Hi Guys
Today I am going to be giving my thoughts and opinions on the Turtle Beach Earforce Z6A 5.1 Surround Sound Amplified PC Headset
Turtle Beach have had a total refresh across their entire range recently and OcUK have been keen to stock the high end offerings from the brand.
After grabbing a retail Z6A headset, I have been keen to try the set properly. The way I always test headsets is by giving them at least a week of usage. The highlights of this particular set that I was most excited about was the amplified surround sound capabilities.
The Box:
The packaging of the Turtle beach range is the best in the business. They are a brand that is used to focussing their market within the retail sector and this is very apparent when you look at the outer box.
The box is plastered in details about the product and gives loads of info about the product features etc
all of this stuff is covered on the OcUK product listing but either way, it is certainly an attractive product with an eye catching presentation.
inside the box there is
Instructions
Headset
lower section of the break off cable
Break out leads for console usage
Initial Setup:
Unboxing the headset took a few moments and it was fairly easy to see where everything goes. USB for powering the amp and then the jacks for plugging into the corresponding jack ports on your sound card.
Easy as pie to set up with minimal fiddling required.
There is a break off section on the wire near the headset itself. I assume that this is for the clumsy people like myself who forget they are wearing a headset and stand up/walk off. This should ensure you don't damage your headset cable/pull your system off the desk
The headset has a brilliant control unit attached to it. This is the point that you can plug XBOX 360 accessories into and also control each aspect of the headset.
you have control over the following which means you can customize the sound of the set on the fly without leaving a game to fiddle with software [this is something that irks me with my current setup]
Mic Monitoring:
I will mention this because it is a bit of a bug bear for me. My usual headset setup is a Xonar D2X and a Steelseries Siberia V2.
I dont use mic monitoring and generally have everything set up on my sound card. Using the same settings on the Z6A netted very good results. However, the one thing that irritates me with this headset is that you have a feint mic monitoring feature. you can hear what you are saying in your ear cups. whilst this is useful and does allow you to avoid an almighty telling off from the other half when you get excited about your game, it isn't something I personally like.
Everyone who tried it out at OcUK liked it loads but my main gripe is that there is no way of disabling it.
I read through the instructions a few times to see if I had missed it but it does appear that it is a permanent feature.
Multi Platform:
Installation on a Mac was easy as pie but I felt that the audio quality was lacking somewhat, this may be due to the Mac I tested on having poor onboard sound chips compared to my Xonar.
The area that has impressed me though is XBOX gaming. I have had to borrow my brothers Xbox for testing on this and have to say that the sound quality is superb on console with this headset. A session of Fifa Street and a few laps on Forza and there wasn't much I could fault. In honesty, it is the best I have heard a console ever sound which is quite some commendation especially considering that the headset is primarily designed as a PC Gaming headset.
Sadly, I did not have the correct cable to test the headsets microphone with the XBOX to hand so cannot comment on this feature.
Sound Quality:
I will be honest and blunt here. I have heard better headset audio quality than the Z6A before. However, this is generally when I am using a high end sound card paired with a much, much more expensive headset. In comparison to USB surround sound headsets such as the Logitech G35 and Corsair Vengeance 1500, the Z6A is a step above. Being able to use a sound card with this headset is a major advantage as you have the option to customise your setup both in the sound card driver and on the headset unit itself.
With Analog surround sound headsets, the Roccat Kave is the current 'Go To' product and for good reason. The Z6A holds up well above the Kave and presents the user with very similar capabilities and in my opinion, a better overall sound quality.
Positional sound on the Z6A feels more accurate than the Kave meaning your responses in game are quicker as events are easier to judge.
Sturdiness:
The build quality of the headset feels great, the earcups feel weighty and expensive but they aren't too heavy on your head.
The only thing I would say is that the headband finish isn't the best quality I have ever seen, but this can be forgiven as it is very strong and robust.
Music:
Movies and Music on the Z6A sounded great, the positional sound that worked so well in gaming scenarios was present in Movies. Music needed some tweaking to get sounding right, mainly because I had the sub cranked up on the headset and it ruined the sound of each music track I was listening to. Turning the bass on the headset down gave a marked improvement on music sound quality.
you do need to mess around with the settings on the headset with some styles of music to get the best out of them but this is no real problem.
Gaming:
Gaming for a long time with the Z6A presents no real issues. Great sound positioning means that you can hear enemies well and position locations of sound sources quickly and reliably in FPS games such as Battlefield 3 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive.
