The lightweight configuration of over-ear headphones is one of the designs that have been favored by users in recent years, especially peripheral equipment with e-sports as the main axis. After all, a competitive game takes a few minutes to several hours. It belongs to the game of agricultural clothing and treasure, and it is necessary to wait beside the computer all the time, just to make a magic costume. In order to show better sound quality, the early gaming headsets are usually larger in size and heavier in weight. Long-term use puts a great burden on the head and ears. With the improvement of material technology and the optimization of built-in software, the current gaming headsets have been able to find the best balance between comfort and sound quality.
Corsair has also launched a lot of lightweight peripherals in recent years, such as the KATA PRO series of mice (the new KATAR ELITE WIRELESS will be launched recently) and the ultra-thin flagship wireless keyboard of the K100 AIR WIRELESS. The HS55 series of headsets currently launch two wireless HS55 WIRELESS CORE gaming headsets and the HS55 Surround, which will be unpacked this time. The main focus is on lightweight over-ear gaming headsets, while the HS55 Surround has no convenience in terms of convenience. Wireless is so convenient, but with a USB adapter, you can enjoy virtual 7.1 surround sound, so how to choose depends on the user’s own needs.
▲The outer box is CORSAIR’s classic yellow and black color scheme. Every time I see it, I will think of Cyberpunk2077 unconsciously. The front and back are marked with product features, including a 50mm single-drive, reversible and mute omnidirectional microphone, lightweight structure design and Memory foam earmuffs, support Dolby sound and get discord certification, HS55 Surround comes in two colors, this time the unpacked product is white
▲ Specifications of HS55 Surround
▲The inner box is made of environmentally friendly paper, and the headphone body is protected by a plastic cover
▲Instructions and guidebooks
▲ The body of the HS55 Surround headset is white and gray, and the overall appearance is a low-key matte white. The gray is used as an embellishment with a shiny hair texture. The atmosphere with a little metallic texture makes the overall color matching more advanced, and the shiny parts have Film protection to prevent scratches
▲The outer side of the head wears the CORSARI logo, and the inner head pad is quite soft
▲Provide ten height adjustments to match the head shape you are wearing, and the bracket is also made of a more durable metal material
▲The rotating shaft provides a 90-degree change, which is easier to store or place on the desktop
▲With a 15-degree forward tilt, it can better fit the ears and side face
▲The earmuffs with memory foam pads are soft and elastic, and the omentum in the middle can prevent foreign objects or dust from entering
▲The microphone is a material that can be bent, and it will become mute after being stored upwards
▲The scroll wheel key controls the volume, slide backward to increase the volume, and swipe forward to decrease the volume
▲The headphone cable is a 3.5mm gold-plated connector, which can be used in mobile devices and game consoles and other equipment
▲The surround sound effect can be turned on by connecting it to the computer through the additional virtual 7.1 surround sound USB adapter
▲The weight is quite light, the weight without wires is less than 250g
▲ The HS55 Surround is really light to wear. Although the top pad is not memory foam, it does not feel a burden on the part touching the top of the head because of its light weight. The upper can be tilted forward at an angle of about 15 degrees, which can completely cover the entire ear. Even if you wear thick-frame glasses for a long time, there will be no pressure.
▲iCUE is a dedicated software for CORSAIR peripherals. I have to say that this software is really a super bonus. Whether it is lighting effect control or detail settings, the compatibility is very high. Supported hardware devices and monitoring charts will appear on the home page. The upper left corner can operate the hardware lighting effect. If there is a synchronous operation of the hardware, there will be a special effect sign on the top, and the switching speed of the lighting effect is not only fast but also very smooth.
▲HS55 Surround supports Nvidia’s broadcast technology, but there are restrictions on display cards above RTX2060.
