOX game with the Ear Force X41 is like having a "secret weapon" in your arsenal. You will get a competitive advantage by hearing sound cues that you can't hear with speakers, such as the soft footsteps of an enemy sneaking up behind you, or the click of a loading weapon far in front of you. By hearing sounds others can't - and by knowing where they are coming from - you will react faster and take them out before they take you out. If you are serious about XBOX 360 gaming, get serious about the sound. Invest in an Ear Force X41 and experience the game the way it was meant to be heard. It will help you to become a better player and you’ll have a lot more fun enjoying your XBOX 360.
General
- Product Type Headset - 2.4 GHz radio frequency
- Weight 9.5 oz
- Recommended Use Game console
- Additional Features Built-in Dolby Digital decoder,
Built-in Dolby Pro Logic II decoder,
Auto power off,
Volume control,
Bass Boost Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor Ear-cup
- Connectivity Technology Wireless - 2.4 GHz radio frequency
- Sound Output Mode 7.1 channel surround
- Response Bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Diaphragm 2 in
- Magnet Material Neodymium
Microphone
- Type Boom
- Microphone Technology Electret condenser
- Microphone Operation Mode Mono
- Response Bandwidth 50 - 15000 Hz
Wireless Link
- Transmission Range 30 ft
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x SPDIF input ( TOSLINK ),
1 x SPDIF output ( TOSLINK ),
1 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono x 2 ) Miscellaneous
- Cables Included Audio (optical) cable
- Included Accessories RF transmitter
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Battery 2 x Standard battery - AAA type
- Included Qty 2
- Run Time (Up To) 20 hour(s)
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Voyetra Turtle Beach products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Voyetra Turtle Beach
- Address:
150 Clearbrook Rd., Elmsford, NY 10523 - Phone: 1-914-345-2255
- Email: sales@turtlebeach.com
- Fax: 1-914-345-2266
