The Turtle Beach Recon 500s we received are white with a camouflage pattern on the pavilions, but I am also available in a totally black version. Only one of the two pavilions, the left one, is equipped with buttons and volume adjustment, specifically a wheel to increase or decrease the audio and a button to instantly silence the microphone. The earpads can be tilted slightly to the left or right, in order to better wrap our ears and improve insulation.
As for the adjustment of the headphones, however, Turtle Beach has relied on the classic system that allows us to manually enlarge or tighten the headband. Perhaps it would have been better to opt for an automatic adjustment, similar to what we saw in the 3D Pulse model dedicated to PlayStation 5, but to be honest, being able to act manually on the adjustment always has its own reason and only requires a few extra minutes. But how are they once worn? Really very comfortable, especially on the side. Let's say that, due to a cushion that is so soft but not too tight, the headphones tend to tighten a bit at the top, while remaining extremely comfortable in the other pressure areas. A choice probably due to the fact that these headphones have been designed with special attention to those who wear glasses. In our specific case, we didn't try the headphones with a thick frame, but we still noticed a substantial difference compared to other models, for example the HyperX Cloud 2 or the 3D Pulse we mentioned earlier.
The type of material used is also to be commended, with memory foam pads that manage the very difficult task of not overheating the ears when certain temperatures are reached. In essence, therefore, excellent comfort and design suggested to those looking for something a little more particular than the classic uniform color and minimal appearance.
Audio and microphone
The Turtle Beach Recon 500 offer a good sound performance, also considering the market segment they occupy. What definitely helps are the dual 60mm driver, able to separate and better manage both highs and lows. Headphones on the ears, this particular technology, which was used for the first time, is not perceived in an extreme way, but gives the product a mix of the various frequencies a little more precise than normal.
There are no particular additions such as Dolby Atmos or similar, in their classic configuration the headphones sound left and right, just like a normal stereo setup. On the new generation consoles, however, we were able to obtain a good precision of the sound directions thanks to the simulated audio 3D. In the case of PlayStation 5, just activate it from the audio settings of the console, once done you will notice in games like Returnal a more enveloping audio, easily appreciated. A slightly different speech for Xbox, which offers a few more options but is more cumbersome to manage. In our case we tested the headphones by simulating Dolby Atmos and selecting the audio profile suitable for video games. After the configuration we noticed a good increase in sound quality, especially for their directionality, useful in competitive games. On PC, the configuration remains the same as the Xbox one, as long as you download the special “Dolby Atmos” application. For Nintendo Switch, however, the use is plug and play, there are no particular settings to suggest to improve the sound performance.
With regard to the mere power of the sound, we suggest instead to set the volume of the console to maximum and to adjust only after that of the device through the wheel on the left pavilion. We tell you this because you may initially feel the volume is not loud enough.
Let's close by talking briefly about the microphone, not integrated into the headphones but external and flexible enough, which you can move away or close to your mouth. In the various chats in which we participated, our interlocutors have always claimed to hear us clearly, confirming the excellent work done by Turtle Beach. Of course, this is not a high-quality microphone that is also suitable for video recording, but if you simply need to communicate with friends while gaming, it does its job perfectly well.
Turtle Beach Recon 500 Headphones | Review
