It's interesting to note just how many offerings are available concerning gaming headsets that currently exist on the market to date. We've gone from a limited variety to a plethora (and yes...that is a very fitting use of that word) of choices in gaming headsets. When it comes to reviews for headsets, you the reader, must be very careful, considerate and mindful about what you're reading, because the likes and dislikes of a particular headset are COMPLETELY subjective. Why do I say that? I will tell you exactly why: Personal Preference. Why does it really come down to those two little words? I will tell you exactly why: The success or failure of a particular gaming headset is, largely, up to the individuals expectations and what that person has determined to be their comfort zone concerning 3 things: 1) Quality, 2) Engineering and 3) Wireless or Wired.
Frankly, I'm surprised that we still have the huge amount of gaming headset offerings that we do, but it still comes down to those two little words: Personal Preference. And that, my friends, is why it is very difficult to write a considerate and constructive review for a gaming headset. On that note, let's make one more distinction. There is a difference between audio/music headphones and a gaming headset. Yes, yes! I know that many reading this already know that differentiating fact. That info is not for those in the know, but rather for those that are just getting into gaming and need to hear/read from those that are seasoned gamers. It's a part of sharing knowledge that we need to be willing to do for those that are new to gaming. Very, very rarely do we see an audio device that can "Cross" perform successfully between listening to music and playing a game and still deliver the listening experience that we desire. While it is true that, for the most part, audio devices can do this that is NOT the point. The point is that you'll noticeably lose that discernible something in the audio experience when you use a pair of music headphones for gaming and vice-versa. Furthermore, there is typically a physical distinction between a pair of music headphones and a gaming headset in the form of a microphone, be it a boom type or built in, which is included on 98% of gaming headsets on the market.
Let's get on with my review of the Polk Melee gaming headset.
Presentation: My pair of Polk Melee's arrived in a nicely decorated and quite sturdy box that seems to be constructed of mostly environmentally friendly material which should greatly appeal to those who value their environment and really says a lot about the Polk company directly. The headset, DSP (Digital Signal Processing) device..this is the Dolby/Stereo audio mixer..and the wiring were packaged in two parts. The headset and DSP device were well protected and secured in by the use of zip ties and sat in one molded paper fiber carton, while the wiring, booklet and registration card sat in the second molded paper fiber carton. Overall, the presentation of the device is nicely appealing and the security of the contents were beyond expectation. Bravo, Polk!
Wireless or Wired: The Polk Melee is a wired headset if you haven't figured out already...LoL! So, if you're looking for a wireless option you'll have to look elsewhere.
Quality and Engineering: At first glance, this gaming headset may give off the appearance that it's cheap and cheaply made. This couldn't be further from the truth. While there are plastic pieces in the construction, there are metal pieces where it counts. The ear cans are plastic, the cushioning around the ears is made of a very soft foam covered with an ultra-soft faux leather. There are two armatures that are made of molded metal with swivel joints and are attached to plastic mounts which are attached to a headband strap made from metal. The cushioning for the top of the head is provided by a foam and faux leather setup, stitched in such a way as to give the impression that this is the way it should be. Be wise, though, and know that you'll need to be cautious and mindful of places on the faux leather that can snag on edges and sharp corners and potentially damage the leather. On the average sized head, these should fit nice and snug. If you wear glasses like I do, the ultra-soft cushioning on the ear cups is a blessing as the cushioning will conform around the arms of your glasses and shouldn't cause any undue pressure on the sides of your head. Considering that the ear cushions are faux leather, this will generate some heat. That said, the Polk Melee's haven't caused any heavy or profuse sweating around the ears. While being worn, I have noticed that the seal produced around the ears seems to drown or block out a good amount of external noise, but not to the point where you can't hear someone snap their fingers to get your attention. The weight of the Polk Melee's is nominal and are, point of fact, a bit heavier than some other offerings, but this is definitely not noticeable while being worn as they have been engineered to disperse that weight around the users head. The depth of the ear cans is about average, so gamers with big ears might have a problem with comfort and would do well to at least try them on. The sound quality is most excellent. When connected to an Xbox 360, you're using the Digital Sound Processor (DSP) and the corded audio mixer that are included with the Polk Melee gaming headset. The DSP device controls both a stereo mode and a Dolby Surround sound. The audio mixer attaches to the game controller and gives the user control over voice/chat volume/mute, game sound volume/mute and supports 4 preset equalizer modes which are LED color coded to their respective modes. If you thought that this headset is exclusively for the Xbox 360 or the Xbox One **(with a special adapter from Polk)**, you're dead wrong. To test out just how versatile this headset is, I tested it out on 4 different devices, plus the Xbox 360. Here are my results and I have elaborated on any extra supporting devices used:
1) Mobile - I don't generally use headphones to listen to music on my smartphone. Instead, I prefer to listen to my music on my smartphone over Bluetooth connection to my car's stereo. So, in the spirit of this review I had to give it a try. The first device I connected the Polk Melee gaming headset to was my smartphone. I don't know why I chose to do it this way, but I was excited to see what kind of audio experience I was going to have. I wouldn't be disappointed. I connected the headset to my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 using the 3.5mm cable, found some Johnny Cash music (if you want some of the best test music, you use the studio recordings of Johnny Cash which are static free and super clean). I was blown away! I used to listen to Johnny Cash songs on vinyl record as a child and remember specific sounds from then and here they were! Those pieces of sound that I thought had been lost forever and I was instantly reliving those moments! Not embarrassed to say this in the least, but I got choked up over it! No joke! I think I spent two hours just listening to all of that music being piped through that Polk Melee gaming headset. A truly fantastic listening experience!
