EPOS H3 Hybrid Review

October 12, 2021 5:26 pm

It’s been a while since the last time I reviewed a gaming headphone, but I recently got to try out the new EPOS H3 Hybrid and have a lot to say about it. Since splitting from Sennheiser, EPOS has been releasing various new products under their own brand name. The H3 Hybrid is one of their latest, mainline efforts for over-ear gaming sound. let’s see exactly how well they work.

What You Get

GSA 25 Cover plate – Black
GSA 31 USB Cable
GSA 30 Console Cable
Safety Guide
Quick Start Guide

Look and Feel

On the outside, the H3 has a unique, mechanical look with a mostly plastic construtction. The earcups are quite small, but were able to fit over my ears like a glove. However the headband brought on a bit of noticable pressure that was hard to shake after a while. It’s nice that the boom arm is completley detachable, as it becomes possible to use the H3 as a headphone outside of gaming. I also like the audible click that activates the microphone when you pull down the boom arm. The volume wheel on the earcup is neat, but didn’t respond as well with me PC as I would have liked.

Design

EPOS packs a good amoutn of technology within the H3 Hybrid, along with its 40mm driver. If you’re a PC gamer, you can download EPOS Gaming Suite that has a ton of features, like 7.1 surround sound. One of its most impressive features is its multipoint connection that allows you to operate the headphones with another device simultaniously through Bluetooth. While using the H3 Hybrid wirelessly, you should get about 37 hourse of use from the headset.

Voice Clarity

My experience chatting on discord with the H3 Hybrid’s detachable boom arm was quite pleasant. My friends could hear me clearly at all times with little muffling and obstructions from game audio. Listening to the quality of the mic myself, it’s what to be expected from a headset. The timbre of my voice was better than a phone call, but it was still leaning on tinny. The headphones also have dual microphones in their interior, so the boom arm is optional.

Soundstage

The thing I want most in my gaming headphones is a deep, immersive soundstage that strongly engages me within the game’s sound design. With the H3, the imaging does its job but doesn’t exactly stand out to me as having a ton of depth. These are closed-back headphones, and the stage doesn’t appear very wide in most scenarios restricting the stereo field to a mostly interior headspace. Within that headspace though is clear and precise positioning, with an accurate sound placement that helps further communicate the music and sound design exactly as the games mix commands.

This was very effective when booting up Rainbow Six Siege, where hearing the other team’s footsteps, equipment, and other complex foley is extremely important to your strategy, especially when playing with sound-based characters. However, the faults of the soundstage come more into play when playing a game like Curse Of The Dead Gods, where I felt like the game’s soundscape appeared a little too flat, displaying more of a linear stereo field than desired. I used the H3 with my PC, but these headphones also work with the PS5 too and fully support 3D audio using the Dualsense controller. This should significantly open up the width of the headphone, and add more immersive characteristics to the stereo field with its 3D sensibilities.

Low End

With gaming headphones, sometimes the listener is going to want a significant bass response that’s rumbly and impactful, but the H3 Hybrid takes a different approach. The bass here is punchy and well balanced and acts as a good backing for the rest of the sound signature to build on. You’ll get a smooth tonality with clean details, but no extra layers of texture that could help sweeten the timbre. If you’re looking for a gaming headphone that can handle big sound effects, you might be disappointed here, as the H3 is more focused on giving you tight and accurate low frequencies. This works great for competitive gamers looking to be more focused and not distracted by flavorful coloration.

Mids

Like the bass, the midrange of the H3 Hybrid is very clear and consistent with the accurate tone of the sound signature. Their timbre gives you a flat surface for the music and sound effects to appear, emanating in a transparent and direct manner. Dialogue is easily understandable and brought up significantly in the mix of each game. Playing Darkest Dungeon, the narrator’s voice is crisp and commanding, holding a certain amount of weight in its tone.

Highs

There’s nothing very definitive in the treble region. The frequencies showcase a good level of clarity but lack any extra details or textures. It’s a surface-level timbre that should give you just enough of what you need from the higher frequencies without verging into piercing or harsh territories. In fact, the H3 Hybrid shouldn’t even travel anywhere near those regions, as the response keeps to a tight area of resonance.

Summary

It’s hard to find a gaming headphone as versatile as this one. The H3 Hybrid has its flaws, but with it’s level of customization and level of acessibity and support, there’s bound to be something here for everyone. While some parts of the unmodified sound signature come up short, the amount of customizable options and stability of those options are top notch. For $179 it’s going to be hard to find a gaming headphone more worth its price.