I was researching headsets that mixed chat and the game sound in stereo in the earphones, with the chat mic all as a single unit. I came across the press release of the PX21. Not available at the time, but coming soon. I almost didn't wait for it. I almost bought the P21. I'm glad I waited.
Features:
- You hear chat and stereo game sound in the earphones.
- Setup was easy for me and they provide all the cables and adapters you need.
- The cable is looong. I play on a 58" TV and I wouldn't want to sit as far away as the cable
would let me.
- A control cluster for mic and sound that gives you:
* Separate volume controls for game sound and chat volume
* Mute switch for the mic
* Bass boost
* Expanded stereo mode
What I liked:
- The stereo effect is good especially with the stereo expansion mode turned on.
If there's an enemy behind me and to the left, I hear him behind me and to the left.
As noted in other reviews there *is* a hiss. More on that later.
- The sound quality is good. And by that I mean for playing video games. I have a set of $120
Sennheiser can headphones I use for home recording. Music sounds great in them. Before the
PX21 I used those plugged into a Dolby 5.1 amplifier getting an optical sound feed. The PX21
is much better for playing video games because the sound is crisper. Music may not sound
great on them, but I can hear the enemy sneaking up on me.
- Mic. The mic boom has a great range of movement and stays in whatever position I put it.
Other people tell me I come across good and clear. The mute switch is great, of course...
why would you make a headset without one?
- Comfortable. Again, compared to my Sennheisers, these are much more comfortable. The earpads
are fabric covered and the headband isn't tight. You don't develop a headache or aching ears
after a couple of hours of play. The mic boom is long, flexible and comfortable to use.
- And mostly what I liked... I play better. From the first time I used it, I consistently
scored higher.
What I don't like
- Hiss. Yes, it hisses. A little in normal mode, significantly more in expanded stereo mode.
Again, it might be a problem listening to music or quiet passages in other games. But you
really only need expanded mode in games where directions of sound cues are important. Turn
of the stereo expansion when you don't need it and the hiss is negligible. If you want to
listen to music, get a pair of $120 Sennheisers and leave the headset for the games.
- The clip on the control cluster is backwards. Hard to explain, but whenever I try clipping
the control cluster to my shirt, the wires hang awkwardly.
If you're a gamer, buy this headset. I researched before I bought it and it looked like the best thing on the market for what I was looking for. And I believe it is.