On The Bench: Corsair's HS1 USB Gaming Headset

[Guest]

You probably know Corsair best for its memory products, power supplies, and SSDs. But now the company is jumping into the crowded headset market with an unassuming entry that’s both affordable and capable of offering great sound quality.

On The Bench: Corsair's HS1 USB Gaming Headset : Read more

 

[amk09]

corsair? really? well i guess i'll have to try these baby's out.

 

[IzzyCraft]

$99 it looks like it's in competition with the G35...

 

[crazybaldhead]

Nice advertising, Loyd.

 

[agnickolov]

No technical data provided here, so I had to look it up on Corsair's web site. The dynamic range is 20Hz-20kHz, which is a very solid showing in contrast to all the other sub-par gaming headsets reviewed here on Tom's Hardware. However, it's still no match to a professional gaming headset like the Sennheiser PC 350 (10Hz-26kHz). I couldn't find HD 580 on Sennheiser's web site (discontinued I suppose), but the updated model HD 600 has a dynamic range of 12Hz-39kHz, so it's a different ball game again. In the author's defense, it's very hard to discern audio quality differences beyond 20kHz and many humans cannot do that.

I'd say for its price of $100, this headset is a great value. For comparison, the MSRP for the Sennheiser PC 350 is $250, while it can be found online starting at $125.

 

[DavC]

[citation][nom]agnickolov[/nom]No technical data provided here, so I had to look it up on Corsair's web site. The dynamic range is 20Hz-20kHz, which is a very solid showing in contrast to all the other sub-par gaming headsets reviewed here on Tom's Hardware. However, it's still no match to a professional gaming headset like the Sennheiser PC 350 (10Hz-26kHz). I couldn't find HD 580 on Sennheiser's web site (discontinued I suppose), but the updated model HD 600 has a dynamic range of 12Hz-39kHz, so it's a different ball game again. In the author's defense, it's very hard to discern audio quality differences beyond 20kHz and many humans cannot do that.[/citation]
i dont think there's hardly any people who can hear above 20kHz (or below 20Hz). i remember we tried it in a science lesson at school, out of a class of about 30, there was only me and one other person who could hear a tone upto just over 18kHz.

I've always been under the impression 20Hz - 20kHz is the full range of human hearing. anything above or below that is pointless measuring, and of no use what so ever.

Anyway, this headset looks good. i've never done gaming with a proper headset before, and am rather tempted by this one.

 

[7amood]

I see no graph... just words describing what the reviewer feel.
I only see general pictures of the headphones...
this is not the quality review i'm used to see from tom's...
total disappointment, but still interested in the headphone.

 

[nanonyous]

That 'easy to use' control panel is the standard C-Media control panel, which leads me to believe the audio controller employed in the headphones is a C-Media derivative, if not a C-Media chip.

 

[Collie147]

I thought the Psykos were 5.1 and not 7.1???

 

[precariousgray]

"But that capability is there, so if you’re a man who plays female characters in MMOs, you can now sound like one as well."

Only good/interesting/informative part of this "review."

 

[ares1214]

The more products corsair releases, the better if you ask me. And for those who wanted more graphs or pictures, audio quality is something very hard to do that with. Sure, he can do a dB chart, dynamic range chart, which he already said, but thats about it. This should have been a lot of opinion, and it was, which is good. Not everybody might thing they are comfortable or not. Same with audio quality. A 20Hz-20kHz is the official hearing range of humans. VERY few can hear below/above, and those who can likely cant tell the difference. It would be a waste of money to make them go any further.

 

[fozzie76]

Same thing I always ask.. size of the ear cuffs please? I used the V2 now for a while but it's starting to hurt my right ear. I may have to switch to this. Thanks!

 

[fozzie76]

"There are not sellers currently available for this product" -- from Corsair's website. You should give the one you tested away... to a loyal reader.. with big ears.. that purchased the V2 after you reviewed it.

 

[fausto]

headset reviews are a scam. give me 3 or 4 price ranges and compare 20 headsets and tell me which are better and why.


best headset i've tried is the original fatal1ty usb headset from creative. could it be better? yes...but haven't see anyone else do better.

all the surround headsets suck...nothing but a gimmick.

 

[restatement3dofted]

That this headset offers audio quality comparable to the Sennheiser HD-580s is really impressive, especially at that price point. Been looking for a replacement for my current Turtle Beach X1s, looks like I'll have to see if these are available anywhere for a test drive.

Do wish they were compatible with my 360, so I wouldn't have to keep using a sub-par headset when playing console exclusive games, but c'est la vie, I suppose.

 

[-713king-]

Can this be match with Astro's mixamp??

 

[ekidhardt]

Why anyone would get a simulated 5.1 surround sound, or 7.1 with "emulated" positioning when you can get the REAL thing with the Turtle Beach HPA2, is beyond me.

All simulated headphones, regardless of the quality are simply just inferior alternatives.

The HPA2 is cheaper too.

e

 

[pinkfloydminnesota]

Grado Sr 60s are the best sounding headphones, period. For anything.

Get a microphone and tape on it.

 

[Morgan3rd]

Not particularly happy with my Megaledons, but I got Shure se530s when I really wanna rock out or kick back and drift into bliss.

They get the job done though... I'd give the megaledons a 4/5 stars.

 

[DokkRokken]

Loreena McKennitt?! The gentleman has exquisite musical taste!

 

[wolfram23]

At that price you should be comparing to, say Logitech G35 and SteelSeries 5H V2. I had a pair of 5H V2s for two days but hated them, picked up some Sennheiser PC350s, and have been in audiophile heaven since. I doubt that these Corsairs compare to HD 580s when you're also comparing to SteelSeries Siberia V2... But, whatever.

 

[kckrich]

Wow you guys are a bunch of whiners... it was a solid review, and to the people who want charts and stuff... wth? It's a head set.. what do you want?

 

[HavoCnMe]

I need to pull out some savings: Corsair HeadSet1 and GTX470, please..no pickles.

 

[elel]

Is this a sponsored review? Or just a hurried one? I don't see anything besides subjective tests (which is fine, I guess) and there is no real comparison given to other products (which isn't)

 

[eklipz330]

[citation][nom]7amood[/nom]I see no graph... just words describing what the reviewer feel.I only see general pictures of the headphones...this is not the quality review i'm used to see from tom's...total disappointment, but still interested in the headphone.[/citation]

the least they cudda done was measure the accuracy of the sound... im not too big of a fan of the 'multiple direction' audio because its usually jsut a gimmick