This week we tested the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670, a wireless model designed specifically for PC and console video games. The GSP 670s come with a USB emitter that uses a proprietary technology to ensure low latency transmission to avoid any lag between the sound and the image. Sennheiser’s transducers in combination with a 7.1 surround sound system provide superior sound quality and immersion. With such features, are the €319 EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headphones the best way to enjoy video game soundtracks?
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: the brand
Sennheiser is a German company that specializes in producing headphones and microphones. It was founded in 1945 by Professor Fritz Sennheiser under the name “Laboratorium Wennebostel”. At the time this small company manufactured measuring devices and microphones such as the DM1 and MD2, which very quickly became popular with radio stations. In the late 1950s, the German manufacturer diversified its product range and began to produce geophysical measuring equipment, noise-cancelling microphones, preamplifiers, mixers, and miniature transformers for hearing aids. It wasn’t until 1958 that Laboratorium Wennebostel became Sennheiser Electronic.
Sennheiser’s first open-back headphones, the Sennheiser HD414, were launched in 1968. Today they remain the world’s best-selling hi-fi headphones. Since then, the manufacturer has made hi-fi headphones its spearhead by offering increasingly innovative systems, notably with the world’s first open-back electret model. In 1991, the Orpheus, a pair of electrostatic headphones sold with a tube amplifier, were named the best headphones in the world by the specialized press. In 1997 a second R&D department was created in Burbank, California and Sennheiser launched LUCAS/DSP Pro, a system that enables surround sound playback in headphones.
In addition to hi-fi headphones, Sennheiser has also been active in the gaming industry since the mid-2000s with headphones specifically designed to meet the requirements of gamers. The manufacturer made its mark with the Sennheiser Game Zero and Sennheiser Game One headphones and has since become a leader in this field with is GSP range that features the Sennheiser GSP 350, Sennheiser GSP 370, EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 500, Sennheiser GSP 550 headphones, as well as the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 wireless headphones that we tested this week.
Just recently, Sennheiser headphones have changed their name to EPOS Gaming. This change aims to unite the two actors previously involved in producing Sennheiser headphones to create a single brand. To simplify this transition, Sennheiser headphones designed before this change are now called EPOS-Sennheiser, while future models will simply be called EPOS.
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: packaging & accessories
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headphones come in an elegant box featuring the Sennheiser and EPOS logos. Inside the box, the headphones are wedged into a cutout inside a piece of thick foam to protect it and keep it securely in place during transport. The GSP 670s come with a USB A to micro USB charging cable, a USB extension cable so that you can charge the headphones while you play, and a USB dongle to establish a wireless connection with a computer or game console.
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: presentation
Design
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headphones are an almost identical copy of their wired counterpart, the Sennheiser GSP 600. It has a relatively bulky chassis made entirely of polymer. However, it seems to be well made. The headband is pretty flexible and can be twisted without creaking or showing any signs of weakness. The ear pieces are made from multiple parts that fit together perfectly. The hinges that connect them to the headband allow you to adjust the height.
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones have a closed-back over-ear design. They have large ear pads that entirely cover the listener’s ears. They are thickly padded with memory foam and are covered with leatherette on the sides and soft nubuck where the pads are in contact with the skin.
The headband is also padded and has two settings to adjust its flexibility and the pressure exerted on the user’s head. The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones are comfortable to wear and their weight of almost 400 grams is evenly distributed. The height of the ear pieces can be smoothly adjusted to fit virtually anyone. The ear pads exert quite a bit of pressure, but it remains well cushioned by the memory foam. It also provides good passive isolation to block out a significant amount of background noise. One can therefore expect to enjoy playing video games in the family living room without being too disturbed by nearby conversations.
