We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a complete wired gaming headset with game-tuned audio modes and an inline mixer you can reach without leaving your controller, choose Polk Audio Melee Headphone; if you need replacement earpads to restore a Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset you already own, choose XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement.
• Polk Audio Melee Headphone — biggest strength: a full headset built with game sound designers, with four Immersion Modes and a thumb-reach Audio Mixer for on-the-fly adjustments.
• Polk Audio Melee Headphone — biggest trade-off: it is a wired Xbox 360-era design with no active noise control, and Xbox One support requires an upgrade path rather than working out of the box.
• XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement — biggest strength: a direct-fit refresh for the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset (Xbox X|S, Xbox One), using protein skin over sponge.
• XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement — biggest trade-off: it is not a headset at all — no drivers, no mic, no controls. It only helps if you already own a compatible Xbox Wireless Headset.
• Pick Polk Audio Melee Headphone if you want one headset to cover Xbox gaming, music and phone calls.
• Pick XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement if your existing Xbox Wireless Headset just needs its cushions replaced instead of a whole new setup.
The Melee is Polk Audio's take on a gaming-first headset, and the pitch is unusual: it was developed in collaboration with the sound designers behind major games rather than designed as a generic pair of headphones with a mic bolted on. That shows up in the four Immersion Modes — Forza Motorsport Racer, Halo FPS, Music and Cinema — which let you switch the tuning profile to match what you're doing. Racing games, shooters, music and movies each get their own flavor instead of one compromise curve.
The control scheme is the standout feature for console play. Polk's thumb-reach Audio Mixer sits within reach of your thumb, so you can change modes and listening levels instantly without taking your hands off the controller. Anyone who has fumbled for an inline remote mid-match will understand why that matters. The retractable near-field gaming microphone stays tucked away when you're not talking, which keeps it out of your line of sight during solo sessions.
On the spec side, it's an over-ear wired headset with a 3.5 mm jack, a dynamic driver covering 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, and a plastic, fabric and memory foam build at roughly 199 grams. It also handles smartphones and tablets, with a touch-based call control button for taking calls. Bluetooth is listed alongside the wired connection. It's compatible with Xbox 360 and upgradeable to Xbox One. There's no noise control, and the one-year limited warranty is worth noting.
Who should buy it: Xbox 360 owners who want a purpose-built headset, and anyone who wants one pair to move between console, phone and tablet. Who should skip it: if you're on a current-gen Xbox console and want something that works without an upgrade step, or if you need active noise cancellation, this isn't the fit. If you're shopping, check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
This is a very different kind of product, and it's important to be honest about that. The XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement is a set of replacement cushions for the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset, covering Xbox X|S and Xbox One. There's no audio hardware here — no drivers, no microphone, no mixer. It exists to replace worn, flattened or flaking pads on a headset you already own.
The materials are listed as protein skin over sponge, in black. That combination is the common approach for replacement pads: a soft, skin-friendly outer surface with foam underneath for cushioning. The compatibility claim is specific — a perfect fit for the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset — which is the detail that matters most with earpads, because a pad that doesn't seat properly changes the seal and the feel.
Who should buy it: someone whose Xbox Wireless Headset still works fine but whose ear cushions have seen better days. Replacing pads is a far smaller intervention than buying a new headset, and it keeps a familiar, already-broken-in setup in service. Who should skip it: anyone without a compatible Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset, and anyone expecting this to improve sound quality, add features or fix a broken headset. It won't. The warranty is listed at 30 days, which is shorter than the Polk's one-year limited coverage.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for a complete gaming setup → Polk Audio Melee Headphone. It's a headset with drivers, mic, mixer and modes in one box.
• Best for game-specific audio tuning → Polk Audio Melee Headphone, with its four Immersion Modes.
• Best for controller-in-hand adjustments → Polk Audio Melee Headphone, thanks to the thumb-reach Audio Mixer.
• Best for multiplatform use → Polk Audio Melee Headphone, which covers Xbox 360, smartphones and tablets, with an upgrade path to Xbox One.
• Best for a lighter, simpler purchase → XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement, at just over an ounce and with nothing to configure.
• Best for current Xbox Series owners → XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement only if you already have the compatible Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset; otherwise neither product is a straight fit for that console generation.
• Best for quiet-room listening → neither, in the sense that neither offers noise control. The Polk lists noise control as none, and the XBERSTAR pads don't address noise at all.
In my opinion, these two only compete on paper — they solve different problems. If you're building an Xbox setup from scratch and want a wired headset with game-tuned modes and a mixer you can reach mid-game, I'd buy the Polk Audio Melee Headphone. If your Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset is otherwise fine and just needs fresh cushions, I'd buy the XBERSTAR Earpads Cushions Replacement and save the bigger purchase for later. Decide which of those two situations you're actually in, and the choice makes itself.
how to connect xbox headphones
Connection depends on the headset. The Polk Audio Melee Headphone uses a 3.5 mm wired jack and lists compatibility with Xbox 360, with an upgrade path to Xbox One, plus smartphone and tablet use. The XBERSTAR pads don't connect to anything — they're cushions for a Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset you already pair.
how to pair xbox headphones
Pairing applies to wireless headsets. The Polk Melee is primarily a wired 3.5 mm headset, though Bluetooth is listed in its connectivity specs. The XBERSTAR product has no wireless technology at all; it's a physical replacement part for the Microsoft Xbox Series Wireless Headset, so pairing stays a function of that headset, not the pads.
how to make xbox headphones louder
Volume control on the Polk Audio Melee Headphone runs through its thumb-reach Audio Mixer, which adjusts listening levels without your hands leaving the controller — that's the intended way to ride volume and modes. The XBERSTAR pads don't affect volume in any way; they only replace worn cushions.
how to use xbox headphones
The Polk Melee is designed as an all-purpose set: gaming with Immersion Modes, music, and phone calls via a touch call-control button, with a retractable mic that stays out of the way. The XBERSTAR pads are used by removing the old cushions on a compatible Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset and fitting the new protein skin and sponge pads in their place.
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