Review: Tritton AX180 gaming headset tested

Installation and setup for first use
The installation and setup are probably the biggest hassles that exist for this device. The biggest reason for that is the unfortunate fact that unlike the PC space where things are more simple, you have to go in the back of your TV and re-configure the audio jacks for your console. Currently, we are running a component connection from the Xbox to the TV so the usability of RCA jacks for audio is normal. But for someone who uses HDMI and uses HDMI audio, things may be a bit tricky considering that they will not be using RCA jacks to begin with and will most likely have to use them for this to work correctly.


Above, is pictured where the USB power has to be plugged in for powering the headset.

Installation requires that you plug the AX 180 into the adapter, which takes the 3.5mm audio jack and splits it into right and left RCA Jacks. The adapter cable included was JUST long enough to reach from my Xbox to the RCA ports in my Television, a very close fit. In addition to this, one must also plug the USB port into the Xbox in order to provide a connection to the Xbox and to power the headphones. As many people know, this is not the actual way that the Xbox communicates with the headset. The headset actually has to be connected to the controller itself, and a cable is included for this as well. This cable simply connects to the Xbox controller and then connects to the small controller on the headphone cable.


The RCA adapters added onto the existing RCA audio cables.

Our biggest problem after installation was the realization that the cable was just a little too short for comfortable gaming. Since we play Xbox on a 55" TV, one must sit approximately 10 feet away from the television for a good gaming experience. As such, the cable for the headset is only 12.5 feet and this means that the cable is literally suspended in the air while in use if one were to sit comfortably and not move a bit closer to the TV. For all intensive purposes, we did move the TV a bit closer in order to accommodate this shortage.


30 minutes of use
Using the AX 180 while gaming was really quite enjoyable, especially when the length of the cable is not an issue. The earmuffs on the headphones fit very nicely to the ear, and they don’t apply too much pressure. The headphones themselves sit nicely and snugly on your head, but do not apply too much pressure like some other headsets. Overall, I would give these a comfort rating of 8/10. They are comfortable, but they are still by no means the most comfortable headphones ever.

The removable microphone is very nice as well, and from what I could tell the mic quality on Xbox Live was pretty good. The mic is flexible and can be adjusted in almost any way you want it to bend unlike some boom mics out there. In addition to that, the ability to adjust both game and voice volumes was really useful. From our experience, the biggest problem with the cheapo headphones included with the Xbox is that you cannot hear anyone talk in game. These headphones without a doubt remedy this issue and even give you better in-game audio as well. Since audio quality is fairly subjective, I will say that I found these headphones to have fairly good audio quality considering the inputs and they definitely sounded better than the original headset as well as going through the TV speakers. The plethora of controls on this headset are really what make it so useful.



This headset actually makes the voice chat feature on Xbox live an actual useful option, unlike the standard headset provided with the console. The inline audio controller worked very well and allowed on the fly audio adjustments that made hearing others and hearing the game very easy.


The game audio controls as well as the audio source switch are very clearly marked and understandable.


The voice volume and Xbox live audio jack are very clearly marked and are very easy to use. The grip on the Mic off button is also extremely helpful in quickly muting the mic.

Next Page: Final Impressions and was it worth it all?