After the installation is done, we can power on the headset by using the respective button on the decoder; right away, we will see the LEDs light up, telling us what type of audio signal is received on the optical interface and what is being sent to the output. By using the small button on the front of the decoder, we can switch between Movie Mode, Music Mode or Stereo Mode.

Movie Mode

Music Mode

Stereo Mode

You might find that static is heard in the headphones, even if nothing is played (and even if we do not have the microphone plugged in); well, this is because the SVM mode is On by default and must be disabled by using the controls. Secondly, if we turn the volume all the way down or mute it directly, we can hear a very weak buzz, that seems to modify with the LEDs on the headset; unfortunately, this small inconvenience cannot be eliminated because the LEDs can't be turned off.

The audio quality in movies, games or music is very similar to the one experienced on the AX720; the mids and highs are nicely played but the bass is not as powerful as some may expect. Even if this is a product with only 2 drivers, if you are listening to the headset for the first time, the Dolby effect will make you think that a full surround speaker setup is playing around you and you'd be tempted to remove the headset to see where the sound is really coming from :).

The newly designed decoder box preserves the same functionality as the older one, but looks more interesting and now we do not need a separate power adapter for it like on the AX720. This feature means the elimination of an extra cable, and the power is drawn from a spare USB port, on the same wire the data for the MIC circulates.

Thanks to the large cups, the ear can be covered completely so people with glasses won't have issues while using them; an example is the model tested in the past from Arctic, where the cups stayed on the ear so the helix was pressed against the plastic frame of the glasses.

Because of the detachable cable from the in-line remote, we can temporary stop our gaming session and perform another activity without removing the headset.

All necessary cables and adapters are provided for using any version of Xbox 360. If we want to use the product on the PS3, it works without problems, but we won't be able to use the microphone. On the PC, the product is also fully functional and we can choose between using the product with the decoder box (by connecting it to the sound card on optical), or we can connect it directly to the audio interface on analog.

The TRITTON Gears of War Dolby 7.1 Headset can be found online for about 180 Euros, which means that not anyone will be able to afford such product.

TRITTON Gears of War 3 Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound Headset Recommended For:

I would like to thank again to Mad Catz for making this review possible!