Sennheiser PC 360 Headset for Pro Gaming

Runefox

New Head-Fier
Pros: Good bass, detailed mids, comfortable earcups, analogue earcup volume control, automatic microphone mute when raised, very lightweight
Cons: Flimsy construction, clamping force too high, mic not removable
For some time, I'd been looking for a decent all-rounder headset that I could use for both gaming and for work, as my job requires VoIP calls. Previously, I'd been using a Turtle Beach (D)PX21 headset for this, but didn't want to purchase another after its earcup snapped off due to the mediocre performance while playing music. I'd tried and returned the Razer Tiamat 7.1, and most recently been back and forth between the PC 350 and PC 360. After a much longer than necessary deliberation period, I decided to give the 360 a shot. I'm quite pleased to say that the Sennheiser PC 360 did not disappoint.
 
When I first took them out of the box, I'd been listening to my Sennheiser Momentums for the majority of the day. This is something I'd once before with the Razer Tiamat 7.1, and while the results were less than flattering for the Razer headset, the PC 360 pleasantly surprised me. I wasn't exactly expecting miracles from a headset that cost $100 less than my headphones to really stack up at all, but when I fired up some music, I was treated to nice, rich bass and clear mids. Treble, while slightly overstated, doesn't seem quite so shrill as some other headsets I've worn, and honestly seems much closer to the response of my Audio Technica ATH-M50's. This was - finally - pretty much exactly what I was looking for; A good headset that can adapt to music, gaming and VoIP while maintaining a high level of audio quality.
 
For gaming, coupled with my Auzen X-Fi Prelude's CMSS-3D, I found positionality to be excellent. In the test loop, I could visualize the sound tracing its way around my head, and when I fired up World of Tanks and Team Fortress 2, the results were even more spectacular. It's unfortunate that CMSS-3D tends to emphasize treble so much on a headset that already has strong highs, but a mild EQ adjustment keeps it from being overbearing.
 
Comfort-wise and construction-wise, the headset is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the massive velvet earcups and their padding is extremely comfortable to wear and wraps completely around the ear, but on the other hand, the clamping force is a little extreme for my head. I've flexed it somewhat, but the plastic construction makes me nervous, especially when it creaks and even sometimes pops out of place from the pressure. I've heard very good things about Sennheiser's warranty (which I've thus far never had to utilize), so I'm hoping that if anything does happen, they'll take care of it. The generously lengthy cable, at least, is fairly thick and well-shielded, and has a similar semi-rubberized anti-tangle coat to the Sennheiser Momentums. It feels absolutely solid, and the stress reliever going into the left earcup is quite firm.
 
As for the other features, the in-line volume control on the right earcup is handy, though it doesn't go 'all the way' down; It seems to cap the lowest volume to roughly half of the input volume, which is fine but unexpected based on most inline volume controls I've used in the past. The microphone is something that most reviewers comment as being ingenius, and it is. Having handled the PC 330 headset before, this works pretty much the same way. However, when moving the microphone past the mute threshold, the traverse is much smoother with a soft 'click', versus the heavy 'snap' on the PC 330's.
 
Overall, an awesome all-rounder, soundly beating out the Razer series in audio quality by a very wide margin.
  • Like
Reactions: SaLX
blairclan1
blairclan1
I needed a new way to interface multiple devices to my sound system after my original PS3 died. For whatever reason, the slim PS3 optical output does not agree with my X-Fi Fatality. My work pushed me to be on the road more often, so rather than spend money on a receiver, I decided to buy a headset. I am an avid gamer, and tweaked my THX system to near perfect 3D positioning, and didn't want to give that up when I went to a headset. Rather than the reviewer's Auzen, i chose the Astro Mixamp, and was nervous about the wireless aspect losing quality. I have been pleasantly surprised from all angles. The positional accuracy of this headset beats absolutely anything I have tried other than a full surround system. The only weak spot I've noticed is I cant differentiate between 3 - 4 o'clock and 8-9 o'clock. It's close enough and after some use I have overcome that limitation. I thought that for a headset it was well built, but plastic concerns me as I use it almost every day and take it with me on the road, so I used a foam packing machine to make a case out of a .50 ammo can, and it still looks brand new after almost 2 years. I have a larger than average head and wear glasses, and the only spot I think the pressure is a little tight is where the earcup crosses my glasses arms, but I've gotten used to that as well. I can now take regular 4 hour sessions without any problems, and have got into a few never-ending zombies games on Black Ops 2 stretching the 8 hour mark with no discomfort other than some heat, probably more generated by my stress level than the headset. Not that I'm trying to promote another product, but the Mixamp makes a seamless transition from my laptop to my PS3, Xbox, DVD Player, or desktop, and I can even use the optical passthrough if I choose to connect it to the living room system. I have heard a few headsets that were better for music, mainly because of the base (nod to the reviewer again that the treble is overstated on the 360) but if you intend to buy a headset for even some use in 3D gaming, I haven't found anything better yet.
Back
Top