Turtle Beach is back, and this time with yet another exciting new revision to their Stealth 600 and 700 series of headsets. The “Max” versions of the Stealth series offer better quality, better sound, and built with consoles in mind, The question is: does it deliver? Here’s our review of the new Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max and Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max.
The Design
In the looks department, I have to say that the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 and 700 Gen 2 MAX is remarkably beautiful. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very plain when you first look at it from pictures and promotional material, but I assure you, in person it looks and feels like a premium product.
The exterior is covered in a nicely matted plastic finish, and while that may scream “cheap” and “non-durable,” it is anything but. It feels well built, as if the intentions were to make sure that it would last a lifetime. It’s not bulky either, comparable to the size of my PlayStation 3D Pulse headset. Now there is surprisingly some weight, but the memory foam underneath the band as well as around the ear cups help cushion that to the point where you probably won’t notice. It’s a snug and comfortable fit
Both ear cups also have hinges to rotate in and out, as well as up and down. It’s a nice design choice, one I’ve been fond of in past Turtle Beach headsets, as well as the ROCCAT line. And I mentioned before that both ear cups have memory foam cushioning, which are wrapped in a leather-like material. Looking inside the ear cups themselves however, you can actually see the speakers and its internal components as there is a transparent film of fabric over it. It’s not a big thing, but I do like that from a style standpoint, even if you only see it when you take them off.
On the left ear cup you’ll find all the bells and whistles of dials and buttons. There are two volume controls, one for game, and the other for chat, and then there’s the Bluetooth (700 model only) pairing button, and the mode button to toggle Superhuman Hearing. I’ll dive into that stuff a bit later, but in terms of accessibility, it’s all there out of the box, no additional software needed or leaving it up entirely to the consoles themselves.
What I love the most though is how the microphone is carved into the ear cup itself, allowing you to easily swing it down when you want to use it, or hide it completely without the need of removing it. I do like it when you can remove the microphone, but that’s mostly because a majority of sets out there don’t have a good way of hiding it. It either stays stuck out, or rotates awkwardly. If they are removable then you have to worry about potentially losing it, which I’m sure some of you have before. Mind it’s not the most flexible of microphones out there with a small angle adjustment, but it is positioned in a great spot where it’ll always pick up your voice. And again, if you aren’t someone who uses the mic, you can flick it to the up position and it will automatically be muted (an audible mute,) so you can play without the worry of someone hearing you.
Now if there is a complaint that I do have, then it’s the tightness around the ear cup. While the cushioning is comfortable, I found there to be a bit too much pressure around the ears during my first time wearing. I’ve gotten used to it, but there is definitely noticeable pressure. I’m not sure if it’s because of the banding not really being flexible, thus exerting too much around the ears, but as a warning if you have a large head you may find a bit of discomfort. It does do a great job at blocking outside sounds though, so there is a reason why that pressure is there, and like I said, I did get used to it after use, so it may just be the case of “breaking it in.”
Stellar Performance at Your Full Control
Perhaps what makes both the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 and 700 Gen 2 Max such a darn good pair of headsets is by far, the way they sound. I mean these are headsets, so it comes with the expectations that they would sound great, but to be able to be used across a variety of systems so seamlessly, without any sacrifices in its quality is a big thing. I’ll use my PC a lot for productivity (video and audio editing) and gaming, and I found that both the 600 and 700 are able to meet those needs, as sounds come in high, crystal clear tones.
And while not the most option filled, the Turtle Beach Audio Hub App is an absolute must for console gamers. Being a PC gamer, I get the benefits of having access to a wide variety of options to better suit my audio needs. However, when I do play games on consoles I like that Turtle Beach gives me a bit of that power with their own apps. Again, it doesn’t have a lot of options that you would get on the PC side of things, but being able to adjust certain perimeters makes a difference. That goes without saying that both the 600 and 700 Gen 2 Max are great out of the box, but the app is definitely a worthwhile feature as it gives you access to things like Superhuman Hearing volume, mic monitoring, chat boosts, and even being able to remap the chat wheel to something else like full volume control for Superhuman Hearing, mic monitoring levels, and even Bluetooth volume. It’s great, I’ve never seen that as an option on a headset to remap specific buttons and dials, at least for console use.
Sticking to the subject of consoles, both the Stealth 600 and 700 Gen 2 Max support 3D Audio on PS5 and Dolby Atmos on the Xbox. They make great use of those audio technologies and for someone really looking for a headset that takes full advantage of these features, especially on the Xbox, then you can’t go wrong with either of these sets.
The 600 Gen 2 Max and 700 Gen 2 Max Difference
Now you may be wondering what the big differences are between both the 600 and 700 Gen 2 Max headsets, and honestly, it’ll all boil down the preference here. Both headsets offer incredible sounds, and they both share wireless connectivity via dongle with the 700 having Bluetooth support. In terms of battery life, they both are capable of supplying an astonishing 40-hours of usage, with the 600 having a bit more juice in its charge.
However, despite looking the same, the 700 is without a question the better build. It has metal-reinforced banding, whereas the 600 is fully plastic. The ear cushions are also noticeably more comfortable, as well as have a cooling effect in the 700 series. That’s not to say that the 600 isn’t comfortable by any means, just when compared to the 700 there is a big difference. As for the audio and microphone, the 700 inches out, but barely. They’re both superb in sound quality, but we found the microphone in the 700 to be a tad better.
The biggest difference, however, is the pricing. The 600 Gen 2 Max will run at a MSRP of $129.99 while the 700 Gen 2 Max MSRP at $199.99. A $70 price tag difference, but I suppose the 700 Gen 2 Max earns that due to the built quality and overall improved functionalities.
Verdict
Outside of the initial ear cup tightness, I don’t have much in terms of negativity about these sets. They’re excellent, and maybe in fact amongst the best headsets I have ever used on consoles. Comfortable, as well as sleek and beautiful in their design, with their performance being a true knock-out with superbly clean audio and a well quality mic. The battery life is just perfect too, though we aren’t against Turtle Beach coming back with a longer lasting one down the road.
I highly recommend either of the sets, but if you want a big more quality and more bang out of your buck, then the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max is well worth the extra price.
Pros:
- Overall design is beautiful, and comfortable.
- Spectacular speakers.
- Microphone quality, with easy built-in headphone storage.
- Battery life in both 600 and 700.
- 700 model – Bluetooth support, and in general, a worthwhile improvement over the 600 series.
- Built with console usage in mind. App is easy to use and offers well welcomed features for console players.
Cons:
- Some tightness, which will vary from user to user.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 and 700 Gen 2 MAX hardware was provided by the manufacture for review purposes. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.
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