Sennheiser GSP 670 gaming headset review: "World-beating audio...for a hefty price"

It's pretty much a given that any audio equipment coming out of the Sennheiser behemoth is going to be good - such is their quality and the reputation they have built. So, with their new GSP 670 gaming headset in my hands, is this already a world-beater before testing? Maybe. It sticks firmly to its premium Sennheiser roots, and that's obvious from the first look and feel of it. However, that's also obvious from the first look at its high price tag. Its very high price tag. $350 / £300 high, to be precise. 

Design

Straight out of the box, the GSP 670 has a distinctly Sennheiser-y feel. In a good way. It has an immediately recognisable Sennheiser design, even looking similar to headsets and headphones from days of yore that I remember having. The headset also has a 'feel' of quality straight away too, each part feeling solid and secure. This in part comes from the weight: coming in at 398g, the GSP 670s are at the heavier end of the spectrum. I like it, though. The weight adds to the comfort and fit, in a way, very much feeling like the headset is never going to fall off. 

Combine this with a generally close-fitting design and the result is a genuinely close-but-comfortable fit. But not in a squash-your-head way - rather a cosy and comfortable way. This is finished nicely by the suede-like material ear cups that mould nicely to your head's contours and the adjustable secure-and-solid headband. Though this might not be to everyone's liking as it does disconnect you very successfully from the outer world, I found it excellent, and one of the best-fitting headsets I've used in a while. By extension of this design, the GSP 670, by its very nature, is conducive to noise cancelling by fit, and immersion by comfort. The exquisite sprinkles on top of this well-designed headset cake are the buttons and controls, each of which feels solid and satisfying to use, be it the flip down mic or mic volume dial.

Features

Those controls are two of a small set that make up the GSP 670's on-board features. The swivelling mic and its roller dial sit neatly on the headset cups along with a dual-purpose pairing and battery life button (a voice tells you how much life is left in the set with a quick slide of the button), a programmable button (though this requires the software to become fully utilised), and the non-detachable boom mic. Elsewhere a rather key feature is the wireless USB dongle. This is no bigger than one you might find for a wireless mouse, but it has a button on the front and an LED which flashes accordingly with the right setting or status the headset is in. This is the only feature that's a bit fiddly. As it's trying to be as small and unobtrusive as possible, it's actually very fiddly, particularly on the front of my PS4. While it was easier to grab and use with a PC's USB ports, it really wouldn't have been too imposing to make it a bit bigger.

The Bluetooth connection it provides, however, is solid and reliable. It is easy to connect via the dongle, with voice prompts confirming your connection and that LED light changing colour and flash frequency (clearly described in the manual) to display the status of the connection. The range is very good, too, and I found it stretched further than that of Sony's own premium set of cans, the Platinum headset. It's not necessarily a killer feature, yet it demonstrates the strength of the wireless connection as well as the fact that you can stay in the game, should you need to grab a beer or pet the dog briefly.

Performance

The design, fit, and smart collection of features set me up nicely for testing the GSP 670's mettle. It does not disappoint. In short, the performance measured in quality of sound, audio detail, and range is amazing. It really is some of the best I have enjoyed, no matter what game I was playing or media I was enjoying. Playing a long session of Ghost Recon: Wildlands serves up a joy in open landscape exploration through audio: my teammate is clear and crisp; the weapon noises sound genuine (with bullets whistling past my ears from distinct directions); and there is even depth to the vehicle engines. I also swear I could hear the Bolivian music played by the locals from further away and with greater clarity than ever before. In Doom, it comes as no surprise that the 670 handles this bottom-heavy soundtrack and audio set - one which some headsets can struggle to nail down - with ease. Mick Gordon's soundtrack is a treat to listen to with these cans, and it's even more enjoyable with those trademark weapon and monster noises cutting across it. Even the station's creaks, voice messages and machine whirrs have a great tone to them. 

At the lighter end of the spectrum, Assassin's Creed Odyssey demonstrates the GSP 670s lighter touch, so to speak. The combat noises and swelling music are a delight (as I expected, having experienced the other games), while the sounds of voices carry clearly and delicately, as if on the wind. A particular delight is riding toward a settlement and hearing chatter and market-place interactions seamlessly reach me as if I had sauntered round the corner of a town in real life; bits of dialogue are layered over each other, but still distinct and clear in their own right. Combine this audio excellence with the close and comfy fit, and the GSP 670 really does provide one of the most absorbing and immersive game audio experiences. 

While the non-detachable mic means the headset is not really conducive to being your main music headset for the commute, it is - rather predictably - excellent for music and movies or TV. So if you're at your PC and fancy kicking back for a bit, or want to hop over to a streaming service on your TV or PS4, then keep the headset on and enjoy.

In terms of performance of use and interaction, the first thing to note is that the comfort lasts for long sessions. Whereas as some close and snug fits start off well then get painful, the Sennheiser GSP 670s are lovely in that respect. I almost forget I'm wearing them. Elsewhere, the software for the PC is the only small niggle I have, but only because it's a necessary bridge to cross if you want to get the most of - well, actually use - the programmable button. But once its installed, it proves enough of a playground and settings fayre to make it worth a play around. The software allows you to choose the surround sound or revert back to normal 2.0 and different EQ presets Sennheiser provides, for example, while you can also choose from a mini range of mic-specific settings such as boosting the warmth or clarity of your voice. However, the differences seem quite slight, and, more generally, because of the quality of Sennheiser headsets, I never left a discovered setting on, just using it with its straight-out-of-the-box settings on. Still, it's good to know that the software isn't just a gimmick and will provide enough for the tinkerers and customisers to get their teeth into. 

One thing that I often mention when I look at headsets is whether or not there is a built-in balancer that allows you to elevate either game audio or chat audio independent of the other. There is not on this headset. This feature is on Sony's Platinum headset - my go-to headset at home for PS4 play - so I am always on the lookout for it. Particularly in premium headsets. If the headset demands a super high price tag like the GSP 670s, then I am a little disappointed such a feature doesn't appear. 

Overall - should you buy it?

All the same, the overriding fact remains: this is a seriously excellent gaming headset. The performance across a range of games and media is supreme. No matter what's going on in a game, what your scenario is, no matter how busy or quiet it is, the GSP 670s will give you world-beating audio clarity, depth, breadth and detail. It's mainly the super high price tag which stops this getting a perfect score. It's just ludicrously high, and this will be too much of a hurdle for most. The lack of that killer feature, balancing between chat and in-game audio, will also stop a headset from seeing off all of the competition. However, all in, if you're striving for the best PS4 headsets or PC headset for gaming, and want to go wireless with one of the best, the GSP 670 will give you a truly great experience.