Performance
For my testing, I’m really sticking with the PC. For one, I lack a PlayStation, and two, I want to have full control over the iCUE software and the Dolby Atmos side of things. One thing that really makes these headphones sound great is the extended range, and while this won’t really impact your old MP3s or the occasional bit of YouTube, watching movies or listening to music with higher resolution audio tracks is noticeably different. There’s just more range in general, and the clarity on the treble, no matter how manic the low-end gets, is really impressive. Devin Townsend’s Deconstruction is a real meat grinder in terms of dynamics, but the HS80 just munched through it without falter.
The bass response is very fast and has a great attack to it. Fast-paced drums, loud gunfire, things that that, all sound really crisp and detailed. You don’t really know how muddy bass sounds on many headsets until you hear a headset that gets it right. Now, I’ll admit, it doesn’t have the same low-end punch as my Creative SXFI Theater headphones, but they use a leather earpad. While I admit the comfort is king on this Corsair headset, I would like some leather pads on it or included in the box so I can choose. The soundscape is huge though, helped by Dolby Atmos Headphone processing, which you don’t need to purchase, as this headset will activate the software; awesome! It works flawlessly too, the directional audio is superb. Listening to the subtle ambient echo in the regeneration scene of The Fifth Element sounded as good as it goes on my home cinema atmos setup.
The microphone is top-tier too, and as Corsair say, it’s “broadcast quality”, which is to say it has a better dynamic range than most of its rivals. I don’t think it sounds quite as crisp as the Virtuoso microphone, but it’s far better than the usual bog-standard ones most brands use. If you’re doing a lot of chatter on Discord, or even Teams, the listeners will appreciate it. However, it’s also going to work well for those doing live streams, Twitch, etc.
Overall, I think this is just about the best sounding headset Corsair has done. I know the Virtuoso had higher spec, but the overall fit, comfort and tuning sound much better on this, in my opinion. Plus, I think Corsair has the best desktop software to date, and iCUE has continued to evolve for the better, making everything from RGB settings to EQ a breeze.
What I do love is that the headset gives me clear feedback on my settings “mic on” or “mic off” when it’s folded up/down. That can be turned on/off, but for changing things like Mic monitoring, it’s actually really helpful.
Changing the EQ can have very dramatic effects with this headset, so I suggest tinkering with it at a lower volume, as +12dB is a lot, it made me jump switching from Bass Boost to Movie Theater, that’s for sure. Regardless, it’s easy to do, and you can cycle through them by tapping the power button on the headset too.
The RGB can be adjusted or turned off, but it’s only the little Corsair Logo on the drivers. It’ll sync with other iCUE hardware too, if you desire.
