Review: COLO GCS: The World’s First
7.1.2Ch Speakers for PC

I’ve had a previous encounter with Cololight, back in 2024.  I wouldn’t exactly describe it as a love affair, but it was my first foray into the Smart Lighting niche. I live in quite a claustrophobic house and personal space is at a premium, so the enjoyment derived from a smart lighting arrangement was lost on me. However, when I came to learn of the innovative Colo GCS speaker system, my ears perked up.

GCS (I’m not sure what the GCS acronym stands for!) appears to be the company’s first attempt at breaking away from the LED lighting niche in which it has been a major player over recent years. Demonstrating that it isn’t a one-trick pony could be seen as a risky strategy for some businesses; however, Colo has created a truly innovative, well-designed product that is on point. In doing so, it has set a new benchmark for others to aspire to.

What is it?

The Cololight GCS speakers represent a bold and innovative approach to delivering immersive surround sound, specifically designed for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch gaming devices. Instead of traditional multi-speaker setups that clutter your room, the GCS is quite unique. The U-shaped array of 11 speakers straps directly onto the headrest of your gaming chair. This design aims to provide a personal and incredibly immersive audio experience, bridging the gap between headphones and conventional surround sound systems. The GCS promises a revolutionary audio encounter that could redefine how gamers and audiophiles perceive sound.

Design and Build Quality

The Cololight GCS boasts a sleek and futuristic design. The main unit is a substantial U-shaped structure housing the 11 speakers. These include seven primary channels strategically positioned for front, centre, and surround sound, a dedicated subwoofer for impactful bass, and two upward-firing overhead channels to create the 7.1.2 spatial audio experience. The build quality appears robust, designed to withstand being mounted on a gaming chair and potentially being bumped by neighbouring people and objects. While the GCS is designed to fit onto Racing Game Chairs, it works perfectly well on regular gaming chairs with high back/headrest supports. Handy instructions are provided in the box (see pic below). The unit attaches to the chair’s headrest using woven nylon straps. This raised my initial concern about long-term stability and potential for accidental contact when getting in and out of the chair. A wire also dangles down the back, which could be a snagging hazard depending on how constrained the gaming environment is and how emphatically the user is playing.

Performance and Sound Quality

The core promise of the Cololight GCS is its ability to deliver a truly immersive 7.1.2 surround sound experience directly to the user. I know that “immersive” is a common buzzword when it comes to reviews of speakers but the only alternative I can offer is “superlative”. The 11 speakers and integrated subwoofer work in unison to produce a rich, detailed, and encompassing soundscape. Imagine, for example, that you’re watching a movie or playing a game where the character is in a noisy environment. Maybe there are aircraft in the sky, a babbling brook, speeding vehicles on the road or an earthquake rumbling below your feet. The GCS delivers an experience that is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. The inclusion of dedicated overhead channels, which are literally a standout feature, adds a layer of verticality to the audio that is typically absent in standard headphone or soundbar setups. This creates an unbelievably realistic and three-dimensional sound field, allowing users to perceive sounds not just horizontally 360º but vertically too.

The GCS offers four distinct audio modes:

• Universal Mode: This mode balances the sound across all channels, making it suitable for general use, including gaming, music, and movies.
• FPS Mode: Tailored for first-person shooter games, this mode enhances crucial frequencies like footsteps while reducing low-frequency resonance. This gives players a significant competitive advantage by allowing them to pinpoint enemy locations with exceptional accuracy based on directional audio cues.
• Theatre Mode: This mode emphasises the centre and front channels, along with boosting bass frequencies, making it ideal for watching movies and delivering a more cinematic experience.
• Racing Mode: This mode elevates the sound of automotive pleasure. You can feel the thrills and spills of motor racing. Sensing approaching vehicles gives the user what I can best describe as a “Spidey-sense.”

The built-in subwoofer provides a palpable rumble that users can feel through their chair, adding another dimension to immersion, particularly in action-packed games and movies. While the bass is satisfying and enhances the overall experience, some hardcore bass enthusiasts might desire a more powerful low-end response. Given the price of the GCS, any user who isn’t satisfied with the sound quality, their options are limited to shelling out five figures for a dedicated racing chair.

Compatibility and Connectivity

The Cololight GCS offers broad compatibility, supporting PCs, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. However, to fully leverage the 7.1.2 surround sound capabilities, a connection via HDMI (ideally with eARC for uncompressed audio) is recommended. Bluetooth connectivity is also available, but it limits the audio output to a standard 2.1 channel setup, which does not do justice to the GCS’s potential. This limitation means that users wanting the full surround experience will need to ensure their devices and displays support HDMI audio output.

Unique Features and Advantages

The primary advantage of the Cololight GCS lies in its unique approach to delivering all-encompassing surround sound. By integrating multiple speakers directly into the gaming chair, it offers a personal and immersive audio bubble without the need for a dedicated room setup. This is particularly beneficial for users (like me) with limited space or those who prefer a more contained audio experience compared to traditional surround sound systems. The near-field speaker technology aims to surpass the soundstage performance of headphones while retaining the spaciousness of speakers. The patented V-shaped centre channel design is also noteworthy, engineered to create the illusion that sound is emanating directly from the screen, further enhancing the engaging experience.

Potential Drawbacks

Despite its innovative design and impressive audio performance, the Cololight GCS does have potential drawbacks. The $699 price point positions it as a premium product, potentially limiting its accessibility to a niche market of dedicated gamers and audiophiles. I found the volume levels, while generally decent, might not satisfy users who prefer to crank up the audio. The reliance on a wired connection for the full 7.1.2 experience (a prerequisite that I wasn’t initially aware of) could also be a limitation for some users who prefer wireless setups. Finally, the long-term comfort and stability of the chair-mounted design, as well as the potential for snagging the dangling cable, are practical considerations that users will need to assess based on their individual setup and usage habits. The aesthetic of the device, strapped to a gaming chair, might also be a subjective factor for some fussy users. However, considering that there are apparently no competitors in this market segment (at the time of writing this review), I’d be happy to forgo this minor quibble.

Conclusion

The Cololight GCS speakers offer a compelling and genuinely innovative solution for immersive gaming and entertainment audio. Its ability to deliver true 7.1.2 surround sound directly to the user via a chair-mounted system is a significant departure from traditional audio setups. The detailed and positional audio, particularly in FPS mode, offers a distinct advantage for gamers, while the Theatre mode enhances movie-watching experiences. While the premium price point and some potential practical considerations like wired connectivity and chair compatibility exist, the GCS presents a unique and space-efficient way to achieve a highly entertaining audio experience that truly puts the user at the centre of the action. For gamers and audiophiles seeking a cutting-edge audio solution that minimises clutter and maximises immersion, the Cololight GCS is undoubtedly a product worth considering. It successfully bridges the gap between the focused sound of headphones and the room-filling audio of traditional surround sound, creating a personal sonic environment that enhances gaming, movies, and music in a novel and exciting way.

Where to buy and cost

At present, the Colo GCS is available directly from Cololight. It is currently priced at a reduced $ 459 USD from the normal price of $ 699 USD.