There are many gaming accessories out there but very few have as large of an impact on your immersion and enjoyment as a quality headset. Nothing pulls me into the moment quite like a well-orchestrated boss battle theme or an emotional melody during a game’s pivotal moments. A good headset boosts these occurrences tenfold. It has been fortunate that while I have been playing Octopath Traveler, a game well known at this point for its incredible musical score, I have been using the Turtle Beach Stealth 300 headset.
Audio Quality:
The Stealth 300 is rocking a pair of 50mm speakers which produces a depth and fullness that 40mm speakers and below just can’t match. Considering there is very little difference (or in many cases no difference) in price between the two speaker diameters I would highly recommend upgrading to the larger speaker. Simply put, the larger speaker allows more sound output, which give the headset the ability to produce a much richer sound. Due to this, the sound on this headset is phenomenal and you’ll easily find yourself hearing aspect of your game or its soundtrack that you otherwise won’t using your television’s built in speakers. This is enriched by the Stealth 300’s built in audio amplification. There are four different modes on the headset which allows you to customize how much of this amplification you want. This works similar to other headsets that have preset equalizer settings that you can toggle through. Playing games and watching movies greatly benefit from higher amplification whereas music sounds best with a lower amplification so vocals and instruments are crisp. One of Turtle Beach’s largest strengths is that they create headsets that have incredible sound quality for a reasonable price, and the Stealth 300 is no exception. I’ve used a few headsets well over the $100 price point that are less impressive than the Stealth, making the $80 cost if it feel like a bargain. If you don’t have the means to jump up to the Stealth 600 I wouldn’t call purchasing the 300 settling by any account.
The only noticeable missing audio feature is the ability to customize the headset’s EQ settings. The ability to tweak bass, treble, etc. via a computer program or phone app would be nice, though to be fair that is almost unheard of with headsets under $100. In many cases, the four preset audio settings work for most every application, and can be changed easily without removing the headset once you are comfortable locating the somewhat (initially) hard to find button.
There is also no noise-cancelling feature, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a pair of headphones that actually do at this price-point.
Microphone:
Turtle Beach has always done great work in the microphone department. With the Stealth 300, the function is equally as impressive as the audio quality. The mic is fixed to the headset, which means there is no way to remove it. Although, you would hardly need to because when you have no use of it you can just swivel it up towards the left ear-piece. When not in use, it is far from intrusive, yet when you need to quickly activate it (such as when a friend invites you to a party) it is easy to locate and simple to move into position. A feature that I have grown to dislike since initially reviewing the Recon Camo headset was the removable microphone. There isn’t a great way to minimize how much space the microphone sticks out when you’re trying to store it. So you have to take the microphone of when not using the headset. Having one fixed to the headset that rocks out of the way is one of those little things that can make a huge difference. There is a satisfying click when it pops into place and the headset confirms that it is activated by sounding a simple ‘beep’. Both are features that make the Turtle Beach Stealth 300 feel unexpectedly well-crafted and sturdy for the price.
The audio that the microphone picks up is clear and using it communicate with your fireteam is fantastic. The only con to it is that it has easily picked up the sound of breathing on everyone who I’ve had try it. On the side of the headset there is a volume control knob which adjusts how much you hear your own audio (seen in the image above). You can use this knob to eliminate the sound of breathing in your ear, but it will still be present on the receiving end. I didn’t think much of the inclusion of a knob that is proprietary to microphone volume until I used a different headset which had the audio ever-present. On this set, I had to go into my PlayStation 4’s audio output settings and adjust the microphone volume several times to find the right level. On the Stealth 300, the knob is easy to locate and finding your perfect mic audio really couldn’t be easier. Needless to say, I am a big fan of this feature.
How Comfortable Is the Turtle Beach Stealth 300?
A big area of focus for me when reviewing hardware is how comfortable they are to use. Let’s face it, when we game we go big. Most of my play sessions are several hours so when a headset is uncomfortable it can can strain on the whole gaming experience. I left my prior experience with a Turtle Beach headset less than impressed by the comfortability. Being a gamer prone to headaches from pressure caused by headphones this is a purchasing factor that is non-negotiable. I am pleased to report that the Turtle Beach Stealth 300 is incredibly comfortable, and remains so for the entire time it is being used.
The topmost pad on the headset does a great job eliminating the contact of the metal reinforced frame. There is only a feeling of light pressure from the pad while using it. The ear pads, which are designed to go over the ear and not on them, are made of memory foam that feels thicker on the bottoms – likely by design. This is a smart construction since the area of your skull where the lower parts of the ear cushions rest are extremely prone to discomfort and aches due to uneven pressure. Turtle Beach also boasts that these memory foam pads are designed to be used comfortably with glasses (something I have little experience with) so they can likely be snugly worn by just about anyone.
Verdict:
Turtle Beach ads another great headset to their line of stellar products. The Stealth 300 is a great set for players who don’t have a largely restricted budget, yet aren’t up for spending $150+ on a headset. To be frank, the Stealth 300 feels incredibly solid in construct and top-notch in audio quality in a way that makes those $150 headsets seem unimpressive and leave an unjustifiably large hole in your wallet compared to the Stealth. One of the things worth highest of praise is the fact that it remains comfortable in short and long-term gaming sessions alike. Some of which of mine have lasted more than 8 hours!
These factors make the Turtle Beach Stealth 300 an easy recommendation to anyone in need of a comfortable and quality set without paying an unnecessary price.
Click here for more info on the Stealth 300.