The first headset I ever purchased was made by Turtle Beach for the Xbox 360. I was so excited to have my first headset that I gingerly took it out of the box to admire it on the train ride home. Since then, my opinion of the brand has never been higher, but I must admit that Turtles has earned its place.

The distance between my first headset and the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max Wireless (open in new tab) is as vast as the ocean.

This headset stands out for its beauty, especially the navy and gold color edition I use. The large, closed ear cups have no RGB lighting or gamer-oriented flourishes; instead, the design is simple and clean. The headband is connected to the cups at the front, giving the impression that the headset is worn backwards, but this positions the headset slightly forward of the head.

Combined with the drop-down boom microphone, the powerful fighter pilot vibe offered by the Stealth Gen 2 turns the wearer into a really cool maverick.

The exterior, while looking very slick, is all plastic, which is not that unusual, but can feel a bit cheap due to the large flat panel. The plastic microphone is clear and fine for chatting, but makes a slight rattling sound when pulled down.

All of this doesn't bother me much in general use and doesn't really affect my experience, but every time I try to use these features I'm reminded that the feel could be better, which is not something I want from a headset that costs $200 (A$319).

I was concerned that the cup pads themselves would be similar and feel a bit cheap, but thankfully, they couldn't be further apart in construction. The pads are large and plump. The sides are finished with synthetic leather and the surface is a soft material that seems to absorb little sweat. There is also a cooling layer that prevents the face from getting too warm. Headsets with such padding often feel too hot to wear, even during short gaming sessions, but I never felt that way with these cans.

As a bonus for our comrades who wear glasses, the pads also have adjustable sections for the arms of the glasses. First you have to remove the pad, which is a bit more difficult than the instructions say. It also gives you a good look under the cups and speakers, which, if nothing else, gives you more confidence. Still, the glasses mode is a nice touch, especially since these headphones like your head so much.

If you've ever felt unloved, I recommend getting this headset; the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max wraps my head more securely than I ever have. It's a good thing there is so much padding on this can, because the band has very little elasticity in its width.

I was expecting immediate discomfort due to the pressure, but somehow it never got to that point. There is enough room to fully encircle the ear and grip the cranium without crushing it from the side. There could be a little more padding, like a padded cup, as the top of my head under the headband tires easily.

This may partially be due to the weight of the headset. It's not insanely heavy, but it is noticeably heavier than other headsets I've used, such as the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless (open in new tab).

This could also be due to the battery life, because it really is quite good. I think I was able to use it for about three days on and off, including long music listening sessions while working and many gaming sessions, before it needed recharging. However, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless still holds the top spot for battery. That said, the Stealth 700 Gen 2's wireless battery is second best to any headset I've used, and Silver is not ashamed of it.

As for sound, another place where the Stealth 700 Gen 2 does a good job, though not the best. It handles music, games, and music all quite well, especially when Dolby compatible, but doesn't handle maximum volume (too loud anyway) very well.

There are additional modes, such as enhancing footsteps, but the software is clunky and only works via mobile devices. Besides, it doesn't do much. In all modes, spatial sounds were well perceived and the footsteps of enemies and their directions were well audible.

The Turtle Beach cans are ideal for atmospheric sounds, though. I was enjoying the always wonderful soundtrack while exploring the new "Smell" area in "Phantom of the Phantom," when suddenly it began to rain in the tropical jungle. I put the controller aside and experienced a stolen moment in another world, which must definitely be a sign of a good headset.

Another great advantage of the Stealth 700 Gen 2 is its breadth of connectivity: it comes with a dongle that works with PC and Xbox. On top of that, it also offers Bluetooth pairing for devices like the Switch and cell phones. The headset works with all the devices I have and is very easy to move between devices; you can even connect multiple devices at the same time via Bluetooth and the dongle, making it a really handy little beast.

One thing is for sure, the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 Max Wireless is the best Turtle Beach headset I've tried so far and may be the best headset the company has ever made. It looks cool, wears well, sounds great, has a good battery, and works with just about everything. You don't get full audiophile quality, but it's still a pretty good gaming headset. The biggest drawback, however, is that this plastic headset feels a bit cheap, given its high price. It is also hard to recommend this somewhat over-enthusiastic head-hugger without trying it out first.