Saturday, March 3, 2012

Ear Force X41 (XBOX LIVE Chat + Wireless Digital RF Game Audio with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound)

Ear Force X41 (XBOX LIVE Chat + Wireless Digital RF Game Audio with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound)

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Product Details

  • Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
  • ASIN: B002KSPKRS
  • Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.7 x 3.7 inches ; 9.6 ounces
  • Media: Video Game
  • Release Date: August 25, 2009

List Price : $199.99
Price : $139.99
You Save : $60.00 (30%)
Ear Force X41 (XBOX LIVE Chat + Wireless Digital RF Game Audio with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound)

Product Description


From the Manufacturer
The Ear Force X41 is Turtle Beach’s top-of-the-line XBOX 360 headset featuring 7.1 channel Dolby surround sound, XBOX LIVE chat and a digital RF wireless connection for crystal-clear game audio.
Overview:
Combining outstanding comfort with a stunning 360 degree sound field and enhanced online communication, the X41 puts you in the middle of the action so you’ll enjoy a gaming experience that’s second to none.Playing your favorite XBOX game with the Ear Force X41 is like having a “secret weapon” in your arsenal. You’ll get a competitive advantage by hearing sound cues that you can’t hear with speakers, such as the soft footsteps of an enemy sneaking up behind you, or the loading of a weapon far in the distance, regardless of the direction. By hearing sounds others can’t - and by knowing where they’re coming from - you’ll react faster and take them out before they take you out.

If you’re serious about XBOX 360 gaming, get serious about the sound. Invest in an Ear Force X41 and experience the game the way it was meant to be heard. It will help you to become a better player and you’ll have a lot more fun enjoying your XBOX 360.

Dolby 7.1 Channel Surround Sound Technology! Click here to enlarge

Take your gaming to the next level by experiencing how your Xbox 360 was meant to be heard! Click here to enlarge

Enjoy late night gaming without disturbing others! Click here to enlarge
Dolby 7.1 Channel Surround SoundThe Ear Force X41 transmitter uses a 150MPS Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to deliver genuine Dolby Digital sound, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, and Dolby Headphone surround sound processing technologies - the industry-standard formats for encoding multi-channel sound in XBOX 360 games and DVD movies. The X41 uses the latest version of Dolby technology to create realistic game sound in 7.1 channels for improved surround sound accuracy.
Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Stereo EnhancerThe X41 transmitter incorporates the latest Dolby Pro Logic IIx decoding system for surround sound realism from Dolby Pro Logic II encoded audio. When used with stereo sources, the Dolby Pro Logic Decoder also enhances the sound by spreading the stereo signal to provide a “wider” effect. This results in a richer, fuller sound than normal stereo - almost as if it originates from outside of the headphones.
2.4GHz Wireless Digital RF TechnologyThe Ear Force X41 transmits game audio to the headset with an uncompressed wireless digital radio frequency (RF) signal to deliver CD-quality sound that rivals professional-grade wired headphones. Best of all, the wireless RF signal does not require "line of sight" to operate. That means you can stand anywhere near your XBOX 360 and hear a clear, noise-free signal.
Chat BoostDynamic TalkbackExpanderIf you’ve ever had trouble hearing teammates on XBOX LIVE when the game action heats up, then you know how frustrating it can be when you have to keep adjusting the chat volume. Chat Boost fixes this problem by automatically adjusting the XBOX Live chat level when the game gets louder, so chat from teammates isn't lost in the exciting parts of your game. As the game sound gets louder, Chat Boost turns up the chat volume automatically so you can still hear what everyone is saying.
It's a simple solution to an annoying problem, and it all happens automatically - so you don't have to adjust anything!
Microphone MonitoringIt's hard to hear yourself speak when a headset is covering your ears. The X41 corrects this annoyance with its microphone monitoring feature. The X41 adds a portion of the microphone signal into the headset signal, so you can hear a portion of your voice along with incoming chat and game audio. Microphone monitoring not only prevents you from talking too loud or accidentally yelling into the mic, it also eliminates that annoying "clogged ears" feeling when talking while the headset is covering your ears.
Bass BoostThe X41 headset DSP also lets you turn on a Bass Boost feature that produces deep, rich bass tones by increasing the volume of low frequency sounds - just like turning up the volume on the sub-woofer on your home theater system. Bass Boost improves your gaming experience by kicking-up the sound level of explosions, gun shots and other deep-bass sound effects, making them even more dramatic.
Wired Headphone ConnectionThe X41 transmitter includes a headphone output jack with volume control to connect an optional pair of wired headphones in addition to the wireless X41 headset. This jack outputs the same high-quality Dolby Headphone 7.1 surround sound that’s being transmitted to the wireless X41 headset, which allows two people to hear the game sound at the same time.
Independent Chat/Game VolumesSeparate volume controls let you adjust the game and chat levels individually, so you can easily balance them and never have to worry about missing a cue from your teammates.
Advanced Battery Booster CircuitryThe X41 has a “battery booster” circuit that squeezes every last bit of power from the batteries and assures high quality sound until they’re completely dead. This allows a pair of AAA Alkaline batteries to last for as long as 25 straight hours of game play. You can also buy standard rechargeable batteries in place of Alkaline batteries.
Powered By USBThe transmitter is powered by a single USB port on your XBOX, or from a nearby PC or laptop. So there is no need to fuss with a separate AC power adapter.
Ear Force X41 Digital RF Wireless Game Audio+ Chat with Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound

