What do you mean by “the P21 is specifically designed for the PlayStation 3?” What makes it so special?
First of all, the PS3™ doesn’t have a headphone output, so you can’t plug in a set of passive headphones to hear the game sound. Because of this, the P21 incorporates a stereo amplifier to boost the PS3 stereo game output so it can drive the headset speakers to adequate volume levels for a thrilling game experience.
Secondly, the PlayStation Network (PSN™) used for communicating on line with other players, requires either a Bluetooth® ear piece or a USB headset. The P21 integrates a USB headset so that the PSN chat is mixed in with the stereo game sound. This combination of chat and game sound in one amplified headset is what makes the P21 uniquely designed for the best PS3 experience.
Why is the P21 better than using a BlueTooth ear piece or USB headset for chatting on PSN?
If you’re using a BlueTooth ear piece or USB headset to chat on PSN, then you’ll need speakers to hear the game sound. The drawbacks to this are; (1.) the game sound from the speakers will disturb others around you who aren’t playing the game, (2.) one of your ears is covered by the ear piece, so you can only listen to the game with the other ear, (3.) the game sound can be picked up by your mic, which can be annoying to other players on PSN, especially when it causes feedback, and (4.) you have to stop what you’re doing to control the game and chat volumes because they’re not easily accessible. The P21 solves these problems by integrating the PSN chat with the game sound in a stereo headset with a convenient amplifier that clips on to your belt for easy access to all of the controls.
Why is the P21 more expensive than your Ear Force X1? Aren’t they both amplified wired headsets?
The P21 includes additional features, such as Chat Boost™, separate chat and game volume controls, a stereo expander and a variable bass boost control. The X1 and P21 are both amplified wired headsets, but the P21 is actually two headsets in one. It’s like the X1 because it is an amplified stereo gaming headset, with the addition of a mono USB audio connection for PSN chat signals. So in essence, the P21 is like combining our X1 (MSRP $59.95) with our Audio Advantage Amigo USB sound card (MSRP $39.95) into one unit. If purchased separately, the cost of an X1 and Amigo would be about $100, as compared to the $79.95 cost of the P21.
Why can’t I use an Ear Force X1 instead of the P21 for listening to the game on my PS3?
You certainly can use our X1, X3 and X4 XBOX® headsets to hear the PS3 game audio. However, you can’t use them to communicate on the PSN chat network because the microphone and chat are only compatible with the XBOX controller. You can use the Amigo USB sound card to connect the X1 microphone to a PS3. However, there is still no way to control the chat volume over the PSN because that needs to be routed to the game output so you can hear it on the X1. This, actually, was the basis of our PX1 product, which combined an X1 with an Amigo USB sound card. The PX1 was discontinued when we announced the P21 because it’s a much better solution for PS3 gaming.
Can I use the P21 with an XBOX 360®?
You can use the P21 to hear stereo game audio on the XBOX 360, but the chat feature won’t work with XBOX LIVE®. XBOX LIVE chat connects to the headset through the XBOX controller, while chat on the PS3 connects to the USB port. So the P21 USB chat connection is incompatible with the XBOX LIVE chat connection.
Can I use the P21 with PC games?
Yes, the P21 works great with PC games because it combines a USB headset for chat audio with an amplified stereo headset for game audio. No other PC gaming headset offers this combination of features! This “USB audio plus stereo amplifier” combination lets you independently set the chat and game signals with the P21 amplifier controls, rather than having to use your mouse to adjust software controls in the middle of a game session.