411 Games Product Review: Primal Wireless Headset & Mic
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 07.20.2010
True wireless connectivity for your Xbox 360.
While the Xbox 360’s own wireless headset is good enough for chatting, what about listening to the actual game? Sure we’ve seen other full-on headsets that offer up good quality sound with an attached mic but that wouldn’t appease those who are looking for a truly wireless experience. That’s where the Primal Wireless Headset & Mic from Rude Gameware comes into play. I recently had the chance to take their unit for a test drive to see if this bad boy was “good enough” or a step above its competition.
The package, which retails for $99.95, comes with a stereo headset with well cushioned ear pads that even big-eared gamers can appreciate. The unit runs on 2 AAA batteries which comes included and communicates with an IR receiver to give you up to around 25’ of connectivity. I found that 15’ or so was still pretty solid while getting closer to 25 wasn’t quite as perfect; still it performed quite well. The IR receiver is of course powered but it also doubles as a charger for rechargeable batteries which was a nice addition. The volume controls are found on the headset itself so there’s no need to reach out for a remote or adjust it via the Xbox 360’s own controller. Keep in mind that you’ll be connecting the receiver via standard RCA (Left/Right) jacks so don’t expect a full surround sound experience. That being said, it still sounded pretty clear though not as great as some PC headsets out there that give you a digital experience. Playing through X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Red Dead Redemption and 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa; I found the music and sound effects to come in relatively clear although at higher volumes, you begin to hear a bit of a hiss.
I would have liked however to have some type of equalizer controls; not because headsets need or should have any, but because it was sometimes tough to differentiate between low frequency sound/music and high frequency. It’s like a pair of speakers that do well on the mids but not great on lows or highs. It’s not a huge deal but it’s worth pointing out.
>As for the mic; it attaches to the jack found on the bottom of the Xbox 360 controller and having a few friends analyze my speech in game lobbies and in-game, they all agreed that I sounded about as good as they’ve heard on the system. I also let my brother use it in order to hear it for myself and I concurred that it indeed sounds quite clear.
If there was one major selling point however, is that headset can double as a wireless headset for your home theater system (or just TV). The IR receiver can be connected directly to a television or dedicated home theater receiver to allow you to watch whatever you want without bothering anyone in the room. Ever wanted to watch Gladiator in the middle of the night but didn’t want to wake up the wife or girlfriend? Problem solved. I found the typical program to sound pretty good and while heavy action movies won’t convince you to ditch your floor standing speakers for booming sound, I was pretty satisfied with what it delivered.
The 411
Given comparable items in the marketplace, it’s tough to top the ease of use and comfort that the Prima Wireless Headset provides. Add in the ability to throw them on for everyday use with your TV and you have yourself a hell of deal.
>As for the mic; it attaches to the jack found on the bottom of the Xbox 360 controller and having a few friends analyze my speech in game lobbies and in-game, they all agreed that I sounded about as good as they’ve heard on the system. I also let my brother use it in order to hear it for myself and I concurred that it indeed sounds quite clear. 
