The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 is known as a relatively inexpensive wireless headset that is particularly popular with console gamers. After the refresh called Gen 2, Turtle Beach has now come up with another variant and it should be of particular interest to players who own both a Playstation and an Xbox. Almost all wireless headsets can only be used on one of the two consoles due to the different transmission technology. Not so the new Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max.
From the outside, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max hardly differs from its older relatives. However, when you look at the price, you immediately see a difference. While the normal version is available for 99.99 euros RRP, street price of just over 70 euros, you have to shell out a whopping 139.99 euros for the new Gen 2 Max. A hefty premium to justify.
Turtle Beach puts two arguments on the table that make the difference to the normal version of the headset. On the one hand, solid battery life of a full 48 hours along with a quick charge function, which offers up to 8.5 hours of runtime with a charging time of just 15 minutes. On the other hand, the possibility of actually using the headset wirelessly with PC, Playstation, Xbox, and Switch. The latter is a real rarity for wireless headsets, especially when it comes to Xbox and Playstation use. Normally, headsets can only be used without a cable on one of the two consoles due to the different transmission technology.
Turtle Beach solves this via the USB dongle, which allows both transfers. There is a small switch on the dongle for this purpose. In level 1 it serves all Xbox consoles, in level 2 everything else, i.e. PC, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch. It actually works great. Paired from the factory, we had no problem swapping the dongle between different platforms. We also didn't have any discernible latency issues when streaming on any platform.
A huge benefit for gamers who have multiple platforms at home but don't want to house a stable of wireless headsets. However, this is currently put into perspective by the fact that the Gen 2 Max is almost twice as expensive as the street price of the normal variants. We, therefore, feel that the price of just under 140 euros is a bit too high, we would have liked to see 119.99 on the price tag. But we suspect that the market will take care of it quickly.
Otherwise, there are very few differences to the Stealth 600 Gen 2. The look and design are virtually unchanged. The wearing comfort is good thanks to relatively soft cushions with imitation leather covers (head cushions) or breathable textile cushions (ears). The ear cups are rotatably attached to joints whose durability will have to be proven. Possibly the only real weakness of the otherwise solid workmanship. As usual with Turtle Beach, a lot of plastic is used, which doesn't feel so insanely high-quality and can still be heard cracking when twisted.
The charging cable is again very short, but this is bearable with the long battery life, especially since you can easily exchange the USB-C to USB-A cable for a longer one. An optional jack port was also dispensed within the Gen 2 Max. The controls are completely built into the left ear cup: game volume, chat volume, EQ mode (standard, bass boost, bass + treble boost, voice boost), and a power switch are enough to make the headset easy to use. Also included is a very decent folding microphone with a noticeable detent point for muting when folding up.
In terms of sound, the Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max can hardly be faulted for the price range. The sound is relatively balanced, well defined, and with a wide stage for good directional perception. The 50mm drivers do a rock-solid job with crisp, slightly bass-heavy gaming mixes, and are also well-tuned for using Dolby Atmos, Windows Sonic, DTS Headphone:X, or Sony 3D Audio. The headset also delivers an overall appealing performance for films or music.
CONCLUSION
Wireless all-rounder, just a bit too expensive
Essentially, the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max is a must-have headset if you have multiple consoles and possibly a gaming PC. There aren't that many headsets that can be used wirelessly on multiple platforms, especially not on Playstation and Xbox. That's a huge argument for Konsoleros.
Otherwise, the Gen 2 Max doesn't differ that much from the normal version in terms of sound, workmanship, and wearing comfort. A big plus is definitely the boosted battery performance, which hardly any other wireless headset can currently surpass. Somewhat questionable is the longevity of the ear cup suspension joints, which we'll keep an eye on.
The only real catch right now is that the multi-console compatibility and the long battery life are reflected in the price. Almost 140 euros is a bit too much for us given that the normal version of the headset is now available for just over 70 euros. The Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max is certainly a recommendation for Playstation and Xbox owners, but our recommendation is to wait until the price drops below 120 euros. We would consider the price reasonable.
PROS
- good, balanced sound
- more successful presets than the predecessor
- decent microphone
- simple installation and operation
- relatively light and comfortable
- Game chat balance and mic monitoring
- enormous battery life
- Can be used wirelessly on Playstation AND Xbox
CONS
- The price difference to the normal Stealth 600 Gen 2 is very large
- Joints of the ear cup suspensions don't look so incredibly trustworthy
- short charging cable
- a lot of plastic
- no optional jack connection
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