Product Features

  • Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound ; Dolby Pro Logic IIx with Digital RF wireless technology (up to 30' range) CD-quality pure-digital sound transmission Digital input “pass thru” allows the X41 and a home theater system to be connected simultaneously
  • Volume control on ear cup Independent game ; chat volumes Built-in mic monitoring Mic mute Bass Boost (button on ear cup) Oversized ear cups Fabric mesh ear cushions Removable mic with flexible boom Headset powered by AAA batteries (over 20 hours)
  • Transmitter powered by USB (no AC adapter) Includes headphone output on transmitter (second set of headphones can be used simultaneously or in place of X headset) Chat Boost feature automatically increases incoming chat level as game sound increases
  • 50mm oversized speakers for deeper bass response

This Best Selling Ear Force X41 (XBOX LIVE Chat + Wireless Digital RF Game Audio with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound) tends to SELL OUT VERY FAST!!

Customer Reviews


Some readers may remember me from my X4 review. Here we are a little over a year later and I am once again tearing into the box of a shiny new pair of Turtle Beach headphones. I liked the X4s, so why did I invest another $200 on the X41s? Because the X4s had some issues, common issues included sound glitches at certain frequencies (press the B button in Shadowrun), interference from other IR sources (like the Wii sensor bar), and a noticeable hiss when using the voice function. These issues did not ruin the X4s, in fact they were still one of the best gaming centric headphones, and THE best wireless gaming headphones, but the issues could be annoying. Thankfully, the X41s claim to fix everything wrong with the X4s and add some new features to boot. Do they live up to the hype or have hidden issues?
For the rest of my review I will be doing some comparison to the X4 in every aspect of these X41 headphones, as well as comparing them to the other options available. I may leave out some details that I already covered in my X4 review, if something doesn't make sense or you would like more detail check my X4 review to see if I covered it there. In this review I will mostly be pointing out what has changed from X4 to X41. Finally, I personally own 6 pairs of gaming headphones, from the aging AX360 to the Astro A40 and X4. I will be giving my opinion of the X41s performance compared to my experience with most of the other competitors on the market.
Headphone design and feel:
The X41s really shine in this area, like the X4s they are extremely light and comfortable. In addition, they have added a new type of breathable fabric to the pads which keeps your ears cool and comfortable through hours of play. They have also increased the size of the space for your ears. The end result is headphones that are easy to forget exist. The headphones are well built in every other respect. The Bass boost switch is now a button, the headset is black rather than grey, most of the other changes in this area are minor. The X41s are an improvement over the X4s and one of the most comfortable of all the headsets I have used.
Audio Quality:
One of the big draws of the X41s is the new DigitalRF which claims to increase sound quality while decreasing interference and hiss. This claim is completely factual; the X41s have excellent sound that rivals even top level wired headsets. In addition, the X41s have fixed all of the X4s sound glitches, no more will you hear disturbing static or interference when a certain frequency is played. In my experience the X41s reproduce the game sound perfectly without any degradation from being wireless.
On the other hand the extremely low level hiss is still present in the X41s, though perhaps even quieter than the X4 ambient hiss. As I said in my X4 review this constant hiss is impossible to hear if any game sound is playing, and is probably mostly amp noise created by the 50mm speakers an inch from your ear. It is nearly impossible to engineer something like the X41s and completely remove this type of hiss. Thankfully, the X41s do remove the increased hiss when using voice chat that was present on the X4 headset. With the X41s you cannot tell the difference between having the voice chat hooked up and not using it. With the X4s as soon as you plugged in voice chat the normally unobtrusive hiss would double or triple in volume and become quite noticeable. This is a pretty major improvement for the X41s, as the hiss while using voice chat was a common complaint of the X4s.
The X41s have also enhanced their Dolby DSP to handle up to 7.1 surround sound and PL2X. This is not as noticeable as the Digital RF but it is an improvement. The excellent surround sound from the X4s is made even better, and it is even easier to pinpoint exactly where a sound is coming from. The surround sound here is really fantastic, don't believe the hype about "true 5.1" headsets that have multiple speakers in each ear, this Dolby processing creates a better surround sound experience. In addition, because there is only 1 speaker per ear the speakers are much larger which makes the excellent audio quality possible. Comparing the X41s to my Tritton headsets is really one sided, the X41s are hands down better in every way when it comes to audio quality. Bottom line, 2 great speakers and Dolby Processing is far better than 8 tiny speakers.
