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This headset rocks! I definitely took a chance on these despite not having seen any previous reviews or ratings, but it was worth it. I wanted to test it out for a few weeks before writing a review. Also, this is my first Sharkoon product.
Along with the headset itself, it includes
optical cable
"sound control unit" (your little magic black box where all cables run to)
adapters for PC (comes with 5.1 analog for those w/o pc optical), 360, ps3
detachable boom mic (it does flex to your preference)
power supply (single cord which splits off to power your SCU and headset separately) Ex.) you can still disconnect the power to the SCU and still have power running to the headset by itself. The power supply comes with swappable heads. I guess this is if you go out of the country and want to use their foreign outlets.
It took me a little bit of time to figure out all these adapters, settings, and wires (there are a lot of wires.)
The Sound Control Unit (SCU) is where your optical, power supply and 9-pin headset connector come together. You can also adjust the general volume here, but I usually just use the volume adjust attached the the headset cord. There is a 5.1 analog output as another option for those PC users without an optical option. With two 9-pin headset jacks, a second person with the same headset may also listen in. Two Dolby options include Dolby Digital and Pro Logic. There are two included settings called Time-Delay and Dynamic Range Control located on the SCU.
Both of these passages taken directly from the manual. Either setting can be turned on or off.
"Time-Delay The Time-Delay function allows to define a time delay for the sound reproduction for each speaker. Thus a spacious playback of the audio signal can be achieved. Note that increasing the delay too much may cause unnatural results."
"Dynamic Range Control Dynamic Range control limits the dynamic, decreasing the level differences between loud and quiet passages in the Dolby Digital 5.1 signal thus balancing the effect of loudness."
Other nice features include a volume adjuster which is attached the headset cord. The X-tatic logo on the headset AND also the attached volume adjuster light up. Looks good to me! The volume is indicated by the different colors lighted up on the volume adjuster ranging from green (very low) to red (very high). The sound volume from each speaker can also be adjusted individually. So say you're sniping and you want to hear even more of the sounds behind you. You can "up" the volume on the rear speakers to do just that. Or you might be looking to get more "boom" from your sounds. You can increase the bass volume while keeping the other speakers at their current volume.
There is a switch to turn off your voice. You can't hear your own voice while speaking, but I prefer it that way. Voice volume from other people can also be adjusted independently from game volume. So when I hear a lobby full of annoying kids, I lower the voice volume and just "up" my awesome game volume. Bliss.
Comfort 5/5 Took a night of gameplay to "break-in", so now it fits comfortably. Good padding so it sits well on your head. The ear cups can be tilted and also swivel to match your unique head shape (a BIG plus for me.) I can wear these 4-5 hours easy.
Sound 5/5 Amazing! Playing MW2 and GOW2 is a whole new experience now! Sounds I never knew existed in these games gave me a whole new appreciation! Distant gunfire, rustling of bushes and grass around me, and even slight downpour can be heard. With that said, the 5.1 directionality will add a whole new dimension to your gameplay. For me, there is a clear distinction between if gunfire is coming from front, rear, front left, rear right, etc. Footsteps come in loud and clear. This keeps me more aware of my surroundings. Hurray for situational awareness!
Price 4/5 It is quite the steep investment for me at $159.99, even with the free shipping from Amazon (love ya for that Amazon!) I did have to think twice before my purchase solely because the price. Now that I look back on it, it was the right move.
Overall, this headset definitely meets my expectations. It looks good and has some surprisingly cool features. Maybe if they could fix the amount of wires, but I guess that what it takes to work on the pc, 360, and ps3.
Good Hunting!
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This isn't meant to be a very technical review, but I will share my opinion with hope that I can answer some questions that I had when reviewing these headphones.
I've been using these headphones mainly for PC and PS3 games. For those of you with intention of using these with an xbox 360, be warned you will need to purchase a specific xbox360 adapter for the optical audio (I would have tested MW2 already if I had the xbox360 connection). The PS3 has and most newer PC motherboards even have the optical audio connection. If you're really serious about having amazing PC audio, you might consider an aftermarket sound card ... but then again, if you ARE really serious, you'd be buying an ACTUAL 5.1 system and not just headphones.
