| Corsair CA-HS1NA USB Gaming Headset |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Audio | |
| Written by Joey Peng | |
| Wednesday, 09 February 2011 | |
Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset Review
Manufacturer: Corsair Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Corsair. It seems in this day and age everybody wants a piece of the PC peripherals market. This time Corsair, famous for manufacturing PC hardware, released its own lineup of high-end speakers and headsets. Packing in many popular features, the Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset comes with 7.1 virtual surround sound and massive 50mm drivers. Corsair developed the HS1NA specifically for serious gamers, focusing on performance and comfort. Benchmark Reviews is excited to test Corsair's new headset to see if they took off on the right foot. The Corsair HS1NA has some unique features making it different from what's already on the market. The HS1NA implements Dolby Logic Pro IIz, the most up to date stereo to surround sound emulation software. Its replaceable memory foam ear pads allow extended comfort for long durations. For communication the Corsair HS1NA has a noise-cancelling unidirectional mic. Corsair didn't deliver a visually flashy headset, but its features and build make an excellent choice to consider.
If USB headsets aren't your thing, Corsair has a slightly different model, the HS1ANA, which uses 3.5mm audio jacks instead of USB. There's no surround sound in that case, but you will get compatibility with systems other than Windows. For the HS1NA, you can expect to pay $89.99, putting its price in the middle of the pack. For a company starting a new line of products Corsair has done a great job capturing the essence of a good headset. Benchmark Reviews will see if the headset's quality headset lives up to Corsair's brand. 7.1 Virtual Surround Headset Features
CA-HS1NA SpecificationsHeadset:
System Requirements:
Package Contents
Closer Look: Corsair HS1NA HeadsetCorsair currently has two headset models (HS1NA and HS1ANA), both with the same looks and specifications. The USB version, HS1NA, costs a bit more but gives PC owners additional functionality. The Corsair HS1NA uses Dolby Headphone technology, the industry standard, to deliver surround sound. Only a rare couple of companies like Razer use proprietary software over Dolby technologies. That doesn't mean all Dolby headsets are created equal. Software only controls the delivery of audio signals, how well it all comes together depends on the headset.
In the package you will get the Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming headset, driver CD, and a setup manual. Installation is straight forward. As with most high-end gaming equipment, the drivers are only compatible with Windows operating systems, 32 or 64 bit.
The Corsair HS1NA has a solid and flexible build. Both ear cups allow about 90 degrees of rotation vertically or horizontally. The circumaural closed back design completely covers over the ears and can block out a good amount of ambient noise. Out of all the headsets I've used, the HS1NA has, by far, the longest USB cord. Fully extended, it reaches over three meters, with the controller about a meter from the headset. While the HS1NA does have a belt to tie up all the extra wiring, Corsair didn't include a pin of some sort for the controller, so most of the time it's just lying on the ground acting as a tripping wire.
The HS1NA has some extra belly weight due to the two 50mm drivers, but Corsair already added a couple features to ensure comfort. The soft leather headband and memory foam ear pads make a great combination to alleviate fatigue. For long gaming sessions comfort is just as important as audio quality, and Corsair intends offer top-notch solutions for both areas.
The Corsair HS1NA uses a leathery black and aluminum silver to achieve a high-tech but minimalistic visual design. The build is sturdy yet flexible. Corsair could have chosen to acquire an existing company to design and build their new line of headsets, as is the case with Mad Catz. Instead they took things into their own hands, and did a good job of including the right features. In the next section Benchmark Reviews will take a closer look at the details of the Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset. Corsair HS1NA Headset Detailed FeaturesThe Corsair HS1NA Headset is built to seem rigid, but in fact it's very flexible. The headband can be bent and widened so that the earpieces are some 30cm apart. Its elastic nature allows the headset to grip onto your head, ensuring a tight enough fit so that movement won't cause the headset to slip. Corsair didn't provide a case, but the flexibility of the HS1NA makes it a decent travel mate. The earpieces can be swiveled around to face one side to make the whole thing thin and pressure safe.
Corsair's ear pad design is a bit more interesting than other headsets. It uses memory foam which conforms to the shape of your head granting comfort for long durations. The ear covers are mostly made of a soft fabric, except for the part wrapped around the headset, which uses leather for durability. These covers are removable and replaceable. Spare parts can be purchased from retailers partnering with Corsair for about $15.
The Corsair HS1NA has a non-removable mic. It sits on a rotating boom, able to swivel 180 degrees. The mic itself is made up of 3 segments, only the middle segment capable of movement. While fairly limiting in terms of actual adjustability, the rubber part is solid and stays fixed in the positions you bend it.
The Corsair HS1NA's unidirectional noise cancelling mic ensures crisp and clear audio. In practice voices are clear with no audible background noise or static. The mic stretches to about 2cm away from the edge of your mouth, so you can safely snack and talk at the same time. The HS1NA's mic also avoids capturing breathing noises since the mic is positioned off on the side.
Quick audio options for the Corsair HS1NA are located on the controller, featuring volume buttons and a mic switch. The volume buttons light up as long as the headset is plugged in, and it uses Tron-like blue and red rings to indicate the status of the mic. However there are some inconsistencies in how the volume controls work. Typically it would adjust the Windows OS device volume, but when programs like Media Player is running it would adjust the program's volume instead.
Overall the Corsair HS1NA has a solid build. Its flexibility makes the headset durable and comfortable. Next up Benchmark Reviews will be diving into the software that came with the headset and check out all the features Corsair provides. Corsair HS1NA Headset SoftwareLike the headset, the HS1NA software focuses mostly on functionality over design. The interface for the Corsair HS1NA software is very bland and a bit too involved. That's not too say the functionality that came with the software is overly complex, it's just that after a while you realize as you switch from music to movies to games to voice chat, you're constantly adjusting the software settings to get optimal results. For example the main page of the HS1NA software allows users to adjust between different input channels (2.1, 4.0, 5.1, and 7.1), and listening modes (Dolby Logic IIz, 7.1 virtual surround sound). They give a list of suggestions and expect the users to choose the system input correctly. Much of that should instead be automated. Since music is mostly stereo and many games implement 7.1 surround sound, it makes sense to automatically adjust input channels when certain media is being played. Of course purely in terms of functionality everything is there. Individual sound channels can be repositioned and volumes changed thanks to Corsair's 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter. Dolby Headphone technology can also be turned off completely if you want a normal stereo headset experience.
The software also includes basic headset mic volume settings. Here users can adjust mic volume relative to speaker volume, and change voice playback options.
Corsair's goal is to have users be able to listen to sound the way it was meant to be heard. Having said that, by default the HS1NA comes with no extra bass, surprising because a solid bass sounds great on the 50mm drivers. Luckily the built-in equalizer can be used to adjust the sound to your liking. Corsair also included some basic environment sound effects, which I don't find particularly useful but can be fun to play with.
Corsair also included some cool extras in the software. On the voice effects page there's some interesting features, including voice morphing (monster, cartoon, male, and female voices). Key shifting is also present for Karaoke lovers. My favorite however is the voice cancellation option, which works extremely well. Essentially you can play any song, turn on voice cancellation and (at the sacrifice of some music quality of course) the software will strip out all vocals from the audio track. This even works for movies.
The Corsair HS1NA USB Headset comes with functionally abundant software. They even include some interesting features unseen in other headsets. However the lack of automatically switching audio modes makes it difficult to maintain optimal settings. Corsair HS1NA Headset Testing & ResultsTest System
ResultsWe'll start first with stereo quality. Because the Corsair HS1NA comes by default without any bass amplification, higher and mid-range frequencies are overly sharp, completely wasting the 50mm drivers' potential. In order to get decent results, the EQ bands need to be adjusted, or you can load some of the presets including amplified bass. Sound quality is usually fairly subjective but comparing to several other high-end headsets around the same price, the Corsair HS1NA performed top of the pack. In particular having a vibrant bass did not come at the sacrifice of other frequencies. Vocals still sounded crisp and clear even with an amplified bass. For almost every other headset out there, the higher tones get a little fuzzy once the base get tuned way up, but the HS1NA does not have this problem. Corsair stresses the HS1NA is tuned to an ideal audio curve so that audio experience matches closely to what the designers intended, and they're not lying. Typically up-scaling stereo sound into 7.1 surround sound gives mixed results for music. However for the HS1NA, Dolby Headphone mode can be turned on and off separately from Dolby Pro Logic IIz. Dolby Headphone modifies stereo signals to create the effect of sound playing around you instead of right into your ears. Dolby Pro Logic is used to upscale stereo to 7.1 surround. Dolby Pro Logic tends to be the one that causes the mixed results. After experimenting with many albums, I conclude that music is more enjoyable with Dolby Headphone turned on. The reduction of ear fatigue is a major reason. While it may sound odd to be talking about stereo and up-mixed 7.1 surround sound, I stress its importance as a demonstration the Corsair HS1NA's audio quality.
