We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a cat-ear gaming headset with a retractable noise-cancelling mic and 50mm drivers for PC, PS4, PS5 and Switch, choose SOMIC GS510; if you need a solid American walnut desk stand that cradles your over-ear headphones and doubles as a controller and gear organizer, choose LOXP Walnut Headphone.
• SOMIC GS510 — biggest strength: a complete wired gaming headset package — cat-ear styling, detachable magnetic speaker tags, a 50mm dynamic driver, an omnidirectional retractable mic and a 3.5mm plug that covers PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, laptops and even iPads and iPhones.
• SOMIC GS510 — biggest trade-off: it's wired, the LED lighting only works on a device with a USB port, the light color can't be changed, and older Xbox One controllers still need a separate Microsoft adapter that isn't included.
• LOXP Walnut Headphone — biggest strength: a 2-in-1 walnut headphone stand and controller holder with an arched cradle designed to prevent headband dents and earcup flattening, plus a wide base tray for controllers, phones, AirPods, cables and drives.
• LOXP Walnut Headphone — biggest trade-off: it makes no sound at all. It's furniture for your desk, not audio gear, and you have to assemble it yourself (though it's meant to take under five minutes).
• Pick SOMIC GS510 if you want one purchase that gets you gaming audio and voice chat.
• Pick LOXP Walnut Headphone if you already own a headset and want it off your desk, protected and organized.
The GS510 is a gaming headset first and a style statement second — though the cat-ear earcups and the pink finish make it clear which one it leads with visually. Under the shell it's a standard wired over-ear: a 50mm dynamic driver, 32 ohm impedance, and a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. That's a mainstream spec set, which in practice means it's easy to drive from a controller, a laptop or a phone jack without needing a separate amp.
The microphone is the part that matters most in multiplayer. It's an omnidirectional retractable mic that's positioned to reduce background noise and keep your voice clear to teammates. In my opinion, a retractable boom is genuinely useful here — you can pull it out for a raid and tuck it away when you're just listening to music or sitting on a call. Volume and mic mute live on the ear cup, so you don't have to alt-tab or reach for a controller menu mid-match.
Comfort is handled with protein foam ear cushions and breathable pads, and SOMIC positions the set for long sessions. It ships as a full kit: the headset, four speaker tags (two pairs, magnetic and swappable), a splitter cable, and a manual. The tags are a small thing but they're the reason the headset doesn't look identical every day.
LOXP Walnut Headphone: Who It's For
The LOXP is a different category of product entirely, and it's worth being blunt about that. It's a desktop stand: American walnut with aluminium posts, built as a 2-in-1 headphone holder and gaming controller holder. If you're expecting audio, you're looking at the wrong item.
What it does well is solve a specific desk problem. Over-ear headphones are awkward to store. Hanging them on a narrow metal hook concentrates pressure on one spot on the headband, which over time can leave a dent, and it can flatten the earcups. The LOXP's arched top cradle spreads the weight across the band instead, which is the single most sensible design decision here. It's rated to fit most over-ear models, and LOXP lists AirPods Max, Bose, Sony, Sennheiser and Razer among them.
The base is the second half of the idea. A wide walnut tray with a low-profile rim holds a PS5 or Xbox controller, a phone, AirPods, cables, USB drives or a wallet — the stuff that otherwise migrates across a desk. For anyone running a small desk or a shared gaming and work setup, that consolidation is the real value. LOXP also lists compatibility with Xbox, PS5, Switch controllers, Beats, AKG, HyperX and HiFiMan gear.
Assembly is tool-included and designed to take under five minutes, and the finish is solid wood, so the grain varies piece to piece — no two look identical. It's covered by a 2-year manufacturer warranty.
Buy it if you own a decent pair of over-ear headphones and want them displayed, protected and out of the way, or if your controller never has a home. Skip it if you don't own over-ear headphones, if your desk is already organized, or if you're looking for anything that produces sound. Also note the color is listed as black with a metal and wood build — if you wanted an all-wood look, check the listing imagery rather than assuming.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for actually hearing the game → SOMIC GS510. It's the only one of the two with drivers, a mic and a 3.5mm connection.
• Best for desk organization → LOXP Walnut Headphone. The storage tray and controller holder are the entire point.
• Best for protecting an expensive headset → LOXP Walnut Headphone. The curved cradle is designed to avoid headband dents and earcup flattening that narrow hooks can cause.
• Best for multi-platform gaming → SOMIC GS510. It works across Xbox One, Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, laptop, iPad and iPhone via 3.5mm — with the adapter caveat for older Xbox One controllers.
• Best for a quick setup with no assembly → SOMIC GS510. Plug in and play; the LOXP needs a few minutes with the included hardware.
• Best for a gift with visual personality → SOMIC GS510. Cat ears, pink finish, four swappable magnetic speaker tags and a white breathing LED.
• Best for a gift for the gamer who already has everything → LOXP Walnut Headphone. It's the upgrade to a setup that already works.
If you're choosing one, I'd buy the SOMIC GS510. Here's my reasoning: it's the product that does something. It gives you audio, a microphone, cross-platform compatibility and a distinctive look in a single purchase, and the retractable mic plus inline controls cover the parts of gaming you actually notice. The LOXP is a genuinely well-considered piece of desk furniture — the arched cradle and the walnut tray are smart design — but it only makes sense as a second purchase, after you already own headphones worth resting on it. Buy the GS510 to play. Buy the LOXP when your desk, not your ears, is the problem.
FAQ
are in ear headphones good for gaming
do over ear headphones damage hearing
The risk with any headphone comes from volume and listening duration, not from the over-ear shape itself. The GS510 is a wired, 32 ohm, 20 Hz–20 kHz set with on-ear volume control, so you can keep levels where you want them — the practical advice is simply to listen at moderate volume and take breaks.
how do over ear headphones work
They use drivers inside ear cups that sit around your ears rather than inside them. The GS510 uses a 50mm dynamic driver per side, which moves air to produce sound across its 20 Hz to 20 kHz range, and the enclosed cups provide sound isolation.
is gaming headphones good for music
It depends on the tuning, but there's no reason a gaming headset can't handle music. SOMIC lists the GS510's style as both "play gaming" and "listen to music," and its 20 Hz–20 kHz range covers the full span of typical music playback, so it works as a general-purpose wired headphone too.
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