Tritton has heard the complaints of the Tritton AX Pro and have redesigned it, bringing us the PRO+, fixing a majority of AX Pro’s biggest problems.

Most of the changes of the PRO+ are cosmetic, such as the headset, which now has a cleaner and sturdier design compared to the AX Pro. Also, the grey decoder box has been redesigned as well; now it matches the glossy white, black, and orange of the headset. The mic is now easy to bend to a place suitable for you, and can even be easily detached. The padded ear-cups fit nicely to your ears and can be rotated freely. However, your ears can get a bit warm after long term use, but this is not much of a problem, considering the comfort level of the pads.

Tritton says that it has changed the angle of the drivers in the ear-cups to help with sound localization, but they seem the same as the ones in the AX Pro. It is nice that they have made these updates, but if you already have the AX Pro, then this is probably not much of a reason to upgrade to the PRO+ headset.

Like the AX Pro, the PRO+ has an in-line remote for controlling the volume and changing the balance between game and chat audio. It also lets you tweak some of the headset’s equalizer settings, like setting custom volume levels for each of the surround channels. Adjusting each of the channel levels is simple, and as some games have different 5.1 mixes than others, this is a good thing. The volume is controlled digitally, using remote, color coded, backlit buttons that change color depending on the volume. This might take some time to get used to, but it is not a bad system overall.

The PRO+ does sound excellent, but you can get a great set of stereo or emulated-surround sound headphones for a lot cheaper than the PRO+. So the ultimate question is if true 5.1 headphones are worth the extra money. The PRO+’s 4-driver ear-cups do one thing other than sound great: it shows us the limitation of surround sound headphones. About half of the auditory cues our brains process are based on directional acoustics, requiring a much larger environment than an over-ear headset can give. This means the most important component of your room’s surround sound system is the actual room itself, and a pair of headphones will never be able to replicate this properly.

The quality of the sound can be different for everyone, but I tested it on Borderlands and Medal of Honor. The PRO+ was not any better for detecting enemies than other quality headsets that are out there. So if you are looking for a headset that will give you an advantage over your enemies, I would suggest you look elsewhere. However, not all of the extra drivers go to waste, as the PRO+ handles full frequency ranges amazingly, providing the game you are playing has sound design that is up to the task. Bass soundtracks and low-end sound effects come through the PRO+ woofers very deep and rich, and it is the same for screechy highs and mids.

The PRO+ comes in a massive box, which is needed, as this is a very complicated headset. You have to plug a fiber-optic cable into your PlayStation 3 or an adapter for the Xbox 360, which is simple enough. That is not all involved, however; there is also a USB cable that needs to go into the console, and you still have to connect the headphones to the receiver with a 12 foot cable. Also, if you are planning on using the PRO+ for voice chat on the 360, you will need another cable going from the headset to the controller. It is not unmanageable by any means, but if you don’t like having wires everywhere, this is not the headset for you; not to mention that if you want to use it on different platforms, there is no easy solution for switching between systems.

The Tritton PRO+ is not a bad headset, by any means. It’s comfortable on the ears, has great equalizer customization, and provides top quality audio for games. However, it is only fully compatible with consoles and PCs, and all the features require loads of cables and time to set up. I did not notice any real advantage with the multi-driver 5.1; it does sound great, but there just no noticeable advantage over any other good headset. Also, with it having a higher price point than many other good headsets out there, there is no real need to get the PRO+, as there are cheaper options available with comparable quality.

Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ 

This review is based on a retail version Tritton PRO+ Headset provided by MadCatz.

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About The Author

GuestPost represents the work of past New Gamer Nation writers. Though they may not be with us anymore physically, we know they are with us in spirit.

  • DSB_IV

    Good read here…I’ve been looking around for a new headset for my brother