Review of the Plantronics Gamecom 777 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound Headset

It’s not often that we review things like headsets on UWHS, but with Christmas coming up, and with the recent release of games like Call of Duty: Black Ops we occasionally get asked about headsets, and so when I was offered one to review I said yes.

Here is how Plantronics describe the 777:

This open-eared headset with 7.1 Dolby® Headphone technology gives you an unparalleled audio advantage that lets you hear your opponents before you see them. Connect with the Dolby USB sound card for a true 7.1 experience. But if needed, an analogue connection is also provided. Stay comfortable with a lightweight frame and specially designed ear pods that redistribute pressure. When you’re ready to fire off orders, unveil the hidden, noisecancelling mic boom to strategize clearly with team members. Responses coming in? Adjust audio levels using in-line volume and mic-mute controls.

• Dolby headphone technology delivers a virtual 7-channel audio experience
• Dolby USB sound card is the only way to get the 7.1 experience
• Open-ear design keeps you connected to the game and your surroundings
• Concealed mic boom stays hidden until you’re ready to use it
• Specially designed earpods redistribute pressure for maximum comfort
• In-line volume and mic-mute controls allow for easy audio adjustment
• Noise-cancelling microphone lets you communicate clearly
• Rugged, military-grade design and extra-strength cables make your hardware hardcore

What’s In The Box?

The box is neatly packaged and you can see the headset through the front and also one side.

The box itself contains the headset, the Dolby USB device (more on that in a moment) and some paperwork.

A Closer Look

Here are the specs for the headset:

Taking a closer look at the headset shows that as you would expect the head band part expands to fit most (if not all) heads. I know that might sound strange but I have seen headsets in the past that just stretch rather than expand, and they are not very comfortable.

The Mic and Headphone connectors are built in to the headset and there is a volume control there as well.

If you connect up the headset directly to your PC you won’t experience the virtual 7.1 sound experience. This is where the little USB adaptor comes in. It uses a combination of Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Dolby Headphone technologies to convert any 2 channel audio source into a virtual 7.1 surround sound “experience”.

You just plug the Headphone and Mic connectors into the USB device and then plug the USB device into your PC. Windows automatically detected and installed what it needed – although it just shows up as USB Audio Device (as you can see below).

The mic is actually hidden away when not in use in the band of the headset – you just pull it out when you want to use it and put it back when you are finished. This is useful if you decide you just want to use them as headphones on occasion.

Final Thoughts

My initial thoughts were that they looked quite heavy and clunky, but when you put them on they feel quite light. Using them for small periods of time proved to be fine and I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all, although I would image a seriously long night of Black Ops might result in some discomfort!

The sound quality was excellent – I tried a number of different sources, games, MP3s, movies, Skype calls, and they all worked great.

I really liked the fact that the mic boom could be folded away – this was a very nice touch over other headsets I have seen and used.

The Gamecom 777 is compatible with both PCs and Macs and costs £79.99 although there are certainly some good deals to be had on Amazon.co.uk and $109.96 in the US and again some great deals are to be had on Amazon.com.

One thing to be careful about though is there is also a Gamecom 777 that is only 5.1 rather than 7.1, so check before buying to avoid disappointment.

You can learn more about the Gamecom 777 and other headsets from the Plantronics website.