Bundled PS4 headset is garbage, so I bought this instead:

Link: Turtle Beach Ear Force X42 Headset (Wireless)

I confirmed with Turtle Beach tech support that is works with both PS4 and XBOX ONE (I have both consoles), and only requires the Turtle Beach PS4 Chat Cable for full chat compatibility with the PS4. And it has an XBOX ONE adapter coming out for it soon.

On the other hand, the bundled PS4 headset is so terrible that even on max volume you can barely hear anyone else talk on Assassins Creed multiplayer, and there is a bunch of background noise as well.

Anyone here have experience with higher-end Turtle Beach headsets like the X42? I have heard really good things about them.

Bundled mic+headphone(not much of a headset) sounds great to me, always been very clear and natural sounding, especially in uploaded content. In multi player it's more than enough, very clear, more than capable. I guess the turtle Beach will be better as it costs a lot more but cannot honestly cannot fault the free headset one bit. Some videos I actually prefer the free headset instead of a third party but for being free and included with the console it's one of the better sounding headsets out there.

How van you even like the one bundled with the ps4 they are the most uncomfortable most horrid things, they might aswel of not put a headset in the box I've gone out and bought a $160 headset which is well worth the money

i bought the PX22 for 70 dollars and they work great! It was well worth the money. I didnt like the bundled headphone it was a piece of crap.

@Thunder7151:

With the money you spent on the X42's, you should have got the Skullcandy PLYR 1's which sound a lot better and are fully wireless with nothing plugged into the controller. And that's only if wired hesdphones are a complete deal breaker.

Turtle Beach headsets are really bad at any price. Your absolute best option is buying the Astro Mixamp, a pair of professional grade studio reference headphones and a PC mic like the Zalman ZM-Mic1.

On the lower end , you want the Superlux HD668b's which cost $45 on Amazon but sound like $200+ AKG's. Those paired with Mixamp and mic, you are looking at $185 but it sounds 10 times better than even $300 Turtle Beach hesdphones. If you have even more to spend, you would pair the same combo with AKG Q701's or Sony MDR MA900's.

From someone who knows a thing or two about audio, I highly recommend you stay far away from the scam that are console headsets. If you cannot and absoutely need wireless no matter what, those Skullcandys are the only logical option.

That's a first, I've never heard someone who claims to know something about audio and recommend Skullcandys before

Yeah, it isn't much. But not everyone can buy a headset

i didnt have any real issues with the bundled earpiece. i just prefer a boom mic and a speaker that doesnt go in your ear so i got the p4c.

@KHAndAnime:

Apparently you know little on the subject or else you wouldn't question it.

First off, I said if a "Wired" setup wasn't an option for you. This makes the PLYR1 the only "Gaming" headset worth buying. Astro Gaming had a lot to do with the development of this headset because Astro Gaming is owned by "Skullcandy". Even somebody who uses a $1K pair of headphones such as a high end pair of Denon's is running them through a Skullcandy product for surround sound and chat which is the Astro Mixamp. The Plyr1 blows away even the Astro A50's and are $120 cheaper. For what the headset is, its even highly regarded in Mad Lust Envys gaming headphone guide on www.head-fi.org.

Now ideally people should be using a good pair of studio reference headphones with the Astro Mixamp. But unfortunatly for many, wired is a deal breaker regardless of the sound difference.

@geminontraveler:

Stay away from these "Official" products. These are just as bad if not worse than the Turtle Beach headsets.

You wouldn't buy some gimmicky accessory as an HDTV display. Why would you do it with your audio as well? The quality that comes from these "Console" gaming headsets is no better than something you would buy at Big Lots or maybe even the electronics section at CVS, Rite Aid or Walgreens.

Ok well maybe not that bad. Big Lots maybe though. There is a big difference between the Sony headphones at Kmart or Walmart and Sony Headphones in the audio section at Best Buy. With these "Gaming" headsets, you really are only getting Walmart quality whether they are official or not.

@geminontraveler:

You are not getting mid ranged audio though nor are you getting any sort of real surround sound. Its fine you don't think you need an audiophile setup however even at $100 if you can find them that cheap, Pulse Elites just aren't worth it. There is better audio coming from even $40 AKG knockoffs coming out of Taiwan such as the Superlux HD668B's. Strip the gimmicks and this headset should have been $60 tops

The build materials are cheap and they pay absoutely no licensing to console manufacturers or Dolby since they use their own very generic surround technology. You are better off just plugging a $50 pair of Samson SR850's straight into the Dualshovk since their wide soundstage and imaging will give you better positioning in two channel stereo than Pulse will using its generic VSS.

And running a wired setup isn't nearly as bad as you think. Two wires go into the mixamp and two wires come out if the mixamp. Its a very tidy setup and the sound quality is ten times better for about $35 more than the Pulse Elites suggested retail price. Kind of sad that people will settle for toys in the name of convenience.

the best headset i've ever had so far is sony's elite pulse wireless sterio headset. the earbud doesn't really bother me too much because i'm not going to be using it once sony releases a update for the ps4 enabling use of the pulse headsets. turtle beach makes some good headsets but the earphones are too small for me since i wear glasses all the time. i'd have unbearable pain in my ears after about 15 minutes using the turtle beach headsets.

@geminontraveler:

It's not bias at all and Sony makes some really good headphones like the MDR-MA900's.

Now you can go on Amazon, look up just about any gaming headset and find the exact same kind of reviews with people calling it the best they ever owned. These people have no knowledge about audio and nothing to compare them to except for maybe another crappy gaming headset, their TV speakers or the earbuds that came with their smart phone or media player. So through a Lack of knowledge and misinformed user reviews, people think they are great when really its not any different than buying something like a musical instrument or audio system from Toys R Us..

The bundle headset is literally poo. I am waiting for the patch so I can use the Sony wireless 7.1 headset for the playstation 3.

Hell of a way to start a thread. But the bundled headset isn't trash, no it's the best headset out there, but it's clear don't have to charge it and it's comfy. I hate big headsets and to spend 100 or more on one just cuz it's better. The ps4 one is good enough and I haven't had any issues with it

@JoKeR_421:

I wish more people thought like you. The less people with 7.1 over ear headsets, the less people who hear my footsteps or location of my gunfire.

@Murderstyle75: well what can u do? Ppl think it's necessary I tthink it's a waste of my money. Half the time I'm laughing and conversating with my friends in party chat to even notice footsteps lol. Well either way OP has his opinion , while I don't agree with his comment about the packaged headset he can enjoy his turtle beach and I can enjoy my headset. Just didn't see a reason for this thread