Turtle Beach Ear Force XP400 Dolby Surround Sound Gaming Headset Review
The XP400 is a premium wireless gaming headset featuring Dolby surround sound and wireless Xbox LIVE chat for a totally immersive experience. The XP400 features a state-of-the-art 2.4/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi radio that virtually eliminates wireless interference with other devices. Its dual-pairing Bluetooth technology lets you chat wirelessly on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 and answer mobile phone calls; all while gaming in amazing 360 degree wireless surround sound. Powered by a rechargeable battery, the XP400 provides up to 15 hours of play and the ability to recharge while gaming so you'll never miss out on the action.
The XP400 also comes equipped with multiple EQ presets and adjustable surround sound angles, allowing you to customize the audio for different gaming scenarios. Massive 50mm speakers with acoustically tuned ear cups and breathable mesh ear cushions deliver the ultimate in audio fidelity and extreme comfort.
Turtle Beach Audio Advantage
The Dolby Surround Sound produced by this headset will ensure that you hear every sound in your game with pitch perfect 360 degree accuracy. The Ear Force XP400 allows you to adjust the angle of each speaker inside the headset so you can fine tune the surround sound audio to your specific individual taste.
Turtle Beach uses Dual-Band Wi-Fi technology to provide a non-static, interference-free connection by navigating to a less crowded bandwidth around all the laptops, tablets, smartphones, microwaves and other wireless devices that compete for space in your home. The Dolby Surround Sound, adjustable speaker angles and Dual-Band Wi-Fi combine to give you an audio advantage in gaming like no other.
Price : $203.54
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Turtle Beach Ear Force XP400 Dolby Surround Sound Gaming Headset Feature
- Dolby Surround Sound - Immersive 360 degree audio lets you pinpoint the direction of every sound
- 2.4/5GHZ Dual-Band Wi-Fi - Selects the optimum frequency in the 2.4GHz/5GHz spectrums, virtually eliminating interference
- Dual-Pairing Bluetooth - Answer mobile phone calls while gaming
- Wireless Xbox LIVE and PSN Chat - Enjoy complete wireless freedom without the need for chat cables
- Rechargeable Battery - Provides up to 15 hours of uninterrupted gameplay and can be recharged while gaming
- 50 mm speakers; 2.4/5GHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi
- Digital and Analog inputs as well as a digital optical connection
- Dolby Surround Sound with adjustable surround sound angles
- Dual-pairing Bluetooth - Chat wirelessly on Xbox 360 and PS3 and answer mobile phone calls while gaming
- Separate equalizer and stereo expander presets can be combined for different gaming situations
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Costumer review
41 of 48 people found the following review helpful.
Comparison to X41
By Stephen M. Lerch
About 2 years ago my fiance was complaining about the noise from my surround receiver and my gaming habit. I took the plunge and bought the Ear Force X41 and couldn't have been happier... except for the near constant popping and clicking I heard. Moving the receiver away from my wireless router fixed some of this, but still, I would get the pops at random intervals and it could be quite annoying. Don't even try to use the microwave if you have the X41s turned on and on your head!
I then received a Steel Series Spectrum 7xB via Vine and did a comparison to the X41s. The 7xBs were only marginally better at keeping down the interference and the extra features over the X41s really didn't make me want to move into using them day to day, so I went back to the X41s not long after my review for the 7xB.
Now I'm comparing the XP400s to the X41s and I think I'm going to be sticking to the XP400s this time around.
First, there is NO interference to be heard on the XP400s. You read that correctly, NONE. I put the receiver almost on top of the wireless router that caused all my issues with the X41s and the 7xBs and not once in 4 hours of playing like this did I hear even a faint pop or click! I even tried to use the microwave and... still, no pops or clicks! For many people this alone will be the single best reason to upgrade from previous Turtle Beach models.
Pairing to the wireless controller communicator was done at the factory, so it really was a matter of: charge the headphones, plug in the receiver to the 360 (I used optical and replaced the X41 receiver), plug the headphone puck into the controller and power up the headphones. Powering up the headphones also turned on the wireless puck.
You can control the volume of game chat with buttons on the right headphone, mute is also on this headphone as is the Bluetooth pairing for cell phones. Being able to pair via Bluetooth is also how this headset also works with the PS3. PS3 chat isn't bad, but not as nice for me as the 360 chat, for which these headphones seem to have been designed. I paired this to my phone and made a few calls - everyone thought I sounded OK, just a little tinny.
