Sennheiser game one zero. Sennheiser GAME ONE Review

Sennheiser GAME ONE Review

Sennheiser is a company that knows a thing or two about designing audio products. They’ve been around since the middle of the 20th century and their products have been used to create some of the most legendary records in existence. Sennheiser might not be a major player in the gaming world (yet?) but their gaming headsets do see some use in the pro gaming scene.

One of their newest efforts, the GSP 550 received a very favorable review from our resident reviewer and since their GAME line of headsets is still one of the more popular lines out there we thought we’d send one of those over to our reviewer as well. Let’s see if this one’s worth it!

At a Glance

Sennheiser GAME ONE

The Sennheiser GAME ONE is the brand’s open-backed ‘basic gaming headset’. The GAME ONE comes without any bells and whistles and focuses on sound quality and comfort above all else. Note that its open-backed design means that it will leak audio and have poor isolation performances, but this is by design.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Comfortable
• Great sound quality
• Open-backed design makes for a wide soundstage

Sennheiser GAME ONE – First Impressions

The GAME ONE is a wired lightweight professional looking headset that won’t turn too many heads (especially not if you’re going for the black version) but why should it, right? You can’t even see a headset when you’re using it properly.

That’s not to say that the GAME ONE is ugly though. It’s finished in this glossy piano white coat with little chrome red accents throughout and I have to say that I like the way it looks, even though I’d pick the black color if I personally had to choose.

The GAME ONE comes with a detachable cable and a (obviously) a microphone.

Packaging

When I first unboxed this headset I did a little double take because I thought I had dropped something, but that wasn’t the case. Indeed, the only things you’ll find inside the box are the headset itself and the connection cables (there’s your regular audio/mic jack for the PC and there’s also a 3.5mm combo jack for consoles, mobile, and so on) but other than that it’s pretty barren in there.

That’s fine by me; no one ever reads manuals anyway (and it’s not like you need one for a ‘simple’ headset) but it’s still a little amusing to see a product with no marketing materials or what have you inside the box at all.

Build Quality and Comfort

This, to me, is one of the areas where the GAME ONE really stands out. It’s a very light and flexible headset and this might mean that some people mistake it for being cheaply made but that’s not the case.

Some gaming headsets are so bulky and heavy that they make you feel like one of those guys waving around two batons on top of an air craft carrier and while that might make said headsets feel more premium and sturdy it can make them quite uncomfortable for longer gaming sessions. That’s not the case with the GAME ONE. It’s a nimble, flexible, and lightweight piece of kit, and that combined with the comfy velours ear pads and cushioned headband makes for a headset that you can wear for days without getting the feeling like you want to take it off for a while.

I’ve been using this headset in a variety of scenarios (including LAN gaming) for a couple of weeks now and still there’s no creaking or breakage. Now I obviously don’t know how well it’ll hold up after years of (ab)use but I can say with quite some confidence that it’s a really well built headset.

I’m the proud owner of an almost comically large head, but even for me the GAME ONE managed to achieve a great seal around my ears without annoying amounts of pressure. Thanks to the lightness of the design and the super soft cushioning on the headband I never got that ‘headband pressure’ feeling that you can get after a couple of hours of using a headset. All in all this is definitely one of the most comfortable gaming headsets on the market right now.

Sound and Mic

The GAME ONE features an open-back design. That basically means that there are openings in the ear cups to let the sound that comes out of the drivers flow out. This results in a wider sound stage (because of the fact that the sound isn’t ‘trapped’ in the room between the drivers and your ears) which creates a more realistic sound experience, but this also means that outside noise has an easier way of getting in, though more on that later.

The sound that the GAME ONE produces is absolutely gorgeous. I do have to note that it’s a little light on the bass, at least when compared to some other gaming headsets out there, so if you’re out for that all-encompassing ‘oomph’ sound this isn’t gonna be the headset for you, but for everything else the GAME ONE is a top tier performer.

Pinpointing exactly where that enemy is cocking his grenade becomes almost as easy as it would be in real life (though I do hope you never end up in that situation) thanks to the clear mids and highs that this headset produces, and the clarity and overall quality of the sound definitely ranks among the best of the best when it comes to gaming headsets. The bass, as I said, lacks that ‘oomph’ at the super low end, but you don’t really need that for competitive gaming anyway and it’s not like the bass is non-existent either.

Thanks to the amazing sound it’s also a blast to use this headset for watching Netflix or listening to music, which is an area where some other gaming headsets do tend to suffer.

The mic, then, is advertised as being in a class of its own and I have to agree. It does an excellent job at filtering out any annoying background noise and it transmits voices with a clarity and natural full tone that’s not often found on regular headset microphones.