The short version here is that the X41s are a worthy improvement in terms of audio quality. They have fixed essentially all of the major problems the X4s had and added some new features as well. The X41s perform very well when compared to wired headsets also, for the same price you could not find a 5.1 headset with better audio quality than the X41s, and the X41s are wireless.
Other Features:
The X41s don't change very much in this category from the X4s. You still get the excellent voice chat implementation, which will balance voice and game audio so that you can always hear everything clearly. As I already mentioned the noticeable hiss while using voice chat has been removed, so that is a major improvement here.
One notable change to the X41s is the new talkback cable that is now free of the puck. This new cable is simply 2 standard mic connections with volume control and mic mute on a little box in the middle of the wire. This cable uses heavier wire than the old X4 cable, and seems like it will resist the rigors of use more efficiently. In addition, because they did away with the puck the X41s are now compatible with any headset connection. This means with the right USB adapter and cables the X41 voice chat can be used with a PS3 or PC as well as the Xbox 360. This is really a pretty awesome addition, and one that is not touted on the box.
The X41s also have a headset jack for a wired headset with its own volume control. This headset receives all the Dolby Processing and the same sound the wireless one receives. This is nifty if you want to have multiple people listening to the same audio on headphones, and is a better option than the X4s "buy another $100 headset" approach.
The X41s are now powered via a USB cable, which you can hook to your Xbox or any other powered USB port. Not sure if I find this positive or negative, but it is a change from the X4s.
Overall:
The X41s are a worthy improvement over the X4s. The decision to upgrade is something each individual will have to consider, but if some of the X4s flaws or glitches have been bothering you the X41 does a great job of solving those issues. In addition, the X41s add a lot of great features, from Digital RF to the new talkback cable. These features make an already excellent headset even better. As far as gaming headsets go the X41s are among the best. The implementation of voice chat is second to none, and since the X41s eliminated the loud hiss found during voice chat on the X4s, this feature is nearly perfect. The sound quality is excellent, and the Digital RF really does rival wired headsets, and is completely free of audio glitches. You no longer need line of site, and the signal seems very robust and interference free even around multiple wireless networks. The X41s are also significantly more comfortable than the X4s, and the new fabric for the ear pads makes a noticeable positive difference in keeping your ears cool and comfy. In the end, for anyone looking for a gaming headset that incorporates voice and surround sound, the X41s get my unwavering recommendation. They really are the best gaming headphones available right now.
I have rated the X41s 5 out of 5 stars, compared with the X4s 4 out of 5 stars. I would not say the X41s are perfect, just surprisingly close.
Update (Roughly a year later): After a year of using the X41's, with hundreds, or perhaps thousands of hours of play across all platforms. I just want to reaffirm that I still think they are an amazing pair of headphones, and the best wireless sound solution for gamers. A few things that I have noticed in the last year.
First, when the batteries die the headphones often make a violent crackling screech noise (for perhaps a second, very short). This is annoying, not something I find bad enough to reduce the score, but I hope in the next iteration Turtle Beach fixes this, even if it means I get 30 minutes less battery life. I would rather the headphones beeped at me when the battery was low, or perhaps some indicator on the base station could show when the batteries are getting down there. Then when it got critical just make the headphones power off gracefully, rather than dying in a screech and crackle of rage.
Second, they are actually susceptible to interference from 802.11G wireless. In general they work great, but if you position stuff such that some wireless device (be it a router or a wireless client) is closer to you than the base station you can get interference. In general this is easy to fix, for instance I put my wireless devices on the opposite side of the TV from the base station and interference is a thing of the past. It is something to be aware of though, depending on your situation, especially in an apartment or dorm with tons of wireless everywhere, you could have trouble avoiding interference. To fix this perhaps Turtle Beach will switch to the 6 Ghz spectrum and use something similar to DECT. This would increase range, and should completely eliminate interference.
Finally, a quick tip on hooking these up. I found that the best way to hook the headphones up to any modern TV was to plug the X41 power USB cable into the USB slot on the TV (generally used for displaying pictures or similar features). Then use the Optical out on the TV as the connection to the X41 base station. Then you just plug all your devices in with HDMI cables and you can enjoy Dolby Digital on... Read more›

