Epos H6PRO gaming headset review
Our Verdict
Epos has improved its game with the H6PRO gaming headset. Both open- and closed-back versions offer great audio, a superb microphone, and feel like they’ll outlive most PC components by a long while. That said, it’s still a lot to pay for a wired headset, but if you’re okay with being tethered to your desk, the H6PRO is a great choice.
For
- Well-balanced, detailed sound
- Open- and closed-back versions available
- Removeable and flip-to-mute microphone
- Great build quality
Against
- Flagship price
- Wired connectivity
- Braided cable is a bit fiddly
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Epos has a new gaming flagship in the H6PRO, and it takes the core concept introduced with the Epos h4 headset but buffs it up a little. What that means is the headset looks awfully familiar to the other headsets in the Epos lineup, but comes with some new features that are worth considering if you’re in the market for a new gaming headset.
The H6PRO is available as either open-back or closed-back. The difference will have an impact on the noise isolation, audio response, and how the headset feels on your head. So you could say it’s a pretty big decision, as far as gaming headset features go.
I’ve had experience with both open-back and closed-back designs, so I’ll do my best to guide you towards the best unit for your cranium. Essentially, though, if you desire noise isolation (blocking outside noise from reaching your ear holes) you’ll want the closed-back H6PRO headset. If that’s not important then it’s the open-back H6PRO headset that will be the better choice.
Both versions of the H6PRO share the same core design and functionality, and that means both are wired headsets. If you’re looking for a wireless set, you could check out the h4 Hybrid from Epos or perhaps look further afield to the best wireless headsets we recommend.
H6PRO specs
Type: Open- and Closed-back, wired
Frequency response: 20–20,000 Hz
Drivers: 42 mm
Connector: 3.5 mm
Microphone: Bidirectional
Weight: 322 g
Warranty: 2 years
Price: $179 / £149 / €179
The H6PRO is fairly standard when it comes to wired connectivity. A single 2.5m braided 3.5mm analogue cable hooks the headset up to your PC, console, or other devices. The included cable is tough, durable, and not too loud, but is a little stiff. That means I’m often tucking it under my keyboard to keep it out of the way. Ideally the cable will ease up a little after further use, but I can’t help but feel like the braided cable is better left to other PC peripherals, and not on my fancy gaming headset.
Still for that minor inconvenience, there’s the seriously useful new removable microphone. The mic itself is great quality, sounds good, and best of all is not only flip-to-mute, but entirely removable thanks to its magnetic construction.
In theory, that turns this gaming headset into one you could take out and about without feeling a little foolish. There’s even a magnetic cover in the box that fits over the side of the ear cup to make it look neat and tidy without the mic.
Image 1 of 2
The open-back version. (Image credit: Future)The closed-back version. (Image credit: Future)
The entire H6PRO is very neat and tidy, in fact. It feels extremely well-made in hand, and while primarily plastic, there’s a metal headband running through the top of the leatherette-clad band that offers plenty of flex should you be a bit rough with it.
Let’s get on to the all-important audio factor then, and both models of the H6PRO come with brand new 42mm drivers.
The open-back design offers a light and airy soundscape, which is aided by the use of breathable mesh ear pads. This model is softer, more expansive, and tonally quite easy-going, too.
The closed-back version with leatherette ear pads is a touch harsher, but in turn, you do feel more of the low-end with this pair.
So if you want a little more bass, volume, and resonance, the closed-back is the way to go.
Neither headset is particularly overwhelming, however, and the tuning for these particularly drivers, on either set, is more balanced than some gaming headsets I’ve tested. For that reason, if you want the bass shaking your eardrums you best look elsewhere.
Personally, though, as a fan of the Sennheiser HD 650, I’m not overly fussed with pumping more bass into my ears. I’d rather have a more balanced response, and both models of H6PRO offer that. The open-back just a little more.
That said, the open-back really are aurally see-through. That means you will hear just about everything around you as if you’re not wearing headphones, and to a lesser extent, those around you can listen in to your choice of tune. Whereas the closed-back cups block out much of the background noise.
The difference in noise isolation is so pronounced that since I’ve handed my next-door desk buddy, fellow hardware nerd Alan Dexter, the closed-back H6PROs for a whirl, it’s much tougher to get his attention.
Either that or he’s choosing to ignore me.
(Image credit: Future)
Myself, on the other hand, with my preferred open-back pair, find I can hear pretty much everything going on in the office around me, through the mesh on the rear of the ear cups.
So your choice should really come down to your environment. If you’re in a quieter spot, say your own bedroom, the open-back will be best. If you’re taking your headphones out and about or you’re sharing a space with another person, the closed-back pair works a treat in blocking out the hustle and bustle of the wider world.
Both pairs share many desirable qualities, and I don’t believe you’ll put a foot wrong either way. In terms of a new flagship, Epos has put together something really competitive and impressive in the H6PRO. The downside is that these also come with a flagship price tag of $179 (£149, €179) and one that you really need to debate whether you are happy with a wire or might instead consider going wireless—if there’s one peripheral that’s worth cutting the cord with, it’s your headset.
