Hearing is believing.
I was fortunate enough to
participate in the original Xbox Live Beta way back when. I remember getting
that package from Microsoft with all of the items needed to play online on my
brand new Xbox. One of the best things about this particular setup was the
headset. The headset was really comfortable to wear and the cord was really
long. When I got the Xbox 360 I was a little disappointed in how Microsoft
redesigned the headset, as it is not as comfortable and the cord is a lot
shorter. In all honesty I was hopping that the headset was going to be wireless
just like the controller I was using. Mad Catz has just released their very own
headset to offer an alternative to Microsoft’s. Read on to find out how it
measures up.
The name of Mad Catz’s very own
headset is the Xbox 360 HeadCOM Pro. Mad Catz designed the headset to look very
similar to the official Xbox 360 headset, using the same white and great case
covering. The device itself is pretty comfortable to wear. The HeadCOM Pro also
works with both for your Xbox 360 and original Xbox.
All of this
is all nice and well, but what matters most is how does this device sound when
you are playing? After testing it out with various games I found that the
clarity that the headphone offers is really nice and is comparable with the
official Xbox headset. Another important aspect of this device is the
microphone, just like the Xbox 360 head set, the microphone bends so you can
find the best position for you to talk. Another concern for the microphone is
the clarify that it provides when you talk into it, and how other people to hear
you. Well after testing it myself with some friends and hearing them use it to
talk, I can tell you that the clarify is just as good as the official Xbox Live
headset.
The problem with the HeadCOM Pro is
that it doesn’t have the volume control/mute device attached to it like the
official Xbox Live headset. So while this headset will work really well for your
original Xbox it really does not fly very far on your precious new console.
Hopefully Mad Catz will fix this or better yet, come out with a wireless headset
that has this functionally, now that would work wonders.
The price for the Xbox 360 HeadCOM
Pro is $14.99
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Pros:
I really liked that the cord is longer to give players more space to move
around. Also the price point is set really nicely.
Cons:
While the headset is backwards compatible, it is missing a very important item
on it to be functional for the Xbox 360, the volume control and mute button.
Without this it is not as fun to use for the price that you are paying for it.
Verdict: 7.1
The Xbox 360 HeadCOM Pro would have gotten a lot higher score if it was made for
just the original Xbox. Without the volume control and mute button this
seriously hampers this headset’s functionality.