These aren't meant for stereo sound and only do a mediocre job at best when just listening to music, unless you connect the 5.1 analog adapter and use the orange (center and sub channel), then it sounds better. I haven't compared these to any other gaming headset, but I have no complaints on the sound quality. You do have the ability to adjust the volume of the front, center, rear and sub channels which is very handy for getting the sound just right. You can go further and adjust other settings, but I haven't tinkered with that.
These headphones are also very comfortable. Most of the weight is on top of your head and not on or over your ears which greatly reduces ear fatigue. I have used them for 3+ hours with little discomfort!
Take note that these are in no way noise canceling headphones. If you have the volume down low, you will be able to hear what's going on around you, and those around you might hear what you are listening to if you've got the volume up very high. That's not a big problem though.
I've used the mic over Skype and in games such as SC2 and have had people comment on the good quality of the sound of my voice. It's nice that the mic is detachable, but honestly, it's never really in the way and I never detach it.
The headphones themselves glow green, quite brightly. This is a nice feature if you're trying to impress people with cool hardware, but it's annoying to have them sitting beside my bed on my desk at night when I'm trying to sleep -an acceptable annoyance.
The mess of cables isn't really an issue considering I already have a mess of cables on my desk where I have a PC, PS3 and Xbox360. If you are worried about the mess of cables, you might consider purchasing a longer optical cable as the supplied one is quite short (approx 2 feet). This way you can have the adapter and all the cables hidden somewhere. The cable from the headphone is very long, so don't worry about that.
One last note, this purchase was a shot in the dark. I had never heard of Sharkoon before and am quite pleased. I was debating over this and the TRITTON AXPRO and chose these. I don't regret my decision!
Buy Sharkoon X-Tatic True 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound Gaming Headset Now
I ordered the Sharkoon Xtatic after quite a bit of online research. I was at first going to buy a surround sound system to play my PS3 with. After considering this and the fact that my roommate might not appreciate my midnight Call of Duty "boom sessions," I decided to check out surround sound headphones. These can range widely in price, and my budget was admittedly low.
After some browsing the web and reading lots of reviews, I came to the Sharkoon Xtatic. Not much was available online about it, as far as reviews go. I couldn't find many other 5.1 headset for the PS3, so I decided to take a gamble.
The verdict: I like my headset. It is a lot of fun to use and really immerses me in my first-person shooters, like Call of Duty. I also enjoy having the mic built in, as opposed to a standard 5.1 headphone set. However, I don't think the performance justifies the price tag. I feel like a stereo headset would be only a hint behind the Xtatic in performance, as the surround sound in the Xtatic is not very great. It does have a somewhat surround feel to it, but not what I had hoped for. If I could go back, I would have either paid more for a surround sound speaker set (and annoyed my roommate), or I would have paid less money for a nice stereo headset. I just don't think this headset performs well enough to justify the price. Also, I will add that the Sharkoon has quite a tangle of cables to connect in order for everything to work properly. This isn't a deal breaker for me, but for anyone obsessed with maintaining a clean, clutter free wire setup, I don't think you want this headset.
One more thing. I have noticed some nasty distortion when I play Guitar Hero World Tour. This tends to happen during the loading screen when the crowd is cheering. Haven't had any sound problems in CoD:MW, or MW2.
Read Best Reviews of Sharkoon X-Tatic True 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound Gaming Headset Here
Astro? Turtle Beach? Tritton? I own many gaming headsets from these companies, including each of their flagship models. How do they fair against the $139 Sharkoon X-Tatic True?
In the interest of brevity:
Astro A40($250+): Although more comfortable, the Astro A40's do NOT come close in Sound or Build Quality. Winner: Sharkoon, by a long shot.
Turtle Beach PX5/XP500($213-$240+): Nothing shines with Turtle Beach PX5's/XP500's. Horrible even if they were to retail for $99. Winner: Sharkoon, NOT EVEN CLOSE.
Tritton AX Pro($160+): Better than the Turtle Beach Brand, even though Mad Catz shall lead them to their doom. Build quality: FAIL. True 5.1 Implementation: Fail. Even though they are considered to be exactly the same as the Sharkoon X-Tatic True... they are not. Winner: Sharkoon, Superior Sound & Build Quality.
Funny right? The headset with the lowest cost DOMINATES it's competitors that cost $21-$111 more.
Build Quality: 5/5 Most solid of any of my 20+ headsets.
Comfort: 3.25/5 Heavy & In-Line amp could use a belt clip like my A40's have.