Another nice feature is the mic gain control. This is what changes the mic sensitivity. With it turned all the way up, I hear a near constant hiss and those in my party commented that they could hear a lot of background noise, such as the heater running and family members talking in the background. I dialed this down, which eliminated most of the hiss, if not all, and my chat partners all commented that I was then quite clearly heard, however, I was still described as sounding "tinny."
One feature I really liked about the X41s was how no matter what volume I had the game volume set to, I could always clearly hear my party's conversations because they had some algorithm to figure out and volume match in game audio and raise chat volume when explosions and other loud audio is heard in game. The XP400 do as good a job as the X41s, which means it's quite a solid experience to hear conversation clearly as well as in game audio. The 7xBs had a similar feature, but it would actually audibly turn the volume down of game volume, which was kind of distracting, which was another reason I went back to the X41s.
The detachable microphone is nice, and seems to be about the same as the X41, though the XP400 is a bit thicker and beefier. The connection seems to be the same, though I haven't yet tried swapping mics between the two. I preferred the 7xB due to the retractable mic, but that feature alone wasn't a big enough reason for me to use them all the time.
In terms of sound quality, since the XP400s can use digital audio output from the 360 (and it can also take analog, that red and white connection), you get very clear audio and darn good surround sound as well. In terms of the X41 vs the XP400, I think the XP400 has a little bit of an edge in terms of sound quality. In game surround just sounds better with the XP400s to me. The XP400 also has the ability to change the surround configuration to 4 different presets, all changing how it mixes each "channel" of audio in headphone. I've tried all 4 presets and each does change surround configuration subtly. I find the original surround mode works best for my ears.
Another nice feature is the preset "equalizer" modes. You can enhance nothing (what comes from the 360 is what you hear), you can enhance just bass for bigger explosions, you can enhance just treble for some dialog enhancements and other higher pitched sounds and then you can enhance both. I find I prefer the "both" option as it makes the audio sound a bit richer. All of these settings sound better, to me, than the 7xBs.
There is one feature, however, that I am completely not happy with on the XP400s. The battery is rechargeable, which is good, however it is built into the headset. It is NOT user replaceable! This means that in 2 years or so, after many recharge cycles, I'll either be forced to buy another pair of headphones or send these to Turtle Beach to pay a fee to have the battery replaced. I absolutely hate this about modern day electronics. Absolutely detest it - built in obsolescence so that people have to spend more money with the company releasing the product. iPad, iPhone, many Android phones, other MP3 players, etc. It's a huge load of horse patoot in my opinion. I like the X41s because I can field replace the AAA batteries on my own. 7xBs, same thing, replaceable batteries. Not so with the XP400. Thankfully you can still use the headphones while they are charging, however this means they aren't always wireless. Nothing is more annoying than having the headphones die mid game and then have to plug in. Of course, this isn't a completely different experience over having to replace the batteries mid play either, just different. I understand the need for a more powerful battery given the added features - Bluetooth eats battery, being completely wireless eats battery and so on. Just because I understand the need for more power than a few AAAs, doesn't mean I like having to have planned obsolescence and not being able to purchase and replace the battery on my own.
One thing that is an improvement is the XP400 actually gives you beeps to tell you the headset needs to be recharged. There was nothing more annoying with the XP41s to have them just die mid game, especially during multiplayer fighting as you stop hearing game audio AND chat when this happens. At least now I have about a 10 minute warning before the battery completely dies.
Turtle Beach claims 10 hours of battery life on a single charge for "normal" use and 15 for "optimal" use. What I've found is I can actually pull off about 12 - 13 hours if I turn off the Bluetooth function and just use it for game audio when I'm playing on my own. Adding BT and chat all the time and I'm down to around 11 hours.
Over all, the XP400s are a great improvement in every way to the XP41s in everything except for the battery being non-replaceable by the end user. Of course, the MSRP on the XP400 is about $20 higher than the X41s so there is that to remember.