Overall, the GAME ONE simply excels in the audio department. If you’re often gaming in a high noise environment you may want to think twice about getting this headset, as the open-back design does mean that noise isolation is almost non-existent (that’s not a design flaw or anything, it’s just something that cannot be avoided with open-back designs) but that same design does deliver an absolutely phenomenal audio experience so we can’t fault Sennheiser for this design choice.

Features and Ease of Use

This is probably going to be one of the shortest review sections I’m ever going to write. When it comes to features on the GAME ONE you get two: you can adjust the overall volume via a volume dial on the right ear cup and you can mute the mic by lifting it in the upright position. That’s it.

That’s not a bad thing though; this headset does exactly what it has to do without any feature bloat, but if you’re after a headset with a lot of controllable functions (or software where you can tune the EQ, for example) this is ain’t it.

The functions that are there are easy to use. The volume wheel is convenient to use and there’s a little tactile click when the mic passes the mute threshold so that you know that you’ve gone past it as well. A tiny LED at the end of the mic to indicate its status would’ve probably been a good addition, and the volume wheel could be a bit tighter and/or have some tactile steps to it but I really am nitpicking when I’m saying that.

Before concluding this brief section I do want to give a quick shout-out to the detachable cable. It’s got a long and firm plastic base at the end of it that goes pretty far into the headset so that you have a secure connection and won’t ever have any issues with accidentally disconnecting it or anything like that. It’s a small, but useful design idea.

Sennheiser GAME ONE Review – Conclusion

The GAME ONE might not be Sennheiser’s latest and newest effort, but this headset (along with the closed-back GAME ZERO) still sees decent use in the pro scene, and for good reason. This product might be a little bit older by now but I can say with confidence that the GAME ONE is still one of the finest gaming headsets out there at the moment.

It lacks in the feature department, true, but I never really missed anything when I was testing this headset so I can’t say that the GAME ONE is missing some essential features. Gamers who want a ton of customization will have to look elsewhere, as there’s also no accompanying software or anything like that, and if you’re often gaming in a noisy environment this isn’t gonna be your best bet either thanks to the open-back design.

If you can live with those things you really can’t go wrong here though, as the GAME ONE delivers in spades when it comes to the most important aspects of a gaming headset, namely comfort, sound, and mic quality. It’s top class in all three categories and as such it’s absolutely deserving of our Staff’s Choice award.

Former semi-pro gamer turned writer, product reviewer, and community manager.

Sennheiser Game Zero headset review: Unrivaled comfort comes at a cost

The latest version of Sennheiser’s premium gaming headset brings unparalleled comfort, but not without some considerable drawbacks.

Headsets are becoming an increasingly more vital component of every gamer’s setup – not only offering an immersive experience but also providing a competitive edge in multiplayer titles. With this increased appeal, more audio hardware manufacturers are starting to offer a range of headsets tailored to gamers. One of the more recent additions to this lineup is the reworked Game Zero headset from Sennheiser; a well-established veteran in the audio space.

Among Sennheiser’s gaming offerings sit two premium headsets: the Game One and Game Zero. Both of these are marketed as higher-end devices, touting their comfort and general immersive capabilities. We’ve managed to spend a few weeks with the better of these headsets, the Game Zero, to see how it fairs with the ever-growing competition.

The Sennheiser Game Zero is presented as a luxury piece of hardware, stored inside a protective fabric carrying case from the outset. This case houses the headset itself, alongside the two supplied cables.

At first glance, each of the included components exhibits high quality, from the leatherette padding, strong hinges, and braided cabling. Sennheiser has gone out of its way to display the Game Zero in a presentable fashion, focusing on an overall sleek presentation which stands out from the crowd.

Design

Sennheiser Game Zero specifications

• Compatible with Xbox One, PC and PlayStation 4
• 1.2m 3.5mm cable / 3m 3.5mm Y splitter cable
• 2.1 Stereo
• 15–28,000 Hz frequency response
• Adjustable microphone
• Premium hard fabric carrying case
• Retails for 279.95

Digging deeper into the headset’s design, the Game Zero’s greatest strengths lie with its general comfort. The core frame of the headset is made from a strong but flexible plastic, making for a lightweight but sturdy design. Although this results in cheaper feel in-hand, the structure makes for a truly ergonomic device which comfortably molds itself around the player. This design choice also helps the headset withstand bumps and drops you might expect from daily use.

My only gripe with the Game Zero’s design is the reliance on light plastic on the outer casing, which leaves a cheaper feel than most headsets at this price point. Our review unit had a glossy white finish that diverged from the premium Sennheiser feel. A matte black finish is also available, which offers a more professional, first-class style.

Performance

During my play sessions, I found the performance of the Game Zero wasn’t consistent; there was often a noticeable lack of clarity in certain scenarios. Although scenes with prominent bass sounded rich and accurate, those with vocals and ambient noises usually sounded hollow and weak. This left lower tones feeling much less defined, leading to a generally tinny output from the headset. Although the Game Zero headset performed well in some environments, the required consistency just isn’t present in today’s model. Despite these issues, the headset’s microphone records satisfactorily, with the added bonus of efficient noise cancellation.