That said, should you be happy to spend that amount of cash, you can be safe in the knowledge that the Epos H6PRO is built to a standard worthy of that price tag. Not only that, they sound great, come with a superb microphone, and they’re comfortable on the head. Definitely worth considering, even in the crowded headset market.
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Epos H6PRO
Epos has improved its game with the H6PRO gaming headset. Both open- and closed-back versions offer great audio, a superb microphone, and feel like they’ll outlive most PC components by a long while. That said, it’s still a lot to pay for a wired headset, but if you’re okay with being tethered to your desk, the H6PRO is a great choice.
Jacob earned his first byline writing for his own tech blog from his hometown in Wales in 2017. From there, he graduated to professionally breaking things as hardware writer at PCGamesN, where he would later win command of the kit cupboard as hardware editor.
Nowadays, as senior hardware editor at PC Gamer, he spends his days reporting on the latest developments in the technology and gaming industry. When he’s not writing about GPUs and CPUs, however, you’ll find him trying to get as far away from the modern world as possible by wild camping.
HyperX Cloud Orbit S Gaming Headset Review
Cloud Orbit S
Making head-tracking audio a tiny bit more affordable
By John Higgins
Updated: Mar 28, 2022 9:37 pm
Posted: Oct 9, 2019 1:00 pm
Last year, the $399 Audeze Mobius was a stand-out gaming headset thanks to the impressive range of its planar drivers and head tracking technology. Now HyperX has teamed up with Audeze to produce the $329 Cloud Orbit S (see it at Best Buy) to bring sound quality previously reserved for audiophiles to a much broader audience. You get the same high-end sound with gaming features normally absent on premium headphones: a boom mic, on-board volume and EQ controls, a computer app, and Waves NX head-tracking technology.
HyperX Cloud Orbit S – Design and Features
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is, at its core, the Audeze Mobius gaming headset I reviewed at the end of 2018. The chassis of both gaming headsets are the same right down to its shape, button placement, headband and ear cup padding, even the L and R markings inside the ear cups. They are, of course, branded with the HyperX name on the headband instead of Audeze (although the Audeze name is on the inside of the headband), and the color scheme is a sleek black with dark silver highlights. The similarities don’t stop there.
The software is identical except for a HyperX badge being added next to the Audeze name. The software will even recognize if last year’s Audeze Mobius is plugged in and allow for adjustments to be made through the HyperX-branded software. There are some functional changes from the Audeze Mobius, so read on for a rundown of the Cloud Orbit S.
It’s a very comfortable headset, even during extended play sessions.
The ear pads have a good amount of squish, as does the headband. There’s a decent amount of clamping force to keep the headset in place. I’m generally susceptible to headaches from wearing tight headsets for long periods of time, but the clamping force here never gave me a headache. Occasionally the pressure from the weight resting on the top of my head would get uncomfortable and shifting the position of the headband normally relieved the pressure. There isn’t a headset that I’ve worn that I don’t need to shift around at some point while playing, and in this regard the Cloud Orbit S held up admirably.
All the controls are located on the left ear cup. On the outside are the power button and a toggle switch to mute and unmute the microphone. Along the edge are two scroll wheels (one to control the headset volume and one to control the microphone mix volume), a 3.5mm analog input, a USB-C input (used for audio and charging), a port to attach the included boom mic, and a button to select different 3D modes.
With a single press, the 3D button also will center the 3D audio based on your head position (if 3D audio is enabled). A double press of the button will switch between the 3.5mm analog and USB inputs. The microphone scroll wheel can be used to change the EQ preset (by pressing and scrolling) or the audio mode between 7.1, 2-channel, or Hi-Res. Choosing Hi-Res disables 3D listening. That’s a lot of functionality crammed into a small area. Keeping everything straight in my mind was difficult. I still occasionally need to refer to the instructions or take them off to look at what exactly I’m pressing — especially which scroll wheel press does what. The build quality of the controls is excellent, though, and every button has a nice, high-quality feel.
3D mode has four different settings; 3D Off, 3D On, 3D Manual, and 3D Automatic. With 3D Manual and 3D Automatic, head tracking is enabled. 3D Off is the default selected option — a change from Audeze’s original implementation. This removes the somewhat annoying need to cycle through to the Off option repeatedly, since you’ll want it off for most traditional gaming.
With Manual you set your head position with the Center button, while Automatic will determine head position as you move your head around (although you can still use the center button to set your center point). Once the center point is set, the orientation of the sound is consistent in space while you move your head. If the sound is coming from your computer and you turn your head left, the sound will move into your right ear since it is the ear facing the fixed-point sound source. It isn’t a mode that’s very useful while playing a game on your computer or console because you don’t really ever turn your head away from the visual action. But in VR it’s amazing and its full functionality is realized.
Finally, 3D On enables 3D audio, but doesn’t use the head tracking technology, so the sound simply becomes wider and more immersive with increased depth. 3D works in both 2-channel and 7.1-channel mode. The effect is more pronounced with 7.1.
Almost every function on the headset can be adjusted with the HyperX software, besides changing between audio modes.
