If you want a gaming headset overloaded with features, connectivity and RGB, Corsair’s Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is hard to beat (though also expensive). Epos takes a drastically different approach with its H6Pro. Steeped in the company’s history of the Sennheiser brand, Epos’s latest flagship headset is a plug-and-play analog device that strives for comfort and excellent sound.
In true old-fashioned headphone fashion, you can even pick up the H6Pro in closed or open options. The latter (which we tested) lets some of the sound flow in from the room around you, while also letting some sound out, leading to a wider perceived audio stage (read: better sound) and less fatigue. long-term use. † It’s also arguably the most comfortable headset I’ve used in years, thanks to a padded headband and a low weight of 10.9 ounces.
If you are looking for a nice-sounding headset for your PC and/or console without a lot of fuss or extra features, then the Epos H6Pro is worth considering. But at $179, it’s quite expensive considering the lack of extra features you could get from other headsets in this price range. Also, while it feels solid and substantial, the largely plastic construction doesn’t scream premium.
The 42mm drivers in the H6Pro produce good audio and I like the option for an open-back design that doesn’t completely cut off your ears from the outside world. But the volume was not as high as I would like. Even in a quiet environment, I found myself turning the volume wheel on the right earcup almost all the way up most of the time. And while the flip-down two-way mic is nicely removable via a magnetic connection, I found it wasn’t great at filtering out sounds for me (even some in another room), and my colleagues and gamer friends said it put the lower emphasis on the sound. lower frequencies less. of my voice.
Epos H6Pro Specifications
| Driver type: | 42mm neodymium |
| Impedance | 28 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 20 – 20,000 Hz |
| Microphone Type: | 100,000 Hz bidirectional microphone response |
| Connectivity Options | PC cable (2 meters), console cable (1.5 meters) |
| Cables | I |
| Weight | 309 g (10.9 ounces) |
| Relief | New |
| Software | New |
| Additionally | New |
Design and comfort of the Epos H6Pro
Epos does a lot of things right when it comes to the comfort and looks of the H6Pro. The construction is mostly plastic, but the headset still feels solid despite its light weight at 0.68 pounds, and the padded headband and soft-fabric padded ear cups lend themselves to extreme comfort. I’ve used several headsets over the years and can’t think of one that was as comfortable as the H6Pros, while also providing just enough clamping force to keep the cans on my head where I wanted them.
Note that the closed-back model weighs a little more at 0.71 pounds, thanks to the firmer, noise-dampening material on the outside of the earcups and a different type of fabric on the earcups.
The overall look of the headset is a bit chunky compared to some alternatives, but the Epos H6Pro is an attractive headset in its ghost white color. If you’re looking for something a little darker, the headset is also available in Sebring Black and Racing Green (with gold and black accents).
In terms of connectivity, this is strictly an analog headset. It comes with two detachable cables with sleeves. One is a single 1.5m cable with a 3.5mm jack for consoles (and phones or whatever with a standard audio jack). The other is a 2m PC plug, with separate 3.5mm microphone and headphone jacks.
When using the first with a Nintendo Switch, I found it unnecessarily long. And when connecting to the back of my desktops, I sometimes found the 2m PC cable too short. Both cables connect via a patented plug in the left earcup, meaning you can’t replace them with standard audio cables. Epos does sell replacement cables for his headsets (opens in new tab), however. So if something happens to one of you, it shouldn’t be that hard to replace.
The only controls on the device are on both ear cups. On the right is a plastic volume wheel with metal rings and lines on it to give some grip. While it’s easy to adjust with a finger or two, the turning action lacks some rattling, and while I wouldn’t say the feel of the wheel is badit certainly doesn’t feel as premium as I’d expect for a volume mechanism on a $179 headset.
Also note that turning the wheel all the way down will not mute the headset’s audio output. At the lowest setting, you can still hear a little bit of the sound that is being played. So if you really want to mute the sound on the device, you’ll have to use the controls of the device you’ve connected it to.
The outside of the left earcup is where the microphone is located. It’s a pretty standard flip-down affair with a bend in the middle so you can control how close it is to your mouth. There is no LED or other indication for when the microphone is muted or on (remember this is an analog headset). It just goes out when lifted.
And in an interesting twist, if you don’t want to use the mic for an extended period of time, just pull the mic out while lifting it and it comes right out; it is held by magnets and is connected via a pair of pins. You can cover the hole where the microphone is normally located with a plastic cap. I’d probably lose the cap in a few weeks, but Epos has at least two in the box.
One thing about this magnetically attached mic design: if you’re not careful while lifting the mic to mute, you can pull it out quite easily, which can be bad news in a heated fight with friends. It took me a few days of regular use to get used to this, but in the end it wasn’t a problem.
Audio performance of the Epos H6Pro
The H6Pro’s 42mm drivers, combined with the open earcup design, deliver a very good stereo audio experience. Whether it was the looming opening score of Metroid Dread on the Switch, the soothing synths and distorted vocals on the title track on Noise Unit’s latest album “Deviator”, or the grim atmosphere and screaming demons of Eternal doom on my PC, the H6Pro produced clear, detailed sound.
That said, there are a few things to consider about the H6Pro’s sound. The bass is heavy here. The low range isn’t extremely overwhelming, but it’s more than I’m used to with my headset’s everyday drivers (currently alternating between Sennheisser’s Momentum 3 and Anker’s excellent Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro earbuds).
Also, despite a little extra low-end thump, the H6Pro, at least in the open-back model I tested, just doesn’t get very loud. While working during the day in a fairly quiet room with some street traffic, I found myself turning the headset all the way up to get a sound level that best suited my ears. So if you’re in a noisy environment, or if you prefer to turn your cans really loud, you may not find the volume sufficient.
Also note that since this is an analog headset, no software is included to adjust and tone the bass or otherwise tweak things. If you like loud stuff, by all means consider the closed-back model, which of course should have more of the audio pumped through the headset drivers.
I was less impressed with the bi-directional microphone. It picked up my voice well and brought it to my gaming friends and colleagues. But it tended to reduce or de-accentuate the bottom end of my voice (the opposite of what the headset drivers do). And while it worked well not to pick up the traffic noise coming from the street behind me, in recordings of my voice I could clearly hear the clicking of my keyboard, and even the (admittedly whining) fan of my air conditioner, which turned on for about two hours. feet from my desk and across a wall.
Those details aside, everyone I spoke to with both the H6Pro and the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT from Corsairs said that my voice sounded noticeably better with the Corsair headset. Granted, there’s about a $45 difference between these two devices, but with the Corsair you also get wireless connectivity, the ability to connect to two different devices at once, and a whole host of other features that the H6Pro lacks.
Bottom Line
I really like the look and feel of the Epos H6Pro headset. Despite its largely plastic shell, it feels like a solid, high-quality headset and stayed well on my medium-sized head for hours while remaining comfortable. The H6Pro also sounds great, if you’re OK with a little extra low-end thump. Keep in mind that the maximum volume may not be enough if you like really loud stuff. And if you want to adjust the EQ at all, you’ll need to bring your own software.
But so-so mic performance and a high asking price for mostly bog-standard features mean the H6Pro can’t compete with the best gaming headsets† But if you like the look, want a comfortable set of cans, and don’t mind a little extra bass, they’re worth considering.
They will probably appeal most in their open-back form to those looking for a headset designed to let in the ambient noise around you rather than block out the outside world. Just know that the trade-off for that feature, at least in my experience, seems to be a maximum volume level that’s lower than expected, and not ideal for noisy environments.