Sennheiser PC160 Gaming Headset Brand New Sealed !!

When it comes to picking out a set of sound-conveying accessories, the choice is now more divergent and complicated than ever in this post-iPod world. Do you want a pair that you can take with you and use with your portable audio player, as well as being plugged in for long frag-a-thons? Are you an audiophile who won't compromise on sound quality, or is VoIP such a massive part of your life that the mic is the deciding factor when it comes to your purchase? There's also the complication of whether to have a headset that works over USB as a secondary soundcard versus just having a couple of audio jacks on the end.

Sennheiser is a brand well known for audiophile-quality gear. While the company has a reputation for high-end audio-only products, it's now branching out into things like computer headsets. Even in this area, it's looking to make its products the best of the best - this headset has been designed for pro-gaming in conjunction with SK-Gaming, one of the world's top pro-gaming clans.

This headset retails for around £55, pitting it right against the Plantronics DSP-500 which our sister publication Bit-Tech has previously reviewed and loved, saying that "It acquits itself very well in games and in VoIP scenarios, especially given the strong bass response and the excellent quality of the microphone". The Plantronics sells for around £40, so how does this Sennheiser set measure up?

The headset is sturdy, and is perfectly capable of being thrown around a bit, useful for those used to the rough-n-ready LAN party environment. The headband has a really nice padded top, which makes the headset comfortable to wear. The earpieces are also constructed from a very spongy cushion material, which sit well on the ears regardless of the size of your particular appendages. This is a pleasant change from the DSP-500s, which have very hard earpieces and are not particular comfortable. The Sennheisers are definitely comfortable to wear for long periods of gaming!

The finish is a silvery plastic, which doesn't seem to be particularly high-end compared to some of the audio-only headsets that sennheiser produces.