The Tritton Pro+’s, how do they stack up in the competitive world of gaming, where every edge counts?
There’s a unique, almost ambivalent feeling of being sarcastically stabbed in the back on an FPS. Hate and embarrassment course through, whilst you simultaneously curse and pray that nobody bared witness to such an event. In come the Tritton Pro+’s. Let’s hope they can make that a thing of the past and finally answer truthfully if you can really hear footsteps coming up behind you.
True 5.1 surround sound is the selling point here; rather than mess about digitally emulating directional noise, Madcatz have opted for surely the most logical solution to having eyes in the back of your head, add more speakers! With four Neodymium drivers in each cup, (front, center, surround and sub) directional placement is defined and accurate.
What with the Pro+’s being, primarily, designed for gaming, it’s slightly nonplussing to discover there are no downloadable pre-sets such as the rival Turtle Beach lines. However instead, we are gifted with a truly customisable inline volume controller, with each of the four speaker levels able to be be altered relative to one another. Meaning that, should grenades lack that little extra oomph, the bass can be increased to almost inordinately head squeezing levels; the rear speakers, after being thrown up a few notches, will make you swivel like a paranoid ballerina in full swing.
Even at their uppermost volume, which I don’t recommend you stay on for too long for obvious pain-related reasons, the Tritton’s don’t seem to distort. Crystal clear and punchy audio envelops what little space surrounds your ears; subtle game audio cues are amplified to the point of wondering how you’d never heard them before. The sound of a grenade pin being pulled or the cheeky blip of a claymore the instant before it takes your legs off are surprisingly sharp and noticeable. Not so clichéd subtleties are also present such as the bewildering inclusion of flies buzzing around on certain Black Ops 2 maps, it’s astonishing how much audio can be missed without such fidelity.
The ability to adjust on the fly with this headset to your own specific needs, is to it’s benefit. Being able to alter in game volumes on a per speaker level is hugely advantageous. Combine this with modifying the chat level independently and you’re in full control. Lowering the chat volume when in a lobby of reprobates can leave you grinning in blissful ignorance to the profanities of your fallen prey, whilst still being able to keep an ear out.
Take it off mute for a second though and the clarity of online voice chat is in a different league to any ear buds or television speakers around. Microphone quality is also several strides above par, picking up very little background noise if adjusted properly. Selectable Voice Monitoring (SVM) is a nice feature, providing feedback of your voice through the cups. I feel a little self conscious if I can’t hear myself talking so I generally leave this on! A simple depress of the chat volume button will toggle it off and on should you wish. A point of note is that not only is the mic almost infinitely adjustable due to it’s malleable nature, but it can also be completely detached leaving you with a snazzy pair of cans for relaxing with a film or some music.
Comfort levels are beyond my expectations. The cushioning at the head band let’s it fit all styles of head without it cuddling you so hard it brings on a headache; the cups envelop your ears, lobe and all, to give a satisfying fit. Even during a hardcore (gaming) session, if anything, they seem to get comfier and, aside from some hot ears, they’re barely noticeable after a while.
Everything you need to get setup is included; plugging it all in shouldn’t take more than a few minutes once you’ve pried everything out of the gloriously over engineered box. Only one AC socket is required this time around and wires are kept to a minimum, except the headset cable of course, which is a healthy 12ft. leaving you plenty of dancing space before wrenching your hi-fi stand apart.
They may not sound as good as a high end surround sound system, but then they are a fraction of the cost in comparison. They also may not turn average Joe into the next big YouTube star, but they’ll certainly help him along the way. What they are then, are a bit like glasses for your ears. They’ll help you hear the little details you never knew were there, but you’d have to know how to listen in the first place; those that know how to take advantage of that will become better players because of it. And yes, you really can hear footsteps behind you.
