We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a simple, wired bridge that lets almost any 3.5mm stereo gaming headset pull chat and stereo game audio straight through your Xbox controller, choose Microsoft Xbox One; if you need a direct replacement for worn, flaking earcups on the Xbox Wireless Headset, choose XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement.
• Microsoft Xbox One — biggest strength: It is a controller-mounted adapter that routes chat and stereo game audio through a 3.5mm jack (CTIA standard), with no need to connect anything to the console or TV. It also supports legacy Xbox 360 stereo headsets via S/PDIF or RCA for game audio plus a 2.5mm chat cable.
• Microsoft Xbox One — biggest trade-off: A microphone is required for chat, and specific headsets are called out as incompatible — the Mad Catz Tritton Warhead, the Mad Catz Tritton Primer (without Mad Catz's own jack adapter), the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset, and the Xbox 360 Wireless Bluetooth Headset, whose 2.5mm connector has a long cylindrical center pin that will not fit.
• XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement — biggest strength: It is a purpose-built fit for the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset (Xbox X|S, Xbox One), made from protein skin plus sponge, so it restores the physical comfort layer of a headset you already own.
• XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement — biggest trade-off: It is not audio hardware at all. It adds no chat capability, no game audio, and no adapter function — it only replaces the cushions on one specific headset family.
• Who each pick is for: Pick Microsoft Xbox One if your problem is connectivity — getting a headset talking to your Xbox. Pick XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement if your problem is wear and tear — flat, crumbling pads on an Xbox Wireless Headset.
This is a small adapter that lives at the bottom of your controller. Its whole job is to be the handshake between a headset and your Xbox. If your stereo gaming headset ends in a 3.5mm plug using the CTIA standard, the adapter passes chat and stereo game audio directly through the controller — you do not run a cable to the console, the TV, or a receiver. That alone makes it the cleanest option for someone who wants to sit down, plug in, and play without rethinking their living room setup. It is also compatible with Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Windows 10, so the same little block can follow you between a console and a desktop.
So who should buy it? Anyone whose headset has a compatible plug and who wants chat volume controls right at their thumbs, without letting go of the controller. It is also the right call for the budget-minded tinkerer with a drawer full of older headsets. Who should skip it? Anyone expecting the adapter itself to be a headset — it is not. And anyone with one of the explicitly incompatible models listed above should not buy it expecting a miracle; that is a connector mismatch, not a settings problem.
XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement: Who It's For
This is a maintenance part, not a gadget. It is a pair of replacement earpads and cushions built to fit the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset, covering Xbox X|S and Xbox One. The construction is protein skin over sponge — the same basic recipe most headset pads use, chosen because it feels soft against the ear and holds its shape reasonably well. In plain terms: if your pads have gone shiny, cracked, or started shedding black flakes onto your jaw, this is the part that fixes it.
The compatibility claim is narrow and specific, and that is a good thing. It is designed for one headset family, so you are not gambling on a generic pad that "sort of" stretches over the ring. The manufacturer lists a 30-day warranty description, and the whole item weighs about 1.08 ounces — light enough that it changes nothing about how the headset sits on your head. Color is black, which matches the headset the pads are built for.
Who should buy it? Someone who likes their Xbox Wireless Headset's sound and mic but cannot stand the feel of the pads anymore. Replacing cushions is the cheapest way to extend the life of audio gear you already own, and it is a five-minute job with no tools beyond your fingers. Who should skip it? Anyone hoping this solves a connection problem. If your headset will not pair, will not produce chat audio, or will not get loud enough, new pads will not touch any of that — those are pairing, routing, and volume issues, not cushion issues. Also skip it if you own a different headset brand; this is fitted to the Xbox Wireless Headset, not a universal size.
• Best for connecting a wired headset to the controller → Microsoft Xbox One. The 3.5mm CTIA path gives chat and stereo game audio directly, no console or TV cable needed.
• Best for reviving an old Xbox 360 headset → Microsoft Xbox One. S/PDIF or RCA handles game audio, and the included audio jack adapter cable handles chat through the 2.5mm connection.
• Best for comfort and wear repair → XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement. Protein skin plus sponge pads restore the feel of an Xbox Wireless Headset.
• Best for cross-device flexibility → Microsoft Xbox One. It is compatible with Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Windows 10.
• Best for a no-setup, no-settings fix → XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement. You peel the old pads off and press the new ones on; there is nothing to configure.
• Best for wireless headset owners → XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement. It is sized specifically for the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset.
• Best for chat volume control at your fingertips → Microsoft Xbox One. Adjusting chat audio happens on the adapter without taking your hands off the controller.
• Best for someone who hates cables entirely → neither, honestly. One is a wired audio bridge, the other is a physical pad. If your headset already works and feels fine, you need neither.
In my opinion, most people searching this comparison own an Xbox Wireless Headset that has simply worn out, and for them the XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement is the sensible buy: it is cheap insurance on a headset that still sounds good, and it targets the exact part that fails first. In my opinion, you should choose Microsoft Xbox One instead if your actual problem is getting a wired stereo headset — especially an older one — to talk to your console, because pads cannot fix a signal that never arrives. Buy the part that matches your failure. If it is comfort, buy pads. If it is connection, buy the adapter.
how to connect xbox headphones
With the Microsoft Xbox One adapter, plug it into your controller, then connect a compatible stereo headset with a 3.5mm CTIA plug — chat and stereo game audio pass through the controller with nothing connected to the console or TV. Legacy Xbox 360 stereo headsets instead connect to the console's S/PDIF port or to the TV/receiver via RCA for game audio, with chat routed through the 2.5mm chat cable into the adapter. A microphone is required for chat either way.
how to pair xbox headphones
This comparison does not cover wireless pairing — the Microsoft Xbox One adapter is a wired connection, and the XBERSTAR pads are a physical replacement part with no electronics. Pairing is handled by the headset itself and the console's own accessory settings, so check your headset's instructions for that step. If your headset is wired and compatible, the adapter removes the pairing question entirely.
how to make xbox headphones louder
Neither product here is a volume amplifier. The Microsoft Xbox One adapter gives you chat audio adjustment at the controller, but overall loudness still comes from your headset and your console's audio settings. The XBERSTAR cushions have no effect on volume at all — though a proper seal from fresh pads can help you hear what is already there.
how to use xbox headphones
Plug the Microsoft Xbox One adapter into the controller, attach a compatible 3.5mm headset, and adjust chat audio on the adapter without releasing the controller. For the XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement, use is entirely mechanical: remove the worn cushions from your Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset and fit the new protein-skin-and-sponge pads in their place.
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See also: open ear earbuds wireless bluetooth, Astro Gaming A40 vs Taiahiro Gaming Headset, Keewonda Kids Headphones vs Redskypower 5, YUMONDEAR Headphones Over Ear vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones