With the Corsair HS75 XB, Corsair launches an XBOX-optimized headset. Corsair has already shown through several headsets that they understand how to make headsets. Recently, the HS60 Haptic was launched and Corsair is now supplying the headsets directly. With features such as Dolby Atmos and an XBOX connection without an adapter, the HS75 XB sets itself apart in the market.
Specifications
| Audio driver | domestic, 50mm Neodymium |
| Frequency | 2.4 GHz / 5.2 GHz / 5.8 GHz |
| Range | up to 12 m |
| Battery life | up to 20 hours |
| Audio frequency | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Audio sensitivity | 109 dB (± 3 dB) |
| Microphone type | unidirectional, with noise cancelling |
| Microphone frequency | 100 Hz – 10 kHz |
| Microphone sensitivity | -40 dB (± 3 dB) |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 160 mm x 100 mm x 205 mm |
| Weight | 330g |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Price | MSRP: 179,99€, current: € 69.95 * |
Design and workmanship
Visually, the HS75 XB is simple, but elegant. The body is kept in black and grey, the design is almost identical to the Corsair HS60 Haptic. Outside the ear cup there is a grey metal mesh, in which the Corsair logo is embedded.
The auricles themselves are equipped with thick memory foam – there is no pressure on the head and they offer a convincing wearing comfort. At 330 grams, the headset is not one of the lightest on the market, but you can wear it for several hours without feeling any pressure or the like.
The bow is connected to the auricle by a plastic strut, which in turn is supported by a metal strut. This gives a stable effect and nothing wobbles – even when moving the auricles and bending the headset, the product feels high-quality and consistently well-crafted.
Of course, the position of the earpieces can be adjusted – this is done in small steps that snap into place when the headset is pushed. The steps are labeled, so you can adjust the headset to your own head and preferences without having to readjust it.
The headband is also padded with memory foam. After a few hours you will notice the headband easily – probably it would have been even more comfortable with a little more material. However, it should be noted that I have a very large head as a tester and your experience may be different. As is often the case – if you see the product in the store, it is best to test the comfort functions yourself.
Nice is that the microphone is removable. If you just want to play or listen to music on your PC or XBOX, you can simply remove the microphone and you won’t have it in your field of vision. In case of a defect, you can also replace it individually – although at this point there is no free choice, because a Corsair-owned connection is used.
Let’s get to the last point of the haptics – the connections and buttons. When you put the headset on, you have the power button, a status LED and a wheel on the right side to adjust the ratio of the volume of the voice chat and the actual game. Of course this function is only available on the XBOX, but it’s a nice and fast way to adjust it quickly.
The button has a rather simple design – hold for about three seconds to switch on or off, hold for about ten seconds to pair. The current status is also displayed: a white and constant light means that the device is connected, fast white flashing stands for the pairing mode. When charging, orange stands for “device charging”, white accordingly for “device full”.
On the other side is a mute button, the charging port, the microphone and a volume control. The wheel for the volume can be turned endlessly, so you don’t bump into the maximum. Basically you can say that the knobs feel high quality and have a well workmanship. The clicking is pleasant and is well recognized. Only when muting you wonder why there has to be a delay of about one second between pressing the button and the actual muting (with acoustic signal) – other manufacturers can do that faster.
Sound quality – playback
To have a better comparability, we test the headset primarily on the PC. In short, in advance – the in-house 50 mm drivers perform well.
To ensure an ideal experience, you should definitely install Dolby Atmos. This is available for the PC and for the XBOX. Basically, Dolby Atmos works like an equalizer in the first step, but offers much more than that. Dolby Atmos revolutionizes the sound experience in that the audio track is not split into channels, but is generated based on metadata and objects. Theoretically, the sound appears much more three-dimensional and detailed than would be possible with “normal” channels – this also works very well in practice. Considering that the technology comes from the cinema and home theater sector, one would expect the same.
All the technology is really convincing in games that support Dolby Atmos natively. Examples are Borderlands 3, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Forza Horizon 4 and Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. To learn more about the technology behind Dolby Atmos or the available games, please visit https://www.dolby.com/Gaming. For games that have not implemented Dolby Atmos, the surround sound is virtualized. This also works well, although not as convincingly as Dolby Atmos.
About the sound in general – We find it appropriate for a gaming headset. The highs and mids are well reproduced and sound very round without noise. At high volume, the highs distort a bit, but the volume required for this is in no way permanently recommended for health – at normal volume levels, everything sounds decent. On the positive side, the headset, unlike many gaming headsets on the market, is not extremely bass overloaded. These are tonal to the point without making the entire sound dull. Here, however, you can use Dolby Atmos to create your own profile. We find the profile “Music – balanced” really very balanced – slightly more bass and mids than in the “standard” makes some effects and music sound even more pleasant.
Sound quality – recording
The included microphone reproduces voices very well and clearly. Only a low background noise is perceptible – but this is common with headsets and due to a noise reduction it is no longer strongly perceptible.
The foam windscreen serves its purpose, but comes to its limits when there is hard emphasis or loud noise. However, this is completely within the limits – after all, we are talking in front of a headset, not a studio microphone. So that you can see for yourself, we have recorded the microphone quality in a short video.
Wireless – XBOX and Windows 10
As already mentioned, we tested the headset primarily on the PC. Features only work if you equip the PC with an additional adapter, the XBOX Wireless Adapter. To connect the device, you navigate to the Windows menu “Add Devices” and click on it – that’s it.
It is even easier on the XBOX. First you press the connect button on the XBOX, then you press and hold the power button for ten seconds and the headset automatically connects to the XBOX. Then you get a visual confirmation and a signal in the headset.
With almost 20 hours of battery life, the battery will last even longer gaming sessions – we don’t see any problems here. If you forget to charge the headset, you can use it while charging. Of course, the headset can only hold the indicated range of almost 12 meters in clear view. With walls in between it will of course collapse rapidly.
Conclusion
A headset designed for the XBOX is of course more of a niche product. In addition, the headset with a UVP of 179.99 € is located in the premium segment. Nevertheless, Corsair shows some features that are quite pleasant – the volume control for voice and game volume is very pleasant in everyday life and Dolby Atmos is convincing all along the line.
The sound, as already described, is good but not phenomenal – the same applies to the micron. Because of the premium price we would have wished that the headset would go one step further and thus be compatible with all devices without any additional hardware needed. It could easily replace the PC headset and at the same time serve as a very neat headset for the smartphone, but unfortunately an adapter is needed for the PC and compatibility with the smartphone is completely waived.
Thus the headset receives the Gold Award from us – it is a very neat headset with convincing features, even if we would have liked the little “wow” effect additionally for the price.
Corsair HS75 XB
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value for money
90/100
Decent headset for XBOX users who want to experience Dolby Atmos up close and personal and may already have an XBOX Wireless Adapter to use the headset on the PC!
