Xbox One Headset Adapter Miniguide

If you don’t own or have no interest in the Xbox One, you may not be aware that Team Xbox has baked in some amazing features for the console for headset compatibility. With Team Xbox’s Albert Penello sharing new details on what fans have already collated, we can share for you a miniFAQ on Xbox One’s headset adapter.

Q: What do the adapters do?

A: The adapters allow you to plug any headset to your Xbox One controller, and listen to both game sound and chat as a multi-channel audio mix. In plain English, instead of hearing only the chat via the headset and the game audio on your speakers, you can get all the audio into your headset. This works for any headset, at least any headset that uses 3.5mm TRRS standard.

Q: Does the adapter output Surround Sound?

A: No. Microsoft itself only refers to their own branded headset as simply the ‘Xbox One Stereo Headset.’

Q: Will the headset turn off with the Xbox One controller when it times out?

A: No, it overrides the timeout. So, if you wanted to watch Netflix or TV, you can have the audio go through the controller and your headset.

Q: How does the adapter handle split screen multiplayer audio?

A: It supports separate audio streams for single player multiplayer. Each player can hear their own chat and audio through their controller.

Q: Hold on, why didn’t Team Xbox go with Surround Sound then?

A: We’re quoting Penello verbatim here:

For now, the adapter transmits only stereo audio. Keep in mind, when you’re dealing with only two speakers, and we chose higher quality stereo vs a virtual surround, since the advantage of surround isn’t obvious until you get into very high-end discreet speaker headphones. We are discussing some sort of virtual surround, but I think the high quality Stereo sound (the Bass on our headset is amazing), plus great chat, and the adapter for $80 is a pretty great product.

Q: So the Xbox One doesn’t have Surround Sound?

A: Yes, it does. The Xbox One has Dolby Digital built in, and outputs Surround Sound that way. It just turns out different for headsets because, again, with the adapter it outputs a multi-channel audio mix.

Q: Can Surround Sound be possible in the future, say, virtual surround via digital sound processing?

A: No confirmation it’s on the way yet, but yes, the Xbox One is capable of outputting this. This is something that is handled in software, not hardware.