Verdict

The Corsair HS65 Encompass options nice construct high quality, consolation, a sexy and minimalistic design, and most significantly additionally delivers in the case of audio efficiency. The 7.1 encompass sound performs admirably, and it has a great total sound profile with respectable bass that does not drown out the mids and highs.

Corsair HS65 Encompass detailed evaluation

The Corsair HS65 Encompass is a brand new mid-range gaming headset providing from Corsair that may be a direct enchancment over its predecessor, the Corsair HS60 Professional Encompass. The Corsair HS65 improves on the HS60 in nearly each facet, from construct high quality, to consolation, and most significantly, sound high quality. It additionally comes with a couple of extra options, similar to customized SoundID, which we’ll get to within the evaluation.

Corsair HS65 Encompass: Specs at a look

Driver Sort: 50mm Neodymium

Impedance: 32 Ohms @ 1 kHz

Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20 kHz

Design Model: Closed-back

Microphone Sort: Omni-directional increase

Connectivity: USB 2.0, 3.5mm

Weight: 282g

Wire Size: 1.8 m

Software program: Corsair iCUE 4

Corsair HS65 Encompass: Construct and design

The HS65 Encompass has nice construct high quality. It makes use of strong aluminium for the headscarf and ear cup mounts. The headset options matte white plastic ear cups, with a metallic grille design within the center, which additionally homes the Corsair emblem. There are two color variants for the HS65 Encompass, White and Black. We received the white and gray variant. There’s Corsair branding on the highest of the matte white headband as properly. General, the design seems to be fairly premium and fashionable; it would not scream gamer however there’s simply sufficient that you understand this can be a gaming headset.

We have got some actually comfy reminiscence foam earcups on the Corsair HS65 Encompass, with fabric on the floor of the earcups, i.e., the elements that contact your head and ears, and protein leather-based on the sides of the earcups. This combine between leather-based and fabric helps preserve it from getting too scorching over lengthy gaming classes (as in comparison with full leather-based earcups) whereas additionally offering higher isolation than full material earcups. The identical thick reminiscence foam can also be current below the headscarf, on the half which rests in your head. General, we’ve got no complaints within the consolation division.

The headphones weigh 282 g, which is not too gentle or too heavy. The headphones sit fairly snugly in your head, with little or no price range, because of the highly effective clamping pressure on the aluminium headband. Too highly effective at instances even, to the purpose the place these headphones is likely to be too tight a match for individuals with giant heads.

For on-ear controls, you might have a single quantity dial behind the left earcup. They’ve accomplished away with the mute button solely in favour of a flip-to-mute microphone. Glorious. We have stated it earlier than, we’ll say it once more, flip-to-mute is the perfect to mute and unmute microphones.

The system comes with a USB-A dongle, which you will want with a purpose to use Dolby Encompass Sound capabilities. Nevertheless, there is not any encompass sound toggle on the earcups or on the dongle, the one means to take action is through the iCUE software program, or via Home windows should you’re utilizing Home windows Sonic or DTS.

Corsair HS65 Encompass: Efficiency

By default, the Corsair HS65 Encompass helps stereo audio. When used with the offered USB Dongle, you even have entry to Dolby Encompass sound. Moreover, through iCUE you might have customisable EQ which is all the time a plus. Take into account that all these options are solely accessible to you should you use the USB dongle. Nevertheless, the truth that it may be used through the three.5mm plug opens up many choices; you should utilize these together with your smartphones and different consoles as properly, successfully making these a pair of cross-platform gaming headphones.

Coming to the audio efficiency, we discovered it to be fairly good total, particularly at this price range. The EQ defaults to Pure Direct by default; the audio is extra flat on this preset. Nevertheless, tweaking the EQ could make a world of a distinction. There are 5 preset EQ settings to select from, and for many, these ought to greater than suffice. Nevertheless, you are greater than welcome to tweak the EQ to your preferences. The HS65 is powered by 50mm neodymium drivers, which do a terrific job with the lows with out shedding out on the small print of the mids and highs. Whereas gaming, you’ll benefit from the explosive carnage happening round you while not having to sacrifice on the extra minute particulars similar to voices and extra importantly, footsteps.

Talking of footsteps, with 7.1 encompass sound enabled, we discovered that we have been in a position to get good positional consciousness whereas in sport, having little to no hassle discerning the place the sounds of footsteps or photographs have been coming from. We have additionally received a reasonably expansive sound stage on these cans.

Even in the case of music, whereas these are gaming-first headphones, they carry out admirably. Even at excessive volumes. Talking of which, the amount can get fairly loud, and there may be slight distortion when the amount is at its highest. Nevertheless, most individuals is not going to (and should not) be listening to something at that stage of loudness.

The Discord licensed omni-directional microphone on the Corsair HS65 can also be wonderful. It has nice readability, voice is obvious and there is not any distortion. It additionally does a terrific job of cancelling background noises. The hum of the AC, sounds of visitors, building and so forth, nothing will get via. We even clapped proper in entrance of the mic and it did not choose that up. Nevertheless, it picks up voices rather well. A bit too properly in truth. If there are every other individuals talking in the identical room as you, the microphone will choose up their voices as properly. So this may get a bit annoying. Apart from that, we’ve got no complaints with the mic on the Corsair HS65.

Corsair HS65 Encompass: Options

The Corsair HS65 Encompass can be utilized out of the field as a easy plug and play system. Nevertheless, such as you talked about you will want the Corsair iCUE software program with a purpose to use Encompass sound, create customized SoundID profiles, and alter the EQ. There isn’t any lighting on these headphones.

The 5 EQ presets embrace Pure Direct, Film Theater, FPS Competitors, Clear Chat, and Bass Increase. They’re fairly self-explanatory and like we talked about, you possibly can tweak the EQ to your liking. Nevertheless, you possibly can take this a step additional with the brand new function on the HS65 – SoundID know-how from Sonarworks. This has been designed to allow you to tweak audio to your private choice. Head to SoundID on the iCUE software program, and you will be prompted to undergo a setup. Right here you have received a collection of seven musical kinds, from distorted guitars, to digital beats, to straight up screamo metallic. As soon as you have picked a method, SoundID applies varied filters to the monitor, and asks you to choose between A and B. After a sequence of such decisions, iCUE will create a customized SoundID for you based mostly in your preferences.

The ultimate result’s subjective, however we discovered it to be pretty efficient. As an experiment, we tried to create a sound profile that introduced out the highs and mids, and subdued the lows. The ensuing SoundID truly managed to drag this off. Nevertheless, we might advise in opposition to utilizing SoundID whereas gaming, and the setup course of would not all the time provide the outcomes you want.

Corsair HS65 Encompass: Verdict

The Corsair HS65 Encompass options nice construct high quality, consolation, a sexy and minimalistic design, and most significantly additionally delivers in the case of audio efficiency. The 7.1 encompass sound performs admirably, and it has a great total sound profile with respectable bass that does not drown out the mids and highs. Whereas the headphone will not be but out in India, assuming it’s going to price across the identical or barely extra (round Rs 7,000 – Rs 7,500) than the Corsair HS60, what we have here’s a strong price range mid-range gaming headset with premium efficiency and options.