Pros:
Great surround sound
True surround sound, not simulated when using optical audio
Chat and game audio equalization (chat isn't covered up by in game sounds)
Completely wireless
No interference
360/PS3 compatibility
Can be paired to your cell phone and used while gaming - no fumbling to put headphones down to answer a call
10+ hour play time
Can be used w/ third party controllers (see Con below)
A step above the X41s
Adjustable microphone gain - if you want to hear yourself louder in the headphones, turn this up. If others in your chat can't hear you clearly, turn this up
BT pairing to cell phone
Cons:
Tinny chat sound during party chat on 360 according to those in my parties
Battery isn't user replaceable
Third party (or 1st party wheels) require a cable for chat, which is NOT included (THOUGH THOSE w/ THE X41s, the cable that came with those headphones DOES work)
Pricey
Why 4 stars? That battery thing does really annoy me. IF you don't mind not having the ability to replace the battery and don't mind the price, these are a solid 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
AWESOME! No Buzz, No Hum, No Hiss, No Pops!
By Orlandoech
I was able to snag these on Amazon a few days ago for $180, which was a STEAL! I mainly play MW3 (XBOX) so here is my review for now, I will update my review in a week or two with updates on the Surround Sound Angles.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
- XP400 Wireless Headset
- XP400 Transmitter
- Digital Optical Cable (approx 4 feet)
- Headset Charging Cable (12 feet)
- Bluetooth Chat Adapter (PS3 & XBOX Compatible)
- User Guide
- Turtle Beach Sticker
WHAT'S NOT IN THE BOX?
- XBOX Live TalkBack Cable
CONSOLE COMPATIBILITY:
XBOX
PS3
PC
FEATURES:
Bluetooth (BT) XBOX Live Chat or optional Wired Chat. I've tried both and the Wired Chat sounds better and breaks up less obviously, but I wanted to be completely wireless so I went with the Wireless BT. BT for cellphones so you can receive, deny or end calls via the headset which is awesome. *Note, the TurtleBeach XBOX Live TalkBack Cable is NOT included.*
Mic, the mic is removable and it has a "mic monitor" dial which is awesome. I turn it all the way up so I can hear myself so I don't scream.
Battery, it has a built in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. I'm not too sure how I feel about this yet, as being able to replace batteries can be nice it can also be very inconvenient. You can also charge the headset while playing with no popping, hissing, humming, etc which was great.
Surround Sound Angles, it comes with 6 surround sound angles, I have yet to find one I like best but they all work surprisingly well. Better than the older X41s and XP500.
Surround Sound ON/OFF Button is also nice to hear the difference.
Blast Limiter, I thought this was awesome. It allows you to "limit" the sound of background blast and gun fire to focus on the soft sounds such as footsteps, which I rely on heavily since I use Dead Silence in MW3.
Tone Presets, it comes with 4 tones presets, flat, bass boost, treble boost, and bass & treble boost. I prefer Flat myself.
SOUND:
Bass/Treble/Mids - Amazingly clear and loud, they sound better than the X32's I returned for these.
BUILD: Awesome build, not as cheap as the X32, overall a much better build quality.
COMFORT:
The headset is very comfortable. The ear cups also are comfortable around my ears and they don't put pressure on my head so they don't give me headaches which is nice. They are slightly too big for my smaller head however, but they fit good enough.
HAVE A WIRELESS ROUTER:
I have a Netgear Dual-Band router with a total of 10 devices connected wirelessly, 7 on the 2.4GHz spectrum and 3 on the 5GHz spectrum and I have NO issues of any popping, hissing, humming, buzzing, etc.
HAVE LOTS OF WIRELESS DEVICES:
I have had 2 iPhones, an iPad, Roku, Roku2, iMac and PC laptop connected wirelessly at the same time while I game with NO issues. Keep in mind my Xbox is the only thing I have hard wired. I also have turned the microwave on two rooms away and still have NO, I repeat NO issues.
WIRELESS ROUTER IN CLOSE PROXIMITY:
I also have my headset no less 8 feet away from my router and STILL DO NOT have any issues. This is an amazing headset.
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Big money to be so far from great...
By Milk
Coming from the X41s, I had high expectations of the XP400s.
-Pros-
Surround processing is very accurate and detailed.
Bluetooth wireless chat.
New Dual-band radio eliminates nearly all interference for my setup.
-Cons-
Chat. Others complain it sounds like I'm talking through a coffee can.
Non-replaceable battery.
EQ modes very limited.
Blast limiter seems like it is always enabled, even when turned off.
