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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Turtle Beach Recon 70 Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated Feb 16, 2024 at 08:54 am
Turtle Beach Recon 70 Picture
7.4
Neutral Sound
4.5
Commute/Travel
5.3
Sports/Fitness
5.7
Office
5.1
Wireless Gaming
7.1
Wired Gaming
6.3
Phone Calls

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are budget-friendly gaming headphones. They feature a non-detachable, flip-to-mute boom microphone and are compatible with PCs, PlayStation, and Xbox family consoles, as well as Nintendo Switch. They're a solid option if you want a versatile wired headset for all your gaming platforms without breaking the bank.

Our Verdict

7.4 Neutral Sound

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are decent for neutral sound. Their bass lacks a bit of low-end thump and rumble, meaning cinematic sounds, like explosions, can lack intensity. However, a slight bump in the high bass helps bring out footstep sounds. Their mid and treble ranges are quite well-balanced though, which adds detail to dialogue and speech. Unfortunately, they don't have a companion app with an EQ to fine-tune their sound profile.

Pros
  • Soundstage isn't bad for closed-back headphones.
Cons
  • Audio delivery inconsistencies.
4.5 Commute/Travel

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are bad for commuting, as they're not intended for this purpose. They offer very little isolation against ambient noise, so you're likely to hear the rumble of bus or plane engines as well as the chatter of other commuters. They're also quite bulky and hard to carry around. On the upside, you don't have to worry about running out of battery and won't experience any latency. They're also quite comfortable to wear for a while without feeling ear fatigue.

Pros
  • Decently comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Cheap and plasticky build.
  • Poor isolation performance.
  • Wired-only connection limits versatility.
5.3 Sports/Fitness

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are sub-par for sports, though they aren't designed for this use. They're bulky and not especially portable, plus you can't detach the boom microphone from the headset itself. Their audio cable can also snag on other things.

Pros
  • Decently comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Cheap and plasticky build.
  • Unstable fit.
  • Wired-only connection limits versatility.
5.7 Office

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are a poor fit for the office. They block out very little background noise and leak a lot of audio, which means surrounding colleagues will hear what you're listening to. On the upside, they're comfortable enough to wear for a while.

Pros
  • Decently comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor isolation performance.
  • Wired-only connection limits versatility.
5.1 Wireless Gaming

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 aren't suitable for wireless gaming, as they're wired-only headphones.

7.1 Wired Gaming

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are satisfactory for wired gaming. While they feel cheaply made, their boom microphone offers good recording quality, so you'll be easily understandable to your teammates. While their lack of low-bass robs sounds like explosions of some of their intensity, they have a balanced mid-range, and the bump in the high-bass helps bring out environmental audio, like footsteps. They're also comfortable enough for long gaming sessions and have virtually no latency, thanks to their wired design. However, they don't have a companion app for customization options.

Pros
  • Good voice recording quality.
  • Soundstage isn't bad for closed-back headphones.
  • Decently comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Cheap and plasticky build.
  • Audio delivery inconsistencies.
  • No companion app with customization features.
6.3 Phone Calls

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are passable for phone calls. Their boom microphone makes your voice sound clear and full-bodied, but it struggles to isolate it from loud background noise. You're also likely to hear a lot of ambient noise due to their poor noise isolation capability.

Pros
  • Good voice recording quality.
Cons
  • Poor isolation performance.
  • 7.4 Neutral Sound
  • 4.5 Commute/Travel
  • 5.3 Sports/Fitness
  • 5.7 Office
  • 5.1 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.1 Wired Gaming
  • 6.3 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Feb 16, 2024: We've updated this review to ensure it remains up-to-date and accurate and included relevant comparisons to similar gaming headsets.
  2. Updated Nov 12, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  3. Updated Nov 17, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  4. Updated Mar 24, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  5. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  6. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  7. Updated Aug 09, 2019: We've updated the Comfort score to better reflect how comfortable this headset feels.
  8. Updated Jun 26, 2019: Review published.
  9. Updated Jun 24, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  10. Updated Jun 24, 2019: Early access published.
  11. Updated Jun 22, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  12. Updated Jun 17, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

These headphones come in several different color variants: 'Lavender,' 'Black/Red,' 'Blue Camo,' 'Green Camo,' 'Black/Blue,' 'Black/Green,' 'Red/Black,' 'White/Blue,' 'White/Green,' and 'Silver.' We tested the 'Black/Red' model but expect the other color variants to perform similarly. While there are also variants listed as the Turtle Beach Recon 70P, Turtle Beach Recon 70X, and Turtle Beach Recon 70N, there doesn't seem to be any differences in terms of features, performance, or system compatibility, with these models only offering color schemes that complement specific consoles.

