If you have ever been told to “TURN DOWN THAT GAME/MOVIE/MUSIC”, whatever your vice is, then the Tritton AX Pros are the answer you have been looking for.  I know for me the only way my wife knows I stay up playing video games is because she can hear the game audio playing into the late night hours.  Well no longer will I be getting those weird “did you stay up till 3am playing a video game again?” questions.  Read on to find out how you can avoid those pesky questions to.

Basic Installation/Setup:

As the title implies the AX Pros have a very basic installation process.  As mentioned in the included foldout instructions sheet, the first four steps are the same no matter what you are connecting the headsets to.

1. Remove the plastic caps for the optical cable.  Yes I find it funny too, but why not start with a little humor.
2. Connect the power adapters to the controller jack and the headset.  Yes there are two plug-ins for these headsets.
3. Plug the two AC adapters to the wall.  I would recommend a power strip.
4. Connect the 9-pin plug into the front of the controller box.  There is a spot for two headsets per controller box.

After those initial steps it gets more the sheet gets more specific for installations with the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC w/optical, PC w/analog, DVD player and self powered 5.1 speakers.  In fact the AX Pros can be hooked up to any device with either a optical cable or other 5.1 output devices.  The controller box can also work as a 5.1 decoder when hooked up to 5.1 self powered speakers.  In short, the versatility of the AX Pros is very self evident.

Currently I plan to use these headsets with my 360, PS3 and the occasional movie that wife wife doesn’t watch to watch or hear.  Before getting the AX Pros I ran these devices with optical cables to my receiver.  The PS3/360 share a cable that I have to switch depending on which I am playing.  This, after the first four steps, made installation as simple as unplugging the optical cable to my receiver and plugging in the included optical cable which runs to the controller box.

For the 360 I connect the optical cable to the audio output cable.  For voice chat on the 360 these is an included cable that plugs into the 360 controller and the in-line volume controller.  There is a specific way to connect it:

The 90 degree end goes to the in-line volume control.

As you will also see mentioned on the above, included, addendum to be concerned about were #2 and the “update” and will be covered momentarily.

For the most part though the installation for the PlayStation 3 was the same.  Unplug the optical to my receiver, plug in the optical from the controller box and game audio is a good.  Possibly.

As noted in the addendum check the PS3’s audio output and it should be optical out and ONLY have Dolby 5.1 and PCM 44.1 check (I think you have no choice on the PCM one, but DO NOT HAVE DTS Checked!).  If DTS is checked and the game/DVD supports DTS the PlayStation 3 defaults to output in DTS.  As the AX Pros use a Dolby decoder you will get no audio at all from the headsets.  I found this out starting up Resistance 2.

The other difference in installation between 360 and PS3 is the way in-game chat is handled.  On the PS3 in-game chat is done by Blue Tooth or USB and as there is no headset plug-in on the PS3 controller; in-game chat is handled via an, supplied, A to B USB cable from the PS3 to the controller box.  No cable from the in-line volume control is needed!

When I need to watch a movie/TV it is just as simple as above.  A quick unplugging of an optical cable and plugging in of another and away I go!  As mentioned there is also numerous other ways to hook up devices to the controller box and the AX Pros.  While I may never use them it is nice to know they are available and the necessary cables for those connections are included in the box!

Now that we have the hardware installed there are a few more settings worth making sure are set correctly.  On the 360 you will want to make sure you in-game chat is set to “play through headset” is checked and that “play through headsets and speakers” is NOT checked; as this would defeat the purpose of the headsets.  This would also be the place to change your mic input volume.  If people are having trouble hearing you turn this up, and vice versa.

On the PS3 you will want to go to settings -> sound settings -> audio output settings and again make sure only 5.1 Dolby Digital and PCM 44.1 is checked.  For in-game chat go to settings -> accessory settings ->  audio device settings -> and select both the input and output to be “C-Media USB Headset”.  This makes the “update” to the above addendum null as you will be able to change the volume of the in-game chat once this change is made.  Like the 360, this is also the place to change your mic input volume.

Actual Use of the AX Pros:

My AX Pros came with cloth ear pads and head pad installed.  I used this for the first couple days, and while they were comfortable, there were leather pads included so I gave them a chance.  I found that I liked the feel of the leather pads and the fact that the leather pads kept the ear units just a little farther from from ears.  It has been mentioned I have big ears so this little more distance added to the comfort level ten fold.  The same was my experience with the head pad.  The leather pad kept the while unit a little more elevated off my head.  I didn’t get quite the feeling of all the weight of the AX Pros resting on the top of my head.

NOTE: In the instructions there is not mention of how to change the head pad.  This should help:

1. Push down, firmly, on the head pad.
2. Slide the head pad towards one of the earpieces.  (look at the “teeth” on the other ear pad for a visual reference).
3. Once “teeth” let go remove pad and replace with the other included.
4. Slide new pad into place.

Well that may have been more in the setup category but on to the games!

The first game I tried with the AX Pros was Resistance 2.  This is were I discovered the “DTS issue” from above.  At first R2 and the PS3 defaulted to DTS output so I had no sound.  After turning off DTS in the menus though, it was like a veil had been lifted from my ears!