▲The equalizer page is also the most important page for adjusting parameters. There are five preset EQ configurations, including pure, cinema, clear FPS and subwoofer mode, which is considered intimate for users to directly apply in various situations, such as movies The scene will especially increase the midrange to highlight the human voice, while the FPS competitive game will strengthen the treble part to increase the sense of space, and it is more recognizable for the clarity of the sound in the distance. In addition to the preset mode, you can also customize your favorite. EQ save file backup
▲HS55 Surround can turn on the virtual 7.1 surround sound effect through the USB adapter, which is the stereo button in the lower left corner. After clicking it, there will be a voice prompt Surround on, and the words Dolby Audio will appear. The echo of the surround sound effect will not be too heavy , when turned on, it will increase the extension and penetration of the sound, and the user will feel more immersive when watching movies or listening to music.
▲On the device page, you can increase the dB value of the microphone, up to 10. Because the voice prompt volume is very loud, you will be scared from time to time, so you can also turn off the voice prompt if you don’t want to use it.
▲Try to watch several video clips on YOUBUTE, including Transformers, Godzilla, Pacific Rim, and the recent super-red Avatar 2 trailer, etc., turn on surround sound and add movie mode, but the vocal and background sound effects There is a clear sense of alienation, and the fit seems to be a little weaker
▲Compared to the movie, the performance of the music is quite high, the high, medium and low frequencies are clearly displayed, the same is the ambient sound effect plus the movie mode, the vocals and the background sound are very close, the midrange vocals are warm and magnetic, no need to go special Adjust the bass mode to clearly feel the rhythm of the heavy bass
▲Try out the fighting game – Fight of Animals, there is no surround sound in clear mode, although it is a bit of a nonsensical fighting game, but the force of the punches to the flesh is still quite tense, whether it is the style of the punches and the big moves. The animations are quite shocking
▲ Trial shooting game – rebirth of gunfire, no surround sound in FPS mode, different from realistic shooting games, it has a cute cartoon appearance and a variety of weapons can be used, although there is no need to distinguish the enemy’s moving footsteps, However, it is very important to judge the strength of the weapon from the sound of the opponent’s weapon, especially when the enemy’s burst weapon hits almost half of the life, and the HS55 Surround’s sound performance is really good
▲Try the shooting game – PUBG, a classic battle royale game. There is no surround sound in FPS mode. If you want to know whether a game headset is easy to use or not, then PUBG is definitely the first choice for standard testing. I can hear the whistling sound of the wind when landing, and the sound of footsteps moving after landing is very clear. I have tried to constantly turn the camera in the hail of bullets, and found that the direction of the enemy’s gunfire is quite clear, although the distance cannot be judged due to technical reasons. , but it can be judged whether the enemy is moving from the far mark of the gunshot position, so that the subtle state can be clearly presented in the game
▲In addition, PUBG also provides a variety of vehicles. The sound effects of each vehicle are different. Actions such as starting, accelerating, braking and turning can be fully presented. The most important thing is that even when driving The engine sound is very loud, and it will not affect the judgment of the enemy’s gunshot position
>>Trial experience and personal thoughts>>
The current market price of the Corsair HS55 Surround with Double 11 is only about NT$1,500. For gaming headsets, the price/performance ratio is really high. It is light and comfortable, and it will not burden the top of the head when worn for a long time. The earmuffs on both sides have Slightly tight, you can adjust the height to find the most suitable fit.
The sound quality of the game is quite high level. Using the exclusive FPS mode EQ, many sound details can be fully displayed, including the sound level and distance can be distinguished very finely. The 7.1 surround sound effect is very good when listening to music. The finishing touch, the faint but distant echo can extend the sense of space of the music and make the listening of the music more layered and rich.
The iCUE software has developed quite mature in terms of functions and operations, including lighting effects and monitoring, as well as detailed peripheral controls, and the interface is beautiful and smooth to use. For example, HS55 Surround can be set according to the user through the internal equalizer. The game environment can adjust the EQ mode at any time to improve the listening quality, which really adds a lot to Corsair’s peripheral equipment.