On the virtual surround side, Dolby Headphone technology is able to take in native 7.1 audio signals and transcode them as stereo signals with audio cues. This allows stereo headphones to play surround sound. Performance is measured solely on the strength and clarity of directional audio. As a USB Gaming Headset, games are naturally the best measurement for performance. Some of the games I tried include Call of Duty: Black Ops, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, and StarCraft II. Thanks to Dolby technologies, the Corsair HS1NA delivers excellent directional audio. This is especially noticeable in first person shooters when the character's direction constantly rotates. One thing I like is the smooth transitions as audio sources move. Some headsets tend to have noticeable sudden changes in directional output as a sound source switches from, for example, front to back speakers. This may happen in RTS games where the screen pans above or below a sound sourcet. For serious gamers having a good mic is extremely important. The Corsair HS1NA's noise cancelling features work very well at the sacrifice of lower volume. For the longest time I had the mic turned on but tucked away along the headset and it barely picked up any ambient noise. The unidirectional mic ensures the capture of your voice and nothing more. However this is really intended to be a mic used for gaming and the mic volume needs to be maxed out to capture voice clearly. Lastly comfort is a major element for any headset. This is an area where the Corsair HS1NA excels. Because the ear pieces are so huge, they fit right around your ears. The flexible headband grips onto your head comfortably helping the HS1NA stay on without slipping. Absolutely no stress is put on the ears. I own several high end headsets that are comfortable for gaming sessions of several hours but none can match the Corsair HS1NA in terms of comfort. The Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset is designed and built well. It delivers top-notch audio, implements Dolby Headphone technologies for surround sound, and has a decent mic, all of which fits into an extremely comfortable package. For their first audio product Corsair definitely did a great job. Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset Final ThoughtsIn comparison with some of the other latest gaming headsets that implement Dolby Headphone technology, it is no surprise that there are huge similarities in terms of directional audio performance. After all it's the exact same algorithms being used to generate the virtual surround sound. That doesn't mean every headset is the same. In fact performance varies greatly depending on the drivers and build of the headset. Great directional audio is well complemented by first class drivers that deliver high audio quality. In this respect the Corsair HS1NA is a good example of a headset that merges well with the software.
Corsair HS1NA Headset ConclusionIt may be pure coincidence or genuine quality, but somehow the Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset hit a sweet spot. It is instantly my favorite headset for listening to music, watching movies, and gaming. Much of it can be attributed to the fine-tuned 50mm drivers delivering top-notch audio. The decision to use Dolby for surround sound is wise, as they are the industry standard for music, games and movies. This is also the most comfortable pair of headset I've used. The mic isn't the best but if you're in a noisy room with lots of ambient noise this mic will manage to capture your voice and your voice only. The HS1NA's visual appearance may seem is a little plain, as it surely looks that way from the box art and packaging. However the aluminum silver and leathery textures give it a nice high-end feel. The design is mature and suits a more diverse age group. Even if you're not a gamer this headset could still be a good purchase because of its excellent performance. Corsair constructed the HS1NA very well. It has a solid frame but flexible at the same time. Most headsets tend be a hassle to carry around without a case in fear of damage, but the HS1NA is extremely flexible and can be shoved into a bag without any problems by tucking the ear pieces away. The headband adjuster is solid and provides enough friction to avoid arbitrary shifts. The mic has limited adjustability but it maintains its position after bending. Functionality wise the Corsair HS1NA delivers everything you need in a surround sound headset. The software could use some extra work to improve usability but at least an abundant of options are available and plenty of tweaks to personalize your audio experience. In particular the Karaoke effects included with the software is unique and interesting, and plenty of fun is possible with it. The Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset can be purchased for $89.99. For a late entrant into the market, the price may not seem particularly competitive. However the HS1NA's feature set and performance justify the price. Purely in terms of hardware you can expect to pay more for the larger driver. The 3.5mm audio jack version comes at about $25 cheaper however you lose the surround sound features. For those that care more about compatibility the Corsair HS1ANA is a better choice. Corsair has successfully made a great headset and it performs magnificently. The two areas it stands out is audio quality and comfort. If these two things are your primary concerns for a headset then the Corsair HS1NA USB Gaming Headset is a great choice. Pros:
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Comments
Purely in terms of audio quality I'd go with Corsair's. It's cheaper than the rest by at least $35. Also the most comfortable. Logitech G930 is wireless, has a great mic, audio quality good but slightly worse than Corsair's, but again it's wireless.
Mad Catz's headset is true surround sound, not software driven. You will get much better surround sound results if the content does support true surround sound and do it well, but most don't. Make sure you know it matches what you do.
It's performance should be similar to the Corsair HS1. Both 50mm drivers. However SteelSeries seems to use proprietary software over industry leader Dolby for surround sound. You also won't get anything like Dolby Pro Logic that upmixes stereo to 7.1 surround. But the 7H has some interesting things going for it too like the external USB sound card which you can mix and match headsets/sound cards. Seems like a much better travel mate.
Currently I use Roccat Kave and I'm very found of.
But at some point of time (not that far) I'm planning to build mini-ITX system and for that one I would like to have nice USB headset
My Kave doesn't play that well with onboard audio (realtek 889A) - it gives bit hallow and muffled sound compared to the dedicated sound card, so I'm using XtremeGamer from Creative to drive it...