Drjft Gaming Tritton AX720 Review

A review of the Tritton AX720 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound headset for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

[IMChampion]

I can vouch for these. I've been using them since last November. BFBC2 sounds awesome and the simulated 5.1 really helps. Can't imagine gaming without them.

[xTruthx]

I have the AX PRO

[deadreckoning666]

I have the AX PROS and I don't understand how anyone can make the argument that simulated surround sound is better than ACTUAL 8 speaker surround sound. Whatevs, to each his own.

[jjohan35]

I own both. The AX 720 provides better directional sound. The AX Pros don't work as well simply because the separate speakers are all clumped together and not spaced apart far enough.

People who think it's impossible to detect 5.1 surround sound with just two speakers don't understand how our hearing works. We detect surround sound in real life based on two ears, not five ears. This happens because of timing differences as well as other complicated processes in the brain (minor in audiology). The same can be applied with simulated surround if the processor works well, and in this case Tritton does a pretty good job. But I can definitely say the AX Pros' bass sounds A LOT better than the AX 720.

After 6 months of use, I'm noticing that the right side is a little louder than the left. I've contacted Tritton multiple times without any customer support. Their product is great and I understand that these things can happen, but the lack of customer support is underwhelming to say the least.

[BakedGoods]

You're right about simulated surround being effective. The problem is in the 'simulation'.

Audio producers for both gaming and movies set certain sounds to come from particular speakers (especially in regards to movies). The simulated 5.1 tries to guess where the audio should be coming from, most times it's right sometimes it's a bit off. A true 5.1 setup will output the right sounds to the right speakers resulting in the most accurate surround. The AXPRO's do allow you to adjust the timing which can help give a greater feel of spacial sound too (if you feel the speakers are too clumped together--something I haven't noticed).

In the end, considering the amount of blu-rays I watch and FPS gaming I do I need to trust whatever is outputing the audio is as accurate as possible--in that regard the AXPRO's do a fantastic job.

[jjohan35]

I don't doubt what you are saying. But after owning/using both sets, I can tell you that the directional sound of the AX 720s is more accurate. I was a bit surprised myself but I found out that I wasn't the only one who noticed the difference.

There is no 'guessing' in simulated 5.1 simply because the received signal is true 5.1. Instead of amplifying each individual channel, the processor uses delay cues similar to how the brain uses delay cues to simulate surround sound. And indeed the brain itself simulates surround sound since we are limited to only 2 ears.

The AX Pros, while having great sound for gaming purposes (but not for audiophile purposes), are not spatially discrete enough to reduce the overlapping muddled sound. And that's what the simulated 5.1 surround reduces, muddled overlapping channels. While I agree that most actual 5.1 setups are more accurate than simulated 5.1 setups, the actual 5.1 setups require a minimum distance from each channel and from the ear itself. Our ears aren't designed to detect delay cues for surround sound when the audio source is within 1 inch from the ear (partially from the limited bone conduction as well as limited air conduction to both ears).

The Tritton AX Pros will sound great for all gaming intentions and purposes, but isn't the best option for most accurate, discrete surround sound. For audiophile purposes, nothing produced by Tritton can be really considered audiophile quality.

And I have played with the AX Pro's timing settings for several months without much satisfaction.

[BakedGoods]

Yeah I definitely understand the logic with the minimum distances between speakers. I must admit, trying a few surround headsets I found the AXPRO's to provide similar surround quality as other headsets. So I'm curious...

Based on your comments, I'm going to do a few more tests and see how well the spacial sounds compare to a simulated set. I imagine the amp provides some sound processing by adjusting the delays between channels (independent of the user-controlled timing) otherwise I'm not sure why the AXPRO's work so well when I'm gaming or movie-watching. Especially considering I'm used to a 7.1 speaker setup I haven't felt I've lost much when switching to AXPRO's at night.

I do agree that 30mm drivers won't compare to 50mm audiophile sets. For those purposes I definitely would look more towards 2-channel sets for higher-fidelity. However when it comes to differentiating spacial sounds I'm still sitting in the true 5.1 camp--for now.

[Cernunnos]

Actually, I had the AX PROS and I was not pleased at all with the surround performance. Now I have the 720's and even if it's just simulated it sounds so much better, and it is a lot easier to hear where things are coming from. Simulated surround simply works better with headsets, because the distances between the speakers are so small.