I just purchased a pair of Turtle Beach x41's off Amazon. Here's a little review, based on my limited experience with them.
The Good:
+ Easy to setup. The instructions are somewhat abstruse, and not detailed. I had to sort of fill in the blanks, but overall it was quite easy. I think anyone can do it.
+ Comfortable. The headset is lightweight, and has decent padding. It does begin to hurt my ears after a couple hours.
+ Features. The x41 offers a ton of awesome features, including RF technology and Dolby Digital 7.1.
The Bad:
- The transmitter cannot be connected to my LCD HDTV via the optical port and still get Dolby Digital surround sound. You NEED the Xbox 360's AV/Optical plugs in order to access DD 7.1. Most new Xbox's don't include this cable, so it's an additional expense if you want to use this headset. No point in buying these instead of the x31's if you can't get Dolby.
- Occasional scratching, popping, cutting. Nothing destroys immersion and distracts me more than when the sound pops and cuts in the middle of your game. This is not associated with the chat cable's notorious scratching and popping. This is due to a bad RF connection or interference or something. The problem is enhanced if you're downloading anything via a nearby wifi. The headset will often pop so loudly, that all audio is cut for a few seconds, and gradually returns. The pops are occasionally so loud and abrupt, that I wouldn't be surprised if it damaged someone's eardrums.
- The volume turn dials are awkward and poorly designed. The volume dial on the headset won't register any volume until it's turned about 3/4 of the way to MAX. From the 3/4 mark, it increases RAPIDLY. The chat volume dial is even more sensitive. This makes fine tuning a ridiculous chore, and quite impossible.
- Can barely hear myself talk. Turtle Beach purposefully dialed back the monitor volume of the x41's. When I talk into the microphone, it feels as if I'm deaf or underwater. The microphone has other issues with pickup. Sometimes my team mates can't hear me, and other times they say my voice is too loud (because I have to talk loudly in order to get the microphone to pick up the sound). There is no consistency. Also, the microphone causes a steady hissing sound whenever it's attached. When it's not attached, there is still a noticeable buzzing hiss when the game or movie gets quiet.
The Ugly:
-- This is the reason I returned this headset. The volume in the left ear cup is louder than the volume in the right ear cup. This is the case with every game and movie I've tried. I thought I may have installed it wrong, so I re did the installation and setup. Didn't work. I tried changing out the brand new AAA batteries, nothing. I tried changing the setting on my Xbox, nothing. I contacted Turtle Beach, but they haven't been able to help at all.
In every game with background music (all games?), I can only hear the drum and bass in the left side. I tested this with every game, and even audio CD's. I also did a test on Xbox Live with some friends. In Modern Warfare 2, I had a friend stand a few meters in front of me and fire off his automatic rifle in the air. It sounded as if the gun was somewhere to the left. When he stood directly in front of me (1 inch from my face) and fired, it sounded as if it was coming from below me and to the left. Then I had him stand a few meters off and fire clips in the air while I stood in one place and spun around in circles. I was hoping the sound would be "circling" me, but instead it sounded as if it was coming from above/below me when it was supposed to be on my right side. Later in another match, I was approaching a doorway, and I heard someone reload on the left side of the doorway. So I watch the left corner when entering, but in turned out the guy was on the right side of the doorway. Because the headset was louder on the left side, it sounded as if the guy was to the left of me.
I put the headset down, and hooked up my $14.99 Microsoft one, and I guess that says it all. I wish this headset worked. I paid $170 for it, but the lop-sided volume is killing it for me. It's unbearable, and surely less than what I expected for the price.
And don't assume I have a hearing problem in my right ear. I've had several people verify that the left side is noticibly louder. Plus when I reverse the headset, the left side will be louder on my right ear.
I'm giving this headset 1 star, as I feel it's defective. I'm exchanging them for a working pair, and will update this review when they arrive. Besides the negative things I've listed, I like these headphones. If the volume wasn't lop-sided and utterly unbearable, I would've kept them and given them 3 or 4 stars.
UPDATE
I just received a replacement pair of Turtle Beach X41's from Amazon. I set them up exactly the same way as the previous defective pair, however, these one's seem to work. The lop-sided volume I experienced in the first set is no longer an issue. I can actually hear the Dolby surround sound in effect this time.