Mic: 4.5/5 Clear & Flexible but could be a bit longer
Incoming Chat(PS3): 4/5 Clear but volume is a bit too low
Sound: 4.75/5 Superior Sound Quality. #1 Gaming Headset.
Sound Sub Categories:
Gaming: 5/5
Directional Recognition: 5/5
Gaming Booms(Bass): 5/5
Music: 4.5/5
Surround: 5/5
Music Bass: 4.25/5
Movies(BluRay): 5/5
Surround: 5/5
Movies Bass: 5/5
Top Quality Headset. Don't Fear this purchase as I did. You will not regret this great buy.
Want Sharkoon X-Tatic True 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound Gaming Headset Discount?
Well based on the reviews, I purchased these headsets and I've had them for two days and I'm very satisfied. My review is from the point of view of a PC user and not X-Box.
I have a set of Klipsh 2:1 Speakers and was considering a surround sound system, but the family is already complaining about my loud music and games. I figured a better alternative was to get a surround sound headset which I can play loud as I'd like. I mostly watch movies and Game a little. I researched up and down and found that these have 4 speakers per side and claim to provide true surround sound in a headset.
Below are my impressions:
1. I have a Soundblaster Fatality Titanium Sound Card. Maybe your results will be different with a different card but these speakers work well with this model. I tried running the headsets both through the box connected to my Digital out put and through the analog plugs and by-passing the box. There is an option to not use the little box and connect the headset directly to your PC using analog cables. I had to pull out the manual because the color coding on these cables are European and don't match the Sound-blaster Color Coding. But using both manuals I matched up the right cables. There was no improvement without the box on any type of listening and you didn't get the full Dolby effect on the digital type sounds. The digital optical output through the box is the only way to run these you need the box to interpret the sound and bring out the beauty of Digital sound. Blue-Ray Digital Discs sound fantastic with these headsets.
2. Be careful there is a setting on the box (Button) that turns on Pro Logic. If the sound source is not Dolby or Digital than it sounds like crap. I believe this is why a few people may have given these Headsets bad reviews. Their fault they had the Dolby Prologic on with the wrong source. By the way the base is very strong on these at normal settings with options to turn it up directly through the headset control.
3. Music, If you are buying these to play YouTube stuff, forget it. It sounds fine but it just isn't Bose or Sennheiser Quality. If You are an audiophile about music and getting it from non digital sources, get a digital splitter and/or a different headset. This speaker set excels with gaming and movies and with anything that is using Digital DTS or Digital Dolby 5:1 or surround sound effects. Blue Ray Disks are incredible. You tube stuff is very mediocre.
4. Netflix When I first turned on Netflix it sounded horrible than I unchecked Dolby, wham 100% turnaround. I believe that my Soundblaster EAX took over because the next thing you know
I was listening to Apocalypse Now and Bullets are sounding all over the place I was wowed by the excellent sound. These don't just simulate surround sound, they are surround sound. I confirmed this in another scene from Apocalypse Now. In this scene near the end Sheen is first talking to Brando. The camera is switching perspectives. The stuff happening from behind sounded from behind and the stuff in front to the front. It confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that these do more than just simulate surround sound. I heard sounds behind in front and to the sides!!
4. Games. I played Crysis and it was very immersive. I haven't played enough games on this to comment but I believe that it excels at gaming, I was getting the forwards backwards sideways sounds and to it was great.I think alot is going to depend on the game and how it's programmed. But digital games are going to sound awesome!!
5. Comfort. I don't know why but even though these are huge they aren't hot and sweaty. This is the first two sided enclosed headset that I've used where I wasn't sweating rivulets. I really can't figure why they are so comfortable. I wear glasses and have no problems.
So in conclusion, don't buy these for Non-Digital Music. Buy them for gaming and High Def Movies and you'll be a happy camper. Be careful not to use the Dolby button with non Dolby sources. Use a Digital Optical output along with the box.
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Add on to original Review.
One of the complaints I've heard is that you can't turn these off. Actually you can, funny thing is that I picked this trick up in the reviews of a competitors Headset that's supposed to be similar to this one. If you push the Volume button and the "Front" buttons in at the same time the Headset will turn off. Kind of nifty because you'll never turn it off by accident and once you know the trick it's very simple.
I also felt that when I raised the volumes on the Box and used the volume of the headsets at lower volume that quality increased.
