Sennheiser G4me Zero Headset Overview

[HTKamikazee]

Gamers are always looking for an immerse and engaging experience every time they embark on a mission. As a gamer, sometimes and depending on the game, I find it difficult get into the story unless I'm surrounded by the game's music and sound effects. After all, that's what they are there for - to put you in the middle of the action. I usually use my home theater system during the day since nobody is around, and I use my headset when it's late and don't want to bother the neighbors. This is where a good pair of headphones come into serious play. With this in mind and those who don't already knew about them, I'd like to introduce the G4me Zero Headset from Sennheiser.

This headset has been out for a while and I thought it deserved some mention since it is one of the best I've heard. So if you are looking for a new headset, keep on reading as this might be the one you are looking for. The G4Me Zero come in a sleek black shell which is a hard carrying case similar to that of Astro’s A30 line. It is perfect for those on the go and for those who don’t want to worry about damaging the wires.

It features an adjustable headband and 90-degree tiltable ear pads and the headset folds to fit the carrying case which is rare in premium headsets. But, of course, no product is perfect and there are some drawbacks to be considered - two to be exact. It isn't wireless and only offers 2.1 support which means no virtual surround sound. But that doesn't mean that the G4me Zero can't shine against the competition.

One of the most important aspects of any headset is comfort. The Zero's feature XXL memory foam ear pads and headband so there is no reason to worry about extended listening sessions. As for noise cancelling, Sennheiser dubs their system as “Ergonomic Acoustic Refinement” which is a design concept that directs incoming sound right towards your ears.

As for the mic, it is unusually thick compared to other gaming headsets. It seems to be very durable and sturdy even though the extension is ordinary plastic. Like their Astro A50s, the mic mutes once it's tilted upwards and automatically notifies you with a click sound. For added convenience you can control the volume on the right ear pad. There are many things going in its favor and only a few to complain about. It is not cheap, but it offers a very comfortable feel, it is light even when it looks bulky, and the sound quality offered by this model makes it stand out from many other expensive headsets. Check it out and try to get a test drive before deciding which one to get.

FEATURES:

• Extremely accurate game sound reproduction with “E.A.R.” technology.
• XXL Ear pads and cushioned headband – Plenty of space around your ears for best fit and comfort.
• Integrated Volume Control on ear cup.
• Collapsible design and carrying case.
• Pro noise cancelling microphone – raise boom to mute.
• Tailored memory foam Ear pads – The first ever gaming headset to feature multiple layers of fitted ear padding.
• Sennheiser Trandsducer Technology – For extreme clarity and accurate sound.
• “Ergonomic refinement acoustic” – The Sennheiser technology delivers ultimate sonic accuracy and clarity by channeling signals directly into your ears.
• Noise-Cancelling Mic – Professional-grade noise-canceling microphone with intuitive mute function.
• Closed Design – The closed design blocks out all outside noise allowing you to focus on your game.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Frequency Response (Microphone): 50 Hz – 16,000 Hz
• Frequency Response (Headphones): 10 Hz — 26.000 Hz
• Microphone Sensitivity: -38 dBV at 94 dB SPL
• Sound Pressure Level: 108 dB
• Impedance (Headphones): 150Ω
• Cable Length: 3m
• Weight: 312g

Price: $199.00/each.

Let me know if you have tried them and share your impressions!

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Not saying these are bad in quality, haven't tried em, but usually headsets compromise in sound and mic quality. For same price you can get Sennheiser HD558/598 with AntLion ModMic for example and I'm pretty sure this setup would offer better sound and mic quality.

 

[HTKamikazee]

Not saying these are bad in quality, haven't tried em, but usually headsets compromise in sound and mic quality. For same price you can get Sennheiser HD558/598 with AntLion ModMic for example and I'm pretty sure this setup would offer better sound and mic quality.

You are right, my friend. There are better performing products out there than the G4me Zero. While the Zero is mostly intended mostly for gaming, the 558/598 may probably be better performers, although they are not intended to that purpose.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

You are right, my friend. There are better performing products out there than the G4me Zero. While the Zero is mostly intended mostly for gaming, the 558/598 may probably be better performers, although they are not intended to that purpose.

"Gaming headsets" are marketing items imo. Manufacturers put up products with compromised headphones and mic and market them as "gaming headsets" for people who don't know everything behind them. What really makes good "gaming headset"? Good sound quality, good positional sound and good microphone. Headphones like Sennheiser HD558/598 offer really good overall sound quality and accurate positional sound for pretty low price point add ModMic and you have your pretty much perfect "gaming headset" for the price. While doing this you can also enjoy your music on your music system with them as ModMic is easy to remove from your headphones. Also this route offers you easy way to upgrade your headphones and you can keep using your ModMic.

