The Sennheiser GSP 550 is the latest offering in the GSP lineup and looks bolster it with its impressive feature set. Highlights include a semi-open back design, 7.1 Dolby surround sound and a broadcast quality microphone.
Product on Review: Sennheiser GSP 550
Manufacturer: Sennheiser
Street Price: £219.99 GBP / $249.95 US / $399.95 AUS
The GSP line from Sennheiser welcomes a new addition in the form of the GSP 550. This new headset borrows the design from the GSP 500, adds in a fresh coat of paint as well as 7.1 Dolby surround sound. Not only do we get these new features, the GSP 550 also retains all the highlights from the 500, these include the semi-open back design, adjustable headband, broadcast quality microphone and the impressive frequency response of 10-30,000Hz.
One glaring omission is support for multiple platforms out of the box. As is, the GSP 550 will only work with PC – which is fine for most, but there are those out there that would like to use this headset for PC alongside other platforms. Sennheiser has noted this and addressed it by offering additional cables, these though cost £12.99 ($16.30 US / $24.95 AUS), but do of course allow you to use them with consoles and other platforms. However, given the premium price point, we would have liked to have seen at least the console cable included as it would increase the headsets usability right off the bat.
So, can the GSP 550 make up for this and deliver a knock out performance for PC? Read on to find out.
Sennheiser on the GSP 550:
The GSP 550 gaming headset for PC delivers high-fidelity 7.1 Dolby surround sound, as well as crystal-clear communication with our noise-cancelling broadcast quality mic for the ultimate expansive audio experience. Its open acoustics and advanced ergonomics featuring a 2-axis metal hinge system and an adjustable headband ensure superior wearing comfort.
Technical Specifications
Headphones
Impedance – 28ohm
Transducer principle – Semi-open back
Frequency response – 10 – 30,000Hz
Sound pressure level – 107dB SPL
Ear coupling – Over-ear
Wearing style – Headband
Cable length – 1.7m Dongle cable / 1.2m USB cable (5.5ft / 3.9ft)
Connectors – USB Type A, Micro USB, Proprietary 3.5mm
Weight – 358g
Microphone
Sensitivity – -47 dBV/PA
Frequency response – 10 – 18,000Hz
Pick-up pattern – Bi-directional ECM
Compatibility
OS – Windows
Console compatibility requires GSA 506 cable to be purchased
Requirements – Spare USB port
Impedance – 28ohm
Transducer principle – Semi-open back
Frequency response – 10 – 30,000Hz
Sound pressure level – 107dB SPL
Ear coupling – Over-ear
Wearing style – Headband
Cable length – 1.7m Dongle cable / 1.2m USB cable (5.5ft / 3.9ft)
Connectors – USB Type A, Micro USB, Proprietary 3.5mm
Weight – 358g
Microphone
Sensitivity – -47 dBV/PA
Frequency response – 10 – 18,000Hz
Pick-up pattern – Bi-directional ECM
Compatibility
OS – Windows
Console compatibility requires GSA 506 cable to be purchased
Requirements – Spare USB port
Packaging & First Look
The Sennheiser GSP 550 arrive in a crisp looking box that has a large image of the headset front and centre. There is a small amount of information that denotes the headsets compatibility and also the warranty period.
Turning the box to the back and there is an exploded view of the headset alongside a few keys features displayed in multiple languages.
Included with the GSP 550 there is the documentation, the USB surround dongle and USB extension cable.
First impressions of GSP 550 and they do look very much alike to the GSP 500, the main difference though is the colour. The GSP 500 are finished in black with red accents whereas the GSP 550 are black with a dark moss green cover plate and accents. We do like that the colour choice is a bit out there, but it does limit what they can be matched to.
Closer Look
The left-hand side features the prominent dark moss green cover plate that works surprisingly well with the silver on the hinge and the black surrounding it. Here you can also get a closer look at the microphone mechanism which is very nicely styled and smooth in action.
Taking a closer look at the mic and you can see it has the same green used but as an accent to highlight the flexible portion of the arm.
The right side shares a similar design to the left minus the microphone. Here in place of the mic mechanism, there is a volume dial; this again is very smooth yet weighty.
