Representing the pinnacle of the GSP lineup, the Sennheiser GSP 600 is the most premium headset in the range, but, how do they fair when put to the test?
Product on Review: GSP 600
Manufacturer: Sennheiser
Street Price: £219.99 / $249.95 / AUS$ 299
Sennheiser has carved out quite a reputation in the audio industry, as they’re well known for both their low end and high-end headphones, as well as their PC, and GAME series of headsets. Sennheisers’ GSP lineup is a little fresher and brings a new design language as well as other features. Their latest offering is the GSP 600 which is the most high-end headset in the GSP lineup.
The design of the GSP 600 has unique aesthetic elements, yet is unquestionably a GSP headset. Sennheiser has doubled down on the build quality and has used very high-quality materials in the 600’s construction, with the headset being a composite of high-end plastics and metal. That isn’t all as the GSP 600 boasts a broadcast quality microphone with advanced noise-cancelling features as well as high fidelity audio driver units. This is backed up by a vast frequency response of 10Hz to 30,000Hz for the headset and 10Hz to 18,000Hz for the microphone. Sennheiser has also incorporated an adjustable headbands system and included support for a wide variety of platforms. They have also chosen to omit RGB lighting which is either very much loved or very much hated within the gaming community. This could be a blessing in disguise or a potential deal breaker depending on which side of the fence you sit on.
Sennheiser on the GSP 600:
Serious gamers need serious equipment. When the competition steps up, the GSP 600 professional gaming headset delivers. Ergonomically designed ear pads and adjustable headband ensure superior wearing comfort. Freedom of movement is secured by the durable metal hinge system ensuring a perfect fit that allows you to fully experience exceptional audio performance.
Technical Specifications
Headphones
Impedance – 28ohm
Transducer principle – Dynamic closed
Frequency response – 10 – 30,000Hz
Sound pressure level – 112dB SPL @ 1 kHz, 1V RMS
Ear coupling – Over-ear
Wearing style – Headband
Cable length – 2.5m PC cable / 1.5m Console cable
Connector – 2 x 3.5mm (3-pole PC) / 1 x 3.5mm (4-pole Console)
Weight – 395g
Microphone
Sensitivity – -47 dBV/PA
Frequency response – 10 – 18,000Hz
Pick-up pattern – Bi-directional ECM
Compatibility
OS – Windows, Mac, consoles with 3.5mm jack input
Requirements – Spare mic and audio jack (PC), controller requires 3.5mm audio jack (Console)
Impedance – 28ohm
Transducer principle – Dynamic closed
Frequency response – 10 – 30,000Hz
Sound pressure level – 112dB SPL @ 1 kHz, 1V RMS
Ear coupling – Over-ear
Wearing style – Headband
Cable length – 2.5m PC cable / 1.5m Console cable
Connector – 2 x 3.5mm (3-pole PC) / 1 x 3.5mm (4-pole Console)
Weight – 395g
Microphone
Sensitivity – -47 dBV/PA
Frequency response – 10 – 18,000Hz
Pick-up pattern – Bi-directional ECM
Compatibility
OS – Windows, Mac, consoles with 3.5mm jack input
Requirements – Spare mic and audio jack (PC), controller requires 3.5mm audio jack (Console)
Packaging & First Look
The GSP 600 come packaged in a strong predominately white box. The top left displays all the products that are compatible with the headset and the top right provides some details about the headsets warranty. There is a lower thirds style section at the bottom with the Sennheiser branding, this is finished in blue which Sennheiser use for the majority of their packaging.
In the box with the GSP 600, there is the documentation, a 2.5m fabric coated PC cable and a 1.5m fabric coated cable for consoles.
First impressions count for a lot, and the GSP 600 does deliver. They have a heavy-duty aesthetic that has some industrial stylised elements. This design choice has been cleverly implemented as the GSP 600 look different, but yet they are also easily identifiable as a Sennheiser GSP headset.
Closer Look
At the rear on the left side, there is a solitary 3.5mm input. This input is proprietary and will only take the supplied cables.
