At first we would like to thank CORSAIR for offering us their K95 RGB PLATINUM XT Mechanical Gaming Keyboard 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."

Uncompromising Sound Quality: A matched pair of precisely tuned 50mm high-density neodymium speaker drivers deliver immersive 7.1 surround sound with a frequency range of 20Hz-40,000Hz – double that of typical gaming headsets.

 

Comfort is King: Premium memory foam earpads that conform to the shape of your head, along with a lightweight headband deliver pillow-soft, long-lasting comfort, enabling you to play for hours on end.

 

Hyper-Fast Gaming-Grade Wireless: High-fidelity, ultra-low latency audio, with an exceptional 60ft signal range using SLIPSTREAM CORSAIR WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY.

 

Broadcast-Grade Detachable Microphone: A 9.5mm omni-directional, high-bandwidth microphone provides wide dynamic range and superb vocal clarity with improved low-end response.

 

Premium Lightweight Construction: Built with machined aluminum throughout, from the headband to the ear cups, ensuring both maximum comfort and long-term durability.

 

Wide Device Compatibility: Connect to virtually any device including PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile with wired 3.5mm, USB, or SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS.

 

High-Fidelity 24bit/96KHz USB Audio: Experience true high-fidelity sound via USB wired connection.

 

All-Day, All-Night Battery Life: Game for up to 20 hours at a time thanks to a custom, high-capacity lithium-ion battery and an accelerometer-based smart-sleep/wake function.

 

Dynamic RGB Lighting: RGB lighting on each ear cup allows for virtually unlimited color options and customization to match any style.

 

Intelligent Control, Unlimited Possibilities: CORSAIR iCUE software enables custom audio equalizer settings, immersive 7.1 surround sound, sidetone control and RGB lighting synchronization with compatible CORSAIR peripherals, coolers, fans and more.

 

Storage Pouch Included: Keep your headset in a premium cross-stitched and padded pouch sealed with a magnetic clasp.

Micro Perforation Lighting: Enables dynamic RGB LED lighting directly on the aluminum ear cup plates.

 

Headphones

Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40,000Hz

Impedance: 32 Ohms @ 2.5kHz

Sensitivity: 109 dB (± 3 dB)

Drivers: Custom 50mm neodymium, matched pairs

 

Microphone

Type: Omni-directional

Impedance: 2.0k Ohms

Frequency Response: 100Hz – 10,000Hz

Sensitivity: -42 dB (± 2 dB)

 

Wireless

Type: CORSAIR SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS 2.4Ghz

Connector: USB Type A

Range: Up to 60 feet (12m)

Battery Life: Up to 20 hours

 

USB Charging Cable: 1.5m

3.5mm Stereo Cable: 1.5m

 

Dimensions: 70mm x 100mm x 195mm / 6.69” x 3.94” x 7.68”

Product Weight w/o cable and accessories: 360 g / 0.79lb

Warranty: Two Years

 

Not long ago, CORSAIR has launched the VIRTUOSO series of gaming headsets and with it the company wanted to combine the benefits of audiophile and gaming products together, in order to create a unique, high-end SKU. There are basically three models available from this series:

 

-VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS White

-VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS Carbon

-VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS SE – Gunmetal

 

The later model does contain some esthetic and hardware enhancements, not found with the other two and is priced a bit higher. Our review sample is the VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS SE and has arrived in a medium-sized cardboard enclosure, with an all-black top layer. On the top cover, we will be able to see the list of compatible devices but also a photo of the left side cup along with the attached microphone:

 

 

 

On the sides, we will be able to spot a visual EQ-like art, along with a middle CORSAIR logo:

 

 

 

 

Nearby, we will be able to take a look at the technical specifications in multiple languages, along with the box contents:

 

 

 

The list of features is available on the back as well:

 

 

 

After removing the top packaging layer, we will end up with a black box cover, with a yellow bottom, following the CORSAIR Gaming color scheme:

 

 

 

The headset can be spotted first, which features additional protection via additional transparent plastic layers:

 

 

 

Besides the main product, we will receive additional bundle as well:

 

 

 

A premium storage pouch is included, that is cross-stitched and padded:

 

 

 

The sealing is provided by magnets

 

 

 

Inside, we will find a soft fabric but also an additional compartment for storing the microphone and the additional cables:

 

 

 

On the back side of the pouch, we will find the same cross-stitched design:

 

 

 

The bundle box does contain additional hardware components but also some documentation, inside a transparent plastic envelope:

 

 

 

Speaking of the included documents, we will find the WEEE leaflet, the Safety and Compliance Information leaflet, a Warranty Guide but also the Quick Start Guide:

 

 

 

The Guide informs the user of the main headset interfaces but also of the usage modes:

 

 

 

The hardware bundle consists of a 1.5m USB Type-C charging/data cable, a 3.5mm Stereo cable, also 1.5m, a removable microphone with USB port but also a SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS dongle:

 

 

 

The included 3.5mm Stereo cable is fully braided, does come with an additional aluminum piece at the end, while the jack plugs are gold plated:

 

 

 

Same design can be spotted with the USB cable:

 

 

 

Versus the non-SE, the microphone is improved with a broadcast-grade one, 9.5mm with a wide dynamic range and great vocal clarity, with improved low-end response:

 

 

 

CORSAIR decided to minimize the button clutter on the headset, so it has used the microphone Mute function on the mic body itself!