Control interface
Several controls are placed across the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones’ ear pieces for easy control. In the center of the right ear piece is a large volume potentiometer that is also used to turn the headphones on. Simply turn up the volume and the headphones will turn on. Conversely, setting the volume to 0 puts the headphones in standby mode. Fortunately, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones also feature an auto-standby function that is activated when the headphones are no longer receiving a signal or are laid flat for a few minutes. This function is very useful when you forget to set the volume wheel to 0. On the side of the right earpiece, a small control knob is used to adjust the chat volume, while a second control can be assigned to select equalization profiles or to enable/disable 7.1 surround spatialization. Lastly, the left ear piece has a single switch that indicates the remaining battery life when it is pressed, or you can initiate Bluetooth pairing mode by holding your finger on the control for a few seconds.
Microphone
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 has arguably one of the best microphones for vocal chats. Developed by the company’s engineers, it features ambient noise reduction to effectively capture the player’s voice while eliminating unwanted noise. It is mounted on a flexible arm that can be adjusted to fit the contours of the face. It can therefore be positioned precisely in front of the mouth to ensure optimal voice pick-up and high-quality transmission. Turning the microphone off is simple: simply raise the flexible arm.
Wireless transmission
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headphones come with a mini USB transmitter that simply plugs into the USB port of a computer or gaming console to begin streaming. No drivers are required for the headphones to work properly. This USB transmitter uses proprietary technology to create a high-speed wireless network to ensure smooth, latency-free transmission without any lag between the sound and the image. During our review of the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670, we didn’t notice any lagging or dropouts when we used the headphones in a radius of approximately 8 meters from the source. However, there were some disturbances when moving from room to room while wearing the headphones.
In addition to the USB transmitter, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones feature a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver so that you can enjoy music streamed from a smartphone, tablet or DAP. It is possible to connect the USB transmitter and Bluetooth simultaneously so you can switch directly from playing the game to making phone calls. However, once the call is over, the headphones do not always reconnect to the USB transmitter. It is then sometimes necessary to deactivate the Bluetooth on the source or turn the headphones back on to restart the synchronization. Finally, this Bluetooth connection can also be used to connect the headphones to a computer, but the quality is poorer than with the Sennheiser USB transmitter. This Bluetooth connection is therefore recommended for occasional use with a source that does not have a USB port, such as the Nintendo Switch.
Control app
Once connected to the USB hub, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones are immediately operational. However, you can customize them using the EPOS Gaming Suite application, which is only available for Windows 10. The EPOS Gaming Suite provides multiple settings including a nine-band graphic equalizer for stereo and 7.1 sound, as well as a reverb setting for surround mode. It is also possible to adjust certain microphone parameters, including the gain, the level of ambient noise reduction, and the level of audio feedback in the headphones. Navigation through the application’s different menus is very intuitive.
Battery life
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headphones feature an integrated rechargeable battery that provides up to 20 hours of battery life via Bluetooth or up to 16 hours using the low-latency connection with the included dongle. Enough to enjoy even the longest gaming sessions. Even if the battery is flat, it is possible to continue playing while it recharges. To do so, simply connect the headphones to a powered USB port using the included cable. Moreover, quick charging via USB lets you play wirelessly for 2 hours after charging the headphones for only seven minutes.
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: key specifications
Design
- Headphone type: closed-back
- Coupling: over-ear
- Transducer type: dynamic
- 2 axis metal hinge system
- Adjustable sliding headband
- Nubuck and leatherette earpads
Audio
- 7.1 Surround Sound (Sennheiser Binaural Rendering Engine via the Sennheiser Gaming Suite)
Controls
- Pairing button
- Programmable smart button that activates selected audio parameters
- Volume potentiometer to adjust the sound of the game
- Separate chat volume setting
Measurements
- Frequency response (headphones): 10 – 23000Hz
- SPL: 112dB
Microphone
- Pick-up pattern: bi-directional ECM
- Sensitivity: -47dBV/PA
- Frequency response: 10 – 7300Hz
Bluetooth
- Version 5.0
- 10-meter wireless range with the low-latency connection
Compatibility
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC
- GSA 70 dongle for low-latency gaming
- Supported operating systems: Windows 10
- Compatible with other Bluetooth devices: smartphones, tablets…
Connectors
- USB cable
- Cable length: 1.5m (USB cable)
Power supply
- Integrated rechargeable battery
- Battery life: 16 to 20 hours
General
- Weight: 398g
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: configuration
For our review, we paired the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones to a PlayStation 4 Pro simply by connecting the USB transmitter to one of the USB ports on the front of the console. It is then necessary to go into the console’s settings and then into “devices” to select the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones as the audio output device. Two options are available: to hear only the feedback of the microphone or the entire soundtrack. We selected the second option for our test. Lastly, the PlayStation 4 was connected to a Samsung UHD 4K TV using an Audioquest HDMI cable.
