Hearing a zombie somewhere nearby, and being able to tell that it's behind you and to the left, can mean the difference between life and death in a game. Sennheiser's new flagship gaming headset, the PC 373D, is designed to give you that advantage, while adding a customizable equalizer and wrapping it in a luxurious package.
The PC 373D doesn't change a whole lot from its predecessor, the 363D. The two-speaker system achieves 7.1 Dolby Surround by using the shape of the ear to simulate multi-angle directional sound, and Sennheiser's proprietary transducers make sure that sound is crisp and clear. Likewise, the noise-cancelling microphone is designed with clarity in mind, backed up by a noise reduction algorithm, if you so choose.
Volume is controlled via a big round dial on the right ear cup, and if you're talking to someone in the same room or chowing into a bag of chips, muting the microphone is as simple as raising the boom arm. Both are nice little ease-of-use touches that save you blindly groping for a dial somewhere down the cable. Apart from a few splashes of red in the ear pads, microphone and boom arm, the 373D looks basically the same as the earlier model, fitted with the same velvety plushness in the headband and ear pads.
So what's new? The 373D brings to the table what Sennheiser calls a Surround Dongle, which flips between stereo and surround modes through a simple button control set into the cable. Sounds pretty basic, but a new software equalizer allows the user to decide which of four surround modes are activated when that button is pressed, with modes optimized for general gaming, esports or music, and a neutral "off" setting. Three side tone settings make the microphone equally adjustable, depending on how much each gamer likes the sound of their own voice.
Sennheiser's PC 373D is available now for US$259.99. For an overly-dramatic tour of the headset, check out the video below.
Product page: Sennheiser