I haven't tried G4me Zero, but for 200$ I bet you will get much better performance out of HD558/598 + ModMic for example. Why I believe so? Both HD558/598 and ModMic have been designed for one purpose only, perform well on their area (sound reproduction and recording sound). G4me Zero have been designed for "gaming sound" with added mic and fancy design to look good. How much out of that 200$ has been put towards all those fancy looks that don't improve sound quality at all? I would guess around half and that is out from sound/mic quality.

G4me Zero can be really good when compared to other "gaming headsets" but when you compare them with real headphones and mic I'm pretty sure they will fall far behind.

 

[HTKamikazee]

"Gaming headsets" are marketing items imo. Manufacturers put up products with compromised headphones and mic and market them as "gaming headsets" for people who don't know everything behind them. What really makes good "gaming headset"? Good sound quality, good positional sound and good microphone. Headphones like Sennheiser HD558/598 offer really good overall sound quality and accurate positional sound for pretty low price point add ModMic and you have your pretty much perfect "gaming headset" for the price. While doing this you can also enjoy your music on your music system with them as ModMic is easy to remove from your headphones. Also this route offers you easy way to upgrade your headphones and you can keep using your ModMic.

I haven't tried G4me Zero, but for 200$ I bet you will get much better performance out of HD558/598 + ModMic for example. Why I believe so? Both HD558/598 and ModMic have been designed for one purpose only, perform well on their area (sound reproduction and recording sound). G4me Zero have been designed for "gaming sound" with added mic and fancy design to look good. How much out of that 200$ has been put towards all those fancy looks that don't improve sound quality at all? I would guess around half and that is out from sound/mic quality.

G4me Zero can be really good when compared to other "gaming headsets" but when you compare them with real headphones and mic I'm pretty sure they will fall far behind.

I agree, but you never know until you make a side by side comparison. It's like you said; we have to take into consideration how much of those $200 were spent on sound quality. I've seen cheap headphones blow away more expensive ones which I believe proves your point. That being said, there are speakers that perform better for music and there are speakers that perform better for movies. I believe that could be a reality in gaming as well. A while ago, I found that one of my less expensive headphones performed better (in gaming, not music) than my third most expensive model. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. But that was only for gaming because it was quite the opposite when I put music on them.

As a gamer, I can understand that the robotic look and feel may have something to do with the way gamers look at these devices regardless of what they sound like. To my surprise, I've tried Zeros several times and they sounded better than some of my own, specially on explosions and gun fire effects. Of course, music reproduction could be a whole different story if you put them side by side against other models.

On the other hand, while the Zeros performed very well, I still prefer to use my own as I'm already used to them and know what to expect from them. Also, I have several headsets, so I don't see the point on buying another one. I'm a gamer, but in my case, music comes first. But many gamers looking for a new headset might find the G4me Zero an appealing choice. Have a great day, my friend.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

I agree, but you never know until you make a side by side comparison. It's like you said; we have to take into consideration how much of those $200 were spent on sound quality. I've seen cheap headphones blow away more expensive ones which I believe proves your point. That being said, there are speakers that perform better for music and there are speakers that perform better for movies. I believe that could be a reality in gaming as well. A while ago, I found that one of my less expensive headphones performed better (in gaming, not music) than my third most expensive model. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. But that was only for gaming because it was quite the opposite when I put music on them.

As a gamer, I can understand that the robotic look and feel may have something to do with the way gamers look at these devices regardless of what they sound like. To my surprise, I've tried Zeros several times and they sounded better than some of my own, specially on explosions and gun fire effects. Of course, music reproduction could be a whole different story if you put them side by side against other models.

On the other hand, while the Zeros performed very well, I still prefer to use my own as I'm already used to them and know what to expect from them. Also, I have several headsets, so I don't see the point on buying another one. I'm a gamer, but in my case, music comes first. But many gamers looking for a new headset might find the G4me Zero an appealing choice. Have a great day, my friend.

As you have tried em, how well they position sounds? As this is most important thing for many gamers. They want to know from what direction did the foot step or shot came from. I know that HD558/598 have good positional sounds and thats why many gamers prefer those headphones.

And like you said those headsets don't perform well for music, when getting pair of real headphones for headset task you can enjoy your music collection with the same cans.

 

[HTKamikazee]

As you have tried em, how well they position sounds? As this is most important thing for many gamers. They want to know from what direction did the foot step or shot came from. I know that HD558/598 have good positional sounds and thats why many gamers prefer those headphones.

And like you said those headsets don't perform well for music, when getting pair of real headphones for headset task you can enjoy your music collection with the same cans.

Sorry it took me so long to reply. Much work to do and less time to do it

As I specified on the overview, these only offer 2.1 support which means no virtual surround sound. That will certainly be a negative aspect for those who like playing with a surround system, BUT there's a huge amount of people who are still playing on a single TV - without surround sound. And believe me, I know many people who are still using a TV for gaming even when they have a full surround system installed in their rooms. After all, we have to remember that it's all about preference.