If you encounter a different variant, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are budget-friendly gaming headphones with a decently well-balanced sound profile and good microphone recording quality. Unfortunately, they feel very plasticky and have a very rudimentary control scheme. They lack companion software to fine-tune your listening experience, which is present in other budget headsets like the Logitech G432. You also can't detach the integrated boom mic for a more casual look the way you can with the SteelSeries Arctis 1.

See our recommendations for the best gaming headsets, the best gaming headsets under $100, and the best budget and cheap gaming headsets.

Astro A10 Gen 2

The Astro A10 Gen 2 are similarly performing headphones to the Turtle Beach Recon 70, but the Astro have the edge for most uses. Both are wired headsets with bulk designs that lack portability. However, the Astro are better built and more comfortable. They also have a more prominent bass response, and their mic does a better job of separating your voice from background noise. That said, the Turtle Beach have a more consistent treble response. 

Turtle Beach Recon 200

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 and the Turtle Beach Recon 200 are very similar gaming headphones, but the Recon 70 will be less of a hassle than the Recon 200 unless you want the always-on Bass Boost of the Recon 200. Having this feature means the Recon 200 need a battery, which is quite rare for wired headphones. Also, the Recon 70's mic offers superior recording quality. On the other hand, the Recon 200 are slightly better built thanks to a metal-reinforced headband, and they have more controls on their ear cups, like microphone levels and presets.

HyperX Cloud Stinger

The HyperX Cloud Stinger is a better gaming headset than the Turtle Beach Recon 70. The HyperX are noticeably better built even if they are made of plastic. Their sound profile is also better balanced and packs a bit more sub-bass. The HyperX's microphone offers better recording quality. However, the Turtle Beach have a slightly more neutral mid-range.

Turtle Beach Recon 50X/Recon 50P

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 and Turtle Beach Recon 50X/Recon 50P models are very similar, but the Recon 70 might be a better option thanks to their more comfortable design and better sound profile. However, the Recon 50x have an excellent microphone and outperform the Recon 70 in this regard. Overall, the recording quality of the Recon 70's mic is good, making them a decent choice for gaming.

Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2

The Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 are slightly better wired headphones than the Turtle Beach Recon 70. While they're both comfortable, the Recon 200 Gen 2 are better built, and they have a virtual soundstage feature that's powered by a battery with over 16 hours of continuous playback time. Their boom mic also has a somewhat better recording quality, although the Recon 70's mic delivers a better noise-handling performance.

Turtle Beach Recon 500

The Turtle Beach Recon 500 are slightly better gaming headphones than the Turtle Beach Recon 70. While both headphones are comfortable, the Recon 500 are better built, and their boom mic does a significantly better overall performance.

Astro A10

The Astro A10 are slightly better gaming headphones than the Turtle Beach Recon 70. The Astro are quite noticeably better built and feel more durable. Their microphone performance is also better and records detailed and full-bodied speech. On the other hand, the Turtle Beach are more comfortable and have a more neutral sound profile.

Logitech G432

The Logitech G432 are better gaming headphones than the Turtle Beach Recon 70. They have a more comfortable, stable fit, and it's easier to get consistent audio delivery from them. They also have a more balanced sound overall that can be further tweaked to your liking via the companion app. However the Turtle Beach are available in more color variants, so you can pick a color scheme that works with your aesthetic. 

Razer BlackShark V2 X

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 are better gaming headphones than the Razer BlackShark V2 X. While the Razer have a more comfortable and stable fit, their sound profile is considerably less balanced than the Turtle Beach, with a very recessed treble range that makes lead instruments and speech sound dark and muted. However, the Razer have a better performing mic, that also does a better job of separating your voice from background noise. 

