Sennheiser has launched the GSP 500, a high-end headset. It is aimed very much at the discerning (and well-heeled) gamer.
Gamers spend many hours behind the computer, so any earwear must be cool and comfortable. Who better than Sennheiser – a German audio specialist that pretty much redefined high-quality audio headgear fifty years ago – to make a true gaming headset?
The GSP 500 combines a set of very comfortable headphones with a noise cancelling boom microphone.
The GSP 500 has an ergonomically shaped breathable ear pad design that mirrors the ears contours. The ear pads feature a soft fabric carefully selected to provide a more pleasant, cooler feel. The ear cups are open backed and ventilated.
A 2-axis hinge increases freedom of movement and improves the fit for a wider range of face shapes. It pivots smoothly to conform just as well to narrow or broad jawlines.
The headband uses an ‘adjustable contact pressure mechanism’ which better accommodates different head sizes.
The open-backed design of the GSP 500 isn’t just about ventilation.
Sennheiser popularised the sound quality of open-backed headphones. This provides a certain airiness to the sound, and engagement with music beyond what is available with close-backed designs. The cost is less isolation: more of the outside world is audible to the user; those near you will hear more of what you’re hearing.
Sennheiser says that the GSP 500 headset ‘delivers a natural sound performance’. It features an enhanced low-frequency response that adds ‘heft’ (more bass) to games.
Reduced impedance improves performance with a range of low output devices. Lower impedance means more power delivered for a given output voltage. Volume adjustments are on the headphones. You can mute the noise cancelling microphone by lifting up the boom arm.
GSP 500 comes with exchangeable cables for PC, Mac, and consoles with a 3.5mm jack input.
Sennheiser’s GSP 500 will be available from May 2018 at A$369.95. There is a two-year warranty.
GadgetGuy has an article on the GSP 600 higher-end gaming headphones here.
