Page 3 - Subjective Audio Analysis
Reviewing audio devices requires extensively trained ears, lots of experience, and sufficient technical knowledge. Even for the experienced auditioner, it may prove challenging at times to obtain an accurate evaluation of a product without a thoroughly familiar product to use as a simultaneous reference. Furthermore, many self-proclaimed audiophiles are susceptible to biased write-ups due to placebo effects from false advertising. While I am not going to even try to claim that I am the only trustworthy or best evaluator for sound, it is fact that most computer review sites have editors who are insufficiently trained in reviewing audio equipment. Give them anything and all you will read about goes along with the line of "good bass, nice midrange, impressive treble, really clear sound, 10/10". While there are many knowledgeable audio reviewers at various respected online media outlets, they are by far the minority.
As I have mentioned in my past audio reviews, there are no true objective measurements for sound quality. As the evaluator, however, I will put it through a series of subjective tests to try to produce the most objective rating possible. Yes, it sounds like a paradox. For all tests, I plugged the wireless transmitter into a USB port on my motherboard. After over 90 hours of break-in time, which is well above the typical required period, I put the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless to the tests. All tracks are uncompressed or high bitrate audio files. I tested the headset without any virtual surround effects active and with the equalizer set to a flat response. Specific to the headset, I disabled Dolby Atmos or any other virtual surround effects, unless otherwise mentioned. For gaming, I played Overwatch and League of Legends. First-person shooter games are crucial for testing these headphones, as gameplay can heavily rely on hearing additional sounds. The other games have aspects where audio is useful, but this is less of a factor.
Starting with the lower end, the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless was adequate. Low kick drums and bass guitar riffs were present and provided some depth with definition and lower-end oomph. There were times when the bass felt a bit more boomy with more instruments added, but in isolation the bass was clearer. In gaming, bass sounds are important for providing situational awareness such as footsteps for nearby enemies or characters. These sorts of effects came through clearly and made it easy to distinguish some directionality.
When we moved to the midrange, the sound was clean. I was able to hear the full range, but there was a lacking definition. Vocals felt harsh at times. Instruments like pianos and acoustic guitars provided a good amount of resonance but felt dry. I would not call this a warm midrange, and it lacked a bit of thickness or richness. The whole region was a bit less in presence compared to the bass and treble region, which is not too surprising given the tuning and purpose of the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless. The midrange is still important for gaming with voice lines providing more cues for in-game events.
As for the higher range trebles, the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless came through audibly. Instruments like electric guitars cut through the rest with ease. Percussive elements like high hat taps and cymbal crashes felt messy and hard to hear distinctly at times. High string and woodwind instruments like violins and flutes were also heard but felt grainy. Vocals were not overly sharpened to the point of sibilance, which is a good thing, but lacked smoothness. In games, the treble region is important for higher pitched cues like gunshots or glass breaking, again to bring users some awareness to their surroundings.
Altogether, the three regions were balanced as you might expect for the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless. As these headphones are intended for gaming, you should not expect a balanced or flat response. Rather, we had a flattened, upside-down W with a slightly reduced low bass and some roll-off at the highest end, while some peaks in the upper bass to lower-midrange and the middle of the treble. Even if this is not a typical V-shape, it works for gaming situations as the proper frequency ranges are more audible, which is precisely the use case of the headphones.
As for soundstaging and imaging, the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless was sufficient for gaming and less so for music. In game, positional awareness through all the different cues was great, and I was able to determine the relative location of enemies before I could see them. However, in music, the experience was a bit more nuanced. While these were capable of directional immersion, the perceived depth left me wanting more. It was as if the band was spread out on stage, but the stage was very narrow. In live tracks, audience voices felt close together. Imaging was mostly realistic, even if it was not a full environment. The closed-back design may not help in this regard, but the soundstaging and imaging thinner feel affected the overall immersion. With the virtual surround enabled through Dolby, the surround effect did increase but at the sacrifice of details and a slightly unnatural reproduction.
As for layering, the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless was good but not great with details. In most music, instruments and voices were audible throughout the song until we reached a threshold of details. Past this threshold, the HS35 v3 Wireless felt a more overwhelmed and lost some resolution in lesser parts such as background instruments or vocals. The frequencies were separable and distinguishable overall. The sound still felt cohesive and together, as if it were coming from one set of headphones. The output was also mostly clean, but there was some wireless background hissing.
For sound isolation, the HS35 v3 Wireless headset was solid. With the fabric ear pads, it does not create a great seal on your head, but sound does not leak too much out. Its closed-back design also ensures sound is not automatically escaping out the sides. External noises were passively blocked from coming in and audio stayed within your head. If you are in an office environment with background chatter, the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless is an effective way to block out noise while ensuring your audio does not leak out.
As for the microphone tests, I used Audacity to record and export the captured audio as MP3 files. With the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless, the recorded audio was surprisingly usable and captured a larger range than I have seen with most headset microphones. The audio did not sound too compressed or closed off in range. The audio came through clearly even without a wind screen or muffler. On the other hand, the omnidirectional microphone also easily captured background noises. Whether it was my keyboard, mouse clicking, or background music, the HS35 v3 Wireless microphone caught it all. The overall quality of the input audio is solid, but some users may want something more unidirectional. For voice chat or communications, this is a solid replacement. I still would not recommend this for long term content creation like streaming or podcasting, as dedicated microphones will still provide better input
The battery life of the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless was average. Corsair quotes up to 30 hours per charge, and I was able to reach this estimate before I heard a low battery voiceover while using the headphones. 30 hours is not a bad benchmark, especially at this budget price, but we have seen other headphones last two to three times longer on a single charge. Charging the HS35 v3 Wireless also takes three hours, which is longer than expected. For this battery life, I would have expected a charge time closer to two hours. As for wireless range, the Corsair HS35 v3 Wireless was great, even outside my computer room. I was able to move all around my house and still hear and speak without any issues. I should also note the HS35 v3 Wireless does not allow for simultaneous wireless USB and Bluetooth transmission at the same time. Finally, there was no wireless lag noticed when gaming or watching videos with the HS35 v3 Wireless.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Audio Analysis
4. Conclusion
