Word about the $80 GameCom 780 drew many eyes and ears at CES 2012, including our own. The build quality and styling of the 780 take a refreshing departure from Plantronics headsets of old, and the support for Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound makes them an even more tantalizing piece of fragging equipment.

The Plantronics GameCom 780 headset with Dolby technologies transforms standard audio into a stunning 7.1 surround sound experience. The noise-cancelling 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 tight 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 eat cushions and headband let you stay in the game for as long as it takes.

• Dolby Headphone and Pro Logic IIx technologies transform standard audio into a stunning 7.1 surround sound experience
• 40mm speakers pound out deep bass and immersive stereo sound
• Built-in spin-joints let the earpods lay flat for easy storage when you need to take a break
• Noise-cancelling 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 and joints mean this USB headset will be around for all your battles
• Ultra-comfortable ear cushions and headband make the GameCom 780 perfect for gamine, and great for watching videos, listening to music, and making PC voice calls

It goes without saying that the GameCom 780 is a fantastic looking headset. A glossy headband and mic keep up appearances – attracting envious eyes but not too many fingerprints as many glossy surfaces are known to do. Exposed cables and a wire framing gives these cans some aviation-inspired flare. We really dig the red accenting that graces the sides of the 780 and extends all the way down the generous 6.5 ft of USB cable. The USB cable is covered in a soft rubber which lends a bit of added rigidity and minimizes the risk of tangling. The joints and hinges are extremely robust improvements over those found on the GameCom 367, 377 and 777. Despite our best efforts to contort the headset, we didn’t notice any worrisome flexing, wobble, or creaking. All plastics are of high quality and mesh together nicely. The earcups are designed to swivel so they lay flat for storage or transporation, and much to our delight, the swivel mechanism has a very well-crafted friction fit.  The swivel has plenty of resistance, and clicks satisfyingly into place. While swiveling and folding mechanisms usually have adverse effects on the durability of a headset, Plantronics execution on the 780 is reassuringly solid. A prime example of incorporating a somewhat-novel feature at the cost of durability is the Turtle Beach X-52s, which have broken in more ways than one during normal usage due to a poorly designed folding system. The GameCom 780s don’t leave us worrying, plain and simple. Plantronics has opted to cover the ear cushions and headband with a plushy velour as opposed to the very common leatherette material. This makes the 780’s uber-comfortable to wear at the cost of less-than-optimal sound isolation. There’s also the issue of hygiene, as these cushions will absorb sweat, but then again, they breathe far better, so you should perspire less.

The 135˚ rotation of the microphone can accommodate those who prefer to just use the microphone during voice chats and leave the headband resting around their neck. Controls for activating the headset’s Dolby enhancements, adjusting volume, and toggling the microphone are all located on the bottom and sides of the left cup for easy access. We’ve seen this same implementation on the highly popular Logitech G35s and appreciate not having to take our eyes off the screen. While the Dolby and mic toggles felt sturdy, the volume jogger feels a bit more “squishy.” The rocker operation is accompanied by audible feedback, which has separate tones that beep incrementally for volume-up and volume-down.

The much-touted Dolby 7.1 virtual surround sound and Pro Logic IIx transported us to another world at the push of a single button. Our sense of awareness within a fast-paced game of Battlefield 3 increased tenfold. Thanks to the open earcups, you get the impression that sound is emanating from sources in an open-air environment rather than being forcefully directed at your ear canal. This is generally something that will sound different at first, but it has really grown on us and has a very natural sound to it. The sound is overall quite balanced, and no aspect of the reproduction overpowers the others. The bass frequencies aren’t particularly heavy, but there is enough to enjoy bass-heavy music, or savor the explosions of the rocket you sent hurling at an enemy vehicle. At no point did we feel the urge to turn these speakers up to 11 to savor the gritty ambiance of the war zone, as it rang through clear at even low volumes.

Surround sound tests and in-game testing showed that the virtual surround offered by the Dolby Digital 7.1 processing was very accurate, and was honestly a bit surprising given that it’s not a true surround headset, as all of the sound is generated by a single driver. We also didn’t have software fighting over the sound processing, which we’ve run into in the past, so the GameCom software overlays and plays nicely with the rest of our setup.

Listening to music and movies is also a pleasure thanks to 40mm drivers that deliver great performance across a range of genres and also deliver decent bass. One thing to note if you plan on using these for frequent music-listening, the open backs do allow quite a bit of sound leakage, so those around you will be quite aware what you’re listening to. Just as we observed in games, switching the Dolby surround on and off is a night and day difference in terms of clarity and immersion. After treating ourselves to a hard-hitting appetizer of Skrillex’s Kyoto, a main course of scenes from The Pacific, and washing it all down with some exhaust notes, our ears were thoroughly satisfied. Users who like to fine tune their cans may be disappointed by the lack of a graphic equalizer or other audio and microphone controls. Controls for the 780 that reside in the task bar are limited to gaming and music-optimized modes, but a greater degree of adjustment can be found in the Windows sound control panel.  More robust software support is something we’d like to see from Plantronics as it would really allow the GameCom 780s to stand up to the similarly-spec’d (but higher priced) Logitech G35s.

Performance over TeamSpeak was more than sufficient. Noise cancellation tech did a great job of giving our voices authority over ambient noise and ignoring our breathing. Skype calls came through loud and clear on both PC and Mac. Microphone muting and volume controls worked like a charm on a MacBook Pro, however the 780 was stripped of its surround sound powers as GameCom software was not available for processing.

The combination of Dolby technology, lightweight construction, and plush cushioning of the GameCom 780 all adds up to less claustrophobic gaming sessions than we have experienced with other headsets. Visual styling and performance like this should not go unnoticed, especially at a price point of $80. Plantronics also offers the Dolby and USB free GameCom 380 for $30. An extremely reasonable buy for this level of build quality. Comparable Dolby 7.1 headsets like the Logitech G35 and Corsair Vengance 1500 retail for $99 and $129 respectively. Plantronics has aggressively positioned the GameCom 780s at the $80 price point, and we can really see this product competing with higher end headsets like the Logitech G35 if Plantronics were to add software support. To put it plainly, the GameCom 780 delivers with no nonsense and no compromises in durability.  We really like the direction Plantronics is taking with this new breed of headsets and look forward to seeing what’s down the road. We will be diving into our Blu-Ray collection to pass the time.

Pros

• Rare aviation-inspired styling
• Bulletproof durability without neck-punishing weight
• Dolby tech and 40mm drivers shatter your expectations, not your eardrums
• Velour cushions are comfortable and airy
• Highly competitive price of $80

Cons

• Lack of graphic equalizer and other audio/mic options
• Ear cushions and open cups do not isolate particularly well