Concluding a review of the Sennheiser GSP 500 is impossible without mentioning the nearly identical GSP 600, which I declared as one of the best analogue gaming headsets money can buy. The same is true when it comes to the GSP 500. It's easy to understand why as the GSP 500 is simply a different flavor of the GSP 600. Instead of a traditional closed-back ear-cup design, it offers an open-back design and, as such, aims to fulfill the needs of users who prefer it. The importance of this headset is even higher when we take into consideration that the market offers only a handful of open-back gaming headsets. Most users who prefer this design end up buying a pair of hi-fi headphones and an external microphone, which generally costs more than what Sennheiser is asking for the GSP 500, especially if you're looking to match the quality of the GSP 500.

The Sennheiser GSP 500 is an exceptionally comfortable, flexible, and easily adjustable gaming headset. It offers a nice, large volume knob on the right ear cup, while the microphone mutes itself as soon as you pivot it upward. As far as volume and microphone controls go, this approach is as intuitive as it gets. It comes with an excellent microphone, one of the best I ever had a chance of testing on a gaming headset. It's good enough to be used for even the most demanding tasks, such as Twitch and YouTube streaming. Your teammates will love you for having a headset with a microphone of this quality.

All of that is great, but I still didn't get to the best aspect of the GSP 500—its sound quality. Based on my testing, it uses the same speaker drivers as the GSP 600, which is why they share the same, impressive level of detail, clarity, and overall warmth. However, as the GSP 500 is open-back, its bass is slightly more refined and natural simply because the sound waves have a way of escaping the ear cups instead of reflecting inside them. It's a true pleasure to listen to regardless of what you're using it for, and for most users, it will serve as a permanent replacement for a pair of hi-fi headphones.

If you have a dedicated room where nobody will bother you while you play games, listen to music, and watch movies, save up and get the GSP 500. It's a fantastic, nearly flawless gaming headset and quite possibly the best option for anyone looking for an open-back one-stop solution.