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Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Spectre Limited Edition Gaming Headset
Score: 95%
Developer: Turtle Beach
Device Type: Audio
Compatible With:


Function:

If you're going to play Call of Duty, you're going to need to hear the action and, while you're at it, you may as well show off your leetness and how much you like Call of Duty: Ghosts. The Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Spectre Limited Edition Gaming Headset, while a mouthful, does just that.

The CoD: Ghots Ear Force Spectre Limited Edition headset is a wired headset that comes with adapters to use it with the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac and most mobile devices. Furthermore, plug your cell phone in and you can answer your calls without interrupting your game*.

When it was released, it was ready for any console out there. But, that was before the release of the PS4 and the Xbox One. They realized this, however, and currently have a promotion** for a free upgrade kit that will give it Xbox One compatibility, as long as the purchase is between November 22, 2013 and January 30, 2014.


* Your Mileage May Vary. If you're able to keep your concentration on your game and communicate intelligibly with someone on the phone at the same time, more power to you, but personally, I think either the phone call isn't that important and I'll call you back, or the phone call is more important and I'll just drop out to take the call. Perhaps I'm just lucky that I don't often have such close calls.

** Free Xbox One Adapter Offer requires sales receipt demonstrating purchase between November 22, 2013 and January 30, 2014. See official rules using link, below.


Performance:

Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Spectre Limited Edition Gaming Headset (or CoD: GEFSLEGH, for short) is a pair of closed-back circumaural headphones with a removable boom mic and a variety of adapters to allow you to use this one headset with a PC, console or cellphone of your choice.

The in-line controls on the CoD: GEFSLEGH are greatly simplified compared to the Call of Duty: Black Ops II headphones I reviewed last year, but this is actually an improvement, as the controls on that headset were problematic, especially due to its capacitive touch controls. The in-line amplifier of the Spectre has separate volume controls for Game volume, Chat volume and Microphone Monitor volume, as well as separate controls for Treble and Bass. There is a slider switch that allows you to place the microphone in one of four modes: Mic On (High), Mic On (Low), Phone Call Mode and Mic Mute. Mute turns the microphone off and High and Low set the microphone gain for in-game play to a low level or a higher level, but Phone Call Mode diverts the microphone input to the phone/aux audio device. Note that you will hear game-related audio and phone-related audio regardless of the microphone's setting, but your voice will be heard by the phone only in Phone Call Mode and by the Game only in Mic On (High or Low) Modes. To make it easier to determine at a glance what mode the microphone is in, there is an indicator LED.

And while I'm making comparisons, Turtle Beach's CoD: GEFLSLEGH is quite comfortable for a circumaural headset; the ears can get a little warm during long play sessions, but they are currently a close second in comfort to my personal favorites, Astro Gaming's A30 headset. However, this Call of Duty Limited Edition headset also features customizable speaker plates, similar to the customizable speaker tags, allowing you to express your own personal sense of style.

This Limited Edition Turtle Beach Spectre headset doesn't have active noise reduction, but the cushioned ear cans cover the ears entirely and the cushioning greatly diminishes ambient sounds, allowing the headphones sounds to take center stage. Additionally, base response is solid, even when used without the included powered control box, simply using the mini-phono jack. I tried them with some ambient music and binaural audio tests and was quite impressed with their spatial reproduction.

The removable boom microphone on this headset is simple, flexible and sturdy. The shaft of the microphone is made of a segmented metal shaft; it protects the wires while allowing you to flex it as desired to place the microphone head where you want it and shaping it as you like. I've seen a lot of headphones with more rigid booms and rarely am I able to get the mic just where I want it. This boom mic, however, lets you position it how you want and keeps its shape. Connecting the microphone is simple, as well; it's just an audio plug that plugs in and there are matching black dots on the microphone and the port on the left headphone to indicate how to line them up.


Features:
  • Detachable Boom Mic
  • USB-Powered Inline Amplifier / Control Box
  • Xbox 360 Talkback Cable
  • 3.5mm 4-Pole Aux Cable
  • RCA Splitter Cable
  • Breakaway Headset Cable
  • Mobile Adapter Cable
  • Customizable Speaker Plates
  • Mobile Phone / Aux Device

Drawbacks & Problems::

As I mentioned above, with extended use, the ear cups can become warm, as they are cushioned and, hence, a bit insulative. It is noticeable, but not overly uncomfortable, and I don't recall ever using a circumaural headset that didn't have this issue to some degree.

The sound quality is there, the ambient sound dampening is pretty impressive (for being passive) and, with customizable speaker plates, a removable boom mic and the adapters for mobile devices - even as a secondary input for using them during gameplay - the Call of Duty: Ghosts Ear Force Spectre Limited Edition Gaming Headset provides a high-quality headset that can be used anywhere from chilling listening to an audio book or your favorite tunes on a plane to playing Call of Duty: Ghosts online with friends and is just as ready to be used in professional gaming tournaments, thanks to being a wired headset. These are an excellent choice for any gamer who likes Call of Duty: Ghosts and prefers circumaural headsets. Highly recommended. Get them while you can.


-Geck0, GameVortex Communications
AKA Robert Perkins

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