This is a review for the EPOS H6PRO Open Acoustic Gaming Headset and it’s a rarety to see, for years now I have been purchasing or being sent Closed Acoustic Gaming Headsets to review, you know, the ones that block out outside sounds and suck to your ear. These headphones are great for busy homes or businesses and allow you to hear what is going on in the virtual world and ignore all the sounds in the real world. Like your mom and dad shouting at you, or your partner giving your grief, or those pesky kids running amock. So why would anyone want an open acoustic headset? well for one they are supposed to offer a more open, natural soundstage while allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings, as for example, currently I have a little one (New Born) 6 weeks old, listening to him is a top priority.
Time to Excite
As with the recent releases from EPOS, they have chosen to use Dark photography (dark colours and tones) once again to sell their products when on display. Opting this time to only show one side of the headset with a microphone attached.
Moving to the back EPOS carry on the Dark Photography feel and note some features,
- Open Back Design
- High-Quality Materials
- Detachable Boom Arm
CRAFTED TO LAST, DESIGNED TO EXCITE
On one of the sides, EPOS include some more features
- Expansive, natural high-fidelity audio
- Elongated microphone boom arm for precise voice pickup
- acoustically optimized for long-lasting gaming sessions
2 YEAR WARRANTY
Everything is packed away well as always so there is nothing to worry about if you order online.
Time to Check out
Your new EPOS H6PRO is already Packaged well, but what you will notice over anything else, is the all-new mic boom arm which attaches to the headset with a very strong magnet. This is no flimsy magnet that holds the boom mic in place, oh no, this magnet is so strong, you can hold the mic arm by itself and pick up your headset. If you are playing an intense game, that is making you angry, happy or just damn right crazy, you are not going to accidentally swipe this microphone off the headset. If you are like me, very rarely remove a microphone if playing on PC, you can easily move the Boom Mic up and out of the way when not in use.
If for some reason, like me, you do not need to use the boom mic, there is a small round cap inside the box the covers over the mic boom connection, which is also magnetized.
This is what the microphone sounds like using the EPOS sound suite on PC, testing OFF, WARM, CLEAR AND CUSTOM. You also have Gain, sidetone and Noise Gate to play with.
LITTLE THINGS
The second thing I noticed was the volume wheel, not the normal wheel that requires you to use two fingers to turn it around, but a wheel that has notches all around it on the inside, which allows you to turn it with just one finder… MIND-BLOWING.
CLOSER LOOK
Looking at the headset even closer, you will notice no buttons, everything is powered by a 3.5mm audio cable, no faffle, just plug-n-play. The headband is all leather, with no etched in name or logo. On the side of the headband, you have the EPOS name, logo and the name of the headset. The majority of the headset is plastic, with plenty of flex, and they are adjustable using a metal band, approximately offering an extra 40mm on either side.
The earcups themselves can tilt in/ out / up and down and are all cloth material, with vents on the back to allow sound to come in and escape.
Now for a test, as this headset is more or less plug-n-play this is what the microphone sounds like this no software, running through a Realtek sound card built into the MSI motherboard.
Plug-n-Play mic Recording
Audio Player
Now you can use this with any other sound card even with the EPOS GSX 300 external sound card which in turn gives you access to many more features including improvements to the microphone, warm and clear.
You will also get separate improvements
- Gain
- Side Tone
- Noise Gare and
- Noise Cancellation
EPOS GSX 300 external sound card mic Recording
Audio PlayerNot only access to microphone improvements, but you can also get access to 7.1 surround sound, equalizers for both microphone and sound to create custom profiles more suited to your liking.
IN USE
Going from Closed-back earcups that keep you in the game to Open Acoustic, take some time to get used to, but once you experience the sound stage you should be impressed (dependant on soundcard).
Thanks to the 42mm driver the open back design of this headset, provides air and a soundstage that is pleasurable, even more, when you include the breathable mesh ear pads. They do not provide a huge amount of Bass for those epic explosions or if you are listening to heavy bass music tracks, but this is easily remedied with an EPOS Gaming Headset. TheH6PRO offers a better well-balanced approach to sound, not heavy on bass or over the top treble. You can of course use the EPOS GSX 300 external sound card to improve the soundstage if you so wish.
If this headset is for playing games, it will do it just fine, if you are a heavy bass lover then look to another headset. If you want to be able to listen to the outside world, then go for this, if not get the closed acoustic version instead, but you can always claim ignorance is bliss regardless of the one you choose.
There are downsides to each, closed, you will not hear anything while in-game, while open, you will hear everything while in-game and everyone will hear what you are listening to as well, so I would not recommend adult entertainment. There is also the issue of sound levels, I found running the headset through the EPOS GSX 300 external sound card or my main systems sound card the sound was rather low, however, running it through my speaker’s system it was loud, so its touch and go in regards to how loud this headset will go.
I found this headset in Argos for £149 and they had both the open and closed acoustic versions available, H6PRO worth it? damn, right it is.
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