In terms of build, the EarForce Atlas shares the same components and chassis as Turtle Beach's other new Xbox One headset, the EarForce XO Four, but costs an additional $50. Bass adds critical immersion to shooters - adding to the impact of gunfire, explosions, and other atmospheric action, but in spite of being branded by one of the most anticipated FPSs of the year, the EarForce Atlas is disappointingly lacking. Overall, I'm reluctant to call the audio quality bad, but it's certainly not great. It also struggles with audio clipping - a distortion that occurs at some points when set to high volume - although that's only at uncomfortably loud levels. While it does a great job of delivering balanced high- and mid-range tones, bass is subdued, although not totally absent. The EarForce Atlas itself, however, leaves some things to be desired - primarily low-end response. The Xbox One's wireless stereo stream is impressive with no discernable compression, though audio can cut out momentarily from time to time. On the other hand, those who play more casually will benefit from the limited wire clutter and simplified setup. Given the emphasis on situational awareness for first-person shooters, the absence of surround sound support makes the EarForce Atlas a tough sell for competitive or enthusiast players. While Microsoft says that virtual surround sound could be added in the future, the only way to get a simulated 5.1 or 7.1 experience now would be to use an external signal processor, like Astro's MixAmp. The Xbox One transmits wireless audio directly to the controller, but presently only supports stereo signals. By using a standard stereo cable, however, the EarForce Atlas is compatible with a vast array of devices, including tablets, smartphones, handhelds, laptops, and yes, even the PS4. While I haven't noticed a significant drain on the overall battery life of the Xbox One controller, it's safe to assume the adapter and the headset will shave some time off of the total lifespan per charge. The headset plugs directly into the adapter via a standard stereo headphone cable and both are powered by the controller's battery. Like all of the new Xbox One headsets, the EarForce Atlas comes paired with Microsoft's Stereo Headset Adapter, which connects to the Xbox One controller and manages all audio playback, including chat and game audio balancing, volume, and microphone muting.

Gamer headset test 2014