There are a lot of gaming headsets on the market these days – a lot of them built with sheer devotion in mind – so you want to make sure you have yours made for proper capacity, especially when it comes to long-term use. The Corsair Gaming VOID Surround Hybrid Stereo Gaming Headset, one of the latest models from the company, definitely had potential to get to that point. Unfortunately, it can’t quite cross the finish line, mainly to issues with the 7.1 set-up.
First, let’s talk about the design of the headset. It’s got a durable build with red speakers and a lined microphone attached to it. It’s a pretty sleek design, but also with ear cups that are smaller than most headsets, which may leave some folks with larger heads feeling a little high-and dry. You can adjust it, but I kind of expected that was built more on practicality rather than sleekness. There is the ability to make room for both, if you’re devoted enough.
The headset works just fine with both PS4 and Xbox One, as you can plug it right in to the port that comes on the controllers. The quality of the sound is pretty good, although somewhat muted compared to other headsets, like the HyperX models and the Astro Gaming models. It’s not a complete throw-off, as you can adjust the volume, but it still seems to come across on a medium level instead of completely high.
That’s where the 7.1 set-up comes in, as you can plug your headset into a USB-like dongle, and then plug it into PC. It doesn’t quite work this way with consoles, sadly, as our tests came away inconclusive when we tried it. As for PC, well, it’s not bad, but there are some sound quality issues that are hard to ignore.
First off, while the 7.1 effect is impressive, there are some elements that come across as muted, mainly with voices. The RGB-style version of the VOID doesn’t have this problem, based on what we’ve heard, but this one is a bit odd when it comes to finding that right sound level. Again, not completely broken, but considering you’re dropping $80 for a headset like this, you expect more quality. It just comes away feeling like it’s been untested.
We’re not sure if there’s an option to download an update to fix these features, especially if you’re just using the headset for mobile/console use, so there might be. However, as it stands, it just seems a bit too common for its own good, when Corsair could’ve done more to make it stand out on the next level. I understand needing a USB plug-in to get the most out of Dolby 7.1, of course, but it could’ve worked a lot better than this.
Overall, I’ve got mixed feelings with this VOID headset. The design is questionable with smaller ear cups, although it’s pretty slick when you’re using it for game sessions. Plugging it into a console or mobile device isn’t bad, although the sound’s a bit more muted than you might expect. And while the 7.1 option is there, it’s not really explored fully, as you’ll feel like you’re getting the short end of the stick.
There are far better headsets out there, so shop around before you consider the VOID. It’s just not quite where it needs to be.
