Not that long ago, I had the opportunity to review the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max from Turtle Beach. It was a great gaming headset with big sound and a clear mic for PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and more. However, Turtle Beach’s latest offering, the Stealth Pro Multiplatform Wireless Gaming Headset for PlayStation, looks to kick it up a notch with the same great audio and the addition of active noise cancellation. Plus, it’s got a few other tricks up its sleeve. Big thanks to Turtle Beach for sending this out for us to review.
Features
Turtle Beach copies a lot of what they got right with the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max. For example, the Stealth Pro uses 50mm Nanoclear Drivers, a high-quality boom microphone, and connects via a 2.4Ghz dongle for lag-free wireless audio and maximum compatibility.
The dongle, in this case, has been supercharged, as it now doubles as a charging station for the included second battery pack. This is a big bump in functionality because it allows you to swap batteries in under a minute and ensures the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro is always ready for action. The only downside being that the once tiny wireless dongle is now a base station taking up more space. It also features an LED light that cannot be disabled.
While we’re on the topic of wireless connections, the Stealth Pro can also connect simultaneously to your phone or other devices via Bluetooth. I love this feature because it allows me to make calls while gaming or use it for music. It’s worth noting that there’s no way to connect via a 3.5mm cable though.
Besides making calls, another great reason to pair it with your phone is all of the useful features packed into the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app. From the app, you can control the volume, active noise cancellation, Superhuman hearing settings, adjust the equalizer, change the microphone settings, customize the functions of the buttons, and more.
It’s truly an essential part of the experience and worth installing immediately. My only complaints are that I wish the interface was a little better and some settings, such as ANC and Superhuman hearing don’t stay toggled on the next time you power up the Stealth Pro. Fortunately, these are only a button press away.
Which brings me to the design of the Stealth Pro. Turtle Beach has gone for a more subdued look this time around and I really dig it. If not for the large size of the Stealth Pro, I’d be completely comfortable wearing them out in public. I was also satisfied with the amount of physical controls included. There are dedicated buttons for power, Bluetooth, Superhuman hearing, and ANC. Furthermore, the dial for adjusting the volume is extremely handy to have, and the mic is detachable for when you don’t need it.
Comfort
The Turtle Beach Stealth Pro uses memory foam ear cushions wrapped in leatherette material providing a comfortable fit around your ears. The headband uses the same materials and felt fine on my head up until a few hours into a gaming session when I’d start to feel a little discomfort. Overall, I had no complaints.
There’s plenty of padding and I love the feel of the material. The only real drawback is your ears will start to get a little warm after a while, but that’s true of almost all closed-back headphones.
Audio quality
The Stealth Pro has an impressive soundstage that makes you feel like you’re surrounded by the game you’re playing. Gaming scores come to life and footsteps can be heard clearly in the distance ensuring that you’re fully immersed and alert. Nothing compares to playing a game with a quality headset, and the Stealth Pro is such a headset.
Even compared to my surround sound system, I realized I’m missing out on so much when I’m not wearing the Stealth Pro. There are so many small details and sounds that go unnoticed unless you’re wearing a headset, especially with the addition of ANC which helps isolate you even further.
I also appreciate all the tuning options the Turtle Beach Audio Hub app provides. There are straightforward controls for adjusting treble, bass, and even a vocal boost setting. Then, for more advanced users, Audio Hub provides a 10-Band equalizer for finer adjustments.
ANC
The active noise cancellation present on the Stealth Pro isn’t on par with the titans in the headphone space, however, I’d say it’s about 80% as good. When making my comparisons, I could hear slightly more noise while using the Stealth Pro.
Regardless, that’s still more than acceptable, and with the game audio playing you’re not really going to notice. I will note that lowering the ANC levels in the app isn’t that useful. Once you lower it to 50%, it might as well be off, which would provide you with better battery life anyways.
Mic
I received a lot of positive feedback for the mic when I reviewed the Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max—and I’m happy to report—the same is true with the Stealth Pro. Everyone remarked at how clear I sounded and I loved that not only is the boom mic removable when not needed, but it also features flip to mute.
Furthermore, even when the boom mic is removed, the Stealth Pro includes two concealed microphones that can be used when on the go, or if you simply don’t enjoy having the boom mic attached.
Battery life
Turtle Beach rates the Stealth Pro for 12+ hours of usage on a single charge. For me, that’s pretty easy to blow through in 2-3 gaming sessions. However, you can further extend the battery life if you toggle off ANC. The good news is, there is a second battery included that charges in the 2.4GHz wireless transmitter that provides up to three hours of use from a 15-minute charge. This will ensure you always have a second battery ready to go that’s easy to swap in under a minute. The only problem is you’ll have to get up and walk over to the console if you game from the couch like me.
Final thoughts
Turtle Beach has a winner on its hands with the Stealth Pro. It offers everything you’d expect from a top-of-the-line gaming headset, such as high-quality audio performance, a clear mic, active noise cancellation, a fully featured app, simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity, decent battery life, and more.
If the battery lasted longer it would be perfect, but the addition of ANC and a swappable battery makes up for that. The only real downside is how you’re going to pay for it. The Stealth Pro retails for $330—and that’s a little on the expensive side—but quality doesn’t come cheap, and the Stealth Pro is a premium headset with a price to match.
The fact that it is compatible with PS5, PS4, PC, Mac, and the Nintendo Switch does help take some sting out of the price. That makes the Stealth Pro an all-in-one gaming headset for all of your devices.
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