Looking closer at the right side you can see the semi-open back part of the headset which grants a peek at the rear side of the driver. This not only looks very nice but also acts to change the characteristics of the sound.
On the underside of the GSP 550 is a single proprietary 3.5mm input, this port will only take cables supplied by Sennheiser which limits the third party options.
Closer Look (Continued)
The adjustment is made from a heavy duty plastic which does help keep the weight down, this is needed as these aren’t exactly feather-weight headphones.
The top section utilises the same adjustable headband system we found on the GSP 600. This does work well to help reduce the clamping force.
Inside the headband, there is ample padding that is split so that the top of the headset is breathable. This aids cooling and helps keep the top of your head from getting too hot.
The earcups are made from a soft and smooth fabric which feels very nice, its also more porous than leather meaning they don’t build up as much heat. The padding is also generous and quite plush.
As for the cable, we get to our first complaint with the design and its the dongle side that is the issue. How Sennheiser have made the cable means that the dongle sits very far down it making it quite hard to reach – depending on how you manage it. What we think Sennheiser should have done is mounted the dongle higher up the cable so it’s easier to press in-use, this way it would be simpler to adjust the Dolby audio on-the-fly.
In terms of the quality, both the cable and dongle feel well made and do live up to the headsets price tag.
Software
The downloadable software for the GSP 550 is nice and compact, but limited. At the bottom, there is a toggle to switch the Dolby audio on or off and the equaliser only has three presets. There is also a toggle for noise reduction, though it doesn’t specify what the noise reduction is for, we found that it was actually for the microphone. Finally, there is an option to adjust the sidetone. This is quite sparse when compared to a lot of other offerings out there, and we really would have liked to have seen at least a 10-band eq to tune the sound as well as some simple controls to adjust the volume of the microphone.
Performance Testing
Setup & Observations
Setup is very straightforward as all that is needed is for you to connect the dongle cable to the USB extension cable and then to find a spare USB port to plug in the GPS 500 to your PC. Next, you’ll require an internet connection if you wish to download the software.
Like we found when reviewing the Sennheiser GSP 600, the GSP 550 is great, but has a few caveats. Starting with the good points and the first is the build quality, and in typical Sennheiser fashion, this premium headset is very well made and feels solid. Even though the headset is mostly plastic, it still feels extremely well put together as the plastics used are high grade. There is also a hinge mechanism that has been machined from one piece metal which not only looks nice but adds to the robustness. However, when something is well made, there is usually a trade-off, and in this case, it’s the weight. Coming in at 358g (0.78lbs) these aren’t exactly lightweight which could be a concern for some, and they were in our case. After around two and a half hours use we noted some fatigue setting in, it wasn’t as strong as we felt with the GSP 600, but we did feel the need to take a break. Of course, this weight may not be an issue for you, especially if you’ve built a tolerance to heavier headsets.
Moving on to the clamping force and it’s very strong, however, like with the GSP 600 this can be adjusted via the headband mechanism and doing so does help reduce the force felt. Of course, this solution isn’t perfect as they are still naturally tight, but they should loosen more over time. Heat buildup is not as prominent with the GSP 550 due to the fabrics used in the earcup, and also the split headband design. This is good as we noted that the GSP 600 got a little warm whereas these stayed cooler as a whole. The earcup padding is also very nice as it’s generous in supply and soft.
Comfort aside the in-use experience is very good. The volume control wheel is sturdy feeling as there is no side-to-side wobble or other movements that shows signs of a poor design. The actual action is very smooth, yet it has a slight resistance as it feels almost like a fluid head you’d find on a camera tripod. The microphone action is equally smooth, yet not as resistive as the volume control, this makes positioning it very easy and effortless. The mic arm is also partially flexible meaning it can be moved closer or further from your mouth. Finally to the noise isolation and these are decent, but due to their semi-open back nature, they don’t quite isolate you as much as a fully closed back headset would. You may prefer this though as you’re more aware of your surroundings and likely to hear those important phone calls much easier. One other thing to note is that the leak with this headset is more than what you’d experience with a closed back pair, this again is due to their nature and if you are using these late a night its something you’d need to keep in mind.
