SPC Gear Viro Plus Gaming Headset in test: Affordable and still good?

SilentiumPC, or rather the house brand SPC Gear, now also makes headsets. Viro and Viro Plus are the names of the Polish company’s two debut products, and we’re taking a closer look at the latter today in a test.

The Viro Plus is an ordinary over-ear headset with a detachable microphone, which is (also) aimed at gamers. As usual, SilentiumPC advertises a high playback and recording quality and a high wearing comfort. Furthermore, the Viro Plus can not only be connected via jack, but also via an included USB adapter. This is also the only difference to the normal Viro headset, which is delivered without it. Apart from that, the technical data of both headsets are identical.

Whether the SPC Gear Viro Plus can keep the promises made for the price of 55 euros (current: Price not available *), and where the strengths and weaknesses of the new headset lie, we will clarify in the following test report.

Technical details

Scope of delivery

In addition to the headset itself SilentiumPC also supplies various accessories. For the connection to jack sockets there are two four-pin jack cables with 1.2 and 2.7 meters length, for the connection to the PC a splitter is included, and for the connection to a USB interface there is a suitable sound card. In addition, a manual and a silicone cap are included in the scope of delivery, which can be used to close the microphone connection on the headset.

Design & workmanship

No major surprises await you when setting up the SPC Gear Viro Plus, as it is similar to that of many modern headsets. The two ear cups are suspended on two metal arms and can be tilted within a limited range. The two halves are connected by a leatherette-covered headband with height adjustment, which SPC Gear has stitched with a distinctive seam and the manufacturer’s logo.

Imitation leather is also used on the ear pads to cover the soft foam. The “shell” of the earcups is made of matt black plastic, while SPC Gear has added metal trim elements to the two outer sides. The latter has a brushed look and again contains the manufacturer’s logo, which is slightly darker than the rest of the metal. A similar concept is used for the USB sound card: Here too, there is a metal plate on one side for decoration.

Cable sleeves are used throughout for the Viro Plus connection cables. The cable remote controls, which are mounted about 30 cm from the connection, are again made of matt black plastic.

Optically, the headset is thus well-designed overall, at least in our eyes. The enhancement of the design by the metal elements gives the Viro Plus a noble look, just like the simple integration of the logo. The quality of workmanship is also not much to criticize: Although the gap dimensions are not absolutely perfect for the headset and accessories, they are definitely sufficient for the price range. Only for the cable remote controls we would have wished for a better microphone button, because it has a noticeable play on both cables. This somewhat diminishes the otherwise good impression.

Wear comfort

The thick padding of the SPC Gear Viro Plus, combined with the fine height adjustment and the inclinable ear cups, makes it very comfortable to wear. In the test, the headphones didn’t seem too heavy to us, and the contact pressure is also pleasant. In addition, the Viro Plus always sit firmly and without have no excessive heat development. But of course you still have to expect “warm ears” due to the closed design – those who are very susceptible here have to go for a (semi-)open design.

Recording and playback quality

Of course, the core discipline, the sound quality, is also important. This is where the SPC Gear Viro Plus, connected via the jack plug, performs well. In view of the low price and the extensive and correspondingly expensive accessories, one should naturally not expect miracles, but nevertheless the Viro Plus can also hold its own quite well in terms of sound quality.

The headset’s bass is in the usual range: from about 50 Hertz on, the sound becomes clearly audible. A “real” low bass is therefore not available, but for normal music and playing pleasure the covered range is without problems sufficient. The Viro Plus also performs well in the mids and highs, even though there are of course limits to the tonal details and subtleties due to the price. The Viro Plus is simply on par with most headsets in the same price range – maybe even a bit higher.

The Viro Plus is also convincing in terms of microphone quality. In our tests the voice was recorded clearly and without background noise. The headset is therefore well equipped for everyday voice chat use.

Software & USB-Audio

In contrast to the Viro, the Viro Plus comes with a USB sound card that can be used to connect the headset. There is also a suitable software for this.

The tool is quickly downloaded and installed. Afterwards you can use it to configure an equalizer and adjust the volume of the microphone. In addition, the software offers a software 3D effect as well as a virtual 7.1 sound, where you can freely place the individual speakers. As with other headsets, we would describe these two functions as nice gadgets.

In terms of sound, the USB sound card performs well: The built-in DAC can work loud enough and controls the headphones without distortion. Of course, you can’t compare it to a high-priced solution from the retail trade, but after all, these often cost as much as the entire headset. As a partner device for the Viro Plus, we therefore consider the sound card that comes with the Viro Plus to be a very good success.

Conclusion

We’ve had a good look at the Viro Plus and are quite satisfied with the debut of SPC Gear. For a price of currently Price not available *(test date: 55 €) you get a full-fledged headset, which can stand out from the crowd especially by the choice of materials and the extensive accessories.

The metal elements used give the Viro Plus a high-quality look, and the quality of workmanship is definitely commensurate with its price range. The same applies to the playback and recording quality, which can cover all the usual requirements. Also special in this price range are the inserts in the form of the carrying case, the USB sound card and the second, sheathed connection cable.

The bottom line is that we would recommend the Viro Plus for all those who have not yet been “spoiled” by a much higher priced headset. The slight tonal deficits caused by the low price are then of no consequence. In this case you get a low-cost and well-equipped solution without major criticism.