INTRODUCTION

   Not everyone out there may be very fond of gaming headsets (or headsets in general, myself included) but they can indeed be very useful at times, not only if you're not living alone (so that you don't end up annoying everyone around you) but also in online cooperative gaming, streaming and even for remote studies/course. Of course, people who are not very fond of headsets are also the ones who may not be willing to go extremely high in terms of specifications, features and price obviously so it's no wonder really that this is the segment of the market where the "true" competition occurs. EPOS is well aware of this and so today they are releasing yet another gaming model, this time it's the H3 which I’ve been using for the past week.

   ΕPOS is an audio company developing and selling devices for business professionals and the gaming community. Based on leading and advanced technologies, the newly established Danish company EPOS will deliver high-end audio solutions designed for Enterprise Solutions and Gaming headsets – with design, technology and performance as paramount parameters. EPOS derives from Latin and ancient Greek and is used to describe epic stories, speech and poetry. The name encapsulates our dedication to create solutions that enforce ways of communication and unleash human potential through the power of audio. EPOS operates in a global market with offices and partners in more than 30 countries and builds on more than 115 years of experience in sound and innovation. Find more information about EPOS at www.eposaudio.com.

   The brand new H3 Gaming Headset by EPOS (currently available in Onyx Black and Ghost White colors) was designed with one goal in mind, to be one of the most comfortable headsets out there without however sacrificing sound fidelity for both you and everyone on the other side of the microphone in the process. To that end EPOS used a very lightweight plastic housing inside which they placed two 40mm dynamic stereo drivers (angled to avoid direct contact with your ears) featuring a frequency response of 20-20000Hz with 25Ohm impedance and 114dB sensitivity and a bi-directional, noise cancelling boom microphone (with lift to mute function) that features a frequency response of 10-18000Hz with a sensitivity of -39dB (at the time of this review the specifications page over at EPOS is not accurate). To further improve comfort EPOS has used an ear-like design for the earcups, plush memory foam earpads dressed with high quality leatherette, headband dent (according to EPOS this helps ease pressure on the sensitive crown of the head) and a dual axis hinge system to attach the earcups to the rest of the headset. Finally, the H3 features a volume roller/knob on the exterior of the right earcup, detachable 3.5mm cables making it compatible with almost every device out there from the PC and consoles to your smartphones, music players and tablets and is covered by a 2-year limited warranty.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The H3 arrived inside a white box that has a picture of the left earcup at the front right next to the company logo.

A product description in 6 languages is located on the left side just over the bundle contents and device compatibility.

Yet another product picture can be seen at the rear of the box and is used to showcase some of its main features.

Packing is very good with the headset placed inside a piece of black foam and the rest of the bundle inside a secondary cardboard box.

Along with the H3 headset inside the box you will also find a 2 meter long dual 3.5mm braided PC cable (headset/mic), 1.5 meter long 3.5mm braided console/smartphone/music player cable, safety guide, compliance information paper and the quick guide.

THE H3

The EPOS H3 is made out of plastic, leatherrete and stainless steel and weighs just 274g.

In terms of size, we're talking about a rather medium sized gaming headset.

EPOS has placed both their name and logo on both sides of the headset as seen above.

The drop-down bi-directional boom microphone has a rubber section right in the middle which gives it a good degree of flexibility.

As usual the connector is located at the base of the left earcup (keep in mind that the cables may need quite a bit of force/push to attach properly).

The volume control roller/knob is located on the exterior of the right earcup.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that instead of using leatherette for the entire earpad (these are detachable and can be replaced) EPOS used a far softer material for the front section.

It may not be quite visible in this picture but part of the headpad is dent inwards something which according to EPOS should improve comfort.

Once again EPOS hasn't also placed their logo on top of the headband.

The stainless-steel slider can extend up to 41mm on both sides (82mm total) via 10 visible increments.

Finally, i think it's worth pointing out that all cable connectors are gold plated.

Here you can see the left earcup exposed (marketing material).

CONCLUSION

   Each and every single time a manufacturer releases a brand new product into the market there are several things they need to consider such as performance, comfort (in the case of headsets for example), build quality and of course cost. EPOS clearly wanted to combine all of the above with the H3 and in part they did. Audio quality may not be of the audiophile level but mids and highs are clear and with a good level of detail so nothing wrong here. When it comes to bass levels however things are far less exciting so if you enjoy rich bass in games, movies and music I’m afraid that the H3 is clearly not for you. The microphone also worked well, not the best I’ve used to date but certainly better compared to what I’ve seen by similarly priced models. Moving to comfort this is where the H3 really shines since it’s among the most comfortable gaming headsets I’ve used these past years. That comfort is thanks to no small part the lightweight body of the H3 and even though it does indeed seem durable I can’t put its plastic parts up against what I’ve seen by EPOS (and Sennheiser) to date. Now I do realize that cost is always a thing and EPOS clearly wanted to keep it relatively low but I clearly prefer the top models of the GSP line when it comes to build quality (those however are also far more expensive). The detachable braided cables are also a nice touch, just remember to push them further in the port if you happen to get any volume level issues.

   The H3 Gaming Headset released by EPOS earlier today retails for USD119 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 119Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag which as mentioned earlier is quite balanced. So, at the of the day unless you really enjoy rich bass in games, movies and music or you’d like a more “robust” (and thus heavier) headset the H3 is certainly a very good choice. Granted it may not be perfect but it offers good audio quality (for both ends), high comfort levels, detachable cables and a rather balanced price tag which is why i strongly recommend giving it a shot.

PROS

- Good Audio Quality (Clear & Detailed Mids & Highs)
- Very Comfortable (Lightweight / Memory Foam Earpads / Headband Dent / Dual Axis Hinge System / Angled Earcups)
- Flexible Bi-Directional Boom Microphone (Works Well)
- Detachable Gold Plated Braided Cables
- Available In 2 Colors (Onyx Black & Ghost White)

CONS

- Bass Levels
- Materials Used (Durable but Look Somewhat Flimsy)