Official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset Review

To define a perfect PS3 gaming experience, you will need a high quality HDTV set and a sound system that allows you to hear everything from the game – the footsteps, the recoil of each gunshot and the raindrops. For gamers who already own a HDTV, the only thing that’s missing is a sound system. If a $300-$500 sound system is too heavy on the budget, an alternative solution is now available for PS3 owners as Sony released its Official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset for a cheap price.

With a plethora of headsets in the market that promises to deliver high quality sounds, like the Turtle Beach Headset, how does the PS3 Official Wireless Stereo Headset differ to other products in the market? Let’s take a quick look on the HOTs and NOTs of the “Official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset”.

HOT

Easy to Set Up!
Setting up the Wireless Stereo Headset is easy and it will only take a couple of minutes to install. There is no complicated set up that needs to be done. To hook up the headset, simply use the USB dongle included in the package. Once the USB receiver is connected, you will only have to turn on the headset by pressing the left side of the peripheral. Wait for a couple of seconds and viola!

There’s no need to hook up the SPDIF cable to some device to make it all work. All of the audio will be transferred instantly via the receiver and through the wireless technology.

Retractable Microphone
The PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset can also be used as a microphone when playing online games to communicate with other players. Whenever a player plans to use the headset as a microphone to talk with other players, slightly pull the microphone from the headset. Look for the blue led light as an indication you’re connected. If the other headset has an issue of not blocking the outside noise, the Wireless Headset can do the trick. One of the great things about microphone is that it blocks any background noises and only captures your voice.

Rechargeable Battery. Long Hours of Sound Entertainment
There’s no need to buy extra batteries for the headset! Thanks to to the rechargeable battery installed on the headset, you can simply charge it whenever the battery runs out. Using the USB cable that other PS3 peripherals use, players can charge it for roughly an hour to get a full charge. The battery life of the headset is a good one as well. If other headsets offer gamers a short batter life, the Official PS3 headset lasts you a long time. Expect to use the headset for at least 8 hours before you will need to recharge again.

Nice Design
Whether you have a big or a small head, the headset will fit on you perfectly. Thanks to the well-designed product, wearing it will make you feel comfortable when using it. The ear pad on the headset will capture any size of ears and with its leathery cloth around, it will block most of the surrounding background noises. The power button and volume slider are all in the right spot of the headset. Simply tap the left side of the headset to turn it on/off and slide down the volume bar on the side.

Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound
Having a true 7.1 surround sound is impossible to experience without spending on a costly sound system. However, in the PS3 Official Wireless Headset, you can experience it virtually. Depending on the audio source, you can enable the 7.1 surround sound by pressing a button on the headset. The clarity of the sound and voices are something all gamers will appreciate from this headset.

Use it for PC
Aside from using it on the PS3, the wireless headset can also be used on the PC for both sound recording and listening to audios/movies.. Simply connect the receiver on the USB port of the PC and it will automatically install the drivers needed. Once it’s connected and installed, you can alter the settings to fit your needs.

Best to Use it at Night
It’s annoying when you have to turn down the volume at night as others in the house are sleeping. With the Wireless Stereo Headset on the PS3, you will not have to worry about turning the volume down as you can simply use the headset and experience the same sound you would get from your sound system.

NOT

Retractable Microphone Looks Fragile
If you decide to purchase the headset, one of the things you should watch out for is how flimsy the microphone is. The retractable microphone on the headset are made of plastic and by touching it, it feels like it would break easily. To make sure that it won’t break, be careful on how you pull it out and put it back in.

No Virtual Surround Sound for Blu-Ray movies
While watching the Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-Ray on the PS3, one of the things I’ve noticed is that it doesn’t have the virtual surround sound. I’ve went ahead and changed to another movie and nope, none of them support the virtual surround sound. It goes simply to a stereo 2.0 source. While it may not support 7.1 surround, it still sounds good under the default stereo headset- crystal clear audio can still be expected. There’s no subwoofer for great bass on the headset.

Only for the PS3… and PC
When I first got this headset, I first tried to use it on the Xbox 360 to see if it would work. After spending five minutes figuring out, it didn’t work. So basically, if you’re looking for a headset that works universally, you won’t find it here. The wireless headset works only on the PS3 and for the PC.

Limited Fine Tuning
The virtual surround sound that the headset offers might sound good but if you’re looking to fine tune the sounds, you won’t find it here. It would be great if you were able to to do some adjustment to the sounds via XMB but nope, none of these features are found on this headset. You’re only stuck with the default settings the headset orginally has.

VERDICT

If you’re looking for a cheap alternative solution of hearing surround sound or can’t afford a sound system, this Wireless Stereo Headset for the PS3 will do the job easily for a measly $99. It’s not as good as you would get from a true 7.1 surround sound, but it’s close enough. I love everything about the headset – from the comfortable ergonomic design to the virtual surround sound it offers in games, I must say that purchasing this product is a worthy investment for PS3 owners. The only downside is that there’s no way to fine tune the audio settings on the device. Oh, did also I mention you can use it on the PC too?

[Editor’s Note: The PS3 Official Wireless Stereo Headset was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]