I'm pretty jaded about internet activism, but when it comes to a cheap piece of plastic painfully squeezing your temple, anything is worth a shot. Reader George Ogan has started a petition demanding that Microsoft recall what he calls "the worst accessory delivered on any console for the past 10-15 years." George's complaints:1. It’s over-the-top, instead of around-the-back, and causes pain. The one ear pieces goes on one ear, then you've got this stick that presses into the temple on the other side of your head. It feels like the headset was designed for a 3 year old.
2. The wire from the adapter to the headset is very light, springy and cheap looking and is always getting in the way because it won’t lay flat.
3. The microphone doesn't go down far enough. It sits there in your field of vision, reminding you how much you hate to use the headset.
4. It sounds HORRIBLE. I went from the clear deep sound of my friends in my ear from the original Xbox Live headset to a tinny staticy offense muffled jabbing into my head.
If you agree, add your signature and tell Redmond Xbox360Fanboy supports quality first party headsets. While you're holding your breath waiting for the suits to respond, you can rig one of these homebrew solutions:
How to use any headset with the 360
Original Xbox Live headset hack
Wireless 360 headset using Bluetooth
(Note: OnlinePetition.com gave me an error message when I tried to sign. You might have to check back later to see if it's working).
Update: George's complaints were copied from an Amazon review by Jeff Keegan. Let's give Jeff credit for articulating what annoys us (especially huge-headed people) about the 360 headset
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-08-2006 @ 9:56AM
Joel said...
That guy is nuts. The original Xbox headset was uncomfortable. I certainly don't have a small head, and I find the current headset quite comfortable.
If he hates it, go buy a good headset with an inline mute and volume function. Hell, he can even hack another headset onto the new adapter.
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3-08-2006 @ 9:59AM
BklynKid said...
I agree with the sound quality, but damn this guy must have a huge head because I never noticed those other things. I even find it to be very comfortable.
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3-08-2006 @ 10:19AM
Crazyglues said...
You just can't be serious....
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3-08-2006 @ 10:20AM
Aaron McNair said...
I can't believe this guy, I think the 360 headset is way better then the first communicator headset. Thanks for making a fuss about nothing.
Why doesnt he go out and buy another headset anyway, I have friends who use their cell phone headsets
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3-08-2006 @ 11:07AM
Tucker said...
I normally don't do this, but I don't feel there's anything else to say on the subject, so I'll just copy/paste my Joystiq comment (and btw, dunno if they changed the original headset from the one I got with my beta kit back in the day, but that rear-wrap POS never EVER stayed on my head. one of the major reasons I never bothered with XBL):
I, too, have had no problems with the headset. How on earth is it uncomfortable? I hardly notice it's there. How in the world does it obstruct one's view? What kind of crazy-shaped heads do you people have, or are you just straight-up wearing the thing wrong? Maybe that's why it hurts so much.
Sure, the voice quality isn't the hottest, but I'd rather them use the bandwidth to transmit things like game data. As someone pointed out before, what would better voice get us? Clearer "u r a fag hahahaha" comments? Sorry, I just don't see this as a "petition-worthy" cause. Why not use that time and energy to lobby for something actually worthwhile?
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3-08-2006 @ 11:11AM
hoffer said...
I like the new headset 1000 times more than the old one. It always took me 10 seconds to figure out how to put the old one on. Plus, it hurt my ears.
None of the complaint points he has do I experience.
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3-08-2006 @ 11:33AM
Brian said...
I would say sound quality is the only thing true here. And that's probably true only to those with a crappy upload.
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3-08-2006 @ 11:51AM
The Hedon said...
This guy is nuts. This new headset is by and far MUCH better than the old Xbox 1 headset.
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3-08-2006 @ 12:20PM
edward camp said...
WTF? the headset is fine quit bitching!
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3-08-2006 @ 1:10PM
AoE said...
Um, I was unable to even wear the original headset, since I wear glasses, the over both ears crap would end up squeezing the arms on my glasses, and thus distorting my field of vision. Try as I might, I was never able to find a comfortable way to wear it. The 360 headset, at the very least, I can use.
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3-08-2006 @ 1:22PM
Dt7 said...
The new headset
a) is crushing my head
b) is far too small
c) is so small the plastic is slowly breaking
d) slides off my hair
e) sounds terrible
f) adds 'voicelag' and echo
So in response to the idea of a recall, go ahead, I think I'll just throw mine out of this window and use my old one.
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3-08-2006 @ 2:29PM
jon said...
What a moron
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3-08-2006 @ 3:08PM
DeadPlasmaCell said...
Yea, I don't have a problem with the 360 HS.. It's way better than the old one, IMO. The petition is just silly though.. why recall a product when it works for the vast majority of people, just because it doesn't work out for you..Since it's an online petition, I guess I answered my own question... Ne who, like many have said, if you don't like the headset, get a different one, or wait for new ones. that simple.
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3-08-2006 @ 3:51PM
David said...
I totally disagree with this guy. I LOVE the 360 headset. The Xbox 1 headset was crap; two of them broke for me, and I hated the around-the-back style. If MS changes the 360 headset I will be pissed.
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3-08-2006 @ 4:43PM
DaStuph said...
This dude must have a freaking huge melon! Hes got to be on crack to think that its worse then the XBOX 1 version. The first one ALWAYS hurt my opposite ear after a game session and the crappy plastic tab broke on every damn one of them.
The second one is fine. The audio quality is a bit off but thats about the worst thing I could find about it.
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3-08-2006 @ 4:47PM
Tristan said...
If you like the old one better you are crazy. You couldn't even rest the back of your head on the couch without it coming off. And it was painful. I have a huge head, XL caps and I use the last 2 notches of those, and I hardly notice the thing is on my head. The sound does suck but I think this guy is a Sony FB. Or He is trying to wear it like the old headset. Idiot!
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3-09-2006 @ 9:40AM
Tucker said...
DT7, no offense, but is your head the size of a watermelon? Last I checked that's about the size it would need to be for you to be unable to adjust the headset to fit.
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3-09-2006 @ 11:11AM
MarvinK said...
What a douche bag.... those seem like reasons someone may not like it and opt to buy a third-party one, not for a recall or a lawsuit.
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3-11-2006 @ 6:08AM
Ciaran Gallagher said...
Not that I care anyway, but come to think about it, it DOES hurt the the area just above me ear!
But I still think its really good.
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