RUNMUS RGB K1 Gaming Headset

The RUNMUS RGB K1 Gaming Headset and the Turtle Beach Recon 70 are similarly performing budget wired gaming headphones. The Turtle Beach are more comfortable and have a better-balanced sound, but the RUNMUS have better mic performance and come with a longer cable.

Xbox Stereo Headset

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 and the Xbox Stereo Headset are two gaming headphones with different strengths. The Turtle Beach have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and the boom mic has a better noise-handling performance. However, the Xbox headphones are more comfortable, better built, and more stable.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

These headphones look quite similar to the Turtle Beach Recon 200. They have the same large headband design, but they have different yokes for size adjustment, as well as large ear cups lined with pleather instead of fabric. The console-specific headphones come in two-tone color schemes with vivid accents, although all variants are wired and will work on all platforms. This means you can choose whichever color you prefer, regardless of which platform you game on.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.51 lbs
Clamping Force
1.2 lbs

They're decently comfortable headphones. They have a cheap imitation leather coating that doesn't feel that nice on the skin. While their headband isn't as well padded as that of other Turtle Beach models, it still does a good job of distributing their weight. Unfortunately, if you have a larger head, you'll find them to be a bit tight on the head, and they aren't quite as comfortable as alternatives like the Logitech G432.

5.6
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls No

These headphones have a physical control scheme that's easy to use but lacks functionality. They have a volume wheel on the left ear cup that stops when you reach max or minimum volume. You can also mute the boom microphone by flipping it upwards.

6.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 6.5 °C

These headphones aren't very breathable, but this won't be an issue during casual gaming sessions. However, they aren't a good option for exercise as they trap quite a bit of heat inside their ear cups, making you sweat more than usual.

5.5
Design
Portability
L 7.9" (20.1 cm)
W 7.1" (18.0 cm)
H 3.2" (8.1 cm)
Volume 180.00 in³ (2,949.66 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

Like most over-ear gaming headphones, they aren't very portable. They don't fold into a more compact format, but their cups swivel to lay flat. This makes them noticeably wider but also easier to slide inside a bag.

0
Design
Case
Type No case
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A
6.0
Design
Build Quality

These headphones have mediocre build quality. They're entirely made of plastic with pleather-lined ear cups and headband padding. The headband is also thin but fairly flexible. Additionally, they don't have metal-centered yokes like the Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 or the Turtle Beach Stealth 300. They creak a lot and feel fragile when manipulating them.

6.0
Design
Stability

These headphones have mediocre stability. They're tight on the head, so they don't move too much while gaming. They'll likely fall off your head with intense head movements, though. They also have a non-detachable cable that can yank them off your head if it gets hooked on something.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Turtle Beach Recon 70 headphones
  • Sticker
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-3.12 dB
Treble Amount
-1.69 dB

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 have a reasonably balanced sound profile. The dip in the low-bass range will be disappointing if you prefer some extra thump and rumble in your favorite action-heavy games. However, the high-bass range is slightly emphasized, which can help accentuate environmental audio, like footsteps. They also have a fairly balanced mid and treble range response, resulting in detailed dialogue and bringing out the detail in game soundtracks.

5.4
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
1.34 dB

These headphones have poor frequency response consistency. They struggle to deliver audio consistently, as their audio reproduction is highly sensitive to fit, seal, and positioning. If you have long hair or wear glasses, you'll find that it's particularly difficult to achieve a consistent sound between gaming sessions.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
6.9
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.11 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
82.34 Hz
Low-Bass
-6.65 dB
Mid-Bass
-2.41 dB
High-Bass
3.26 dB

Their bass accuracy is okay. Their underemphasized low-bass range results in a loss of thump and slam, which is most apparent in action-heavy games. When playing first-person shooters like Battlefield 5, you'll notice that explosions lack a lot of low-end rumble. That said, the slight overemphasis in the high-bass range helps bring out footstep sounds in your in-game mix.

9.1
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.2 dB
Low-Mid
0.79 dB
Mid-Mid
0.02 dB
High-Mid
-0.59 dB

These headphones have outstanding mid-range accuracy. Dialogue, as well as vocals and lead instrumentals, are clear, present, and detailed in the mix.

