Review: Earforce X4 Xbox 360 Wireless Surround Sound Headset
We here at NAV are huge wireless headphone fans. One thing we've noticed is that most standard wireless headphones just don't cut it when gaming. We've been eyeing the Earforce X4 Xbox 360 Wireless Surround Sound Headset ever since it came out and now Gizmodo has a decent review. The review states:
It should be noted that these "surround sound" headphones are really transposing a 5.1 channel signal into two stereo speakers, but the results are excellent all the same. In Call of Duty 4, I could track a helicopter's proximity to me perfectly (with exception of just behind my head). And in Project Gotham Racing 4, cars whizzed by ears with aggressive speed.
As for the chatting, it's a complete pleasure in the X4s. Not only do both sides of the conversation benefit from improved audio clarity, but you hear your own voice mixed in with the game audio. This audio loop is to help keep you from shouting, and I think it works in practice. Plus, the mic's wire is supported by a pliable but durable metal skin--it feels 100x better than the stock 360 headset mic, like production-level gear.
$200 seems like a lot to drop on a pair of wireless headphones but if you take your gaming seriously, you might want to start saving your nickels.
You can also check out this video on the Earforce X4:
If it weren't for the invention of wireless headphones I'd never get to watch TV. The reason is most of my quality TV time is late night after the family is asleep and they get a bit cranky when I'm watching the bank robbery scene in 'Heat' at full volume. While some audio purists might squawk about wireless headphones, a good set of headphones can really enhance TV and music anywhere in the house.
Since we're big fan of Rocketfish products we thought we should mention they've announced two new wireless headphone models, the The RF-WH01 and RF-WH02 which uses Avnera's first generation wireless audio system.
According to WirelessAudioBlog.com:
The RF-WH01 and RF-WH02 are both very similar models, with the primary difference being:
RF-WH02 is mainly targeted at TV users, so it offers some hook-up flexibility. Including a boom mic option for older sets that don't have supplementary audio outputs. This is also a quick and dirty way for someone to enjoy music at a higher volume level than others also watching the same TV, without headphones.
RF-WH02 has a spatial enhancement feature to enhance stereo sound.
RF-WH02 also offers some voice enhancement meant for people with diminished hearing who have difficulty picking out speech when watching TV.
RF-WHP01 has black trim. The RF-WHP02 has metallic maroon trim.
The RF-WHPO1 & RFWH02 are available now at Best Buy stores. As of the writing of this article, they are not yet available online, though that's only a matter of time.
If you have a pair of these headphones be sure to leave us a comment and let us know what you think of the quality.
Review: Earforce X4 Xbox 360 Wireless Surround Sound Headset
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