Corsair HS50

Simple delight

PRICE $ 89 www.corsair.com

Unlike the other headsets that Corsair has released, the HS50 is a very straightforward product. There are no eyecatching angles, bright colours, virtual surround codecs, USB lights or anything else. In the pack, aside from the headset itself is a removable boom mic and a splitter cable extension. The design of the headset itself is also a great deal more straightforward than the Void line – a well-padded sprung metal headband holds two oval earcups, each housing a 50mm driver. The left earcup features a volume control as well as a mic mute button. The simplicity of the design definitely helps to reduce the cost of the headset, but that simplicity doesn’t mean that Corsair skimped on performance. The HS50 headset is a cracker.

The bass response is remarkable for such a straightforward stereo headset. It’s not overpowering but delivers a deep, rich resonance that works equally well with music and games. Likewise the high ranges are crisp and clear. The overall effect is a wonderfully spacious sound that punches well above the $89 price point. If there is any problem with the HS50, it’s that the headset is definitely on the heavy end, weighing in at 330g with the microphone attached. This might not seem like much but after a while you can definitely feel it on the top of your head. The earcups can get a little toasty after a while as well. That said, neither the weight nor the hot ears outweigh the value for money the HS50 headset offers. By eschewing extra features and instead simply focussing on the fundamentals, Corsair has delivered its best headset to date. DANIEL WILKS