The world of wireless sound is gaining momentum and it is also spreading to the field of gaming on personal computers – so we got to know Corsair’s HS80, a wireless headset set with a built-in microphone at a reasonable price
The manufacturer of hardware and peripherals Corsair has become in recent years a brand that is associated with every piece of computing equipment for gaming, more or less. The company’s product catalog continues to expand every year and recently launched quite a number of gaming headsets, some of which are also wireless.
Corsair’s HS80 started out as a slightly more advanced set above other cheap models, but quickly found itself (and they found themselves) coming down in price in light of competition. The HS80 is considered a set with RGB for gaming and comes with a built-in microphone.
What defines “cheap” or “accessible”? Well, that’s a question we sometimes ask ourselves when we use these words. Considering that this is a set that started out with a recommended price tag of $169, and in recent months has dropped to the $70-$90 range, we think affordable is a word that can be used for a product of this type that is below the VAT line for personal import. These headphones are compatible with any personal computer , both for those of Apple and for Playstation 4/5 consoles.
The headphones come with a USB cable for charging and wired use, as well as a wireless transmitter for a computer that uses Slipstream technology, which is Corsair’s new technology for wireless equipment with fast response times.
The set of headphones is mostly made of plastic and metal compound. It feels solid, doesn’t creak. The build quality is actually among the best we’ve seen among different gaming headsets, especially at this price tag. These headphones use cushions wrapped in silk-like fabric. These pillows are quite thick and dense.
The left side includes a power button and a wheel to control the volume. This roller has steps like a mouse roller.
On the left side of the headphones there is also a built-in microphone that is between two positions on a hinge. When it crosses the center line on the way down it becomes active and when you pick it back up it is muted. There is a little freedom for flexibility in the microphone due to the internal use of iron wires, but we do not particularly like such a design.
Retractable microphones will always be a two birds with one stone solution for us. It also allows removal if the microphone is not used, and also allows for an upgrade or replacement in the future if the microphone breaks down.
The quality of the microphone is mainly suitable for understanding speech. It is clean, clear and has good resolution.
There is a pressing force with which the headphones come from the factory, but also a force in a different direction that depends on an adjustable elastic arch. Using velcro on both sides of the headphones, you can adjust the length of the elastic bow that sits on the head.
We understand that the pressure from the sides is sometimes high for a new product, and it took a few days for this intensity to calm down a bit and adapt itself to our head.
Using two points to rotate the audio cups, the Corsair HS80 are very comfortable headphones to wear. The use of the large pillows also makes for a pleasant experience.
Although, we note that the thickness and compactness of the pillows causes the effect of heat trapped in them from the ears. In winter this effect is nice, but even with an ambient temperature of 20 degrees Celsius you can feel the heat that these headphones create. With a higher ambient temperature the situation may become a little less pleasant.
Audio quality, battery and software
Like every other Corsair product, the HS80 is also controlled through the iCUE software. With the manufacturer’s keyboard and memory in the system we tested the headphones on, we didn’t have to install it specifically for the headphones. There is an advantage to sticking to one brand for things like this. It is also important to note that it is not necessary to leave the software open if certain settings are locked. You can define what you want and close it without a problem.
The first thing after connection we were asked to do is to update the headset firmware. Then listen to the music for a few days while adjusting the volume of the frequencies using an equalizer in the software. The interface itself has a speaker with voice notifications for every action such as muting the microphone, low battery and connecting to the computer.
We found that every standard audio profile provided by Corsair swallowed details in a somewhat extreme way. Therefore, we have built a profile that utilizes as much as possible the dynamic range of frequencies that these headphones can provide. Corsair claims a range of 100Hz to 10kHz.
One of the beliefs in the sound world is that wireless headphones of this type are not capable of producing deep sound with a really large dynamic range, and there is a lot of science to back this up and also a lot of failed products. A digital signal that arrives via transmission and then needs to be converted to analog within a small area and with low power consumption will have a relatively limited dynamic range for solutions such as a desktop amplifier and the use of a cable.
The hardware and calibration from the factory that Corsair uses on the HS80 makes it very heavy in the low frequency area and the presence of bass is very noticeable. There are those who like it, but the problem with dominant low frequencies in such an environment is that they will swallow sound that comes in the higher frequencies, so we had to significantly calm down the low frequency area. In order for the sound not to crash in the HS80, the bass must be limited.
The audio quality for music after tuning on the HS80 pleasantly surprised us. The middle and high frequencies are excellent, which means that many percussion instruments, vocals and strings sounded good and clean. We enjoyed everything from classical music, through hip hop to electronic music. HS80 is the best sound quality wireless gaming headset we’ve come across yet.
In gaming, one of the games with the most advanced and realistic sound design is Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. Using our music profile there we found no problems either, and the weakening of the low frequencies also helps there from excess explosions and violent coverage of the audio range.
The maximum volume on these headphones is high, too high to be pleasant and that’s a good thing. We have already tested wireless headphones where the maximum audio volume is barely enough.
The RGB effect of the headphones only works within the small company logo and at this point we have to ask – why include RGB at all? Maybe at this point you can get by with just a logo and save battery life with the effect the user can’t see anyway?
Speaking of battery life – Corsair claims that you can get up to 20 hours of use with these headphones, but there are always fine print and conditions. When using high volume, we reached a little over 8 hours of audio, which is considered less than average. We would be happy to see in the budget headphone market headphones that reach 15 hours of audio at high volume. These are headphones that should be left charging every night if they are used for more than 5 hours during the day.
What we liked, what less
Corsair’s HS80 is a set of headphones that came out last year and received reviews that were mostly concerned with comparing it to other sets of headphones with a tough $170 price tag. Since then, the HS80 has managed to shed half of its price and today is at a significantly better value point.
The audio quality from the package is not great, at all, but that’s exactly why there are tools like an equalizer that make the experience very pleasant for the ears. There is also support for the Dolby Atmos profile that is built into the operating system, but the number of titles that support it is relatively small.
The quality of the microphone is good, and muting it by lifting it on the hinge is a nice trick, but we would really like to see detachable microphones without exception with Corsair. If the marketing team is looking for ideas, maybe selling quality microphones separately for those needs could work.
The wearing comfort is one of the strong points of HS80 in our opinion. The pressure on the sides is a bit high for a medium-large head of an adult, how it weakens a little with regular use and becomes more comfortable. You can hardly feel the pillows and the type of fabric is excellent and comfortable. We will also note that the thickness of the pillows and the fact that they are a bit compressed cause the ears to warm up and trap heat, an effect that we feel well even in the cold winter.
A deal that would have looked “so-so” at $170 has become excellent in our opinion at a price tag of about $80, when sometimes with short discounts you can see that it even reaches $70. We are happy about the drop in price that gave birth to a wireless headset set that is not bad at all. We just have to wait for the local prices to align with this.
In our opinion, the RGB effect with the logo is a bit unnecessary and we recommend turning it off in the software to increase battery life. The battery life requires a daily charge for users who listen to content for more than 6 hours a day, so this is a set of headphones that will spend a little more time with a cable than other sets.
The transmission distance of the headphones is reasonable, but far from the official statement of 18 meters. From a distance of 5 meters to the transmitter we encountered no problems at all, not even behind a wall. After 6-7 meters the signal weakens and the headphones disconnect. These headphones are intended for use mainly in the room where the transmitter is installed.
The Corsair HS80 is a wireless headset for computer users that we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend as long as it comes at a fair price. Easy adjustment of the frequency intensities produces a good sound experience considering that these are wireless headphones, and the microphone is among the best you’ll find among wireless headphones under $150.