Racing games were a real novelty with this headset and after playing Dirt3 and Shift 2 Unleashed for a while, there was noticeable improvements over my stereo setup and even surround sets I have previously used.
Cars approaching from behind you or next to you were loud, and grew louder as they passed. This was seriously impressive and added depth and immersion to the games. This is something I have experienced in the past but not as good as this.
Extended Use and Comfort:
The Z6A is a little heavier than most headsets that I have used. My past two headsets I have had [Siberia V2 and PC350] were very light and you sometimes forget that they are on your heads.
The headset feels great on your ears, the cups are well padded and don't feel too large. The only thing I dint like is the material as I prefer a leather/faux leather finish rather than the cloth finish on these.
After a long gaming session, there was no soreness or pressure exerted on my head like you can get with some headsets that are on the heavier side.
In Summary:
I wasn't totally sure what to expect from Turtle Beach this time around. Their previous attempts were average at best in my opinion even though they had this huge reputation from the console gaming industry. They simply never used to compare to a decent PC gaming sound setup.
I am pleased to say, this has all changed. The new range of TB headsets that I tested at the Gadget Show Live were all of much higher quality than the older designs and the re-invention of the brand as a stand alone product since they moved away from MadCatz
The Z6A is a great all round headset that does everything well. The console functions are pleasing to see and are a nice nod to Turtle Beaches console heritage. Whilst this may put PC gamers off, I can honestly say that my opinions were swayed as soon as I got to grips with this set.
The general feel of the product is very good and the quality is very high. Aesthetically, the headset looks good and the finish is decent but it may not appeal to all.
I would give the Z6A 8/10 based on its overall performance and 8/10 for its gaming performance.
Pros
Cons
You can Pre Order the Z6A now on our site and stock is due to land any day now.
Turtle Beach Earforce Z6A 5.1 Analog Surround Sound PC Headset @ £79.99 inc VAT
Only £79.99 inc VAT.
ORDER NOW
Today I am going to be giving my thoughts and opinions on the Turtle Beach Earforce Z6A 5.1 Surround Sound Amplified PC Headset
Turtle Beach have had a total refresh across their entire range recently and OcUK have been keen to stock the high end offerings from the brand.
After grabbing a retail Z6A headset, I have been keen to try the set properly. The way I always test headsets is by giving them at least a week of usage. The highlights of this particular set that I was most excited about was the amplified surround sound capabilities.
The Box:
The packaging of the Turtle beach range is the best in the business. They are a brand that is used to focussing their market within the retail sector and this is very apparent when you look at the outer box.
The box is plastered in details about the product and gives loads of info about the product features etc
all of this stuff is covered on the OcUK product listing but either way, it is certainly an attractive product with an eye catching presentation.
inside the box there is
Instructions
Headset
lower section of the break off cable
Break out leads for console usage
Initial Setup:
Unboxing the headset took a few moments and it was fairly easy to see where everything goes. USB for powering the amp and then the jacks for plugging into the corresponding jack ports on your sound card.
Easy as pie to set up with minimal fiddling required.
There is a break off section on the wire near the headset itself. I assume that this is for the clumsy people like myself who forget they are wearing a headset and stand up/walk off. This should ensure you don't damage your headset cable/pull your system off the desk
The headset has a brilliant control unit attached to it. This is the point that you can plug XBOX 360 accessories into and also control each aspect of the headset.
you have control over the following which means you can customize the sound of the set on the fly without leaving a game to fiddle with software [this is something that irks me with my current setup]
- Mic On/Mute
- Surround Sound +/-
- Front Speakers +/-
- Sub +/-
- Centre +/-
Mic Monitoring:
I will mention this because it is a bit of a bug bear for me. My usual headset setup is a Xonar D2X and a Steelseries Siberia V2.
I dont use mic monitoring and generally have everything set up on my sound card. Using the same settings on the Z6A netted very good results. However, the one thing that irritates me with this headset is that you have a feint mic monitoring feature. you can hear what you are saying in your ear cups. whilst this is useful and does allow you to avoid an almighty telling off from the other half when you get excited about your game, it isn't something I personally like.
Everyone who tried it out at OcUK liked it loads but my main gripe is that there is no way of disabling it.
I read through the instructions a few times to see if I had missed it but it does appear that it is a permanent feature.