[DaCajun]

If you guys are not getting a better sound out of the AxPros then I'm sorry you need to learn how to set the delays up correctly and then they will sound 10x better than the Ax720s. Try +8ms TD for surround and +2ms TD for center and make sure you do not have DRC on because it will degrade the quality. But like someone else said to each their own and for the tone deaf ones it doesn't matter which one you have you just can't distinguish quality to begin with.

[IMChampion]

I never said it was better, I said I can't imagine gaming without them. I had a choice between the 2 and I chose these for my reasons.

[Raf1k1]

What's with people misunderstanding what they read lately?
IMChampion said 'the simulated 5.1 helps' considering it's a headset not that 'simulated surround sound is better than ACTUAL 8 speaker surround sound'.

edit: BTW, these are really cool.

[IMChampion]

Thanks man, someone who can actually read and understand.

[erathaol]

AX 720 is just better if you can't afford to go Pro. Although they both are fairly expensive.

[Drjft]

Yeah I agree. Since I've started using them I couldn't imagine gaming without them. And like you said, even though it's only simulated, the 5.1 really helps me be on my A Game.

[benihya]

The AX 720 are better than the AX pro
$169 for 8 weak spearks = fail
$119 for 2 great speaker + great 5.1 software = win

[Mr Blings]

Really solid headset

[SKCShifty]

Nice.

[S M N]

how can i use them with my ps3 ?

[nutcase4u]

They plug into the optical output in the back of the PS3. A small plastic cover needs to be removed from the cable before trying to plug it into the optical output, so make a mental note or you could render them useless by messing up the output.
I have the AX Pro set, and they really helped my gaming on MW2 for both PS3 and 360. When something is behind you or above you it can sometimes get confusing, but you get used to it. Totally worth the purchase.

[Omega6]

Turtle Beaches are better

[wwm0nkey]

Yeah...No Turtle Beaches are notorious for echoing on every gaming plat form and just don't offer that good of sound quality, I love my 720's when I used them at E3 last year I instantly fell in love with them.

[Omega6]

IF you say so, all my friends have turtle beaches along with myself and we love em.

[nutcase4u]

Tritton wins. The Turtle Beach headset is pretty good for those on a budget, but if you want a much higher quality sound with a higher quality headset then the Tritton is the optimal choice.

[GAM3R7l]

The X41s are the same price, and easily comparable dude....stop typing out of your ass, lol. Only a moron would bother comparing the X21s or X11s to the Tritton AX720s.

[GAM3R7l]

Yep, my TB X41s crap all over these. ZERO echo, ZERO hissing...7.1 and no A/C power supply required (USB power FTW)

[Omega6]

I tried the X41's at a friends house and WOW I loved them!! Im considering getting them before GOW3 drops.

[wwm0nkey]

I owned a pair for about 2 weeks then I traded them in, I just didnt like them and all my friends complained about an echo effect when I was in a party with them

[gamingisnotacrime]

Have you used the Trittons? I dont know about TB, but the AX 720 are phenomenal, and the internet reviews praise it as top of the line in its class

[Cernunnos]

I have tried to use Turtle Beach headsets and they are actually really really overrated.

[ASSASSYN 36o]

I bought an A40/Mixamp bundle in March and I can't be more happier. It is audio bliss.

And for you new and future headset users don't forget to set your voice audio output to speakers only. Otherwise, you will barely hear teammates speaking.

[gamingisnotacrime]

So GOOD it takes you into the game, BC2 is a blast, MGS4 is intense, everything just gets better

[xg-ei8ht]

A2DP Please SONY.

I have a wireless SONY stereo headset. Works brilliant with other devices and even with chat, but i want to hear full audio.

[codehorizon]

the AX720 has given me more than my money's worth. Agree, $169 was high, and I think that I payed more for them at Best Buy, they are very much worth it. My, along with many others, major gripe is that you can't control both chat levels and game volume separately, since the voice of your friend is heard through the speakers along with the game volume. Other than that, no problems. Even the microphone is of great quality.

[Drjft]

Also, an amendment to my review; the reason the "duhhh" sound occured was because there was too much power going to the receiver box. I fixed that. And I also had the Xbox 360 settings wrong, which was causing me the inline voice/game seperate control issues.