Multimedia
Like with all previous headsets we like to cover as many use case scenarios as possible which is why we test all the headsets with music, movies and games. Starting with music and these do not disappoint. Bass is weighty, rich and smooth, yet it’s very versatile and doesn’t hit hard when it’s not supposed to. This means that bass isn’t enhanced just for the sake of it. The lower end drop is solid as they have no trouble extending down to the lower regions. Though they don’t drop as deep as the GSP 600 the extension on offer is very good. This is further improved with great levels of control as the bass never steps on the treble. Speaking of the treble, it’s got an excellent sense of openness, this was also experienced with the GSP 600, but here its even better and they sound even more expansive. This is thanks to the semi-open back nature allowing the treble more room to breathe. Treble detail and clarity is also strong as these have no trouble portraying the minute additions of music. Vocal production is superb, the tonal quality is natural, yet it has plenty of potency without it being unwieldy. Clarity is very strong though we did note a touch of sibilance in some cases. As a whole for music, these are highly impressive and offer a sound that is highly controlled, airy yet well bodied.
The movie watching experience is also admirable. We noted that the strong bass didn’t quite translate that well, of course, there were some cases in which the bass was strong, though it wasn’t as willing to deliver the bass as readily as some other headsets. After listening carefully, we noted that some usually bass-heavy sound effects weren’t as impactful as we’d previously heard with other headsets. This could suit you better as not every sound effect is boomy and it’s only some effects where you get the bass come through. Again though the treble is very strong meaning that dialogue is very clear as are the little sound design elements you’d find within the audio track of a movie. As for immersion, we felt the GSP 600 were stronger in this regard as the sound was more encompassing whereas the GSP 550 feel more spacious.
In gaming, the GSP 550 really does shine as the bass isn’t overly as potent, though at times it can be, especially if you’re sat next to a teammate with a powerful weapon. We like that in most cases it takes a bit of a back seat so that the treble shines even more, though there is still enough bass to keep things interesting so that they don’t sound too flat. If you really want to eliminate all the bass, then you’ll want to select eSports mode and then its pretty much all treble. With no effects added the treble is very open and detailed meaning you get a great sense of your surroundings which makes pinpointing a fight that much easier. The treble is also great at highlighting little sounds as in Fortnite we observed that we could hear a teammate pop a shield on the floor above and know exactly where they were. So fine sound delivery is superb. Vocals again came through clearly, even when the action starts to pick up and gain momentum.
The Dolby audio feature for music was not overly convincing and made the treble sound artificially inflated, and the result was not nice, so we’d advise leaving it off if you’re in the mood for some tunes. For movies the effect was slightly better, we noted an improvement in the bass which became a little bit more potent. Also, the treble was lifted making it a touch more prominent though again it sounded more artificial than the increased bass. It does a much more convincing job in movies than for music, though it would be worth testing to see which you prefer. As for gaming, the feature again heightened the treble which made it a little too loud and thus required the main volume lowering, it did help increase the broadness of the treble though, but again it sounded a little artificial. Bass was also slightly boosted which gave it more impact which was great for increasing the punch in solo adventure titles.
As for the sound equaliser presets they were okay, the music and standard (off) were not much different in terms of quality. Music did pump the bass and treble a little, yet we preferred the sound with it off. The eSports mode essentially removes all the bass to let you focus on the treble and game mode is designed for adventure titles, so it enhances the sound signature for those genres. In all honesty, though we found ourselves not using these much and sticking to the ‘off’ preset for the majority of the time.
Microphone
The microphone on the GSP 550 is built-in and mounted to a mechanism that makes moving it very easy. The mechanism also features a mute feature which is activated when the arm is positioned in a vertical orientation. The arm is also partially flexible so that it can be positioned in a number of different ways. The microphone has a pickup frequency response of 10Hz to 18,000Hz and uses a Bi-directional ECM pickup pattern.
