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Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" Wireless Headphones

Product Review | November 14, 2008 9:03 am
By Meta
I'll start this review with the most important information--these bad boys retail for about $199.99 US for the headphones and the transmitter unit. If you shop around a little online, you can find them a tad cheaper.
Amazon.com sells them for $175 with free shipping.

If you're willing to plunk down about two hundred smackers for premium 5.1 audio, you can't do better than these comfortable, fully digital, wireless headphones.

Setup is quick and easy. You plug in the AC adapter, put the included AAA batteries into the headset, then connect the unit to your console.

The Ear Force X4 comes with a TOSLINK cable, aka digital optical. This is basically a fiber optic that plugs into whichever AV cable you are using on your console (all the standard ones are supported--Component HD, VGA HD, S-Video and SCART) and delivers the highest quality audio signal.

The transmitter unit base also includes an optical out line so you can run it to your usual setup/receiver. This allows you to listen to games on your headphones and regular speakers at the same time, a neat feature.
The base unit also includes analog out ports (the red & white RCA jacks) if you want to connect it to a television.

The analog outs turn off when the digital optical is in use, and the digital does the same wen the analog is in use. This means that if you have it hooked up and want to watch TV after you are done gaming, you can do so without switching a single wire.

The X4 unit fully supports Dolby Digital 5.1 and Pro Logic II decoding, which means even though they are technically stereo headphones, the signal from your console is processed and delivers a 5.1 channel audio field in your noggin.

Game-wise, in Dead Space, small clanks and clatters rang true, and necromorphs couldn't sneak behind me anymore. In Gears of War 2's Tyro Station, I could hear the rumble of the train before I could see it, and its sound would blow behind me from right to left even as huge Boomers stomped around to the front-left of me.

Movie-wise, DVD audio has never sounded better. Dialog comes through sounding close and crisp in the simulated "center channel" even as sound effects take up the left and right and the bass rumbles beneath it all.

Music-wise, these headphones deliver pristine sound. Even the heaviest, busiest symphonic metal sounded clear and powerful, and the large padded cups manage to cut out background noise so you can hear small nuances very well. The headphones' frequency response is 20Hz - 20kHz, with "oversized" 50mm speakers that deliver defined low end.

The Ear Force X4 has a few features made specifically for us Xbox 360 gamers. It comes with a detachable cable that plugs in to the bottom of a controller for Live chat (note, though, that it won't fit into a chat pad). The volume of the mic/chat is independently adjustable from the main signal, and the X4 has a "chat boost" feature that will automatically increase the volume of the chat audio up to 10dB for when the game gets louder and people are still talking. You can also set the unit to monitor your own mic, so you can hear what you say/sound like.
The boom mic has a nice length and is fully adjustable, and can even be removed for when you are watching movies or playing alone.

If you have a spouse or roommate that likes to game with you, they can get just the X4 headphones and receive the signal from your transmitter, so you can both enjoy isolated 5.1 audio.

The headphones also have a slider which enables a "bass boost" of 9dB to sounds at 150Hz or lower. This gives in-game explosions a nice, powerful 'thud' and can make music sound even more full.

The X4 delivers 100% signal fidelity in a range from 4 to 30 feet, and the headphones have 4 IR receivers so you get full 360 degree reception. Aesthetically, the X4 base and headphones match the Xbox well. The transmitter unit has a metal rack to hang the 'phones on, and the headphones themselves are very light (about 9 oz) and comfortable to wear, even for extended periods.

$200 may seem like a huge price tag, but these are premium digital 5.1 wireless headphones, made specifically for the Xbox 360. Battery life is around 20 hours, although premium Lithium AAA batteries should last even longer. I give these a solid 10 because not only are they the best-sounding headphones I have ever owned, they make gaming that much better with high end audio on top of chat functionality.
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Re: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" Wireless Headphones
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That is a fantastic review Rev!

I have been thinking about getting a set of these since being so impressed with the last generation of the Earforce headsets.

I do wish there was an adapter that went into the chat pad (especially if I am expected to shell out 200 clams)

The price is a little steep right now for my needs, but this is something that I look forward to owning in the future!

Thanks for the write up!
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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I got these for my friend brandon and his wife as they have a 14 month old and their game time has suffered. I had read some reviews, but it's nice to hear one from someone I trust. I may have to get me one since as some of you know my wireless mic picks up my surround sound and I have to turn it down or mute my mic when I play online. Great review REV!!!
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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Quote by theevol1:


That is a fantastic review Rev!

I have been thinking about getting a set of these since being so impressed with the last generation of the Earforce headsets.

I do wish there was an adapter that went into the chat pad (especially if I am expected to shell out 200 clams)

The price is a little steep right now for my needs, but this is something that I look forward to owning in the future!

Thanks for the write up!



Actually, the chatpad comes with a headset and an adapter. If you have the chatpad, you should have an adapter.
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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Thanks for the review. I'm deciding between these or a sound bar with a sub wolf.
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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Quote by zoboa:


Actually, the chatpad comes with a headset and an adapter. If you have the chatpad, you should have an adapter.



Sadly I bought my chatpad off of Ebay, so I didn't get anything other that the pad itself. I couldn't see paying full price for a new one.
Re: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" Wireless Headphones
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I've had the X1 & X3, they are garbage compaired to the X4. If you are a hardcore gamer then add these to your arsenal. I can hear noobs coming up behind me and have time enough to spin around to give 'em a shotgun to the face. By far the best headset I ever bought, well worth the $200.

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Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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I actually have the turtle beach X1 & to me they sound great. Lol. But I did see the X4's & I soo wanted to get them,but don't have that kinda money to blow on a headset.
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The X1 and X3 are decent headphones, definitely. The X3 even has pretty much the same Live chat-friendly things the X4 has.
They just only do stereo signals, they don't do the Dolby processing.

For those interested, some other good headphone solutions:
Tritton AX360 5.1 digital headphones - about $90
Medusa 5.1 Pro Gamer V2 - about $91
Audio FX Pro 5+1 Gaming Headset - about $80
Re: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" Wireless Headphones
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I'll let you guys know how mine are when they come in. Newegg had em for 139 on black friday and i picked up a pair ^^
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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that really does like a great headset.
god... there's been so many times where i'm gaming and jen wants to watch a movie on the computer and i have to turn my game down. i would LOVE to not do that lol!
i doubt i'll get it though. that's alot of money.
then again this thread's a little old. maybe i'll look into the current price.
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I have the X2 and its really good except when i dont wanna use them and just play the game through the speakers its really quiet and i have to turn the volume up twice as much as usual.
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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I have the X2 and its really good except when i dont wanna use them and just play the game through the speakers its really quiet and i have to turn the volume up twice as much as usual. Ugh it didnt post it the first time but now it did.
Re: Product Review: Product Review: Turtle Beach "Ear Force X4" wireless headphones
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amazon currently has them for 169.99 with free shipping. not too shab.
i don't see the x2, spider, but the x3 is currently 107.95 new.


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