7.9
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.23 dB
Low-Treble
-1.21 dB
Mid-Treble
0.04 dB
High-Treble
-6.82 dB

Their treble accuracy is very good. Aside from a dip between the low and mid treble ranges that results in some sibilants sounding dull and lispy, the rest of the range is flat and even. Higher frequency sibilants, like cymbals, sound bright and airy.

7.2
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.82 dB
Dips
1.34 dB

They have a decent peaks and dips performance, and these headphones generally follow their own sound profile well. A dip in the low-bass range robs some tracks and sound effects of adequate thump and rumble. A bump in the high-bass range generates a lot of boominess and muddies mixes. The low- to mid-treble range is quite inconsistent and makes the upper harmonics of vocals and lead instruments sound alternatively harsh and veiled. A peak in the mid-treble range can make some sibilants sound a little piercing.

6.0
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.29
Weighted Phase Mismatch
58.03
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.57
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
2.53

Their imaging performance is mediocre. Other headsets within Turtle Beach's Recon line have had solid imaging performance, which is indicative of the manufacturer's quality control and ergonomics. However, imaging tends to vary between units. Our unit's weighted group delay doesn't surpass the audibility threshold, which results in tight bass and transparent treble. While the L/R drivers are well-matched regarding amplitude and frequency response, there's some significant phase response mismatch. This impacts the localization and placement of objects like voices and footsteps in the stereo image.

6.3
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
2.73 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
5.16 dB
PRTF Distance
10.59 dB
Openness
5.9
Acoustic Space Excitation
4.3

The passive soundstage is mediocre but still better than many other closed-back gaming headsets. While it's fairly spacious and natural, the sound is still likely to be perceived as originating from inside the head rather than like speakers set up around you.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
7.6
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.408
WHD @ 100
0.115

The weighted harmonic distortion performance is good. At moderate volumes, there's some distortion in the low-bass range, but this is difficult to hear with real-life content as it affects a narrow frequency band. The rest of the frequency spectrum falls within acceptable limits at both moderate and high volumes, resulting in mostly clean and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
No Firmware
Power
Passive
Connection
Wired
Codec
PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Boom

These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when they're used in this configuration.

Isolation
3.5
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-9.43 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
0.7 dB
Mid
-5.96 dB
Treble
-23.52 dB

The noise isolation performance is bad. They offer virtually no isolation against lower-frequency sounds, like the rumble of bus engines outside your window. They're not much better at blocking out ambient noise in the mid-range, so you'll hear a lot of background chatter from people nearby. They do better at blocking out higher-pitched sounds, like the hum of an A/C unit.

6.3
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
43.62 dB

The leakage performance is mediocre. Most of their audio leakage occurs in the mid-range, so escaping sound is relatively full-bodied. If you're gaming at full volume in a quiet environment, like a shared living room, your roommates will likely be able to hear what you're listening to.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
No
Boom
Yes
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
7.5
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
138.49 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.59 dB
HFE
7,782.91 Hz
Weighted THD
1.433
Gain
22.53 dB

The integrated boom microphone has good recording quality. Recorded speech sounds full-bodied, clear, and natural but also a bit bright.

6.4
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
17.07 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
6.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
7.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The boom microphone's noise-handling performance is mediocre. While your voice is clearly understandable in moderately noisy environments, it struggles to fully separate speech from ambient noise in louder settings, so you'll want to stick to using them at home.

Active Features
0
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
No Battery
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Passive Headphone
Charging Port None
0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No
Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
No Bluetooth
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
PC Latency (SBC)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
N/A
Android Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length 4.00 ft (1.22 m)
Connection
1/8" TRRS
Analog/USB Audio Latency
0 ms

The Turtle Beach Recon 70 have a 1/8" TRRS cable that offers full audio and microphone compatibility.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio + Microphone
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones can be used with PCs with full audio and mic compatibility via their wired 1/8" TRRS connection.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones have full audio and mic compatibility with PlayStation family consoles when using the 1/8" TRRS cable with the mic attached.

Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones offer full audio and microphone support when you plug their 1/8" TRRS cable into an Xbox family controller.

0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock