DROP sent us their new EPOS PC38X Gaming Headset, the PC37X’s successor, which is advertised as having improved comfort, build quality, and sonic performance. The PC38X employs the same drivers as the Sennheiser GSP 500 and 600 headsets, but with a slight difference. The drivers are installed at an angle, which is said to provide more accurate stereo positioning, allowing you to see where threats are coming from while gaming. The open backs of the ear cups are also said to improve positional accuracy, as well as keeping your ears cool during long gaming sessions.
The DROP + EPOS PC38X is lighter than the GSP 602, and the black and yellow design is eye-catching, complete with matching cords. The cables were well chosen; the split TRS connector is 8′ long and can easily reach the back of your PC, even if you are a heathen who keeps it on the floor. The TRRS connector, on the other hand, is much shorter and will reach your pocket with enough slack to keep you from decapitating yourself on door handles and the like.
It is purely a wired headset with an infinite battery life. The plush headband cushions are extremely comfortable, as are the ear cups, which are more than large enough to cover your ears completely. The volume control is a knob on the right side, flush with the housing, that easily spins from its lowest setting to its maximum setting. When raised, the microphone is also relatively close to the band and should not get in the way.
That band can be stretched quite far, so it should be able to comfortably fit almost any size head. The PC38X is still a little ‘pinchy,’ with a lot of force holding the ear cups against the sides of your head. It’s not particularly uncomfortable, but it’s nice to take them off after a few hours of gaming.
The DROP + EPOS PC38X are designed specifically for gaming, but there’s always a reason to test out its musical abilities as well; Tool’s Sober, Pink Floyd’s On the Run and Money, as well as André Rieu conducting Carl Orff’s O Fortuna were all useful. While the emphasis on highs and lows did not favor the opera, it did a fantastic job on Money and was able to separate the channels impressively during the opening of that song.