The EPOS GSP 602 is a $219 gaming headset that offers an attractive finish, sturdy build, and satisfying audio quality. It sounds like a winner, right? It is—mostly. Despite its premium price and construction materials, the GSP 602 lacks the robust, out-of-the-box audio features that you'd expect from a competing gaming headset like the Razer BlackShark V2, a PCMag Editors' Choice winner. If you don't mind that, you'll find the GSP 602 a high-quality set of cans for listening to music or battling brutes in PC games.
Premium Design Comes at a Price
The GSP 602 sits in the mid-range of the EPOS Sennheiser lineup. It’s technically not a new model; the GSP 602 is just a color variant, finished off in a blue/orange combination rather than the GSP 601’s white/black or the GSP 600’s black/red. So, the sentiments in this review apply to the GSP 602’s older siblings, as well.
The EPOS Sennheiser GSP 602 feels like a premium product. Weighing in at 0.86 pounds, the GSP 602 has good heft. The headband is thick, gray plastic, with a comfy memory foam pad. Two adjustable arms cast in dark blue plastic let you change the headset’s size, and both are attached to ear cups with thick, metal arms that allow a little rotation. Each ear cup is the same dark blue color as the adjustable arms, with the inner part covered in a muted orange suede-like material over memory foam.
There’s a volume dial hidden in the right ear cup's design. It’s thicker and heavier than you’d expect, making it mildly difficult to adjust the volume. The left ear cup houses the non-detachable boom microphone. The GSP 602 lacks a mute button, as the mic mutes itself when placed in the fully upright position. Finally, there’s a 3.5mm jack for the included cables.
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Once the GSP 602 is on your head, you’ll see why EPOS bills it as a “closed acoustic gaming headset.” The overall headset isn’t heavy, but the ear cups keep a firm grip on the sides of your head. That means any outside noise is completely dampened; it also means that the headset fits like a vise. I felt a decent amount of pressure on the bottom of the ear cups and where they contacted my glasses. The tight fit isn't a deal breaker, but note that the Razer BlackShark V2 isn't nearly as snug.
Keeping Connections Simple
The GSP 602 comes with two cables that plug in the 3.5mm jack. One cable is a standard 3.5mm cable for use with certain smartphones and consoles, such as the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch. The other is a split audio/mic cable for PC use. Otherwise, the GSP 602 is a straightforward affair, with no software to install and no RGB lighting to tweak. There’s no USB cable if that’s your preferred style of PC connection. The GSP 602 also lacks wireless connectivity.
There’s no high-end surround sound, either; this is a purely stereo headset. You can use system-side options to enhance your audio with virtual surround sound, like Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, or DTS Headphone:X. EPOS’ own Gaming Suite software, which is needed to operate the company’s wireless offerings, isn’t required to use this headset. So, why is it included? Gaming Suite gives the GSP 602 the sound options (presets, audio tweaks) that you’d expect from a high-end gaming headset—if you purchase the $79 GSX 300 external sound card. The combination lets you enjoy customizable 7.1 surround sound.
Here Comes the Boom (Mic)
The GSP 602’s microphone has built-in noise-cancelling tech. The voice reproduction is up to snuff, with my vocals coming across clean and clear in my test recordings. It's also rather weird that the boom microphone isn't detachable at this price point. Overall, the microphone is warmer than I expected, but it stands as a good option for Discord or Zoom voice chatting. If you’re planning on recording, your best bet is to pick up a dedicated USB microphone.
Satisfactory Sound Quality
The headset carries a satisfying soundstage considering that it doesn't have an equalizer; it lives in the trebles and mid-range. Fromis 9’s bright “Feel Good” vocals and the plinking piano in Lecrae’s “Where We Come From” travelled to my ear in balanced fashion during my listening sessions.
The GSP 602 offers bass boost, but it's not overwhelming. For example, the deep thrums in EXO’s “Obsession” didn't flatten the rest of the song. The same is true of the bumpin’ background in Busta Rhymes’ “Look Over Your Shoulder,” a sound that didn't overshadow Kendrick’s smooth flow. I would’ve liked to really feel the low end’s force—I tend to bump the bass—but this headset's audio won't disappoint.
The GSP 602 also acquits itself quite well to video games. Immortals Fenyx Rising’s character dialog sounded crisp and clear in our tests, as did the meaty slam of Hephaistos’ Hammer. In addition, the soundtrack played with a wonderful clarity as I glided across The Golden Isle. I kicked things up a notch by firing up Doom Eternal's guitar-heavy score. The Super Shotgun offered a beefy boom as I dropped shell after shell into demons’ heads. Even better, the rockin’, heavy metal soundtrack remained separate from the demonic hordes’ angry cries.
A Pricey Proposition
Overall, the EPOS Sennheiser GSP 602 is a quality gaming headset, one that features an attractive, premium design and satisfying sound. The headset's strongly built, too, so you needn't worry if you drop it a few times.
Unfortunately, its $219 price doesn't include wireless connectivity, surround sound, or compatibility with software that offers equalizers or presets (unless you purchase the $79 GSX 300 external sound card). There are more out-of-the-box, feature-rich headphones, such as the $159 Razer Blackshark V2 Pro, for gamers who desire those things. Like Maxwell Lord says in Wonder Woman 1984, “Life is good, but it can be better.” That sums up the GSP 602.
EPOS finishes its Sennheiser collaboration with another GSP 600 series recolor. Like its predecessors, this wireless headset features good audio quality and a premium feel and finish. However, it could use additional audio settings.
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