Product Description
The Plantronics GameCom 780 USB headset with Dolby technologies transforms standard audio into a stunning 7.1 surround sound experience. The noise-canceling mic kills background noise so your commands are loud and clear. When you need to take a break, built-in spin joints let the earpods lay flat for easy storage. Need to adjust volume? No problem. The controls are right on the earpods so you'll always have eyes on. The GameCom 780 is built to last with superhero-strength cords and joints; ultra-comfortable ear cushions and headband let you stay in the game for as long as it takes.Cable length 6.5 feet (2 meters).
| List Price: | $79.99 |
| Price: |
$57.24 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
| as of Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:45:16 GMT ***Remember, deals price on this item for sale just for limited time*** | |
Product Details
- Color: Black/red
- Brand: Plantronics
- Model: GameCom 780
- Format: CD-ROM
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 12.00" h x 4.50" w x 9.50" l, .90 pounds
Features
- Dolby Headphone and Pro Logic IIx technologies transform standard audio into a stunning 7.1 surround sound experience
- Immersive, stereo sound with deep bass from 40mm speakers
- Built-in spin-joints let the earpods lay flat for easy storage when you need to take a break
- Noise-canceling mic kills background noise so your team or opponents can clearly hear your commands
- Easy-to-reach on-ear volume and mute buttons let you adjust the sound and still keep a hand on the controls
- Superhero-strength cords, joints and materials
- USB connection for digital clarity
- Ultra-comfortable ear cushions and headband
From the Manufacturer
Enjoy exceptional sound quality, whether you're playing video games, listening to music, or making Internet calls, with the GameCom 780 Surround Sound Gaming Headset from Plantronics. This headset is equipped with Dolby technologies that deliver immersive 7.1 surround sound. A noise-canceling microphone lets you communicate clearly with gaming teammates and opponents, while on-ear controls enable you to adjust the volume quickly and stay focused on the game. A padded headband and ear cushions help keep you comfortable for extended gaming sessions.
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Dolby Technology for Optimal Surround Sound
The GameCom 780 Surround Sound Gaming Headset from Plantronics features Dolby Headphone and Pro Logic IIx technologies for an exceptional 7.1 surround sound experience. The headset is also outfitted with 40-millimeter speakers that provide immersive stereo sound with deep bass.
Noise-Canceling Mic for Clear Communications
A noise-canceling microphone reduces background noise so that your opponents and team members alike can clearly hear your commands. The headset's USB connection provides additional digital clarity.
Convenient On-Ear Controls
Thanks to on-ear controls, you can adjust the volume or microphone with ease while you keep your eyes and hands focused on the game. Controls include a volume adjustment wheel, a microphone mute switch, and a control that allows you to turn the Dolby surround sound on or off.
Sturdy, Comfortable Design
The GameCom 780 comes equipped with exceptionally strong cords and joints for long-lasting durability. The padded ear cushions and headband are designed to provide optimal comfort for extended gaming sessions--they also make the headset ideal for watching videos, listening to music, and making PC voice calls.
When you're done playing or need to take a break, built-in spin joints allow the ear pods to swivel and lie flat for easy storage.
Compatibility and Warranty Information
The GameCom 780 Surround Sound Gaming Headset comes with surround sound software that is compatible with Windows systems only.
The headset is backed by a one-year limited warranty.
What's in the Box
GameCom 780 Surround Sound Gaming Headset and Windows-compatible surround sound software.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
223 of 228 people found the following review helpful.
By Louis S. Carrozzi
Back Story:
I have had a lot of headphones over the years and the majority of them have been utter crap. I had one really good pair of headphones that were made by Sony back in the 1980s and I used them so much I broke both sides and had to tape them together to make them work. The sound was so good that I would have rather kept those beat up headphones than be forced to use the 2 or 3 pairs I bought after them. I was sad when I finally just had to throw them away and accept that it might be a while before I lucked out and got something that good. (It's taken a long time).
Fast forward to the late 1990s and early 2000s. I have gone through another 2 or 3 headsets. I had a Sony that was decent, but not nearly as good as my original Sony back in the day. I then went through Logitech, Microsoft (totally AWFUL) sound and some other headset that I threw away because it was crap. I even checked out Bose and was really underwhelmed by the sound. My definition of good sound is crisp clear highs, warm mids and booming bases. Not excessive, but enough to feel like it could be live.
Finally, I saw a $79 Plantronic "Gaming" set at Best Buy about 4 years ago and bought it. The sound was great, or at least a LOT better than I have had in a long time. But there were some quirks to the headset that annoyed me. The Microphone would flop down into position, so the only way to keep it up was with a rubber band. The voice input was sketchy and the device had problems working properly with Windows 7. Nevertheless it was a good enough headset that I decided I was going to give plantronics another shot with my new computer because I wanted a headset that addressed the annoying issues of my previous Plantronics.
