Epos Audio updates its line of gaming headsets with new ones H3PRO Hybrid, which is positioned at the top of the range. We have already covered the previous H3 Hybrid and H6PRO, excellent products that, however, gave up one thing or another to position themselves in a certain category or to keep themselves in a certain price range. H3PRO Hybrid, on the other hand, is the definitive headset, the complete package that has everything a cross-platform gamer could wish for in terms of audio quality and user experience. In this review we will see why.
No frills here. Epos is a brand that treats audio seriously and therefore does not mind “useless” trappings such as RGB, despite being under the eyes of everything this feature pulls commercially. The appearance is understated and is somewhat a meeting point between H3 Hybrid and H6PRO. The generous pavilions are covered with comfortable cushions made of different materials such as memory foam, leatherette and velvety fabric: the elaborate blend is comfortable, soft and does not annoy or make you sweat even after several hours of use.
The pavilion layout is closed over-ear. This means that the cushions completely envelop the auricle, also creating excellent passive sound insulation. The frame is mainly made of well-made hard plastic and the earpads can rotate approximately 30 ° outward and 20 ° forward or backward, ensuring a good fit for every face shape.
The headband is equipped with independent left and right slides with ten levels of adjustment, while the headband is covered in imitation leather and a rigid fabric material, making it slightly less valuable than the solution adopted by the H6PRO version. The weight is quite important with 308 gr, but it is well distributed and thanks to the precious materials and a correct adjustment of the headband, the headset stands still and does not tire even after a long time.
On the left pavilion we have the power button with relative light (which takes on different colors and flashes depending on the function), the USB-C input for charging and wired connectivity, the removable boom microphone with magnetic attachment and a second microphone for the Active Noise Cancellation. As in other Epos headphones, the boom microphone hole can be covered with the supplied cover, useful for walking around with the headphones for simple listening to music and viewing media. On the right pavilion we have a wheel to adjust the volume, the BT pairing key which also acts as a programmable smart key, and a selector to activate or deactivate the ANC (active noise cancellation) we mentioned earlier.
H3PRO Hybrid is therefore a headset that offers numerous connection possibilities both wired and wireless. In fact, we have the jack cable to connect to the PC sound card, smartphones, PlayStation gamepads, Nintendo Switch and virtually any multimedia device, even older. Then we have wireless connections via WiFi dongle (supplied) and Bluetooth. In addition, the USB-C connection is not only for charging, but also acts as an audio connection with compatible devices such as PC, PS5, PS4 and recent smartphones. So it is clear that the headset has a miniaturized DAC inside.
With all these connectivity options, the user is spoiled for choice but this is also a factor that ensures compatibility with virtually any multimedia audio source in the home. We then tested the various connectivity with multiple platforms to understand the differences and evaluate the behavior of the headset in the various circumstances.
First of all, you need to specify that the headset must be turned on to work. So even if you use the 3.5mm jack, you won’t hear anything unless you click power on first. When turned on, a voice will indicate the remaining battery level. Epos provides various autonomy data, which change according to the type of connection and whether the ANC is active or not. According to the manufacturer, it ranges from a maximum of 38 hours via BT and ANC off, to a minimum of 19 hours via 3.5mm and ANC on, with the WiFI Dongle option in the middle and the USB-C option which obviously does not consume nothing, indeed it recharges the battery: full recharging takes about two hours.
Using the WiFI dongle and USB modes, you also have access to the Epos Gaming Suite software. This allows you to access various features. These include equalization, choosing from various presets or creating new ones by working on nine bands (64Hz and 16kHz), virtual 7.1 surround, various microphone enhancements such as gain, vocal emphasis and noise cancellation, and other options.
By choosing the analog connection via the 3.5mm jack you have a potentially improvable sound depending on the sound card or DAC to which you connect the headphones. We ran tests with the integrated of a low-end notebook, with a PC equipped with internal Sound Blaster Z and with the Sound Blaster G3 and G6 USB DACs. The latter in particular allowed the best sound performance thanks to an amplification power up to 600 Ohms, and an audio quality of 32-bit and 384KHz.
Using this type of connection you also potentially have access on your PC to a whole series of features that are present in these sound cards, such as Scout Mode, SXFI Battle Mode and virtualization 5.1 or 7.1 even without the proprietary software. With the wired analog connection not only increases the fidelity of the sound, but also the maximum volume, and the bass that was already very good travels to a whole other level. With the notebook, however, the audio was weak and completely lacking in bass. In these circumstances it is therefore better to use the USB connection or WiFI dongle.