It's not all sunshine and daisies. This pair comes equipped with a host of new problems. Before purchasing the first pair, I had done some research on the Turtle Beach website and forum. It seems that a lot of x41's are experiencing a similar problem where the in-game audio will cut, pop, scratch, etc. So it wasn't a total surprise when my replacement pair started exhibiting these problems. This audio-cutting is a lot worse on my replacement pair, than it was on my original defective pair, for some reason. The "popping" is much louder than the first pair. I was watching a DVD and when the audio "popped" it actually hurt my eardrums. The popping happens suddenly, and is much louder than the volume of the game or DVD, so I wouldn't be surprised if it caused someone ear damage eventually.
And the volume is another issue. My original defective pair seemed to have adequate volume levels. This new pair, however, has a very low maximum volume level (when it's not popping). This is another wide-spread issue expressed on the Turtle Beach forums. From the Turtle Beach support guy, I've deduced that Dolby, in collaboration with Turtle Beach, decided to "dial back" the volume on the x41 so as not to damage the user's ear drums. There's an inherent problem with this. While the volume on several games are adequate, the volume of most DVD's are certainly not. I tried several DVD's in my Xbox 360 and only one had an acceptable volume level.
For example: I wanted to test out the difference in audio volume levels between games and DVD's. I played Modern Warfare 2, and the volume was decent. At MAX volume, it sounded about 90% as loud as I would have liked. I can accept that, knowing it's saving my eardrums. Then I popped in the DVD "Shoot 'Em Up" to gauge the volume level of DVD gunshots in comparison to videogame gunshots, and it's maybe 60% as loud as I'd like. I then tried several other DVD's, including loud action epics, and softer comedies that are filled with spoken-volume dialogue. Both genres offer inadequate volume levels. In the action movies, the loud explosions are not as "exciting" as I'd hoped they'd be. In comedies and dramas, the dialogue isn't loud enough to be enjoyable. If I was listening to DVD's via my home theater system, I would set the volume much louder than I am able to in these headphones.
That's the problem. I don't understand why Turtle Beach would limit the maximum volume levels when they know that many DVD's and games have differing audio levels. Sometimes the max volume is perfect, and it seems Turtle Beach did their homework. Most of the time I wish I could turn the volume up a little or a lot, depending on whether I'm playing a game or watching a DVD. There's no reason to not give us the option to increase the volume beyond Dolby's recommended level. In fact, that argument is flawed, as I have a 5.1 Dolby surround sound system that certainly is MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH louder than these headphones could ever be.
Another issue I have with these x41's is the low level hiss. If you've looked at the Turtle Beach forums, you'd be well aware of the low level hiss complaints. This seems to be another wide-spread issue with x41's. When you turn the set on, you'll hear the hiss. When the game or DVD audio is quiet, even for a second, you'll hear the hiss. This is not a huge problem during most games, as there is usually constant ambient noise to mask the hiss. But with certain DVD's, the low hiss will be unbearable. Movie dialogue is a low level hiss extravaganza. This, coupled with the low volume levels, make watching certain DVD's a chore.
Nitpicking:
I would be nice if you could pair more than one x41 headset to the transmitter. When I have friends over, I wish we could both enjoy Dolby quality audio while we play co-op games or whatever.
I wish the x41's were noise canceling. While the headset volume is quite low, you can hear it quite easily from across the room. So if you're like me, and you occasionally play games in close proximity to a sleeping girlfriend, then you assume the risk of waking her up and consequently having an angry girlfriend.
But don't think that the x41 is all bad. The x41 sound quality, when it's not popping or hissing and when the volume level is adequate, is excellent. The ergonomics and comfort are also very good. The build quality and materials are good and bad. The leather top band is adequately padded and comfortable. The chat cable, on the other hand, is made with the same quality as the $14.99 Microsoft headset. Actually, it's worse, since the Turtle Beach has annoyingly sensitive volume controls.
I really tried to tackle every... Read more›

 

Ear Force X41 (XBOX LIVE Chat + Wireless Digital RF Game Audio with Dolby Headphone 7.1 Surround Sound)

 

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