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Turtle Beach Bolsters Its Ear Force at E3 2011

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The audio experts at Turtle Beach are all set to rock E3 2011 next week with a pair of new gaming headsets destined to please the ear canals of countless PlayStation 3 and PC gamers, including a more affordable version of its coveted programmable PX5.

Back when I was first diving into the PC scene, Turtle Beach stood for "But I asked for a Sound Blaster". Times have changed since then. Nowadays quality audio is more a factor of what you're listening on than the chip that's processing it, and Turtle Beach is right in the thick of things, providing gamers with quality listening headgear.

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Headgear like the Ear Force PX5, a fully programmable headset that delivers superior sound and functionality for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Unfortunately that superior sound comes at a superior price point of $249.95, much more than many players are willing to spend for something that'll shortly be covered in their ear stench.

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Enter the PX3, the 'little brother' to the PX5. Turtle Beach has taken the same programmable technology from the PX5, taken away the ability to create your own custom settings, and they'll be passing the savings on to you this summer. Turtle Beach Ear Force PX3 Programmable Wireless Gaming Headset will come with 18 predefined configurations, with additional profiles made available for download on a regular basis. It also features a Turtle Beach first: A rechargeable 10-hour battery pack. All that for only $149.95. It's primarily aimed at PlayStation 3 players, but will work with the Xbox 360 and PC as well.

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For PC gamers looking for something more than "also works with", the company is also showing off the Ear Force Z6A Multi-Speaker Surround Sound Headset at E3 2011. The USB-powered Z6A boasts eight "acoustically angled" speakers (including two subwoofers), a 5.1 channel amplifier, and lightweight oversized mesh ear cups perfect for extended play. It's even got a quick disconnect cable for folks that often find themselves having to run away from their PC at great speed. Now how much would you pay? The Z6A will retail for $99.95 when it drops this summer. Xbox 360 owners will be able to purchase an optional connector to make the Z6A work for them.

Whew, that was exhausting, wasn't it? Let's wind down with some press release hype.

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"We are the category leader because we are the only headset maker solely focused on gamers' unique audio needs," said Carmine Bonanno, President and CEO of Turtle Beach. We redefined what a gaming headset could do when we introduced the PX5 earlier this year. One message we have heard from gamers load and clear is that they want to control their gaming experience as much as possible. The PX3 allows us to bring many of the PX5's amazing innovations to an even broader audience, while the Z6A offers PC gamers a competitive edge with a flexible multi-driver surround sound experience that provides the comfort needed for long gaming sessions."

Check out the Turtle Beach website for more details on the company's E3 2011 lineup.