The wireless mode via WiFi dongle is also perfect if you do not want constraints and flying wires: it ensures very low latency, completely negligible and therefore comparable to that of wired connections. However, it does not have a great range, and even at a distance of a few meters you can have some disturbance to the signal, especially in large apartment buildings full of radio signals. If you then leave the room you will lose the connection completely. So it’s not ideal if you’re playing in huge living rooms. The good thing is that the WiFI connection also works with all current and last-gen consoles.
These are the preferred connection modes for gaming. In our tests we put the H3PRO Hybrid to the test first of all with shooters like Call of Duty Vanguard, Battlefield 2042, Doom Eternal. These are titles with strong explosions, many contemporary audio sources and open world environments, which can often put less gifted devices in crisis. The Epos proved to be up to the test, with easily distinguishable hits (especially paired with virtual surround sound and Creative technologies) and vigorous explosions. Even racing such as Assetto Corsa Competizione and Dirt 5 have put us at the center of the action, making us forget we are in a room in a building.
In party chats the boom microphone did its job well. Our comrades always perceived us without difficulty, loud and clear. And if you find yourself in noisy environments, by turning on the features of the Epos software, or for example those SmartComms Kit by Creative (but only via the 3.5mm jack on Sound Blaster) it is possible to improve the performance even more and cancel any background noise.
Lastly, there is Bluetooth connectivity. This is to be used only if you can’t go to USB and WiFi, and preferable to connecting the 3.5mm jack to the PS or Xbox controller, which usually offers a not very faithful audio quality. Via Bluetooth we will be able to connect the H3PROs to any smart TV, soundbar, smartphone and tablet. This mode is also perfect for use with music, another area where these headphones shine. The audio is well calibrated, with midrange present, powerful bass and balanced highs. From Rock, to pop, to R&B, the H3PROs do not disappoint and although they are not high impedance headphones, they can give great satisfaction even with more delicate music such as jazz and classical. The headphones are also perfect for series and movies, thanks to no or negligible latency and therefore a perfect lipsynch.
Another great strength of the H3PRO Hybrid is active noise cancellation, and it is also one of the few gaming headsets to offer this feature. This acts by generating frequencies opposite to those perceived in the environment by the microphone located in the right pavilion, and thus canceling them. It works mainly on low frequencies, so annoying noises such as traffic, subway or building works in the surrounding area are canceled with great effect.
The situation is different for the voices of other people or the TV on maybe in the other room. These are attenuated but only by ¼. Overall, there is a total reduction of 16dB on low frequencies, but to this we must add the excellent passive noise reduction guaranteed by the bearings, attested on 30db of reduction. In short, absolute silence is not achieved, but overall the technology developed by Epos works very well and has left us very satisfied. If you then put on a music track, a video game or a TV series, isolation from the outside is really guaranteed. With the ANC active the autonomy is lowered a lot, so it is better not to activate it unless you really need it.
Another thing we liked is the simultaneous pairing of two devices. For example, you can simultaneously connect to your PC or console with USB or WiFi dongle, and also to your phone via BT. In this way you can answer calls without disconnecting from the game and the audio is mixed in the headphones (but only on Android). But be careful to leave two devices paired: the headphones consume more and the automatic shutdown does not activate.
Is there something to complain about? Surely. We didn’t really like the need to keep the headset on in 3.5mm analog mode: in this way, the batteries are discharged and recharge cycles are consumed. Unfortunately the batteries cannot be replaced, so sooner or later the headset will “die”, but this is a problem common to many wireless headphones whose operating life, with intense use, hardly exceeds 5-6 years. Another note is the support for BT codecs: we only have SBC, the worst, and given the positioning of the product on the market we would have expected at least also AAC, if not aptX HD and aptX LL, which guarantee high bitrates and low latencies. . In any case, they are minor flaws in the overall evaluation. If BT had been the only way to connect them, it would certainly have been a serious flaw.
Are we therefore faced with the perfect headset? Probably yes. With all these connectivity options and excellent sound quality, Epos H3PRO Hybrid can easily become the only gaming headset to keep at home, but also a very good product for music and TV series thanks also to zero latency ( or minimum of WiFi). How many times have we had to keep one headset for PlayStation, another for PC, and maybe another one for Xbox or for music?
These devices are not always compatible with all platforms or sometimes have features accessible only in some of them. The H3PRO Hybrid they solve this problem, but for this they also require a high price, equal to € 279. A cost certainly not affordable for everyone, but justifiable if you think of a single purchase to obtain maximum quality on all fixed and mobile platforms, without forgetting truly exceptional comfort.
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