Review: EPOS H3PRO Hybrid

Danish EPOS, whose gaming headsets were previously sold under the Sennheiser name, is one of the most consistent suppliers to our reviews. And at the same time one of the outsiders – in the sense that EPOS, by virtue of its background in the hi-fi world, tends to make headsets that are more like wired headphones with a microphone boom attached.

The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid is a break from that tradition. It’s wireless – and even with both 2.4GHz lag-free connectivity and Bluetooth. You can still use a cable, though. Both analogue 3.5mm minijack and USB-C. EPOS has thus caught up with the competition.

Automatic noise reduction

In fact, they’re ahead of the game, as the hybrid headset is one of the very few to feature automatic noise cancellation (ANC).

Unlike most other competitors, the ear cups and the hoops that hold them are not black, but a deep, midnight blue metallic colour. It looks exclusive – but they’re still plastic.

The microphone boom is mounted on the left ear cup, but can be tilted up. It can also be removed completely if you prefer to use an external microphone. A rotary wheel on the right ear cup adjusts the volume.

The kinship with Sennheiser is undeniable. The sound of the H3PRO Hybrid is close to being on a par with wireless, noise-cancelling headphones at the same price. There’s no bells and whistles of any kind. But in return, pure sound that allows you to hear both your enemies and the rest of your team. The ANC takes some of the airiness out of the treble, as is normal on noise-cancelling headphones. But that hardly matters in the heat of battle. You will have do do without an ambient sound mode.

Simple software

EPOS’ control software is logically called EPOS Gaming Suite. It does exactly what it’s supposed to. But it’s clear to see that EPOS has shorter experience with that part than colleagues at Asus, Corsair and not least Razer. The program contains an excellent nine-band equalizer with presets for music, movies, FSP games and a neutral setting. And the option to make your own. You can also choose between stereo and virtual 7.1 surround sound. The algorithm behind the surround sound is not specified. In addition you can spice up the experience with extra reverberation. Fortunately, you can also leave it alone.

Dysfunctional elegance

The EPOS headset oozes understated elegance to such an extent that it’s hard to use it! The three control buttons themselves are so small they’re hard to find, and the explanatory symbols on the buttons are printed in black on an almost equally black background. Fortunately, it’s easy to memorise that the one on the left earpiece turns the power on and off, while the buttons on the right are respectively a slide switch for the ANC and a programmable button for, for example, selecting between sound profiles in the equalizer.

Conclusion

The EPOS H3PRO Hybrid is visually similar to every other EPOS headset we’ve seen, but the company has taken a big step by both making it wireless and including ANC. Paired with a sound that is exactly as good as we expect from the headphone specialists at EPOS, it’s hard to put a finger on the headset.