The Epos H3Pro Hybrid is a powerful new offering in the wireless gaming headset arena. Like the H3Pro released early last year, it carries over the name of Epos' H3 line, but from the outside it looks like a mix of those and the new H6Pro gaming headset. The color is the same blue as the H6Pro, not quite black, and it has a removable, flip-to-mute microphone. At the very least, it is definitely an upgrade over the previous Epos H3.

As with other Epos headsets we've seen, we feel the build quality is excellent overall, and given the price of $279 (£239 / €279 / A$399), anything less would be a major disappointment. Thankfully, the H3Pro Hybrid is thick, padded where needed, and not flimsy at all. Even the plastic feels like good plastic.

All removable items, such as the plush ear pads and microphone, can be easily removed without feeling like they might break. As a bonus, the earpads and microphones return to their original positions easily, so you don't feel as if you're being forced into them. The microphone in particular has an excellent magnetic hold and can be replaced with an equally easy-to-use cover when not in use.

This last point was actually a bigger problem than I expected. This is because the sound of these headphones is really good. Even for music. As a set of wireless headphones, they are satisfactory for non-gaming applications. They have good range and sound quality, and can be turned up loud without compromising sound quality. The controls on the side allow for fine grained changes, and I found myself picking up subtle little sounds that I might otherwise miss in music. I make and mix music for my ambient sci-fi radio show podcast, Blockbuster Station, on my iPad, and I noticed a similar effect when I listened to my music via Bluetooth with these headphones.

The headset is light enough to be comfortable for long gaming sessions and commutes. It's perfect for public transportation, and not having a large microphone hanging off the side is a big plus. Since these are expensive headphones, the fact that they can be used for purposes other than gaming will be a big help in sales. As an excellent all-rounder, you can't beat these.

The cups fit snugly in the ears and block out sound well, although they may be too snug for some people. The active noise canceling feature provides a slight boost in bass. However, enabling it will drain the battery faster.

As for gaming, the sound quality continues to be quite impressive. Music during games sounds especially good compared to other gaming headsets. Again, I noticed a smaller touch of sound through this headset than other pairs I have tried.

Game sounds such as footsteps and gunshots were also very satisfactory, and I found it easy to locate objects based on the sound information available from the headset. The software allows you to switch between 2.0 and 7.1 sound depending on the situation, and you can also change the decibels for each frequency. I only really tried this aspect to get a feel for this review. Everything sounded great to me without any fine-tuning, but for those who need the additional calibration, it would be welcomed.

Wireless connectivity is another big advantage of the Epos H3Pro Hybrid, with Bluetooth support allowing native connection to many devices, and a dongle for PC gaming is included. It also comes with a dongle for PC gaming and can be connected to a gaming console controller with a cable. My house is fairly small, but I have yet to get out of range, which I can't say for all the wireless headsets I've tried. When connected to a phone and PC, the same headset automatically switches to the phone when the phone rings, even if you are playing a game with full range sound. I will not answer that, but it is just another nice bit of functionality in the arsenal.

The microphone is probably the only real drawback in the hardware, and it's really not even bad, just standard for a very course headset mic. It is more than clear enough for calls and game chats, and streaming is no problem. I also turned on Nvidia's RTX Voice for air conditioning and tried it out. The audience could hear me perfectly well, but the sound lacked fullness and sounded a bit tinny. You could tell it was the headset's microphone by the sound quality, but not enough to creep me out physically. If you already have a dedicated microphone, you may have something better than what this headset offers, but it will still serve your gaming and calling needs well.

The real kicker for this headset is the price, and $279 for a gaming headset is no small savings. Because it is so versatile, one could argue that this headset is more than one headset. I have been able to use this headset with just about every piece of kit I have tried, and each time it has worked well. As a one-stop solution that does an excellent job, this headset will make the price a little easier to swallow for any job.

If you have the money and are looking for the best wireless all-rounder that offers excellent sound quality for listening to music, the Epos H3Pro Hybrid is a really smart choice.