Positioning itself as “the brand new king of ultra-premium wi-fi gaming audio,” the Turtle Seashore Stealth Professional is gunning for pole place in a crowded market. And whereas it makes a great run for it with its readability of sound, there are some things holding it again from greatness. And even simply normal mediocrity.
I have been utilizing the Nova Professional, SteelSeries’ pitch for premium wi-fi supremacy, for a great 5 months at this level. In that point I’ve solely discovered a number of small points with it: a rapidly slacking headband, loud glitch noises when going out of vary, and a few minor stress from the drivers typically touching my ears. In designing the Stealth Professional, Turtle Seashore has made a commendable effort to not solely match its essential competitors for much less, but in addition enhance on a few of the niggles Nova Professional customers have been complaining of.
That is on paper, although; issues pan out a bit of in a different way in observe.
Just like the Nova Professional, the Stealth Professional is available in two, console-specific SKUs for Xbox and PlayStation. And luxury-wise the Turtle Seashore design does alright. The Stealth Professional sits comparatively comfortably on the ears, and the rotating ear cups imply it is simple sufficient to get it in the fitting place.
Turtle Seashore Stealth Professional specification
Frequency response: 10Hz – 22KHz
Drivers: 50mm Nanoclear, Neodymium magnets
Microphone: TruSpeak, removable, 100Hz–8kHz
Connection: 2.4Ghz wi-fi + Bluetooth 5.1
Weight: 422g (14.8lbs)
Battery life: 12hr per battery, rated
Value: $330 (opens in new tab) / ÂŁ280 (opens in new tab)Â
I admire that Turtle Seashore has made lodging for eyeglasses, and regardless of it gripping my head fairly arduous to maintain from falling off, I have not felt my glasses digging into the facet of my face. That stated, whereas the earcups are gorgeously spongy, the headscarf is not as snug as I would have preferred for the worth, particularly for longer gaming periods.
That is partially as a result of the headset is simply so darn heavy at 422g, actually in comparison with the Nova Professional’s 338g. And whereas you do not have to place up with the headscarf going slack and needing to get replaced, you are coping with much more stress in your crown every day. Personally I would want the headscarf resolution as a result of consolation actually is vital relating to a gaming headset, and I should not must shuffle it forwards and backwards each 5 minutes to distribute the load myself.
After all, sound is simply as necessary, too, and I have been fairly impressed by how the Audio Hub V2 software program enriches the general soundstage. There might solely be a number of EQ presets, however the Superhuman Listening to characteristic actually helps distinguish totally different in-game sounds, together with footsteps and gunshots, and the 7.1 encompass meant I may inform the path simply. The bass enhance does rather a lot to enhance the richness of the lows with out distorting the sound at excessive volumes, too.
Certain, the choices aren’t as huge as with the SteelSeries Sonar software program, however I admire the simplicity. It is fast to obtain and set up, although I’ve had a few points with it consuming up my system sources.
When it is behaving, the software program sits between one and two p.c CPU utilization. However when an audio program begins gobbling up 95.3% of my CPU utilization and virtually crashing my PC, it is clear there’s one thing significantly improper. That is with out the flowery Superhuman Listening to turned on, too.
A fast reinstall mounted the problem, although it’s kind of of a ache that I’ve had to take action twice already this morning, the primary time as a result of software program all of a sudden failing to recognise the headset after I walked out of vary. In different phrases, it has been a rollercoaster, software-wise. Unplugging the transmitter truly threw up a blue display of demise at one level, so I will not be doing that once more. The corporate has since up to date the software program, so hopefully these points will subside, however it’s not made a fantastic first impression.
There are a number of remapping choices to work by way of, too, with totally different choices for the wheel and facet buttons on the headset in PC and console mode. The facet buttons might be lengthy pressed to shift them to their chosen secondary features—just like the G-shift perform on Logitech mice. A cool little characteristic, if carried out a bit of clumsily. You actually must learn the directions to become familiar with what all of the buttons do, however it’s good to see all of the helpful features accessible on the headset.
Sadly, the buttons themselves aren’t wonderful to work with. I’ve to really feel round rather a lot for them as they’re flush and awkward to press. The wheel can be on the rattly facet, and having all of the buttons on the fitting means I’ve to take away my major hand from my mouse or controller to make use of them.Â
Typically the headset is nicely constructed, however as with quite a lot of the Turtle Seashore merchandise I’ve used, the bodily interface undermines the general design.
That stated, the wi-fi connectivity is not dangerous. So long as I stayed nearer than 15m, and inside line-of-sight to the transmitter, I did not expertise any dropouts. Add a submitting cupboard or a wall, although, and that is when the dropouts begin to come up. The Bluetooth might not be the freshest, however I can at the very least say it dealt with obstacles a bit of higher.
The mic has its personal points, too. Shut up the plosives are fairly dangerous, however it’s usually fairly clear even with it away from my face. Sadly, it does sound fairly darn fuzzy.
In relation to battery life, I have been utilizing it for a great six hours and have not needed to swap the battery. I admire the inclusion of a spare battery, although even the rated lifetime of each batteries collectively (simply 12 hours every) cannot match as much as a few of the greatest wi-fi gaming headsets we have examined. If you’ve acquired the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wi-fi (opens in new tab) providing some 300 hours, the competitors is stiff.
As I stated earlier than, on paper these specs may appear to again up the $330 price ticket, however with all of the software program points, interface downfalls, and discomfort it does not hit the mark for me.
Toss something just like the distinctive audiophile Audeze Maxwell (opens in new tab) into the combo, with its $299 / ÂŁ319 price ticket, and the Stealth Professional actually does not stand an opportunity. Notably towards the heat of these 90mm planar magnetic drivers, the breadth of the 10Hz-50,000Hz frequency response, and a whopping 80 hour battery life.
If you’re being requested to spend this a lot money on a gaming headset it must be a no-compromise machine. And at simply ÂŁ50/$20 lower than the Nova Professional, there are simply too many issues holding the Turtle Seashore Stealth Professional again to advocate, price ticket being not the least of them, however actually not the one one.Â