Turtle Beach is a major household name when it comes to gaming headsets, having been one of the early companies to really excel in developing high-quality gaming products.
Having found success with the Stealth 600 Gen 2, they have released its successor the Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max, which looks to improve from its predecessor’s foundations.
Sporting a similar design to the Gen 2, the Gen 2 Max keeps the sleek stylish look with a mic that neatly folds in.
The Gen 2 Max is made from a very thick plastic that feels really robust and durable, also giving it strong clamping power ensuring they don't fall off your ears.
The ear cups are really comfortable with their combo of a soft plush cloth material on the outside and pleather on the inside.
The hinges can swivel 180 degrees allowing them to be adjusted for maximum comfort. They rest well on the ears and feel really pleasant, you almost forget they are there even during long gaming sessions.
Being made out of the same tough plastic, the headband completes the sturdiness of the headset. It is supported by a comfy pleather cushion that runs across the entire inside ensuring comfort.
They can easily be adjusted to fit your head shape with the slider that features a number click stop, which will help to remember the best fit.
The housing for the drives is made out of the same thick plastic which provides ample protection. The collection of buttons and controls are positioned in an easily accessible area that doesn't get in the way.
It’s great that Turtle Beach has included a wide variety of buttons that grant the user full authority when in use.
There isn’t a function to detach the mic, which would be slightly frustrating if not for how it neatly folds into the ear cups. And what's also impressive is that the mic will deactivate instantly when closed.
The headset also allows you to tilt the mic closer and further away from your mouth which is a great feature as it will help reduce feedback when talking to other players.
The Gen 2 Max is a great product that looks premium while being robust at the same time. It’s really flexible and I never felt it would break no matter what form it took.
They come in a few colours but for this review, I looked at the Black version which is a classic and fits perfectly with any gaming setup.
My only issue is the odd shape of the ear cups that might not feel as comfortable as the traditional oval-shaped headsets. But the soft material will help with this, as they are so snug.
The Gen 2 Max doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth but it comes with a dongle that easily connects to all consoles.
As this headset was designed with Xbox in mind the USB dongle has two settings to choose from.
The Xbox setting will allow players to connect to the Xbox One and Series X/S consoles, while the USB setting will allow access to the PS4/5, Nintendo Switch and PC
The main difference is that the Xbox mode will allow players to use the chat volume controls. This means you can alter the levels of the game and the chat to suit your needs.
This multi-console functionality makes the Gen 2 Max one of the most accessible gaming headsets on the market.
The audio quality is amazing and what you would expect from the powerful 50mm drivers. I really felt fully immersed within any game I was playing.
They performed admirably on a number of different games like the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate where it delivered a beautiful bass.
My main test was to see how it works with the Playstation 5’s 3D audio which I have been using more and more for obvious reasons.
The Gen2 Max worked well and really elevated my experience by enhancing the audio detail in several games on the console.
They also feature different EQ presets that can be changed on the fly. You won’t be able to alter their settings but they do have noticeable differences that cater for various listening types.
There is also a feature called Superhuman Hearing Mode which is said to pinpoint audio cues like enemy footsteps. But I have to say there was no beating the Signature Sound and Bass Boost settings which worked a charm.
The Gen 2 Max battery life is pretty lengthy, you will get about 48 hours from a 15 mins charge which is amazing.
Verdict 4/5
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max is an amazing multi-platform headset that always delivered an immersive audio experience.
I do think that they could do with some extra functions to tweak the EQ presets, but that's not a deal-breaker.
It costs about £129.99, but for the quality and accessibility, you are getting it's a great investment and worth swapping out your Gen 2 for them.
The Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Max is available now for £129.99
