Tritton set the bar extremely high with this headset. Individual channel controls, braided wiring, highly durable build, crystal clear sound, and a carry case to boot. I originally owned a set of AX 720's, and they are still great, I use those for my computer, and music. You could say, that I could have saved some dough by getting the original AX pro headset, which, after reading some reviews, I shyed away from them due to the display on Amazon showing 2, count em 2 AC adapters. Being in Iraq...I don't have that kind of convenience. So I went for the Black Ops pair, and I am impressed.
Design:
These are very well built, I opened the solid box to reveal the case with the headset inside, which feels as rugged as a Case Logic. Open that up, and there is the headset, just like in the picture you see here. The foam inside is laser cut, and rests everything snug and sturdy, hats off to Tritton, Treyarch, and Activision for giving the AX pro's the much needed update, and cutting it down to one AC adapter. The paint job is pretty sleek, but obviously, if you are no fan of Black Ops, you won't like it.
Accessories:
What an upgrade! My old AX 720's sported a cheap, fiber optic cable that felt brittle and cheap, the wire from the headset was a standard rubber/plastic type. Well, the fiber optic cable is sturdy, it is weaved, it looks like another brand was packed in, the connectors are also to be praised. The in line controller is solid, and does not feel cheaply attached. Also a puck attachment for the Xbox controller is a nice touch as well. The brains of the operation, controls the rest of the setup. Too much detail to go into here, but I tell you, its the next best thing to having a receiver.
Set up:
A royal pain [...] if you have no patience, but, with a little thought, and checking around online, setup is pretty simple. Adjusting settings based on the game you are playing, well, thats tedious too, as there is no option to save settings per game, so it may be a good idea to write down what your settings are, as most games are different.
Edit: Comfort:
All I can say is that even wearing these long term, they are incredibly comfortable, you wouldn't think they may be considering the size, but many times have I been up watching a movie with these, or even the AX 720's, where the weight difference was negligible. I never had ear, or neck discomfort, neither did I feel any pressure on my head during use. These feel great! I prefer the felt pads, but the faux leather comes on the device already, I switched them up as soon as I got them home. I didnt use the faux leather, but, I imagine the felt breathes better. Word of advice, if you choose to switch the pads, the instructions inside the manual are tough to see. So, place the headset in your lap with the corded part of the earpiece in your lap, put two thumbs on the plastic next to the headpad, push up. I nearly tore off the leather headpad trying to switch it. If you need to see it done, there are youtube videos as well.
Sound Quality:
Simply amazing. I (naturally) played Black Ops first. Once I made it through the setup, I was off. I could hear every footstep, direction of gunfire, everything. Online, Ninja Pro couldn't even save the quietest player.
I moved on to Dead Space, took my time and set it up right. My only complaint in playing this game was, oddly, Isaac Clarke's onscreen positioning in the game. His melee motions would start in my right ear, and as he swung, his vocal grunt would not cross the center channel, but cut out completely, and finish in my left ear. Minor complaing that I barely noticed as the tension heated up. I could hear every monster, every noise, every voice, every movement.
Music, well, I couldnt find the correct adjustments for them, I say, dont bother.
Movies, hell yeah!
Final thoughts, If you got the cheese, get em, but, for a cheaper alternative, the AX Pro's, or the AX 720's are just as good of an alternative.
