Review by: Jeff McAllister

There are countless headsets available for your gaming audio needs and while they all have a similar design - a boom mic with an over the head plastic strap - Mad Catz has come up with something totally unique for gamers that mimics the throat communicators used by the military. Although the device only shares the design in style and not the ability to talk with a whisper, it still does what it sets out to accomplish.

Without the usual protruding boom mic in your face, the throat communicator wraps around the back of your neck and sits snugly against both sides of your throat. While the feeling of something wrapped around your neck may be a little uncomfortable at first – I felt like a really weak person was trying to choke me – that feeling quickly fades and in no time at all you forget it’s even there.

An earpiece reaches up from the band and fits into your left or right ear so you can hear the incoming communications. Surrounded in black rubber, the earpiece fits snugly into your ear and refuses to fall out no matter how much you jump up and down while yelling at your TV. Maybe that’s just me, but it stayed in place like its life depended on it and didn’t need adjusting.

The same as many non-wireless headsets, the throat mic has a wire that runs from the collar down to the controller and a small unit that houses the volume knob and mute switch. There is also a tiny clip that keeps the wire from swinging around in all the excitement.

I used the throat mic the entire weekend and those I gamed with had no problems hearing or understanding me - at least no more than my usual mumbly self. I could hear each slur and singing 12 year old just fine that I seemingly constantly had on my teams. Curse you, no party chat!

The main concern for headsets is of course the comfort and sound quality that they provide and the throat communicator does offer both in abundance. Having had more than my share of headsets in the past, I was impressed with the unique design and quality and other than the wireless headset from Microsoft, the Throat Communicator is one of the best available. I can’t help but wish it was wireless even though Mad Catz has no control over that. Of course the MS sets run around 60 bucks and the Throat Comm retails for $30 – and at that price is an absolute steal.

You can purchase the Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator for Xbox 360 directly from the GameShark Store .