The left side is adorned with a red accent piece that surrounds the mechanism for the built-in microphone. The accent area features some tastefully exposed screw heads that further enhance the hardy aesthetic, this is then further strengthened with the addition of heavy-duty metal support arms.
The microphone is finished to match the rest of the aesthetic and has a central flexible section to allow it to be positioned to suit your preference.
Taking a look at the right side and there are a few similarities to the left. This side shares the same red accent, but the centre section acts as a dial to control the volume. It’s very cleverly implemented and blends with the rest of the design seamlessly.
The adjustment mechanism is plastic yet very strong and sturdy feeling. The sliding movement does have some resistance meaning that they will keep the size set.
Closer Look (Continued)
At the top, the GSP 600 is equipped with Sennheisers’ adjustable headband system. This system helps improve the fit for a variety of different face shapes.
The inner side of the headband uses a fabric coated cushion setup, which features a partially open top section to reduce heat build-up.
The earcups are fabricated from three different materials. The inner section is lined with a smooth fabric, the middle portion is leatherette, and the outer section is a smooth suede-like material. The padding is also quite generous and nicely judged, meaning it isn’t too soft nor too hard.
The supplied cables are coated with a soft fabric that is very smooth. They are also nicely made and match the price point of the headset. The cables are 2.5m and 1.5m in length with the longest being for PC and the shortest for console.
Performance Testing
Setup & Observations
Setting up the GSP 600 is very straightforward and only requires a spare 3.5mm audio jack and microphone jack. The GSP 600 does not require software as they are an analogue headset and will work with Windows 7, 8 and 10 as well as Mac. Using them with console requires a controller that has a 3.5mm output, if the controller does not have a 3.5mm out, then an additional adapter will be required.
The in-use experience with the GSP 600 is mostly great with one exception. The GSP 600 are a considerable size and are made extremely well. Due to the size and solid build quality, the big trade-off is weight, and these are a considerably weighty headset. Weighing in at 395g these can’t exactly be considered featherweight and could cause some users potential wearing fatigue. In our experience, we noted that this fatigue set in at around the two-hour mark, however, this will likely be different in each case though as we are all built differently. It’s also worth noting that this may not impact you at all, especially if you are used to heavier headsets. The split style headband helps alleviate any heat build that can sometimes occur at the top of your head which does help reduce this type of fatigue. The ear-cup padding and materials are very high quality and provide great levels of comfort, they also don’t build up as much heat as some other closed back style gaming headsets do. The clamping force is a bit strong upon first use, however, this can be altered by utilising the mechanism built into the headband. It does take some tweaking to find the optimal setting, but once you do, the force is much more bearable.
The volume control wheel works very well and feels robust while being smooth. It’s nicely positioned to making volume adjustments quite effortless. The GSP offers great noise isolation when in use, that makes them ideal if you are in a noisier environment, however in some cases, you could miss a knock at the door or an important phone call, so bear this in mind.
Multimedia
Here at Vortez, we like to make sure we cover all the bases which is why we test not only gaming performance but also how headsets perform for both listening to music and watching movies. When listening to music, we noted that the sound was warm and energetic yet possessed a great level of control. The bass was very smooth and well bodied. It had a nice amount of weight that carried from the lower regions to the midbass. It had plenty of potency when needed, though we found it was never too obtrusive. The treble has a very nice character to it as it’s rich and highly detailed. The GSP 600 had a lot of treble control with great levels of precision and a nice amount of warmth without being overly bright. Vocal production was stellar providing plenty of power, clarity and a natural tone.
The movie experience was also highly enjoyable. The potent rich bass carries over and is great for action flicks, yet the treble remains open enough to enjoy clean and clear dialogue. The finer detail pickup is superb as well, and you really receive a lot of the small additions that are sometimes missed. The immersion factor is great too as they offered a wide side soundstage that creates a fantastic sense of space and awareness.
