Drop + EPOS PC38X Review
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Quick Summary
Connectivity and Controls
Headphone Audio Quality
Microphone Audio Quality
Comfort and Build Quality
Verdict
Quick Summary
The Drop + EPOS PC38X is a comfortable, open back headset with a wide soundstage and a slightly warm sound signature. This makes it amazing for music and movies, but competitive FPS players might not benefit from this type of tuning. The build quality is also quite flimsy for its price.
This headset is a rebranded and recolored version of the Drop + Sennheiser PC38X. Functionally, it’s the same device.
Connectivity and Controls
The PC38X only connects using a 3.5 mm connection which I tested on my PC, PS4, Android, and the Nintendo Switch.
For desktop PCs, it comes with a second wire which is split on the end for the mic and headphones. Laptop users will be fine as long as you have a 3.5 mm combo jack.
The only control on this headset is a volume wheel on the outside of the right ear cup. The microphone is non-detachable, but it is flip up to mute.
Headphone Audio Quality
Tuning
Detail and Clarity
Soundstage
Audio Quality Summary
Tuning
EPOS provides a welcome card with a frequency response graph. This was tested with a head and torso machine.
I've always been very skeptical about these graphs, because they often make even really tinny headsets appear bass heavy. but I wanted to show you because I think it's awesome they put this in the box.
In my experience, the sound is overall quite balanced, but the 4-7 kHz frequency range is a lot quieter than most other gaming headsets like the HyperX Cloud II. There are pros and cons to this.
Halo: Infinite with the PC38X.
Listening to the PC38X has been great change of pace for music and single player games. I'm a really big fan of bass, and I don't like screaming highs and boosted upper mids which can be painful for certain instruments and female vocals.
The tuning on these sounds like listening to someone switch from speaking on the Blue Yeti which is really bright to the Shure SM7B which is warm and smooth. The bass hits (but not super hard) and it's textured. That’s impressive since these are open back, so there's not a closed space for the low frequencies to reverberate. I love the sound signature for music.
But here's the catch. In Warzone, literally the first thing I noticed as I dropped in was - where'd all the footsteps go?
The justification for most gaming headsets to kneecap the bass and crank up the upper mids and treble is specifically because it makes footsteps sound louder. They're not very loud by default in the PC38X. That didn’t stop me from winning games, but I’d suggest using some EQ software to pull up the upper midrange a bit before starting up a game of Call of Duty or Valorant.
Detail and Clarity
In this category, the PC38X drivers beat out every other gaming headset I have except one - the Audeze Penrose. But that device also launched for $300.
The PC38X sounds more like Astro A40 with a similar EQ curve but if the A40 had even stronger and better bass, clearer mids, and even more detail in the highs.
The sound separation in the lower frequencies is especially good, and even the busiest tracks or game environments don’t cause audio cues to mush together.
Soundstage
This is an open back headset, and as you can see above, there's ample venting on the outside. This lets sound leak in and out freely. This contributes to what self-proclaimed audiophiles refer to as a “wide soundstage”.
Basically, the audio sounds like it’s coming from all around you, because it literally is venting out of the headset.
Here's the thing. Soundstage is not actually a real factor for pinpointing audio sources in game. Attempting to convey the positioning of specific objects is completely inherent to the audio engineering of the sound source itself, be it a game or music.
In other words, the soundstage makes the headset sound very pleasant to listen to, but the property of having an open back vs closed back device will not have an impact on in-game performance.
The idea of open back headsets providing superior imaging which can help in gaming sounds cool in theory, but it’s doesn’t hold up in reality. I’ll let r/headphones users continue to argue endlessly over that type of thing.
When actually playing games and switching between this and the Audeze Penrose, I had far better spatial awareness on the Penrose because of its better sound separation even though it’s closed back.
Audio Quality Summary
The PC38X is my favorite sounding headset. The sub-bass hits. Not as much as Skullcandy headphones, but it does have some thump and there's good nuance to it. If you like bass and if you want something for general use and mostly single player experiences, this headset is it. If you like the Astro A40, I think you'll like this even better.
But if you want something brighter sounding because you're not into this sound signature or you just want something for FPS games exclusively like Warzone or Halo, I would probably get the HyperX Cloud II or the Cloud Alpha over the PC38X.
Microphone Audio Quality
The PC38X’s mic has significantly above average quality for a headset in terms of clarity and fullness. Unfortunately, the plosive rejection is quite terrible. And like most headset mics, the volume is very quiet even at its loudest.
The frequency response of the mic makes it sound nasally in comparison to a decent dedicated USB or XLR mic, but it’s passable considering what it’s competing against on the market. Here’s an audio version of this explanation recorded on the PC38X just for fun:
Comfort and Build Quality
PC38X unboxed with both sets of ear cushions, a splitter cable, and a carrying bag.
This section is a mixed bag. The comfort level of the PC38X is easily an “A” and maybe even “A+” with the velour ear cushions. Unfortunately, the overall build quality is similar to a $20 headset.
The headset is made completely of plastic and it's quite thin, so I never want to flex it too hard. The ear cups don't have swivel, so fans of that will be disappointed. Also, the glue at the top of mine that holds the padding was coming off a bit right out the box.
Still, it’s hard to overstate the comfort. The fabric inside is very soft, and it holds its shape just well enough to be snug while still minimizing pressure on the temples which is great for glasses wearers.
Default ear cushions on the PC38X.
The headband padding is not glued on well.
You can clip the ear cushions on and off easily and switch from the cloth-like pads to velour. I’m partial to the latter after using them for a few weeks. They’re crazy soft and snug.
I wouldn't go as far as to say these are more comfortable than the Cloud II. That device comes with faux leather by default and also has secondary velour pads. But the PC38X definitely gives the Cloud II a run for its money.
Verdict
I recommend the Drop + EPOS PC38X. It sounds excellent, it's very comfortable, and the 3.5 mm connection ensures compatibility with many different devices.
However, I'm aware that it's in a very awkward price point. It launched for more than double what I've seen the Cloud II and Alpha go for lately and it's even a lot more than the Astro A40. Plus the EQ curve out the box isn’t perfect for competitive FPS games.
So yes, I'd buy the PC38X but as a luxury item - not something you get to maximize your performance in games.
Product Listing
Drop + EPOS PC38X: https://amzn.to/38GqjrU
