It sounds great and feels even better, but the HS75 XB Wireless comes with a few caveats. For starters, this headset’s connectivity is seriously limited, offering the ability to connect only to Xbox devices. I’ve also experienced some weird connectivity issues while gaming. And the microphone is a big pile of meh. However, if you’re exclusively an Xbox gamer who can see past some of the issues it has, the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless is one of the best gaming headsets out there and a great way to experience next-gen gaming.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless design
The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless looks and feels like a premium gaming headset. Its svelte soft-touch black cups seem like they’re about to charge me money for just looking at them. At the center of the cups is a spider-web of gray triangles encompassing a black Corsair logo. It’s subtle, but the logo is a brushed metal; I could feel the ridges as I grazed my finger nail against it. Between the cups and the cushions are sleek glossy cutouts that give the headset that extra flair. The interior of the cups are gray and feature an odd protrusion that appears to curve with the outside of the ear. Holding the cups together is an aluminum band that feeds into the adjustable steel arm. This leads into the top of the band, which is thick, black, pleathery and features a sleek Corsair logo. On the underside lies a pleather cushion that covers the entire band. Unfortunately, the cups do not rotate like most premium gaming headsets, which is a little upsetting. There are a small number of controls and ports on the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless. From top to bottom on the left cup, there’s the volume rocker, the mute button, a USB Type-C port for charging and the input for the detachable microphone. The right cup holds room for the game/chat balance rocker and the power button. There is sadly no 3.5mm audio jack; this wireless headset can connect only to Xbox devices. It can technically connect to your PC, but you need an Xbox Wireless Adapter. In the box, you’ll find the detachable boom microphone as well as the USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable for charging.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless comfort
The question that was constantly running through my mind was, “do those luscious leatherette cushions feel as premium as they look?” Why yes, yes they do. Underneath those sleek cushions lies viscoelastic memory foam, which cradled my ears in a cloud of comfort. I wore the headset for hours and was content with how cool the cups felt against my head. The plush headband was firm, but soft enough against my head that I barely noticed it. When adjusting the fit, you can align the numbers on the band so both sides match. Many gaming headsets don’t have numbers, and instead use impractical indistinguishable notches. At 13.3 ounces, the Corsair is not much lighter than the JBL Quantum One, which, at 13.7 ounces, is one of the heaviest gaming headsets I’ve used. However, thanks to the slim design of the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless, it doesn’t feel all that heavy and barely shifts when I move my head side to side thanks to the snug fit of the cups.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless gaming performance
I was blown away by the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless’ 50-millimeter neodymium audio drivers thanks to the big assist from Dolby Atmos, which is free to download and use on the Xbox Series X. However, I noticed some funky connectivity issues. During Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Eivor’s breathing during combat made it sound like she was right next to me. It sounded so real and tangible. As I took on an army of frost giants in my dreams of Asgard, my swift strikes managed to miss my foe, but the sound of my great sword carving its way through the rainbow bridge was sharp and smooth. I did notice some connection issues, however. If I am not moving the controller for more than 10 to 15 seconds, the audio starts cutting in and out. It’s very strange. I opened YouTube to see if it would also happen when I’m watching videos, but it didn’t. Interestingly enough, the problem didn’t persist in other games, either. I took a journey down memory lane with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and, as I was pondering on what sounds to test, I was taken away by the atmospheric music and ambient noise that surround the Corvo Bianco Vineyard. The musical vocals serenaded me in soft tones as the birds chirped and the water in the river gently crashed against the rocks around me. I felt like I could reach out and touch the water. I went to fight a nest of arguably the worst enemies in the game, Archespores, and their roar was as vicious as their pods blowing up in my face. As I sliced them down with my silver sword, the slashes cutting through their meaty flesh sang in my ears. In Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, I crashed (heh) my way through the Food Run level, and the hyperactive xylophone sounded vibrant and lively, as if it was welcoming me into the futuristic metropolis. I spun into the first killer garbage can I found and heard the sweet “pew” that happens when an enemy flies into the void of nothingness. When I “accidentally” spun into a TNT crate, the sound of the small scale explosion was relatively loud and bassy. Unfortunately, I also noticed connectivity issues when leaving the console for a short period of time. When I turned the power of the headset back on, it disconnected and reconnected several times, and I had to turn the headset off and on again (multiple times in some cases) to get it to function properly.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless music performance
Unless you have an Xbox Wireless Adapter, you’re probably not going to be listening to much music unless it’s in-game, but despite that, the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless offers well-rounded audio performance. I listened to Nano’s “Kemurikusa” and was impressed by the heightened vocal clarity. The electric guitar was full and lively as it backed up the vocals. All of the instruments were distinguishable. The bass drums did sound hollow and muffled, but the rest of the percussion was on point. I couldn’t help but jam out as I type this. I brought myself to my mental happy place by tuning into Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s version of “Over the Rainbow,” and the melodic vocals had me bouncing my head from side to side. The audio was well-rounded and fully captured Kamakawiwo’ole’s voice. The ukulele had enough treble backing it that it wasn’t sharp, but rather pleasantly rich. When I played All Time Low’s “Monsters,” the vocals and electric guitar immediately took center stage with detailed mids and highs. The vocals were slightly higher than the guitar, which I definitely prefer. The percussion was surprisingly thick and loud, as the headset provided enough bass to make them stand out during the track.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless microphone
The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless’ detachable boom microphone wasn’t very good. My voice was loud and muddy. I sounded like someone you wouldn’t want to be on a call with for five hours of gaming. Additionally, I noticed that when the headset was more than 10 feet away from the Xbox, the microphone would make me sound like a robot, despite the headset’s advertised range of 30 feet. At the very least, the microphone was OK at blocking out sounds. I played music at half volume on my phone and placed it five feet away from me, and while I could faintly pick it up on my microphone, it wasn’t as loud as it was in real life.
Corsair HS75 XB Wireless features
The biggest selling point of the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless is the Dolby Atmos compatibility. Within the Xbox’s Dolby Atmos app, you can configure the audio to your liking. It offers three customizable presets as well as three additional user presets with EQ settings. The three presets include Game, Movie and Music. Within each one, you can enable an Equalizer to lean toward detailed, balanced or warm sound (you can also turn the EQ off). The Game preset has a separate setting called Performance Mode, which prioritizes positional accuracy for competitive gaming. When playing games, I actually preferred the Movie preset, only because the audio would be much louder, but I feel like the Game audio offers more balance. If you’re listening to music, I recommend its namesake preset with the Detailed option enabled. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, Corsair HS75 XB’s wireless emitter will only connect to Xbox’s proprietary wireless technology, so that means this is an Xbox-only device, and if you want to use it for PC, you’ll have to get (wait for it) an Xbox device, a.k.a. the Xbox Wireless Adapter. However, if you’re interested in a headset that’ll last long on a charge, the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless will get you through 20 straight hours of gaming.
Bottom line
The Corsair HS75 XB Wireless blesses the Xbox fanbase with its awesome design, powerful sound and super comfy cups of victory. But it will only service a small portion of gamers. Not to mention the microphone isn’t up to the same quality as the rest of the headset and the numerous connectivity issues I’ve experienced can be quite annoying. If you’re looking for a gaming headset that will work on everything and also offers excellent audio and great comfortability, then check out the SteelSeries Arctis 7P. Yes, it’s a PS5 headset, but you can connect it to virtually any console wirelessly or not. But if you’re looking for a gaming headset to deliver that sweet Dolby Atmos-enabled sound, then the Corsair HS75 XB Wireless is your best bet.
