The EPOS H6PRO offers a great audio experience and a comfortable design that'll leave you with no complaints after hours of gaming, but the high asking price could put some off.
Should I Buy The EPOS H6PRO?
Pros
- Exceptional sound quality
- Open-back headset is immersive with great bass
- Great noise suppression from closed-back headset
- Very comfortable
Cons
- Open-back headset leaks audio
- Boom mic is average quality
- No wireless connectivity
- Expensive
Our Verdict
Price When Reviewed
- $179
Following on from the popularity of the EPOS H3, the audio company is back with the upgraded and improved EPOS H6PRO, featuring a more comfortable design, a removable mic arm and even the ability to choose between open and closed acoustics.
The catch? At £149/$179, it isn’t cheap, and there isn’t even wireless connectivity to tempt gamers. Is the EPOS H6PRO gaming headset worth the high-end price? Keep on reading to find out.
Design And Features
The EPOS H6PRO is a good-looking, understated gaming headset that wouldn’t look out of place on a work Zoom call – in fact, I’ve donned the H6PRO during a recent episode of our weekly video podcast, Fast Charge, with no sarcastic remarks from my fellow podders, making it perfect for those that need a headset for both work and play.
In fact, the EPOS H6PRO is among the most comfortable headsets on the market, with adjustable earcups and headbands providing very little pressure build-up on the ears or over the head even over hours-long gaming sessions.
The actual combination of earcup material will depend on the variant you opt for though; the open acoustic version features soft-touch material that feels exquisite on the ears and keeps you feeling cool at the cost of passive noise reduction, while the closed acoustic version features a combination of soft-touch material and leatherette to more effectively quieten the environment, with a more traditional buildup of heat over longer gaming sessions.
Like the cheaper EPOS H6, the H6PRO sports a large volume wheel on the right earcup for on-the-fly audio adjustment, and it works well, with a slight resistance allowing for minor adjustments as well as major ones.
Where the EPOS H6PRO differs from its cheaper sibling is in the mic department; while the mic is fixed on the entry-level model, the Pro model sports a magnetic, removable microphone arm – and there’s even a second magnetic cover in the box to give the H6PRO a clean look when it’s not in use.
It’s worth noting that the EPOS H6PRO, despite the comfortably premium price point, only offers 3.5mm connectivity. It’s a chink in the H6PRO’s otherwise pristine armour with wireless connectivity practically a given at the premium end of the market, but with exceptional build quality and audio quality on offer, it’s a compromise I – and others like me – are happy to make.
Besides, it comes with a short 1m 3.5mm cable for console gaming and a longer 2m cable with splitters for PC use, making it compatible with a variety of platforms and devices, as well as any 3.5mm-enabled smartphone or tablet.
Finally, both variants of the EPOS H6PRO are available in three colours – Racing Green, Sebring Black and Ghost White – so there’s likely a colour option that’ll suit your tastes.
Audio And Microphone Quality
As noted, EPOS made the decision to focus mainly on audio and comfort with the H6PRO range – and that makes sense, given they’re the two most important factors when using a gaming headset. The good news is that EPOS has an impressive audio-based history and that’s obvious with the audio quality on offer from the H6PRO – both open- and closed-back variants.
The headsets also do a great job at audio positioning, making it easy to pinpoint sounds and sneak by unnoticed in stealth games and quickly identify the direction of the incoming attack chopper in shooters. It's a particular joy on the PS5, with the H6PRO cans playing very well with Sony’s Tempest 3D Audio technology.
While the headset will sound nearly identical regardless of whether you choose the open- or closed-back variant, there are a few nuanced differences that could make all the difference to your gaming experience.
The open back cans are airier than standard closed-back headphones, and that translates to the feeling of a wider soundscape, with EPOS suggesting the open-back cans are best suited to cinematic gaming. That’s a statement I’d largely agree with, offering a large soundscape with a balanced mid-range and prominent bass, with the latter being a particular surprise given the middling bass performance from many open-back headphones.
The audio experience on offer from the closed-back headphones is similar, but with a narrower soundscape and noticeably sharper highs for better performance in competitive shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone. It’s also much better as passive noise reduction, hearing very little of the outside world – especially with the headphones turned up. It’s also louder than the open-back variant with less sound leakage than the open-back cans, ideal for use in shared spaces like a living room or office.
The accompanying boom microphone performs about as well as you’d expect from a gaming headset. It does well at picking up the sound of my voice, with clear communication in my co-op Far Cry 6 session, but the comparatively limited range means it won’t replace a dedicated microphone for streaming.
There’s no noticeable noise cancellation on offer either, meaning the sound of clinking keyboards and crinkling crisp packets will be picked up – much to the dismay of everyone in my party chat, no doubt. One redeeming feature is the flip-to-mute technology, which automatically silences the microphone when it’s in its retracted position.
Price
Here’s the biggest pain point; despite the wired-only connectivity and comparative lack of smarts compared to similarly priced competition, the EPOS H6PRO comes in at a rather pricey £149/$179, putting it safely in the top-end of the mainstream gaming headset market. For that price, you can get a wireless headset from the likes of Logitech and Razer, but none prioritise audio quality and comfort quite like the H6PRO.
If you’re tempted, you can buy the EPOS H6PRO from EPOS itself in the UK and US, along with key retailers including Amazon and Box in the UK. If you’re looking for something slightly different, we outline our favourite gaming headsets and also our favourite budget gaming headsets for those looking for a low-cost bargain.
Verdict
The EPOS H6PRO gaming headset is certainly on the premium side, especially given the wired-only nature of the cans, but the comfort and audio quality on offer make it well worth the price.
The headphones are exceptionally comfortable, even over long gaming sessions, and the audio quality is superb too. I prefer the more natural experience on offer from the Open Acoustics version, even with next-to-no passive noise reduction, but there’s something to be said for the Closed Acoustics variant and its tighter, brighter response suited to competitive gaming - it’ll largely depend on how you game.
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