Plantronics GameCom 780:
When I set up the GameCom 780 and fired up SWTOR to fly a few space battles (in 7.1 surround) my jaw nearly fell on the floor. The explosions are so lifelike you can almost feel them sitting in your chair. The sound is whole orders of magnitude better then my last Plantronics headset, and the directionality is dramatic. I actually had to relearn a few of my space battle moves because the audio cues were so noticably different that they were a distraction at first, but within about 10 minutes I really appreciated how much these headphones added a new dimension to my favorite game. Just to have something to compare to, I fired up Crysis 2, and I was equally impressed. The punch and clinks of a rapidly firing Scarab assault rifle were like music to my ears. The ambiance was a lot better and with the DX11 high resolution graphics, it's a whole new experience.
To say the sound is pretty good is, in my opinion, a massive understatement. The sound is the best I have ever owned. These headphones actually have 3 modes: Straight Dolby, 5.1 and 7.1 surround. Each of them sound great, but for games I find myself sticking heavily with the 7.1. Just to test out the music capabilities of this headset, I threw on some songs from "The English Patient" that I had backed up for my mom. I put on a song that was just a single woman singing backed up by light orchestra and again I was blown away. The richness, clarity and warmth of these headphones, along with the silence being exactly where it needs to be... it's not even so much what you hear, it's how you hear it and even what you don't hear.
Anyway, the sound alone would be reason enough to get these headphones, but there is more.
The construction is very good for an $80 pair of headphones. I have yet to see how long the plastic cylinders that house the metal adjustment bars lasts, but it looks pretty strong. The headphones are a bit tight at first, but after some adjustments I found they fit quite well. The over the ear design is really what I want in a pair of headphones because it frees up the ear to head the sound properly. The adjustment bars are metal (something you don't see much of these days). The upper rim is heavy duty plastic, but there is a soft foam under cushion that gives a very nice set on the head. The earmuffs are made from material instead of a more durable kind of material, but they will probably still last years, and they are comfortable.
Where these headphones really shine are the on ear controls. You can switch from surround sound to regular with a touch of a button. The audio control, rather than being just a knob is more like a control you would find in your car. Push one way, the sound goes down, push another the sound goes up. Moreover each time to press the button one direction or the other, the headphones actually play 2 different tones to let you know if you are going up or down in volume and when you have reached either end of the spectrum. You can also adjust the mic on/off switch with a button right above the volume wheel.These touches seem cosmetic at first, but you quickly begin to wonder how you ever lived without them.
The mic is another marked improvement from previous incarnations of Plantronics headsets (like my old one). The mic has enough tension on it to neatly stay tucked up and out of the way when not in use. Also, it doesn't have an "in front of mouth" design, and frankly from what I can see, it doesn't need one. The mic is good, and I was able to talk into Ventrilo without much adjustment at all. The "middle" volume and default application settings actually WORK like they are supposed to. I was able to get a very clean voice recording using a quiet voice.
The software that comes with the GameCom 780 seems to be perfectly Windows 7 x64 compatible, but it took me a few minutes to find the controls. There is an entry for the headset in Control Panel, but the actual controls for the headset are actually under "Configure" and "Properties" in the "Sound" options of control panel. There are a few ways to tweak these headphones to compensate for room noise and acoustics, which is a nice touch. It would have been nice to see an actual graphic equalizer to come with such a capable pair of headphones, but that's a minor gripe. I am not sure if any equalization setting would be better than the defaults.
One final note regarding Windows 7 compatibility: Windows 7 may gripe if you try and hook these up to a USB splitter. Windows will tell you that you don't have enough power for the headphones, but since they work fine under OS X with the same configuration, either Windows is being picky or it might not be a good idea to daisy chain these things. I ended up putting these headphones into a POWERED USB hub and they work beautifully. So, if you have a lot of connections either A) make sure you have an adequate power supply for your system that puts full power to your USB ports or B) Buy a POWERED USB hub. It's WORTH it.
Bottom line? I would absolutely recommend these headphones to anyone willing to spend $80 and have a decent USB connection.
If these break 6 months from now, I will buy them again. Period.
122 of 124 people found the following review helpful.
By Blake
I hope this review gets to as many people as people. First I'd like to begin by saying something very important.
PLEASE READ IF BUYING THIS HEADSET:
Make sure to go down to the 'Speaker' icon in the taskbar and right-click it. Click playback devices find the 'Speakers: Gamecom 780' entry, and right-click again. Then click 'Configure Speakers' and navigate down to 7.1 surround. Keep clicking Test and then the Next buttons until it says that 7.1 surround is set up. If you do not do this even if you enable Dolby Surround in the headset's software you'll only be getting 5.1 virtual surround, instead of 7.1. It does make a difference, and is considerably better. I wish it explained this more in the documentation. Also note if you switch to stereo mode it still is normal stereo, this changing in the options menu doesn't screw up the stereo option at all.
Now on to the review:
First off, this headset in pictures looks a bit silly with the orangish red cables and what-not, but let me tell you it actually is very pleasing to the eyes in person! It looks a lot cooler than my old Razer Carcharias, which was just a lame black everywhere. Not only does it look better than the Razer Carcharias, but it feels a lot better too. Weighing a little bit more than the Razer's it just simply feels like it is constructed out of better material. It's a lot sturdier. The only 'complaint' about the durability here is the earpads kind of spin tough at first, but personally I kind of like that because if they were super loose it would be spinning when you don't want it to.
