The Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X is a more understated version of the already-sleek PC 373D, swapping out the latter’s red highlights for a simple but appealing all-black design that will fit into any setup. Sennheiser’s signature open-back ear-cup design allows for massive sound, but at the expense of some audio bleed. Instead of being cluttered with knobs and buttons, the PC37X has a subtle volume dial on the right ear cup and a long, bendable microphone on the left that can be flipped up to mute the sound. Sennheiser removed the PC 373D’s virtual 7.1 surround sound from the PC37X while adding the angled sound drivers found in the company’s high-end HD598 and HD600 headphones because most modern games now have their own built-in sound processing. As a result, the headset consistently sounds great without any tinkering, which may turn off control freaks who prefer customized settings. The PC37X was an excellent companion for Overwatch, a team-based shooter in which hearing the enemy approaching is critical. The headset’s impressive clarity and directionality allowed me to easily identify the other team’s footsteps and gunfire sounds, which was critical during a tense 3-on-3 elimination match. Mortal Kombat X has some of the most brutal sound design of any fighting game, and the PC37X preserved every last drop of it. Punches and kicks had a beefy sense of impact, and the game’s flesh-ripping fatalities were so crisp that it made me wince. Given that the PC37X is a Sennheiser product, it’s no surprise that it makes an excellent pair of music headphones. The Doom soundtrack’s crunchy guitar riffs and menacing double-bass drum beats were faithfully reproduced by the headset. The microphone on the PC37X has excellent clarity and noise cancellation. More impressively, the 37X’s mic almost completely drowned out the chatter of two colleagues sitting directly behind me. The PC37X comes with a 10-foot removable cable with 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks, making it suitable for almost any PC setup. To use the 37X properly on a console, you can get an adapter that condenses the two wires into a single jack, or you can swap out the entire cable for a standard, 3.5mm audio cord, which can be found for a few dollars.