In playing the single player it was like sitting in a movie theater, having tunnel vision on the screen, making it seem larger then life!  The best part?  Down about two feet on the cable from the headsets to the controller box is your personal in-line volume controller.  Having trouble hearing the gunfire from in front or you?  Turn the front speakers up.  Having trouble hearing the footsteps as your enemies sneak up from behind you?  Turn the rear speakers up.  Or just getting old, like me, and can’t hear the in-game conversations very well anymore?  Turn the center speakers up.  Or if your like my old man and just can’t hear at all any more you can turn all the speakers up at once!  There is also an individual volume control for the sub woofer.  All can be adjusted independently or all at once.

As I was playing a first person shooter I decided to turn the front and rear up a little higher then the other channels.  This proved to be highly advantages as I could hear were gun fire was coming from well before seeing it.  I could pin-point snipers quicker from the sound of their shots.  And if I had passed an enemy or not quite killed him completely I could hear them coming from behind me in time to do something about it.

It was then on to the multi player in Resistance 2.  I found it very easy to install the mic.  It attaches to the left ear piece and there is only one way to insert it.  I did find myself wishing for a more flexible mic or one that would extend a little more as not mouth is the same distance from their ear.  When I first received the AX Pros I was a little disappointed to see I wouldn’t be able to adjust in game chat and for the first night I couldn’t.  But I received an email from Tritton, made the adjustment listed above and it worked!  The mic mute and chat volume control are also on the in-line volume controller and very convenient to get to.

The “Stress” Test:

As we are all not alike and it is just me at my house that would ever be using these headsets, I decided to take them over to my best friend’s house and test on his kids.  He has four children; ranging from 4 to 11 in years.  Also, he and his wife were present and able to try the headsets out.  Everyone got to play one level of Call of Duty 4 on the Xbox 360.  The transportation and setup were, again, extremely easy.

Again, as COD4 is a FPS I setup the AX Pros with the front and rear channel up higher then the others.  I also tuned the sub woofer down a little as to not hurt their young ears.  As everyone took their respective turn it was easy to make slight adjustments to the height of the headset, as well as the volume for each person.  As we decrease in age we also decrease the volume.  Another nice thing is you don’t have to adjust each individual volume level each time.  Once the front and rear were set higher, and the sub set lower, it stays at those individual specific levels as you increase or decrease volume.

That sounded a little confusing.  An example:  I set the the individual front and rear volume, respectively, five clicks higher then the others.  I wait a couple seconds after setting those individually.  Once all the channels are lit up on the in-line volume controller I can adjust all volumes at once, but the front and rear volume will always stay five clicks higher then the others.

This made it a matter of adjusting the “master” volume for each person as we swapped from child to child.  Once the kids went to bed we just raised the “master” volume up to an “adult” level and were playing again within seconds.  Again with the 360 the in-game chat is handled by a cable that runs from the in-line controller to the 360 controller.  As both are at arms length at not time did this feel uncomfortable at all.

Conclusion:

While I was at PAX I made it a point, it was actually the first items I wanted to see over all the games, to go and try out all the gaming headsets that were there.  I had known about the Plantronics GameCom 777 Headsets from Steve (EIC of Platform Nation) and the Astro A40 Audio Systems from some Pro gaming people and in listening to some podcasts.  I even knew about the Tritton AX360s from Chiahippo of Platform Nation and I was prepared to make the AX 360s my headsets of choice.

I found the Plantronics to just not be comfortable to my head and I found the Astro’s to be a little “too much” headset for me, which made my head hurt.  Then once I got to the Tritton booth I saw the AX 360s and then the AX Pros sitting next to them.  I think it was love at first site but for $140 (PAX price) to $180 I had to make sure.

The final straw that concreted the purchase in my mind my the one round of COD4 I played against X3R0_9 of XBLRadio.  I think I ended up going like 8-1 in a round on Crash.  The way the headsets were setup, even in the LOUD PAX hall, I could hear every step X3R0 was taking and knew where he was on the map at, almost, all times.  After this I was SOLD!  The fact that they are one of the only TRUE Dolby Digital 5.1 Headsets, and their price, is just an added bonus! I have heard that Tritton is currently out of stock on the AX Pros but I would highly recommend you get your order in NOW!  Get your name on that list for when they are in stock and you will not be disappointed when they arrive.

The Good - True Dolby Digital 5.1!  Individual Volume Adjustments for Front, Rear, Center and Sub!  Adjustable in-game chat on the 360 & PS3!  Versatility to hook up almost any 5.1 device!  All cables needed INCLUDED!

The Bad - With headphones on you don’t know how loud you are speaking!  You are wired to, technically, your console!

Overall - 9.7!  Until Tritton finds a way to get True Dolby Digital into a wireless headset these will have to do as the pinnacle of gaming headsets!

Please leave any comments/questions/issues here or email me at infected503@evolvedgaming.net.  I am trying to get a representative from Tritton on the Evolved Gaming Podcast and will be happy to ask any questions you have.  Heck Tritton may even be reading this so comments here are always welcome!

I also would like to add that I’ve had excellent support from Tritton.  They seemed to be very customer service oriented company and, by the comments on the unboxing, seem to respond timely to others concerns as well.  I send my thanks and that of everyone hear at PS3Evolved, and the exteneded Evolved Gaming family, to Chris @ Tritton for the many demonstrations at PAX (I think I went back two or three times) and to Megan! Thank You Both!