Although the GSP 600 performs superbly for music and movies, it’s for gaming where it counts most, and it’s safe to say that they again delivered a very strong performance. In games like Overwatch and Fortnite, the bass took a bit of back seat and let the treble shine through more prominently. There was still a bit of bass kick, but it wasn’t overly distracting nor too overly potent. This is great as it allowed even more of the finer detail to be heard. The level of detail that is heard is brilliant, and even some minor additions that are often glossed over were picked up and delivered very convincingly. The spatial audio on offer is great, making them ideal for titles that require a more heightened awareness of your immediate surroundings.
For solo titles such as Rise of the Tomb Raider, GTA V and Batman Arkham Knight the GSP 600 created a very convincing atmosphere which was spacious yet full of detail. This further increased the immersion factor of the whole experience. The bass again wasn’t as prominent as it was for music and movies but again they provided enough of a punch to give gunshots and explosions the weight they deserve. The treble continued to impress and was very clear and detailed which highlights the sound design and even further enhanced the solo adventure experience.
Microphone
The microphone on the GSP 600 is built-in and is mounted to a swivel mechanism. The mechanism is really smooth and allows you to mute the microphone by bringing the arm back towards the headset. The arm is also partially flexible allowing you to position it in a variety of different ways. The microphone has a frequency response of 10Hz to 18,000Hz and uses a Bi-directional ECM pick-up pattern.
Testing the microphone we set the gain to +20dB with a volume of 80%, this provided a nice balance, and we found that it was not too loud or too quiet. Of course, these settings can be altered to best suit your needs. The microphone is very clear with strong levels of detail. Bass pickup is quite strong as well, meaning your voice won’t sound too thin. We did note a few minor plosives when pronouncing P and B sounds as well as some slight hiss for S sounds, but it wasn’t at a level to cause major concern. The microphone does do a good job at blocking out background noise which is great if you are using it for game chat or streaming. The noise cancelling feature also didn’t cause any major problems with the sound as it often can when overdone.
Conclusion
It’s nice to see that Sennheiser has stuck to their guns and not opted to go all out on things that some would find unnecessary. However, an argument could be made that Sennheiser is not doing enough to keep up with modern trends. In reality, additions like RGB may look nice on a headset, but it does nothing to improve actual perceivable quality. Sennheiser has noted this and invested their money into the areas that matter the most, this is evident as soon as you try the headset for the first time.
For performance, we noted that other well-known brands in the audio division are choosing to utilise new audio technologies whereas Sennheiser doesn’t appear to have brought anything definitively new to the table. Is this important? In the GSP 600s case, we would say not, and although they may appear too analogue, the GSP 600 make up for it with an audio performance that is smooth, rich and detailed. This high-tier delivery makes them very enjoyable for music, movies and great for gaming. The audio performance is then enhanced upon by how the headset looks and feels. The GSP 600 has a style that will likely divide opinion, but we like the rugged, almost industrial approach that Sennheiser has taken. The build is solid, with the GSP 600 being mainly constructed from high-grade plastics and metal in areas that need it the most. This, when combined together, makes them feel really robust. The big trade-off though is weight, and they could be potentially too heavy for some users. The broadcast quality mic used also delivers a great performance with good levels of detail and clarity. The GSP 600 also offer solid levels of noise isolation which in some situations is ideal and others could pose an issue.
As a whole the Sennheiser GSP 600 offers a great full rounded package for the price, that price may be premium, but the headset does deliver on that with the outright performance on offer. The only thing to really be mindful of is the weight, but if you can live with that, the GSP 600 does not disappoint.
The Sennheiser GSP 600 are unquestionably premium with a price tag to match, and although they may be a bit light on features for some, they really deliver where it counts.
Pros
+ Precise, smooth and rich sound
+ Very solid build quality
+ Adjustable tension adjustment
+ Clear and detailed microphone
+ Works with multiple platforms
Neutral
+- Price
+- Light on some newer features
Cons
– Potentially too heavy for some users
+ Precise, smooth and rich sound
+ Very solid build quality
+ Adjustable tension adjustment
+ Clear and detailed microphone
+ Works with multiple platforms
Neutral
+- Price
+- Light on some newer features
Cons
– Potentially too heavy for some users
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