On to the sound...
I read literally every single review here on Amazon before ordering, and let me tell you, they aren't kidding about the sound. It literally blew me away. Sure it's just a headset and there's only so good you can get with an earpad on each ear with a speaker in each, but this is SUCH AN UPGRADE from the Razer Carcharias which is actually more expensive. It's so good that I will definitely be buying a Plantronics headset when this one becomes obsolete. Even in stereo mode (button on earpad not lit blue), it still sounds amazing and better than the Razer's. It has crystal clear highs, clear and smooth mids, and a decent amount of bass. Sure the bass could be a little more, but it's a headset for goodness sakes and for bass in music I have my car with two 12" subs to hear the bass, in headphones I just want balanced audio and that's what this headset delivers. Don't think there isn't any bass though, you can definitely feel the bass and explosions and what-not, it's not non-existent by any means. In fact, it does have a lot more lower-end than my Razer's.
The mic is also crystal clear. It's so clear that I actually had to turn down my outbound because it was making me sound booming. The only complaint I have with the mic is that it picks up background noise a bit too well, but it's not the end of the world, I'd rather have it do that and be a clear good sounding mic than be super cancelling and sound subpar. So this is another plus, at least for me.
Overall for $60-70 this is an absolutely amazing headset. Especially for gaming! The software could have included a bit more, but what it does include is still perfectly fine.
The sound is great, the comfort is great, and it doesn't look bad either! The only gripe I have is the cord is a bit short, but it's not the end of the world I'll just buy a USB extender.
If you're contemplating buying a new headset, look no further. For more money you can get the Razer Carcharias which is only a stereo headset, and even the stereo functionality on the Gamecom 780 sounds better than the Razer, let alone the fabulous virtual 7.1 surround sound that is has. It doesn't sound fake like some cheap surround sound headsets, but obviously it's not true surround sound. Still, it sounds fantastic.
If you don't want to spend $150-200+ for a headset, than look no further. This is perfect for music, gaming, and even movies. It brought a new life to my music, despite some of the reviews here! Seriously, just buy this headset. I love it, and have become a fan of Plantronics having never bought their products before. 5 stars for sure, as opposed to my old 4 star Razer's. What an upgrade.
61 of 65 people found the following review helpful.
By A. Helfer
I have been a big fan of headphone audio and do a lot of my listening through a Headroom DAC and headphone amplifier coupled with AKG 701s (open) or beyerdynamic 770s (sealed). I also play some multiplayer games online through Steam, especially Team Fortress 2. Oddly enough, I never had a gaming headset. I used my headphone amplifier for audio and used the microphone on a webcam for voice. While the audio was great through the USB DAC, the voice solution left a lot to be desired.
So I jumped at the chance to try out a dedicated gaming headset. This Plantronics set acquits itself nicely.
I downloaded the headset's management software from the Plantronics website. (Seriously, who installs drivers from CDs included with products anymore? They're always stale! Get the latest version from the website.) It installed without a hitch. When I then plugged in the USB cable, Windows 7 detected the headset and loaded up the drivers. The Plantronics software is incredibly simple and allows you to toggle the Dolby surround mode on and off as well as offering a selection of a music or gaming/movie profile. You can access it in the system tray on the lower right or via the control panel's audio device menu, where it adds a GameCom icon.
I tried streaming some music through them from MediaMonkey, the audio software I use. It allows you to stream USB audio without involving the kernal mixer in Windows. I ran some lossless files through them. These are adequate for music in a pinch. It isn't really fair to compare them to the AKGs or beyerdynamics, and they don't come close. They are sealed headphones, so you don't get sound leakage (something that your spouse or roommate might appreciate); however, they do suffer from the typical acoustic problems many sealed headphones have. They're a bit chesty and boomy for music.
But, wow, they're nice for gaming. With the Dolby surround switched on, I played some TF2 and Terraria. The audio is great for gaming. There's good detail retrieval, and the simulated surround actually seems to work well.
The microphone works well, too. No problems getting it set up in Steam for voice chat or in TF2. People can hear me clearly now. That's a huge plus.
The construction of the headset is decent. It's not quite as solid as the beyerdynamics, but it doesn't feel cheap either. The earcups are padded with a velvety fabric covering the foam donuts. The headband also is padded. I was able to wear them for a few hours without feeling discomfort.
The controls on the headset are useful. The left earcup has a volume control, a mic on/off switch, and a switch that will toggle the Dolby effect. That last switch glows blue. The volume control beeps when you nudge it up or down, which is helpful because you can get a sense of where the volume is set before an explosion in-game blows your eardrums out.
In all, this is a solid product. It looks decent and doesn't have all the hype graphics and extraneous endorsements that some competing products have. It really is a form-follows-function headset.
I'm glad to have had the chance to use and review it. Given how well the microphone works, I'll probably check out their Bluetooth earpieces if I ever decide to get one of those.
Recommended as a great value at the price point.
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