There are a lot of different gaming headphones on the market, and that’s putting it lightly. Oftentimes it’s hard to choose from the many different options and different requirements. Personally, I prefer wireless headsets, as there is less hassle, less mess, and fewer things for my dog to trip on when she inevitably walks in front of my TV while I’m gaming. With that being said, I understand the want for a wired headset, there’s a certain reliability that comes with them and the reassurance of a physical connection between your game console and yourself. A good offering in that category comes in Thrustmaster’s 300CPX DOOM Edition. With great sound and a really cool design, these headphones aredefinitely solid, but the typical issues that face wired devices are still very prevalent.
Designed for PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, Wii U, handheld devices and last gen consoles (excluding Wii) these headphones work for almost anything. Inside the box, you get the headset itself with a 3.5 mm connector jack, a detachable microphone and the wired connection with its controls and adjustments attached. The headphones themselves are actually quite comfortable, and the Doom finish on the earpieces and the audio controllers are cooler than I’d like to admit.
Unfortunately, the functionality of the Thrustmaster 300CPX DOOM Edition headset sometimes comes at the cost of sound quality. When using the headphones for party chat, or even when listening to music, they work like a dream. That’s because the simple 3.5mm is a direct line into the device you wish to use. Once they’re hooked up to the control device that connects to your console however, there are issues. Maybe it’s because there are too many pieces that can move, or maybe it’s something else, but in-game audio tends to crack a lot. It’s not a huge issue, but it is noticeable, and to be honest, I’d rather just play with my TV’s built in speakers. The wires themselves are also pretty cumbersome. Since the connection to the game console is detachable from the headphones, I found myself in a constant struggle between finding the right distance from the TV and sitting without my head feeling like it’s being dragged down—all while trying to not get tangled up in the wires. But that’s just a standard issue with wired devices; you don’t have completely free range of movement with your head. I wish the detachable wires were a little bit longer so I didn’t have to deal with that drama.
Still, as far as wired headphones go, these Thrustmaster DOOM Edition do the trick. Aside from the odd crackle, they produce very solid sound output with a lot of bass, which makes shooting Hell demons on Mars that much more enjoyable. They’re also great at sound reduction, so I never bothered anyone with them on, and outside noises did not exist while I was gaming. I also liked the inclusion of the detachable microphone, a touch that allowed me to actually take this headset out of the house and use them like headphones without the fear of looking like a complete fool.
Overall, the Thrustmaster 300CPX Doom Edition headset works really well. It’s a higher end headphone for a player that demands the best sound quality. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fix any of the issues prevalent with wired headsets, and the neck issues caused from never being completely comfortable while I played hurt my overall opinion of them. Still, if wired headphones are your preference, this is one of the better devices you can get.
