X2 Saturn 5.1 headset Review

1. Introduction and Unboxing2. Packaging and Accessories3. X2 Saturn Gaming Headset4. Testing and Final Thoughts5. View All Pages

Pretty much every gaming headset maker out there has a surround sound set in their portfolio. Most of these 5.1 and 7.1 offerings are ‘pretenders', they're phony software versions of the real deal.

Not so with the X2 Saturn, a true 5.1 surround sound headset with three drivers in each earphone giving you real ‘situational' audio … making avoiding those stealth kills that much easier, well at least in theory.

Priced lower than you'd expect at around £50 and featuring some edge lighting and a braided cable, this may well be the affordable surround sound option you've been looking for. Let's find out. 

Features

• Real 5.1 sound system
• Revolutionary sound quality
• Cool color scheme and design
• Lightweight, durable and comfortable
• Over ear cups and passive noise cancellation
• Flex microphone
• Extensive multi-channel audio-control unit
• Specialized downloadable software
• Backed by 2 year manufacturer service warranty

 

The packaging for the Saturn is pretty basic, just a simple black box and a thin card sleeve with the marketing information on it. It doesn't make you feel like you've bought the most premium product ever, but at £50 you can't expect anything too impressive. It's also a hopeful indication that most of the money has been spent on the headset itself.

Along with the Saturn, you get the little set up manual that I know you won't read and two replacement leather ear phones if-you're not a fan of the standard fabric ones.

While I never like to start off this section of a review with a downer, I must say that my first impressions of the Saturn weren't particularly great. The styling just doesn't do it for me. It looks cheap, with its glossy, black plastic and cafe booth red leather.

The grooves in the ear phones look a bit naff too, though I will admit there's a big dose of personal preference there. Perhaps if X2 had done it all in matt it might make it look a bit better, but the look of the thing just didn't do it for me.

 

Fortunately then, when you pick up the Saturn you realise it's actually a very well built product. The frame is solid and doesn't creak when you move it around (making it a great headset for using with the Oculus Rift) but it's got enough flex that it won't shatter if you drop it. 

While it comes fitted with fabric ear cups with a red band around them as standard, I very much preferred the feel of the leather alternatives. They look identical at a distance, featuring the same red band around the edge, so if you like the styling changing the earcups won't ruin it.

Switching them out is also very simple thanks to the fact that you can remove the front of the ear cup.

As you can see though, when you do take it off, you get real proof that this is a true surround sound headset, as you can see the separate drivers to cover the front, rear and centre channels.

At the top end you have the full adjustable headband which should fit most heads without too much difficulty. I have an above average head for a man of my size and it sat against my ears without difficulty so you're unlikely to have any other issues. In the middle of the band is a comfortable red leather cushion that does a good job of protecting your skull during long gaming sessions.

The microphone is attached via a boom and has a small LED indicator on its tip to let you know whether it's on or not. However, while it is quite flexible, it doesn't detach and doesn't retract, so if you don't want it there, it's often just within your eyeline which depending on your level of OCD, can be quite irritating.

The volume control, like the headset itself, looks a bit cheap, but to the touch it's actually a pretty solid little controller. All the dials are smooth but firm and the red and black braided cable is surrounded by slightly more flexible plastic, to give each connection a bit more flex should you happen to yank it a bit too hard.

It's worth noting also, that this headset connects to your PC via a USB only, which means you won't be able to use your onboard soundcard. While that might not be a big deal for those with onboard solutions, it does mean that those with add-in-soundcards will have to bypass their likely more impressive solution.

But enough with looking at the headset, it's what it sounds like that's most important. Of course I need to begin with the usual preamble though. Our test is far from scientific and mostly involves me using it over a week in a variety of scenarios: music listening, movie watching and game playing. In each of these instances I note down comfort and audio quality and then try and sum if up in a smart alec way. Bear in mind though, there's a lot of personal preference with peripherals, so if you can, try and have a go with one before you buy it.

But now to the meat of the pie: how does the Saturn sound? Surprisingly perhaps, since it doesn't look particularly high quality, X2 have made a nice little headset here. I wouldn't say there was anything that stands out audio wise and makes me say “it's great for X,” but it's a good all round performer.

Gaming is obviously where a headset like this is going to shine, since its 5.1 surround can really come in to its own. Remember of course that you'll need a game that makes use of it and has a real atmosphere to notice it, as it can be quite subtle – certainly more so than a 5.1 speaker set, where the audio is quite literally coming from behind you. However the Saturn does a good job and I had a good few scares in some Oculus Rift horror games as something sneaked up behind me. Likewise explosions to the sides during some intense shooter action were equally compelling. In some surround sound audio tests I did find that the rear speakers were a bit lacking, even when jacked up to full volume, but they do a good enough job to give you basic feeling of audio immersion.

Movies were similarly well handled. There's no muddying of speech when there's a lot of other noise in the background and everything sounds good enough, but audiophiles will certainly miss a bit of the crispness you get with higher quality sets.

The downloadable software is pretty generic, but offers basic EQ and mixer functions

Music wise, the Saturn does a good job, but it's nothing to shout about. The mid frequencies can be a little weak at times and the bass isn't phenomenal. It has a decent amount of punch at the lower end, but you don't get any of that rumble that comes from the bottom of the well frequencies. You also lose a fair chunk of clarity if you push the volume to the maximum, which isn't something you'll do that often as this headset does get plenty loud, but it's a shame to notice it when you do.

Comfort wise though, I'm happy to say that my ears are fine, after several hours of straight testing with this headset. It's got a very tight fit, quite similar in style to the Titanfall Headset I reviewed recently. While personally I'd prefer something a little looser, the tightness makes this a great headset for Rifting with, since it doesn't move about or creak as you look around. That said, the braided cable dragging on your shirt causes quite a racket.

Those around you may think you're making quite a lot of noise too, as these cans don't do a very good job of sound proofing your audio. That is, they do a fair enough job of blocking other people's noise, but everyone is likely to hear what you're listening too, especially if there's bass involved at high volume. Just be careful if you listen to the odd risqué podcast. People will know.

Reading this back, it sounds like I'm not a big fan of the Saturn, which does it a disservice. It's not a bad headset in any way and I'd in-fact say it's quite good for its price tag, but there was very little about it that impressed me. It certainly offers an affordable surround sound option, but it's not stellar. Likewise none of the audio really stood out, with drab mids and bass that doesn't punch you in the gut or rumble your bowels.

Ultimately I think if you're in the market for a new headset, you'd be better of spending around £20 more and getting yourself something from a more well known brand, but if you have a strict budget, I'd drop the surround sound for better audio quality, you'll notice it much more.

Unfortunately even if you do want to buy the X2 Saturn, doing so will be difficult as it isn't available in the UK at the moment. However I'm informed that it can be found at some EU retailers for around 60 euros, which works out to just under £50.

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Pros

• Good all round audio quality for the price point.
• Comfortable over long periods.
• Optional ear cup material.
• Sits tight on your head and doesn't creak as you move around.
• High quality braided cable.

Cons

• Nothing in the audio particularly stands out.
• Rear surround sound is a bit lacking.
• Good build quality, but has a very cheap look to it.
• Doesn't sound proof what you're listening to very well.

KitGuru Says: It's not going to blow you away and there are probably better choices at its price point, but if you must have surround sound on a budget, the Saturn will do a satisfactory job.

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