14 DAY TRIAL // Most headphones launched in these times, even the high-end ones, still use 3.5mm audio jacks and the corresponding microphone connector, but there are some USB-connected models as well, like the one that Turtle Beach has just released.
Universal Serial Bus technology would not really be rightly called “Universal” if it couldn't be implemented for, well, every sort of device in the world.
Most hardware products and components of said products use their own preferred interfaces, but theoretically, the USB tech should be adaptable to them.
Audio products are among the ones that most often trade regular jacks for USB ports, thanks to the greater software options allowed by it. The Recon 320 headset from Turtle Beach is the latest product of this variety.
The Turtle Beach Recon 320 headset
Despite its size and look, it's actually pretty light for its kind, but that's just a side benefit of the designers' thoroughness. It wouldn't do for a high-end headphone set to be too heavy and uncomfortable for long use.
The Recon 320 stands out more because of the Dolby 7.1 channel surround sound, which makes you feel as though you're part of whatever film you're viewing or game you're playing. Especially games.
The noise-isolating around-the-ear design helps with immersion, while the swappable speaker plates mean you can always keep the product in pristine condition.
It might sound like a waste, but the kind of people likely to purchase a Recon 320 are the same who wouldn't think much of spending some extra cash occasionally to renew it. This is assuming they don't just go ahead and buy a new headset altogether.
Anyway, you can still use a 3.5 mm jack if it's a smartphone or tablet you want to connect the thing to, although tablets should also have full USB ports, so it's a moot point for them.
Other features include an in-line microphone and multi-function button (answer call, pause music, skip track) and a removable boom microphone. The padded headband is a no-brainer.
Availability and pricing
The Turtle Beach Recon 320 should start selling soon enough, along with some other similar products known collectively as the Z Series. Unfortunately, an exact day or even a vague ETA (estimated time of arrival) was not included in the press release, and neither was the price. Not that the tag is all that relevant on the high-end front, knowing that the buyers at that level are the rich or especially dedicated savers.