Multi Platform:
Installation on a Mac was easy as pie but I felt that the audio quality was lacking somewhat, this may be due to the Mac I tested on having poor onboard sound chips compared to my Xonar.
The area that has impressed me though is XBOX gaming. I have had to borrow my brothers Xbox for testing on this and have to say that the sound quality is superb on console with this headset. A session of Fifa Street and a few laps on Forza and there wasn't much I could fault. In honesty, it is the best I have heard a console ever sound which is quite some commendation especially considering that the headset is primarily designed as a PC Gaming headset.
Sadly, I did not have the correct cable to test the headsets microphone with the XBOX to hand so cannot comment on this feature.
Sound Quality:
I will be honest and blunt here. I have heard better headset audio quality than the Z6A before. However, this is generally when I am using a high end sound card paired with a much, much more expensive headset. In comparison to USB surround sound headsets such as the Logitech G35 and Corsair Vengeance 1500, the Z6A is a step above. Being able to use a sound card with this headset is a major advantage as you have the option to customise your setup both in the sound card driver and on the headset unit itself.
With Analog surround sound headsets, the Roccat Kave is the current 'Go To' product and for good reason. The Z6A holds up well above the Kave and presents the user with very similar capabilities and in my opinion, a better overall sound quality.
Positional sound on the Z6A feels more accurate than the Kave meaning your responses in game are quicker as events are easier to judge.
Sturdiness:
The build quality of the headset feels great, the earcups feel weighty and expensive but they aren't too heavy on your head.
The only thing I would say is that the headband finish isn't the best quality I have ever seen, but this can be forgiven as it is very strong and robust.
Music:
Movies and Music on the Z6A sounded great, the positional sound that worked so well in gaming scenarios was present in Movies. Music needed some tweaking to get sounding right, mainly because I had the sub cranked up on the headset and it ruined the sound of each music track I was listening to. Turning the bass on the headset down gave a marked improvement on music sound quality.
you do need to mess around with the settings on the headset with some styles of music to get the best out of them but this is no real problem.
Gaming:
Gaming for a long time with the Z6A presents no real issues. Great sound positioning means that you can hear enemies well and position locations of sound sources quickly and reliably in FPS games such as Battlefield 3 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive.
Racing games were a real novelty with this headset and after playing Dirt3 and Shift 2 Unleashed for a while, there was noticeable improvements over my stereo setup and even surround sets I have previously used.
Cars approaching from behind you or next to you were loud, and grew louder as they passed. This was seriously impressive and added depth and immersion to the games. This is something I have experienced in the past but not as good as this.
Extended Use and Comfort:
The Z6A is a little heavier than most headsets that I have used. My past two headsets I have had [Siberia V2 and PC350] were very light and you sometimes forget that they are on your heads.
The headset feels great on your ears, the cups are well padded and don't feel too large. The only thing I dint like is the material as I prefer a leather/faux leather finish rather than the cloth finish on these.
After a long gaming session, there was no soreness or pressure exerted on my head like you can get with some headsets that are on the heavier side.
In Summary:
I wasn't totally sure what to expect from Turtle Beach this time around. Their previous attempts were average at best in my opinion even though they had this huge reputation from the console gaming industry. They simply never used to compare to a decent PC gaming sound setup.
I am pleased to say, this has all changed. The new range of TB headsets that I tested at the Gadget Show Live were all of much higher quality than the older designs and the re-invention of the brand as a stand alone product since they moved away from MadCatz
The Z6A is a great all round headset that does everything well. The console functions are pleasing to see and are a nice nod to Turtle Beaches console heritage. Whilst this may put PC gamers off, I can honestly say that my opinions were swayed as soon as I got to grips with this set.
The general feel of the product is very good and the quality is very high. Aesthetically, the headset looks good and the finish is decent but it may not appeal to all.
I would give the Z6A 8/10 based on its overall performance and 8/10 for its gaming performance.
Pros
- Strong Bass features
- More convincing surround sound over other similar spec sets in this price range
- Comfortable for gaming and not too heavy.
- Works well on XBOX360 also
Cons
- Mic Monitor is a cool feature but needs an option to disable it
- The control box feels a little cheaper than the rest of the product
You can Pre Order the Z6A now on our site and stock is due to land any day now.
Turtle Beach Earforce Z6A 5.1 Analog Surround Sound PC Headset @ £79.99 inc VAT
Only £79.99 inc VAT.
ORDER NOW