2) Xbox 360 - I had been using an old pair of Astro A30's on my Xbox 360, but they gave out after years of good and long use and I needed to either replace them with another pair of Astro's or go with something else. I'm glad I decided on the Polk Melee gaming headset to use with my Xbox 360. So, I set up the DSP with audio mixer connected to the Xbox 360 over Toslink (Optical) for digital sound and USB for power. I went into the settings on the Xbox 360 menu and set it up for digital audio output. Grabbed my copy of Forza 3 Ultimate, dropped the disc in and what a refreshing gaming experience! I tested out the audio mixer's preset equalizer settings and wasn't disappointed in the least by any of these. Tested gaming and voice/chat volumes, tested the muting functions and I even tested powering off the Polk Melee gaming headset from its audio mixer (yes, there is a power button there), then powering it back on and all of the game sound came right back. Tested out the bulit in retractable mic and I was very impressed with this too! Fellow gamers had no problems carrying on a conversation with me during gameplay. This all worked as advertised. I couldn't really compare the Polk Melee's to my old Astro's because the Astro's were cutting out, popping and crackling pretty bad. I am extremely pleased with the Polk Melee's gaming headset performance on the Xbox 360.
3) PlayStation 4 - I have a Plantronics RIG gaming headset that I use exclusively for my PS 4. This headset has its own mix/amp and will allow me to connect ANY headset sporting a 3.5mm connector. Connections: Toslink (Optical) for digital sound and USB connection for power (the mix/amp requires power). For this test all I need is Polk Melee gaming headset and a separate 3.5mm cable (which is included with the Polk Melee) connected to the mix/amp. Results: One of the best gaming audio experiences I've had in a while! Yes! You can use just the Polk Melee gaming headset with the separate 3.5mm cable on the PS4 provided you have an audio decoding device (such as the RIG mix/amp) like I do.
4) PlayStation 3 - I have the Sony Pulse Wireless headset that I use exclusively for my PS 3. Since the Polk Melee gaming headset is not wireless, I had to do some tinkering. So I used the mix/amp from my Plantronics RIG on my PS3. Connections are the same as the PS4: Toslink (Optical) for digital sound and USB connection for power (the mix/amp requires power). Again, I used the Polk Melee gaming headset with its 3.5mm cable connected to the mix/amp. Results: Same as PS4 results! Yes! Again, one of the best gaming audio experiences I've had!
5) PC - I have an HP laptop that I use for my mobile gaming. As a personal preference, I do not use the onboard sound. Instead, I use a Sound Blaster Omni 5.1 External Sound Card to produce the level of gaming audio I desire. With this Sound Blaster device, I use a pair of Astro A30's, which deliver a very satisfying gaming audio experience. As I'm writing this review, I have the Polk Melee gaming headset connected to the Sound Blaster Omni external audio device with the 3.5mm cable that came with the Polk Melee gaming headset, which is connected to the laptop with a USB cable...I don't have an optical connection on the laptop. Therefore, I cannot take advantage of the Dolby Digital 5.1 and that's ok with me as the Sound Blaster Omni provides a far better gaming audio experience over USB connection than the horrid sound produced from the onboard sound card.
Results: P H E N O M I N A L!!! The quality of sound that I'm getting out of this Polk Melee gaming headset edges out my Astro A30's. Folks, that's hard to do and even harder for me to admit! The Astro A30's are a multi-platform headset that deliver a clean, crisp and enjoyable sound experience that is very hard to compete with regardless of what they are connected to, but the Polk Melee gaming headset has edged out my Astro A30's hands down.
Summary: Overall, I was extremely impressed with the Polk Melee gaming headset's performance. The quality of sound that came out of this product went beyond anything I could have reasonably expected. What was even more impressive, is that you CAN use the headset plus its 3.5mm cable on the PS3 and PS4 (provided you have a separate mix/amp or audio decoding device that will allow a 3.5mm connection) regardless of what the information on the box states. As I stated before, though, you need to know that what I've written about my experiences with this headset is all subjective and it will be to you. Give the Polk Melee gaming headset a try. If you don't like them, return them to Amazon for a full refund. I don't believe you'll be disappointed, though! Have a super awesome day!
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Solid Headset — bought in 2015 still using in 2024
I bought these so long ago I had forgotten they were for my Xbox. At some point I starrted using them for my job. Maybe about 6 years as a headset for work to listen to music and take conference calls. The only reason I am submitting a review now is that the faux-leather around the speakers are fraying and I wanted to buy the exact same headset. So I came to my account and searched past purchases and it has been 9 fricken years and these babies still sound great — just cosmetically not looking so great. Look at the photo I uploaded; the speaker cans that go over your ears used to have the same faux-leather like at the top of the headset. I've simply worn it all away over time. After nearly a decade I would expect them to be in much worse shape let alone working well. I don't review anything, unless it wildly exceeds my expectations. Polk, you made a fan out of me.
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