Before deciding on this model of headphones, I had debated between the Creative Fatality's, Sennheiser 350's, and Audio Technica ATH-AD700's. I almost went with the AD700's but wanted a headset with an integrated mic, I wouldn't feel bad about loosing or throwing into a bag for travel, sounded decent, and didn't cost an arm and a leg (ruling out the Sennheiser's, as well). It was a difficult debate, to be sure. As you can guess, in the end, I went with the Gamecom's. Having now owned them for about a week, I now wish to offer my review.
OVERALL QUALITY
Overall quality of this headset is very good. As others have noted, the majority of the headset consists of a sturdy, durable plastic that feels as though it will last for years. The ear pads are covered in a black velour that, while very soft and comfortable, will attract dust and hair very easily. Also, I don't know if any of the pads are replaceable. If not, they should be.
The mic folding up into the headset is a very nice touch. However, it does rub up against the headphone itself so that it never stays tucked in all the way. Further, when rotating the mic down to mouth level, it tends to scrape along the raised edge of the headphone. This will eventually begin to show signs of wear.
The cable is a very nice, thick gauge. The volume dial feels very solid and is constructed of the same plastic as the headset itself. It is a few inches further from the headset than I prefer, but that is easily solved with the on-cable clip. The y-split at the end of the cable is set with a rubber cover and the cables after the split are pretty short, thus limiting its functionality. This could be a problem for some.
Finally, the extension pieces (the part that the headphones slides on, at the top) are much thinner and flimsier than the plastic used elsewhere on the headset. I could see this easily breaking in the not too distant future, unfortunately.
COMFORT
As headsets go, these are among the most comfortable I've used. As I said, the plush velour pads on the ears and band are very soft. They will keep your ears quite warm, unfortunately. I had read reviews stating that the headset gave people headaches from the pressure. On the contrary, I found them to be about average in the amount of pressure they exert, and I have a larger than average head size. Also, I absolutely love how the ear cups themselves pivot allowing the headset to better adjust to the contours of your noggin.
SOUND QUALITY
On its own, this headset is OK when it comes to sound quality, not great but not terrible. Highs are decent (a tad trimmed, actually), mids are decent, and lows are generally heard but not felt. I would describe the sound as airy and subdued as if there's unrealized potential. (I feel it fair to mention that this headset should be burned/broken in for at least three hours but preferably longer. The sound signature changes dramatically within that time.) The soundstage (how well you can tell where individual sounds are coming from), on the other hand, is absolutely phenomenal. For the twenty-five dollars you pay, I can't think of another headset with this good of a soundstage. This makes them an excellent recommendation for gaming, obviously. For general listening (movies and music), this headset is generally good. I would say it's above average for it's class/price range.
When amped and equalized, however, this headset comes to life. Hooking the Gamecom's up through my cmoybb headphone amp (with bass boost on, of course) and tweaking the equalizer in iTunes dramatically changes how these headphones act. Highs are amazing, mids are great, and lows are heard AND felt (seriously, this headset goes surprisingly low). For the price-point, the sound quality, when amped, is amazing.
The only other point I would like to mention here before concluding is that the headphones, despite being labeled as "closed-ear," will NOT block out external noise. Keep this in mind when considering these headphones.
CONCLUSION
I would HIGHLY recommend this headset to any budget conscious gamer looking for a very reasonably priced headset that offers good sound quality, comfort, and durability. On the same token, I would very strongly suggest that you purchase a good headphone amp to accompany this headset, in order to realize their full potential. It will make a night and day difference.
Pros:
Sturdy Construction
Great sound quality, when amped
Overall very comfortable
Does not block out all external noise (good for use at the office)
Cons:
Need an amp to realize full potential
Design issues with mic
Can be quite warm after long periods
Does not block out all external noise (bad for noisy environments) Plantronics GameCom 367 Closed-Ear Gaming Headset'
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