At first we would like to thank CORSAIR for offering us their HS60 SURROUND Gaming Headset for testing and reviewing.

 

About Corsair:

"Founded in 1994, Corsair has grown from pioneering the high-performance DRAM market to one of the world’s leading providers of enthusiast-grade PC components and peripherals. Our groundbreaking technology and innovation can be found in our high-performance memory, ultra-efficient power supplies, PC cases, PC and CPU cooling solutions, and solid-state storage devices. Under the Corsair Gaming brand, launched in 2014, we provide gaming keyboards, mice, headsets and mouse mats to eSports professionals and anybody who is passionate about competitive PC gaming.

 

Corsair hardware is regularly featured in showcase “dream systems,” and we have earned the adulation and respect of the press, professional gamers and overclockers, high-end system integrators, and PC enthusiasts worldwide by delivering leading-edge technology backed by renowned service and support.

 

Corsair has developed a global operations infrastructure with extensive marketing and distribution channel relationships, and our products are available through leading distributors and retailers in over sixty countries worldwide."

Product Features:

 

CRAFTED FOR COMFORT, BUILT FOR BATTLE

The CORSAIR HS60 SURROUND Gaming Headset provides the comfort, sound quality and durability needed for hours of gameplay.

 

ULTIMATE COMFORT AND QUALITY

Plush memory foam and adjustable earcups provide exceptional comfort. Legendary CORSAIR build quality featuring rugged metal structural components ensure long-term durability.

 

DISCORD CERTIFIED

Play with the confidence that your microphone and audio drivers have been tested and evaluated for crystal clear communication and outstanding sound.

 

CRYSTAL CLEAR

Specially tuned 50mm neodymium speaker drivers bring superior sound quality with wide range and accuracy. An optimized unidirectional microphone reduces ambient noise for enhanced voice quality and is easily detached for use on the go.

 

EPIC SURROUND SOUND

HS60’s USB adapter unlocks virtual 7.1 surround sound on PC, delivering immersive multi-channel positional audio that puts you in the middle of the action.

 

MULTI-PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY

Use on PC, Xbox One*, PS4, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.

 

*May require Microsoft adapter sold separately.

*7.1 surround sound only available on PC.

 

EASY CONTROL

Easy access on-ear volume and mute controls for adjustments on the fly.

 

Product Specifications:

 

 

 

Following the affordable HS50, CORSAIR has recently released an upgraded version featuring 7.1-surround sound. This model is compatible PC/Mac/PS4, Xbox One (with an extra accessory) but also the Nintendo Switch or other mobile devices:

 

 

 

On one of the box sides, CORSAIR does remind us that the product goes hand-in-hand with the well-known unified CUE utility:

 

 

 

The main product highlights along with a detailed product photo can be observed in the back; here, the manufacturer did also list the technical specifications:

 

 

 

The bottom area of the packaging does show the list of package contents:

 

 

 

Inside the box, we will get to see a similar arrangement as with the HS50 model: the headset and its bundle are held inside a black plastic mold, which are accompanied by the documentation:

 

 

 

Besides the Quick Start Guide, we did also receive a Warranty Guide and an Environment Protection leaflet:

 

 

 

The manual is quite straightforward, describing the product components and the installation procedure, in multiple languages:

 

 

 

Compared to the HS50, we will receive an extra bundle component, which is the USB sound card:

 

 

 

 

The included sound card can be used with any other stereo headset on analog (via a splitter cable) and is able to output virtual 7.1 surround sound on PC:

 

 

 

 

The attached sticker does reveal the internal factory code name, but also some serial numbers:

 

 

 

The noise-cancelling, unidirectional microphone can be adjusted as needed and does feature an impedance of 2.2k Ohms; it does also feature a frequency response between 100Hz and 10kHz, while the sensitivity is rated at -40dB (+/-3dB):

 

 

 

 

 

You can either get the HS60 with white accents or the one with carbon accents; the sample we are looking at the moment is the white accent one and the differences can be spotted with the headband stitching and the exterior of the cups; HS60 does feature an internal aluminum insert and despite the large drivers, the headset does not weight much:

 

 

 

On the side of the left cup, CORSAIR has placed the volume wheel:

 

 

 

Just nearby, we do have the Microphone mute button:

 

 

 

The microphone port is initially covered by a fully-removable rubber cover:

 

 

 

 

On the exterior of the cups, we can spot a black mesh with a central CORSAIR logo, but also a white, stylish frame:

 

 

 

Thanks to the large earcups and the memory foam, the headset will remain comfortable even during many hours of use; as with the HS50, we are talking about 50mm drivers, that do sport a frequency response between 20Hz and 20kHz, a sensitivity of 111dB (+/- 3dB) and an impedance of 32 Ohms @ 1 kHz:

 

 

 

The headband rail can be adjusted as necessary:

 

 

 

The back leatherette headband is quite modern with the white stitching and underneath we do have soft foam:

 

 

 

The top area of the headband contains another CORSAIR logo:

 

 

 

Unlike many other high-end peripherals, the manufacturer has chosen not to go with a braided cable (same thing as the HS50):

 

 

 

The analog jack is, however gold plated for optimal contact:

 

 

 

Let’s install the microphone and take the product for a spin in various tests!

 

 

 

 

 

After connecting the HS60 headset (via the included sound card) to our PC, it was detected right away by the CUE software:

 

 

 

For this particular peripheral, the setup is pretty straight forward: we do have the option to adjust the microphone volume, switch between 7.1 Surround Sound and Stereo, but also access EQ presets:

 

 

 

 

Besides the dedicated presets (in the presentation we do have Movie Theater), we can also build our own, via the 10-band EQ:

 

 

 

Pure Direct

 

 

 

FPS Competition

 

 

 

Clear Chat

 

 

 

Bass Boost

 

 

 

CUE also allows the user to enable/disable voice prompts, but we can also change the pictogram color inside the software:

 

 

 

We have tried the HS60 right away in The Crew, Need for Speed: Payback, Guild Wars 2, Wolfenstein and Diablo III: thanks to the large drivers, the low frequencies were well represented (but not over the top as on some other gaming headset) and the voices were crystal clear which concluded in a very good overall experience. When turning 7.1 virtual surround on, we have got a positive experience and, in many cases, it will help identifying the virtual objects which produce sound around you easier (location, distance etc…).

 

The unidirectional microphone is easy to install/remove and we were able to be heard in the Skype test conference by the other colleagues clearly, without additional noise; the microphone was also able to filter the noise of our mechanical keyboard quite a bit, which is a plus during gaming tournaments.

 

 

Pros:

 

-well represented 7.1 virtual surround

-large 50mm drivers

-compatible across a large number of devices

-affordable pricing

-configurable EQ on 10 bands

-good quality sound

-easy volume control from the left cup

 

Cons:

 

-the small microphone port cover should have been linked to the cup, in order to avoid loss

-we would have preferred a retractable microphone instead

 

The HS60 Surround Gaming Headset can be found online for about 73 Euros; for this price we are receiving a good quality headset but also a 7.1 sound card that works with other analog devices as well, thanks to the analog I/O.

CORSAIR HS60 SURROUND Gaming Headset is Recommended for:

 

 

We would like to thank again to Corsair for making this review possible!