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: listening impressions
PS4 Pro and God of War
Paired with the PS4 Pro, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones provide much better immersion than the TV’s speakers. With the game God of War, we were genuinely plunged into the heart of the action during the fight scenes. The sounds of the axe and the armor were incredibly realistic. The soundstage was wide and every tiny detail was clearly perceptible without having to turn the volume up too high. The various acoustic elements were correctly positioned and we could hear every single sound clearly. As a result, it was possible to pinpoint the exact position of our enemies without even having to move the camera. For example, when they were attacking off-camera, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670s made it easy to identify whether they were coming from the right, the left or from behind and how far away they were!
PS4 Pro and The Crew 2
With the racing game The Crew 2, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headphones made us feel as if we were really inside of the cars, planes and boats. The supercharged engines purred in our ears with every tiny push of the joystick and we almost had the reflex to cling to the couch when the tires squealed going around bends. During off-road races, the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones effectively reproduced the unevenness of the ground, as well as the dirt and bushes hitting the windshield and the body of the car.
Music
We could clearly sense the German manufacturer’s experience in designing hi-fi headphones when we listened to music. The sound was lively and full of details. The lows were deep and powerful, which isn’t surprising given the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670’s ability to go as low as 10Hz. The soundstage was wide and generally fairly well balanced, with rich mids and detailed highs, although the latter sometimes lacked a little softness. The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones proved to be versatile and can comfortably handle any style of music, from rock and pop to electronic music and jazz.
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: compared to…
Audeze Mobius: sold for €399, the Audeze Mobius gaming headphones can be connected to a computer or a video game console wirelessly via Bluetooth or with a wired connection (mini-jack or USB). It incorporates a powerful 3D spatialization system capable of detecting the user’s head movements to adapt the sound reproduction in real time and offer “interactive” surround sound. The spatialization provided by the Mobius headphones and its gyroscopic system is clearly better than that of the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones. The Audeze Mobius also provide more generous and lively lows. For the rest, the Sennheiser headphones perform well, not least thanks to their high-quality microphone. Their autonomy is also twice as long in Bluetooth mode.
Audio-Technica ATH-ADG1x: these Audio-Technica headphones have an open-back design and are equipped with 53mm drivers that produce a powerful, realistic and precise sound. They can go even lower than the EPOS-Sennheiser pair, which benefits the explosions and action scenes in the games. The soundstage is very wide, but isn’t as deep as that of the EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones. It is also more difficult to pinpoint the exact position of noises and enemies when they are not visible on the screen.
EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670: conclusion
The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670s are the German manufacturer’s best gaming headphones. The breadth of the soundstage and their ability to accurately place every effect and detail within it is impressive. They always give us a head start over our opponents who, even when they are far away, have to be completely silent to avoid being unmasked. The EPOS-Sennheiser GSP 670 headphones truly immerse you in the action, greatly enhancing the gaming experience whether you’re using a PC or a game console.
What we liked:
- The depth of the soundstage
- The powerful lows
- The high-speed wireless transmission
What we would have liked:
- For them to have been more compact
- An app for Mac