Product Features
"Dolby Surround Sound - Immersive 360 degree audio lets you pinpoint the direction of every sound"
This it does, and does very well. No complaints here. It even seems improved over the X41's surround processing.
"2.4/5GHZ Dual-Band Wi-Fi - Selects the optimum frequency in the 2.4GHz/5GHz spectrums, virtually eliminating interference"
BIG upgrade over the X41. I used to get tons of interference from the microwave, video baby monitor, wireless... pretty much anything that plugged into the wall. Now I just get an occasional drop out... about once every hour or two.
"Dual-Pairing Bluetooth - Answer mobile phone calls while gaming"
Great feature, albeit unnecessary. Good if you miss calls because your headphones are too loud.
*update 4/27/12 this feature has come in handy and works very well. It is slick being able to answer the phone mid-game and not have to wrestle around with the phone and headset.
"Wireless Xbox LIVE and PSN Chat - Enjoy complete wireless freedom without the need for chat cables"
GREAT idea, but something isn't right. I've seen others mention the thin sound, like in a tunnel. I can hear them fine, they sound great... but they have a hard time understanding me. I've had quite a few friends complain about how I sound. "what's wrong with your mic?" "are you in a tunnel?" "are you chatting through a soup can?" "What did you say???" For this price, this shouldn't happen. I am currently working with turtlebeach to see if it is an isolated case, or just some shortcut they took on the mic itself.
*update 4/27/12 Worked with turtle beach. Did everything they suggested with no improvement. They kindly offered to RMA the boom itself, and I may decide to try it but I don't have much confidence it will change much. I say that based on the many other comments about the chat.
"Rechargeable Battery - Provides up to 15 hours of uninterrupted gameplay and can be recharged while gaming"
This SOUNDS like a great idea, but it has 2 major flaws. If you need to charge while playing, it defeats the purpose of a wireless headset. The charging cable they give you is quite long, so you aren't strapped 4 feet from your 360. Also, at some point, that battery is going to wear out. LiPo (Lithium Polymer) batteries have limited charge cycles. Time will tell the quality of the cells, and what options we will have in the future.
"50 mm speakers; 2.4/5GHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi"
Speakers sound great, read on for my sound complaints.
*update 4/27/12 The sound really is good. It sounds better than the x41s did, as well as better than my sony and sennheiser headphones.
"Digital and Analog inputs as well as a digital optical connection"
Connectivity is simple if you already have an optical audio cable coming from the 360.
"Dolby Surround Sound with adjustable surround sound angles"
This is where I nit-pick. I don't fully understand the point of adjustable sound angles. Dolby surround is VERY specific about ideal speaker placement, and the surround sound processor should stick strictly to that in order to maintain 360 degree, positional sound. See [...] The first surround sound angle option out of the 6 is the one that seems to be set for the correct speaker angles. The other ones all made the sounds to the side and behind seem like they were coming from incorrect angles.
"Dual-pairing Bluetooth - Chat wirelessly on Xbox 360 and PS3 and answer mobile phone calls while gaming"
Already been covered. Cool, possibly useful, but a creature comfort.
"Separate equalizer and stereo expander presets can be combined for different gaming situations"
Once again, This headset loses some points for me. Yes, there are 4 EQ presets. Normal, Treble boost, Bass Boost, and Treble + Bass boost. Here's the problem. The normal mode is very flat. Very little bass. Treble boost is way too bright. almost ear piercing. Bass boost alone is just rumbling. Then the bass and treble boost is the least of 4 evils I guess. Still too much bright and too much bass. There really needs to be a happy medium. Right between normal and bass and treble boost would be ideal.
"Dynamic Chat Boost. Chat volume automatically increases as the game volume gets louder."
This function isn't noticeable, so in my opinion that means it is working. It took a day to really tweak the chat volume level but now that I got a good comfortable setting, it is fine.
"Ear Guard(tm) with Blast Limiter. Limit the intensity of deafening game sounds like gunfire and explosions."
Another great idea, but it seems flawed. I understand they don't want you to blow your eardrums, but it seems like it is always on, even when in the "Off" setting.
All in all, I guess I am happy with them. I don't plan on returning the headset, but I do think you should get a little better bang for your buck. Especially the chat mic sounding horrible. I understand that from a $5 generic chat headset, not a $220 set of high tech headphones.
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