Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 PS4 Headset Review

When it comes to console headsets I cannot think of another brand more widespread and well known than Turtle Beach.  I remember my first headset way back in PS3/360 days being a Turtle Beach set that I scraped and saved for.  They were the brand to have for the ultimate sound experience and despite growing competition in the field remain the go-to for most console gamers.  Part of their success comes from a wide range of products, available across all platforms, at multiple price points.  Today we are looking at the $100 range with the Stealth 600.  No, not that Stealth 600, but generation 2 of the popular PS4/Xbox headset.

For this review, we took a look at the PS4 (and PS5 ready) specific headset.  If you’re an Xbox user make sure you look for the Stealth 600 labeled for use with that system.  Turtle Beach brags a few enhancements and changes with the second iteration of the Stealth 600 including a larger, flip-to-mute microphone, reinforced headband and hinges, and glasses friendly ear cushions for those of us not blessed with perfect vision.  If you’re worried about a cable stretching across your living room you can calm your fears; the Stealth 600 ships with a mini-USB transmitter that plugs right into your PS4 (or PC as I discovered) and requires no additional setup.  It’s a true plug and play experience.

Features
  • MSRP: $99.95
  • Wireless Connectivity
  • Flip-To-Mute Microphone
  • Soft, glasses friendly ear cushions
  • Robust headband and hinge construction
  • 50mm speakers
  • Turtle Beach’s patented SUPERHUMAN HEARING®
  • Adjustable Mic Monitoring
  • 15-Hour Battery Life
  • USB-C Charging
The Looks

Breaking down the headset further the pair Turtle Beach was kind enough to send over is the classic black headset with Playstation Blue accents.  The entirety of the headset is plastic, best I can tell, but doesn’t necessarily feel cheaply made.  There’s a sturdiness to the set that isn’t usually achieved with plastic and Turtle Beach receives my compliments on the accomplishment.  The left ear piece houses the controls for the headset featuring a power button, a button to cycle EQ presets, and two volume knobs: one for the headset volume and the other for transmitting a real time monitor of your own microphone.  I really enjoy this last feature because, at least for me, I sometimes have difficulty hearing myself talk in the midst of a heated battle.

Padding the inside of the headband is the standard faux-leather covered foam – about half an inch worth.  The headband is adjustable, of course, and features measurement numbers to make sure you can quickly get back to your preferred settings.  During a long session I had no problems with the top of my head feeling the weight of the headset or any soreness from rubbing (I’m bald so I don’t have much in the way of natural padding).  This could party be owed to the fact that the headset is a lot tighter on the sides of my head than just about any headset I’ve used.  Despite the padded earcups, completely with excellent breathable fabric and foam padding, I found the tightness on my head to hurt my ears after a relatively short play time of about 45 minutes, which made me question how comfortable the headset could be for those users that wear glasses.

The Sound

I’m sure what most readers are concerned with is the sound quality.  On that front I’m happy to report a good experience, though I wouldn’t expect anything less from Turtle Beach.  The Stealth 600 is easily one of the better sounding headsets I’ve used in this price bracket with the 50mm drivers delivering distortion-free audio across the spectrum of gaming frequencies.  At least on the default preset the sound delivery felt full and vibrant without too much or too little bass.

The preset button will cycle you through the four standard Turtle Beach presets.  As with most headset one preset will deliver more bass, another more treble, etc.  I found, personally, that the default preset delivered the best sound experience in both gaming and media consumption.  The Stealth 600 also features Turtle Beaches patented “Superhuman Hearing” – a feature that they claim will give you a leg up on the competition by enabling you to easily hear the “footsteps sneaking up from behind” to “enemy reloading”.

As far as the microphone is concerned I have nothing bad to report, which for a headset is a good thing.  You don’t really buy headsets to get the sound quality of an expensive microphone – nor would they have the room to cram it into a headset boom – and the Stealth 600 delivers the standard headset microphone experience.  You can hear a sample with the included SoundCloud.  Easily the best thing about the microphone is the inclusion of flip-to-mute, allowing the microphone to blend seamlessly into the left earcup when not in use.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line: Turtle Beach has delivered an outstanding balance between quality and budget with the Stealth 600.  The sound is excellent, the 15-hour battery life is downright amazing, and wireless connectivity to boot at a sub $100 price-point is nothing if not hard to find.  All of this is wrapped up in a solid and sturdy build that may not have shiny lights everywhere but looks hanging on a mic stand.  So if you’re looking for a good headset that isn’t going to break the bank, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 is a solid contender.

Summary
The bottom line: Turtle Beach has delivered an outstanding balance between quality and budget with the Stealth 600.  The sound is excellent, the 15-hour battery life is downright amazing, and wireless connectivity to boot at a sub $100 price-point is nothing if not hard to find.  All of this is wrapped up in a solid and sturdy build that may not have shiny lights everywhere but looks hanging on a mic stand.  So if you're looking for a good headset that isn't going to break the bank, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 is a solid contender.
Good
  • Affordable Wireless Headset
  • Great Sound
  • Long Battery Life
Bad
  • Headset feels tight on the head
  • All plastic build
  • Non-detachable ear padding
Written by
Robert is a full-time Respiratory Therapist with the U.S. Army but that doesn't stop him from doing what he truly loves: playing and reviewing games and staying up to date on the latest and greatest PC hardware. He also streams part time on Twitch when he works nights (www.twitch.tv/waffleflopper) and writes for MMORPG.com.

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