 

 

 

As we have seen with the other bundle offered so far, the body of the microphone follows the exact design lines; near its tip, we will find a RGB-enabled status LED ring:

 

 

 

In order to permit low-latency communication from our sound source to the headset, CORSAIR has used its SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS technology with IFS (Intelligent Frequency Shift) by ensuring that the wireless signal will be always moved to the fastest channel; the included dongle is quite slim and features a RGB status LED with the CORSAIR logo:

 

 

 

On its back, we will get to see a sticker with the product serial number:

 

 

 

The VIRTUOSO RGB SE does feature a premium all-around construction with lightweight machined aluminum and no visible wiring:

 

 

 

While the outside of the cups is made of aluminum, CORSAIR has introduced the first novelty element by making possible RGB lighting to shine through; the logo you are seeing in the middle was made with a precise micro-perforation process so LED lighting will be able to shine through:

 

 

 

The cups can be rotated 180 degrees in order to offer an additional level of comfort:

 

 

 

On the machined aluminum frame of the headband, we will be able to spot a subtle CORSAIR logo:

 

 

 

Here we also have the markings for the headband adjustment:

 

 

 

CORSAIR takes it to the next level by including an USB Type-C port for charging and usage in wired mode:

 

 

 

Further down, we do have the Status LED but also the 3.5mm jack port for use with analog sound sources:

 

 

 

The microphone port can be found next:

 

 

 

The Volume wheel is easily accessible on the right cup, along with the USB/Wireless mode switch. A novelty element is again to be seen here in terms of power management: in wireless mode, the headset does use an accelerometer-based circuit for automatically shutting down the headset when it is detected as not in use. When you will pick up the headset for use, it will power on automatically, allowing a seamless operation mode:

 

 

 

The large cups are complimented by memory foam earpads which are covered by synthetic leather of good quality. The VIRTUOSO RGB series does use custom 50mm audio drivers that can deliver an impressive 20Hz – 40kHz frequency range, that is over the regular gaming headset models. This particular feature recommends the product not only for gaming but also for listening to high-bitrate audio tracks and more! The headset is also Hi-Res audio certified, being able to output 24bit/96kHz audio, but only when used in wired (USB) mode:

 

 

 

The headband is padded with thick memory foam as well, for extra comfort during longer usage periods:

 

 

 

This one is covered with synthetic leather all-around as well:

 

 

 

When not used or when travelling, the headset can be inserted into the supplied carry bag:

 

 

 

As soon as we have turned the headset on, the status LED did display the current operating mode and battery status:

 

 

 

The RGB lighting on the exterior of the earcups is quite unique, since thanks to the perforations you would say that the logo would be created from dots of an LCD display:

 

 

 

 

 

The RGB-enabled CORSAIR logo on the dongle does show the current status as well:

 

 

 

The status of the microphone can be monitored as well, thanks to the included LED ring:

 

 

 

Right after connecting the dongle in a spare USB port the headset will pop-up inside the iCUE GUI, for configuration purposes:

 

 

The device configuration screen will also prompt that the product can take advantage of Windows Spatial Sound:

 

 

Even though the RGB effects on the exterior of the earcups are not visible to the user during use, we will see the same detailed configuration options anyway:

 

 

Here is a list of configurable presets we can choose from:

 

 

The EQ Presets area does allow the user to work with the pre-defined settings, but also create custom EQs on the available 10 bands:

 

Pure Direct

Movie Theater

 

FPS Competition

Clear Chat

Bass Boost

 

The sound output can be also switched from the Stereo mode to the virtual 7.1 setting:

 

 

 

 

From the Settings area, iCUE offers the possibility to monitor the battery charge level, enable voice prompts, adjust the RGB LED brightness, perform firmware updates, enable automatic Sleep mode, activate Battery Gauge indicator in the system taskbar, or choose to disable the LED indicator when the microphone is active:

 

 

 

After fully charging the VIRTUOSO RGB SE, we went ahead and listened to various FLAC audio tracks, YouTube clips, played games such as Dying Light, Borderlands 3 and Mortal Kombat 11; even at default audio settings, the audio output was crystal clear, in terms of voices but also regarding the low frequencies. Even though the headset is marketed as a gaming product, it looks like a professional product, while the build quality is top notch.

 

The SE variant of the headset does also pack a studio-grade microphone and while using it during various Skype conferences we could confirm that this is clearly not a marketing-only statement; indeed, the tip of the microphone is bulkier versus other headset models, but really compensates in terms of audio quality.

 

First, we were skeptical regarding the said wireless range, but after walking around the house to do some tests, we can confirm that it matches the range of the VOID PRO RGB or the Arctis Pro Wireless from SteelSeries, which is great!

 

Two novelty elements are introduced with this model as well:

 

-the accelerometer-based circuit that detects when the headset is not used and gets it into standby mode automatically and when it is picked up it is ready for use again

-the micro-perforation RGB LED lighting that permits the light to shine through the aluminum layer

 

As usual with CORSAIR products, we will add the pros and cons:

 

Pros:

 

-studio-grade sound quality, thanks to the custom-tuned 50mm drivers

-broadcast-grade microphone on the SE

-aluminum lightweight construction

-long operating range on WiFi

-great battery life from a single charge

-large, comfortable earpads thanks to the memory foam

-included storage pouch

-perforated aluminum for getting a unique RGB effect

-three modes of operation: Wireless, USB (Hi-Res Audio Support) and analog Stereo

-a lot of configuration modes via iCUE

Cons:

 

-price

CORSAIR VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS SE Gaming Headset is Recommended for:

 

 

 

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