Retailing for 279.95 from Sennheiser, the performance offered by the Game Zero headset just doesn’t live up to the high price tag. Sennheiser’s attempt to create a premium headset hasn’t gone unnoticed, but with such an ever-growing competition, higher-performing headphones are available at this price point and even lower.

After testing the headset’s capabilities on both Xbox One and PC, the Sennheiser Game Zero headset has emerged with some great features that stand out against today’s lineup of premium headsets. However, while Sennheiser has gone the extra mile to present the Game Zero has a premium headset, several unfortunate shortcomings hold back its potential. Even with attractive hardware and unrivaled ergonomic design, the Game Zero’s internals don’t stack up to the expectations set by the high price tag.

Cons:

This review was conducted using a review unit provided by Sennheiser

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Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central’s Senior Editor, Xbox PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft’s gaming efforts. You can follow him on @mattjbrown.

The Sennheiser Game Zero feels great, looks great and sounds great for the most part, but an overemphasis on voices holds it back.

Early Verdict

The Sennheiser Game Zero feels great, looks great and sounds great for the most part, but an overemphasis on voices holds it back.

Pros

• Supremely comfortable
• Easily portable
• Great competitive soundscape
• Good microphone

Cons

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Sennheiser’s gaming headsets generally sound good, but not great. This is unusual, given the old-school German manufacturer’s pedigree for top-quality sound. Of the company’s three gaming headsets, the Sennheiser Game Zero (270) comes closest to delivering all-around aural excellence, and while it’s not perfect, there’s an awful lot to like. The Game Zero feels great, looks great and sounds great — most of the time. Competitive gamers will adore its high-quality microphone and immersive in-game sound, but audiophiles and single-player adventurers might not appreciate the way it handles voices.

Design

Unlike Sennheiser’s bulky, difficult-to-transport GSP 300 and Game One headsets, the Game Zero has portability in mind. The headset is either white or black with shiny red highlights, but unlike the Game One, the Game Zero also sports a thin, flexible headband and foldable ear cups. A small, handsome carrying case comes with the headset, making it incredibly easy to transport it. While the boom mic on the left ear cup isn’t detachable, the carrying case and foldable design make it feasible to bring the Game Zero along on your everyday trips.

When a co-worker tested the Game Zero, he said that the headset was comfortable overall, and he especially appreciated that the ear cups make a good seal around the bottom of the ears. He didn’t find the ear cups and headband to be quite as soft as I did, though.

Gaming Performance

When I tested the Game Zero, I was expecting perfect performance across the board. What I got instead was a little unsettling. The headset positively excelled when it came to Overwatch, letting me hear my opponents’ movements and my allies’ calls for help with crystal clarity as I floated around the battlefield as Mercy. Likewise, the headset struck a rich balance between mission dialogue, sound effects and music when I took control of Terran forces in StarCraft II and Captain America in Marvel Heroes.

However, I encountered an oddity when I played The Witcher 3. While the music and sound effects reverberated across the rich soundscape, the voices sounded like they were coming from the bottom of a well. With other headsets that using immersive equalizations, I’ve noticed that they sometimes produce a funny, hollowing effect with voices, but since the Game Zero has no software, there’s no option to change things. I won’t say Witcher 3 was unplayable, but listening to quest dialogue was annoying instead of endearing, and I imagine that the same could hold true for other story-driven, dialogue-heavy adventures.

The Game Zero earns a wholehearted recommendation for competitive games, or single-player ones where dialogue plays a secondary role. If you’re mostly a role-playing game aficionado, though, you might have to invest in a device that handles voices better — and honestly, just about every headset on our Best Headsets list can do so.

Music Performance

As it does with games, the Game Zero tends to do funny things to voices in music and media. While instruments sound gorgeous and balanced, they also felt a bit muted and distant. Bass and drums are especially hard to pick up, as I learned when I listened to “The Hand of John L. Sullivan” by Flogging Molly and “Carry Me Back” by Old Crow Medicine Show.

The vocals, on the other hand, were front and center, but not in a very satisfying way. Each singer’s voice had a dull, straightforward quality that didn’t blend well with the rest of the ensemble. I felt as though I were listening to a soundscape optimized for chat rather than music or movies. At least I didn’t have any trouble understanding dialogue when I watched Black Mirror on Netflix.

The Game Zero is easily the most comfortable gaming headset Sennheiser has ever made.

I had a more mixed experience with baroque music. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos (instrumental) sounded rich and balanced, but Handel’s Messiah (choral) somehow managed to be both heavy and muddled on vocals. As the owner of a pair of Sennheiser’s 150 HD25-1 II headphones, I was surprised that my much cheaper peripheral from the same company produced much better sound; there is no way that the microphone alone is worth an extra 100.

