Mad Catz Tritton Trigger Headset for Xbox 360 Review

It’s fair to say that Mad Catz has emerged as one of the top suppliers of console headsets in the past couple of years. With some clever branding partnerships in its Tritton range such as its Call of Duty: Black Ops and Gears of War 3 headsets, the Mad Catz Tritton range really is the Dr. Dre Beats of the gaming world in terms of desirability. With the Black Ops and Gears headsets packing Dolby 5.1 and 7.1 respectively, they offer up great sound quality for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as having a chunky, comfy feel.

While the chunky feel is nice, the chunky price is out of reach for some, so we recently got our hands on the Tritton Trigger headset, which carries with it an official Xbox 360 license – and a cheaper price tag. How does the cheaper Trigger compare to its big brother’s in the headset market? Read on to find out.

As is the norm with a Tritton headset, it is quick and easy to set up, and comes complete with all cables, including an RCA adapter, needed to get going within a couple of minutes. Even though the Trigger is one of the cheaper Tritton headsets, you still get a whopping 14 foot cable, which should more than meet the needs of any gamer.

The Trigger headset is attractive; it feels well made and sturdy enough to withstand a couple of angry throws across the living room. The matte black design is brightened up with a splash of red for the Tritton logo and cloth covering the speakers. Initially, the headset felt very comfortable indeed, cushioned at the ears and top, it was extremely comfortable for the first 40 minutes of wear. After this, however, and the differences in comfort between the Trigger and its more expensive counterparts begins to show. The fact that the speakers are slightly more on-ear rather than over-ear made for a tiny amount of discomfort after a lengthy spell — unfortunate considering how good it sounds.

Coming with adjustable game and chat volume, the Trigger has everything needed for a single or multiplayer session. For a headset that has an RRP of £39.99, you will be hard pushed to find better sound quality for the same price. The 40mm speakers’ bass is deep and packs a punch, while small background noises are picked up excellently. We played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 single and multiplayer with the Trigger headset and it made the game sound much better than standard TV speakers and really helps with making playing a game an immersive experience.

The built in flexible microphone works well, and friends reported back a clear and crisp mic quality. While using the mic, you have to get the volume just right to drown out a small amount of interference, but it really is a small niggle. When not using the mic, it’s fits nicely by the side of the headset, remaining unnoticed until needed.

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SPECIFICATIONS:

• Headset Connector Port
• Cable Length = 14ft
• Speaker Diameter: 40mm
• Magnet Type: Neodymium
• USB Powered
• Xbox 360 Audio Input Type: RCA

VERDICT: The Tritton Trigger headset for Xbox 360 represents fantastic value for money, providing great sound quality. Not everyone is overly serious about audio, so it’s nice to see Tritton reaching out to those people and offering a compelling headset at a price which isn’t as hefty an investment as the £100 plus Dolby headsets. Aside from the slight discomfort during the longer playing sessions, the Trigger would be sure to please any gamer this Christmas. You won’t get a better headset for the £39.99 price tag, that’s for sure.

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