To test we mic we set the volume to 75 as that was loud enough. Of course, you can adjust the volume to suit your needs. As for the sound, the first thing we noted was the white noise capture was pretty much non-existent, this means that the background noise suppression is doing its job. The vocal pickup sounds like there is a hint of an artificial element to it, this could be a direct result of the noise suppression. On the plus side the mic is clear and has good levels of detail, the bass pickup is also decent which adds a bit of body to the audio. We also noted a few minor plosives and a slight hiss from S sounds, though not at a level that was unbearable, it is still noticeable. Overall the mic is good, though if you are wanting it for more than in-game chat, you may want to upgrade to a dedicated offering.
Conclusion
The Sennheiser GSP 550 is a great headset, but we can’t help think that with just a few tweaks, it would have made the GSP 550 that much greater. The issues are just little things like the dongle placement, colour choice – which we like, the limited software and platform support. Though not major flaws, they do hold the headset back from its true potential and somewhat limit its broader appeal.
Starting with the dongle, it’s simply too far down the cable to be used comfortably day-to-day, and it should have been placed higher up so that it’s easier to use. As for the green accent, it is very nice, and we do appreciate when companies think a little outside the box, though it does limit its scope for colour coordination. However, Sennheiser does offer replaceable cover plates (GSA 10), but as far as we can find there are only two on offer. The ones currently available are a DOTA 2 edition as well as one for SK Gaming, so maybe Sennheiser could offer plain black, white or even ones to compliment your style or setup. This would take the customisation to a new level and broaden the appeal of the headset that much more.
As for the software, it’s nice but very limited in what it offers the end user. We think a simple 10-band eq and mic settings would solve this as it would give users the potential to tweak the sound and mic to their preference. And finally to the platform compatibility, this may be a non-issue for most, but there is a group that would use the GSP 550 with more than just a PC. This is addressed as Sennheiser offer a console cable, but with a cost of £12.99 ($16.30 US / $24.95 AUS). In reality – for the price of the headset, it should have been bundled with the headset, rather than an additional item. Keep in mind though, that if you plan on using the GSP 550 with a console, you won’t experience the 7.1 Dolby audio as that only works on PC.
Now to the strong suits and the first are the design and build. The GSP 550 has a design that will likely divide opinion, some may like the robust nature of the styling, whereas others will not. The build is very solid as it makes use of metal hinges and high-quality plastics. This does add to the weight which can cause some discomfort, but it is something that could be adjusted to over time. The next strong area for the GSP 550 is with the microphone, this built-in solution works very well and is clear detailed enough to be used for in-game chat, yet we wouldn’t use it for streaming. Where the GSP 550 really does shine is in the sound department. The quality on offer is superb as its controlled, highly detailed, open, airy and has enough weight to be highly interesting to listen to. The Dolby feature is a bit hit-or-miss though and works better in some areas than others. Finally, if you opt to purchase via Sennheiser directly, the headset comes with one of Sennheiser’s new gaming mouse mats, this does help increase the appeal that much more as it adds extra value to the headset. Bear in mind that this offer is only available while stocks of the mat last.
Does all this balance out to make the GSP 550 a viable choice? In a nutshell, yes. The GSP may have a premium price tag of £219.99 in the UK, $249.95 in the US and $399.95 in Australia, but we feel it does enough to justify that. Though there are some things we would have liked to have seen done differently, the overall package they offer is brilliant, and if you can live with the shortcomings, they are a great headset for music, movies and gaming.
The Sennheiser GSP 550 is another great addition to the GSP family thanks to their superb audio performance and high-quality construction.
Pros
+ Solid build quality
+ Strong performance for movies and music
+ Great gaming experience
+ Comes with a free mouse mat if you purchase directly from Sennheiser
+ Clear microphone
+ Dolby sound helped to heighten some aspects of gaming
Neutral
+- Could be too heavy for some
+- Limited software
+- A touch pricey
Cons
– Dolby dongle too far down the cable
+ Solid build quality
+ Strong performance for movies and music
+ Great gaming experience
+ Comes with a free mouse mat if you purchase directly from Sennheiser
+ Clear microphone
+ Dolby sound helped to heighten some aspects of gaming
Neutral
+- Could be too heavy for some
+- Limited software
+- A touch pricey
Cons
– Dolby dongle too far down the cable
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