That still needs to be done by pressing the microphone scroll wheel and will disconnect the headset from your computer briefly while the change happens. There are additional adjustments available with the software, too. HRTF (Head Related Transfer Function), which is the way each individual person’s ears receive sound based upon the size and shape of their head, can be fine-tuned by adjusting head circumference, inter-aural arc (the distance between your ear canals around the back of your head), and the desired room ambience.
On the HRTF Personalization tab is a section for adding head gesture controls. It’s an interesting option that takes some getting used to, but in practice worked better than I expected. You can map head movements to in-game controls, such as tilting your head left or right to peer around a corner. My body naturally does this already, whether or not it actually controls something in game, so the fact that my superfluous movement can actually serve a purpose is exciting.
Personally I only find it comfortable to use the option for something that would naturally happen with your head, like controlling a camera. For instance, nodding my head to reload my weapon was a bit unnatural.
There’s also a Sound Profiles tab that includes eight different pre-set sound profiles. I found myself sticking with either the Default or Flat through my gaming. A custom multi-band EQ is surprisingly absent, but I was happy enough with the Default setting I probably wouldn’t have bothered with it anyway.
Included with the Cloud Orbit S is a 4-foot 3.5mm analog cable, a 5-foot USB-C to USB-C cable, a braided 10-foot USB-A to USB-C cable, a detachable boom microphone with wind screen, and a soft-sided drawstring bag to carry it all. The microphone and all the cables are durable and high-quality. The USB cable can be used to connect to a PC, PlayStation 4, or Switch dock (although on Switch the microphone output isn’t supported and only 2-channel audio mode can be used).
Its length shows it was designed with console gaming in mind and it easily reached from my couch to the Xbox and PS4 positioned under my screen. The 3.5mm cable can be used to connect to a PlayStation controller, Xbox controller, Switch, or mobile device. The boom mic has great flexibility while still staying in the position you set it.It’s worth noting that the Orbit S does not include Bluetooth like the Mobius. I didn’t miss it.
HyperX Cloud Orbit S – Gaming and Music
First thing I did was jump into a crew with my friends and sail the waves in Sea of Thieves. The lapping of the waves, blowing of the wind, playing of my hurdy gurdy all sounded fantastic. Situational awareness was excellent with the location of rock flying past the boat from a nearby erupting volcano terrifyingly easy to place within the sound field. The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is incredibly immersive. Jumping in to Destiny 2 the expansiveness of the sound field was on display. There was great depth with distant weapon fire still having presence and, again, being able to locate the direction of the sound was easy.
Music sounds great on the Orbit S. In the Default sound profile setting the high-end frequencies have some nice sparkle without being too piercing, midrange vocals are present, and lower-mid and low frequencies have some nice warmth. If you have high-res audio files to listen to the HyperX will do them justice.
The one minor drawback is the microphone. My voice over chat was a bit compressed and the noise-cancelling would sometimes have trouble with slightly louder background noise, occasionally causing some slight digital distortion. My fellow pirates could hear when it happened, but they weren’t overly distracted or annoyed by it. The Orbit S does have a pop filter that helps to tame any plosives well.
If you have a VR system, adding the Cloud Orbit S into your setup is a must. The Waves NX head tracking works exceptionally well. The action fully encompasses you and the movement of sounds as you turn brings VR to the next level.
Purchasing Guide
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S has an MSRP of $329.
99.
HyperX Cloud Orbit S
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If you’ve been putting off getting the Audeze Mobius or any high-end headset because of the price tag, then it’s time to purchase the HyperX Cloud Orbit S. It has slightly less functionality (no Bluetooth) and the mic isn’t as good, but everything else about it is phenomenal. I personally prefer the sound tuning of the HyperX to the Audeze. The Cloud Orbit S is hands-down one of the best gaming headsets you can buy.
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HyperX Cloud Orbit S Gaming Headset
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HyperX Cloud Orbit S Gaming Headset Review
amazing
The HyperX Cloud Orbit S is basically a Audeze Mobius specially tuned for gaming that comes at a lower price.
John Higgins
Digital Foundry’s Top Graphics Games of 2022 — Wins PlayStation Exclusive
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The technical division of the Eurogamer portal — Digital Foundry — has revealed its own top games of 2022 with the best graphics.
Specialists DF John Linneman and Alex Battaglia recorded an hour-long video for the occasion, in which they shared their opinion on how the visual component of games has changed over the past year and which of the recent projects best meet modern graphic standards.
In total, the main selection included 10 titles, seven of which are not ranked by place and are arranged in a free order . Another game was marked as «worthy of mention» for the improved visuals as a result of the update, but did not make it into the overall standings due to poor optimization and a number of technical problems. nine0003
Digital Foundry’s Top Graphics Games of 2022 :
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- Dying Light 2
- Need for Speed: Unbound
- Fortnite (UE 5.1)
- A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
- The Last of Us: Part I
- Gran Turismo 7
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- 3rd place — Portal RTX
- 1st place — Horizon: Forbidden West
nine0019 2nd place — The Callisto Protocol
Worthy of a mention
- Nextgen The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt