Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB Headset Review

Introduction & Specification

Rumble pads, on my head?

Gamdias have been around a few years, with headsets, mice and keyboards being their mainstay. This is the first product I will be reviewing from Gamdias, so I don’t have a reference for past quality, but they are generally well received.

Today I have the Gamdias Hebe M1 RGB VIrtual 7.1 Gaming Headset rearranging my hairdo amongst other things.

Before we go any further I will do something predictable and have a run down of the specifications.

Specifications

• Sensitivity – 119±3dB
• Impedance – 32 Ohm ± 15%
• Driver Diameter – 50mm
• Driver Magnet – NdFeB
• Microphone Size – Φ6*5mm
• Microphone Sensitivity –   -40dB±3dB
• Microphone Pickup Pattern – Unidirectional
• Vibration Unit Size – 30mm
• Cable Length – 2m
• Plug Type – Gold plated USB
• Dimensions (LxWxH) – 188 x 104 x 230 mm
• Application UI – Hera Software

A Closer Look

Presented in a cardboard and plastic moulded packaging, there is plenty of information along with a hint of the chunky looking headset inside. RGB of course, 50mm drivers, big earcups, flexible mic, in line controller, vibration pads and software, this headset comes with a heap of features, more on those later.

On the back we get much of the same information with some other languages thrown in, the box design is good especially if you are out in the world of retail having a look at headsets, just as long as they let you try them on.

Well the box contents after such a feature filled outer design is… the headset. I am not complaining here, extra bits like carry cases and stickers are nice but at least you know that the design and marketing team haven’t had their focus taken away from the product. Time for an even closer look.

Its a smart looking and quite chunky design, featuring that comfortable headband design that I am so fond of, Gamdias won’t lose any points there, I feel this design is just about optimum for bringing a comfortable experience to the majority of users. The driver cushions are very soft with a nice p-leather finish, sturdy metal hoops holding it all together, pretty good first a ?.

The left hand view gives us a look at the outside of the earcups, the Hebe M1 logo not too big and in your face, the RGB area is quite a nice design, we shall see this lit up later on. I am a little concerned that the microphone doesn’t pull out very far, we shall see what effect this has on the headset’s comms capabilities.

The right hand side is much like the left, just without a mic and input cable. Those plastic clips bracing the metal hoops look a little weak, I shall refrain from twisting this headset around too much.

Moving down the braided and plastic coated wire we get to the in line controller. I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I find this looking clunky maybe bigger than it needs to be, up and down buttons for volume, a light button for the RGB, Mic Mute and Vibration on/off functions give the controller a lot of erm, control.

Lets plug the Gamdias Hebe M1 in and see what’s going on with all these features.

Well I am going to leave the RGB switched on, I think it looks great, now you all get to agree with me right? The RGB cycles through what appears to be an 8 colour palette which is plenty really, I don’t see any custom illumination options in the software so the standard glow is what we get.

Software

So after installing not just the Hera software but an audio driver available from the Gamdias Website link we are met with lots of configurations. The main screen alone has system input options along with control for the virtual 7.1. surround which lets you manipulate the DSP and virtual room position, clever stuff.

There are stacks of audio configuration options; after a comprehensive equializer, we have lots of environment settings, with room size through to all those effects you used to get with sound cards such as Auditorium , Bathroom to the more crazy Sewer Pipe and Dizzy options, great if you feel like listening to some of your songs like they are in concert. Further options give us vocal manipulation settings, which could be fun playing with friends and messing around with your voice. Finally there is an update/support area for firmware and links to websites.

This offers a a big bunch of customisation that you don’t see that often these days.

Performance & Testing

So this big headset feels fairly well built, the headset clamping effect is fairly strong however the soft oversize earpads make sure it doesn’t hurt any part of my ears. The in line controller is at a reasonable distance and easy to get hold of for adjustments. Comfort is very good overall with the auto adjusting headband taking away any strain from the top of the head.

Audio Performance Music

Getting some of my favourite tunes going on the Gamdias Hebe M1, I was initially shocked with how loud the headset is out of the box, compounded further by the vibration pads giving my noggin a good old shake around. Taming this the bass is incredibly powerful, disabling the rumblepads tames this back to proper headphone levels. The sound quality is nothing short of excellent, are we sure these headphones aren’t more expensive? I can’t find anywhere in my listening ranges that the headset doesn’t handle just about spot on, this is leaving all effects off and a flat EQ, so even if your particular music needed any adjustment we have an excellent starting point and the tools to tweak it. Ghetto funk is really gripping me lately offering some glitch hop style bass and brass instruments being cut through by vocals going back to the 40’s. Everything is reproduced easily as good as my more expensive daily drivers. These could certainly be a best buy right now, time to see if they can handle the games and comms.

Audio Performance Gaming

Rumble on or off, this headset is a powerful beast, the 50mm drivers are more than enough to reproduce effects, the rumble pads do add to immersion, these would go well with a VR setup providing they fit around the head unit. I found leaving virtual 7.1 off was best for me in games, as I was still able to place footsteps in PUBG and CS:GO without any further assistance. Driving in Project Cars has a rewarding grunt from the car engines, very pleased with the audio performance again. Comms was also a joy, many of my friends remarking how good the microphone sounds in Discord and Teamspeak, very clear with minimal background noise, that puts to rest my concerns with the length of the microphone stalk. It seems having the pickup in the very end of the mic rather than around the cylinder pays off. Take note headset manufacturers, I don’t even think this one needs a pop filter although one would reduce background noise a little.

Throughout all my audio testing I found I didn’t need to play around with the software, this is the result of a well specced headset, adding all those options is just a big bonus.

Conclusion

So Gamdias have pretty much blown me away with the Hebe M1, without resorting to including lots of little bits n bobs in the package, the focus has remained on the performance of the headset and downloadable software. The price point is very well placed.

Performance

The audio quality from the 50mm drivers is hands down the best I have heard at this price point in a gaming headset, it puts out all the frequencies I expect from my music collection along with plenty of effects in games, the rumble pads adding to the experience, some may find them a gimmick, if so turn them off and let the headset speak for itself.

Design

The look of the headset is quite bulky and it’s appearance may not appeal to everyone, but I feel it is well designed and a solid build. There are a couple of weak spots so it won’t handle lots of twisting or throwing around that many other headsets have been designed to withstand, but for the vast majority of us, it will stand the test of time. The RGB isn’t garish and can be switched off. The in line controller is the only thing I would like to see tidied up. The cable may have a bit of overkill when it comes to the plastic coating on top of the braiding but it works, if a little stiff.

Value

So at the time of writing, the Gamdias Hebe M1 hangs around the £50 mark. You are getting a lot of headset and software for your money, such good sound and microphone quality is rarely seen south of £100. This headset has to be tried if you get the opportunity when shopping for your next gaming headgear.

Final Thoughts

Well I may seem to be gushing about the Gamdias Hebe M1, but I can honestly say, if I were in the market for a new headset myself, I would pick this up in a heartbeat. This kind of audio performance is not normally available at the £50 point, in fact for me to find a better headset I am going upwards of £100. Of course if you want a more understated design, less weight and all this audio goodness you are going to have to spend more. The Hebe M1 build quality is very good and the software brings options and tweaks galore.

So with that I am going to grant the Gamdias Hebe M1 both the Value and Platinum awards for such a great performance at an excellent price. I shall be keeping an eye on Gamdias, five stars across the board.