Features

Since the Game Zero has no software, the only outstanding features are the volume control knob and its foldable nature, both discussed above. The microphone is a good one; it picked up my voice and blocked out almost all background sound when I tested it in Windows Voice Recorder. Unlike other Sennheiser mics, it even picked up my voice when it was situated above or below my mouth, rather than right next to it.

While the recording of my voice was a little too distorted for me to make a podcast or deliver a presentation online, the Game Zero’s mic more than gets the job done for in-game conversations, Skype calls and the like.

Bottom Line

I liked the Sennheiser Game Zero, but I wanted to love it. There’s no denying that the headset is extremely comfortable and portable, and that it provides spectacular sound for competitive games. On the other hand, there’s also no denying that it overemphasizes (and sometimes distorts) voices, and its microphone alone is not worth the huge price spike over a comparable set of music headphones.

The Sennheiser Game Zero is currently the best gaming headset that the company produces, and if you’re an online gamer with a little money to burn, that’s enough. However, I believe that, given the company’s pedigree, it can create something even better in the future.

Sennheiser Game Zero Review

Selling for 159, the Sennheiser Game Zero is designed to meet the needs and expectations of lovers of a Sennheiser gaming headset in the upper mid-range end of the market. The Game Zero stands between the luxurious GSP 370s and the more affordable Sennheiser GSP 300 headset. Though it is expensive, it doesn’t fall in the range of luxurious headsets. That’s quite awesome. But it is noteworthy that these mid-range headphones compete strongly against numerous best gaming headsets available on the market. What factors are responsible for that? The answers are covered in our Sennheiser Game Zero review below.

Sennheiser Game Zero Review

Design and Build

The Game Zero is a closed-back headset with a light plastic but strong design. The exquisite features are subtle for a gaming headset. This design is obvious in its fashionable matte black look and the casual red accent. You’ll love this if you are after the functions of a headset rather than the additional aesthetic.

The exceptionally large over-ear cups have a volume dial on the side along with extremely lush faux-leather earpads. When we wore the Sennheiser Game Zero headset, we felt it very comfortable both over the head and around the ears, courtesy of the earpads.

The fit is comfy, light, and not tight, despite having a solid build. The comfy fit and closed-back design also add to the degree of passive sound isolation. Even, despite the above feature, there was an absence of sweatiness attributed to this kind of design, as our ears remained cool after wearing the headset for several hours.

The microphone on the Sennheiser Game Zero has a retractable arm and an adjustable tip that mutes itself when positioned vertically. Besides, the quality of the over voice chat is amazing, delivering great levels and low background noise.

However, we are concerned about the extra cable. Admittedly, the cable is braided–which boosts the feature, it looks somehow feeble. Given that the Game Zero is a premium headset, we expect Sennheiser to have added extra insulation on this cable. Well, It is not a big deal as it can still be removed.

Sennheiser Game Zero Performance and Sound

The Game Zero headset has a clear and balanced sound. The FOCUS of the frequency response is mid-range, while it has a soft roll-off at the upper part– a quality that makes it suitable for preventing ear fatigue during long listening sessions. The clear, harmonious sound is a result of the directional sound stage. And this is an incredible feature, especially for the fact that the headset is just stereo.

This headset is the favorite of competitive shooters thanks to the combination of the comfy closed-back design, well-tuned frequency response, and passive isolation. Sennheiser Game Zero will give you value for money. Despite the lack of surround sound, it is easy to suspect gunfire from the annoying operator users.

The Sennheiser Game Zero is also perfect for casual, relaxed sessions. For example, when we were jumping into the Sea of Thieves and Red Dead Online, we heard very clearly every reload, rustle, and bottle swing. The gunshots were very loud and powerful but devoid of the exhausting sharpness on the high end. Hence, very fit to use during a relaxing music session.

However, there are some drawbacks associated with the right, balanced sound. The bass is a bit feeble and lack a little low-end beat that is available on most headphones that are within this price range.

To sustain the clarity and tightness in the sound, Sennheiser deliberately pulled the bass in a bit. Consequently, these are lacking in heavy videos and tracks and may not meet your expectations if you’re craving all-encompassing headsets of 160.

Final Thoughts on Sennheiser Game Zero

The Sennheiser Game Zero delivers a solid and high-quality product that is worth the price. Every component of the design is well designed and perfected. This reflects the capability of the company to produce and deliver great gaming headsets.

In conclusion, when compared to its counterparts among best gaming headsets, Sennheiser Game Zero ranks high courtesy of its incredible comfort and clear sound.

MattAndKimMusic.com was founded on 14 September 2020 by the Jhonson Brothers – Matt and Kim. Our purpose is to review together all of the different musical instruments we come across and test so you can choose what suits your needs…

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