Corsair HS55 Stereo review

Corsair HS55 Stereo: Two minute review

The Corsair HS55 Stereo gaming headset is a good wired gaming headset for the price. It lacks the visual flair of other gaming headsets, but it is a solid, no-frills device that provides a clear audio response through its 50mm Neodymium drivers. 

The headset microphone has an omni-directional polar pattern allowing for excellent voice capture. The headset audio and microphone tested very well in a variety of uses from online games (like Counter-Strike) to voice chat (such as Zoom), making it very versatile.  

Corsair paid plenty of attention to the build of the headset. It’s one of the most comfortable wired headsets we’ve tried and it’s constructed from high quality material so it's plenty durable. The ear pads combine memory foam with leatherette material, and sit securely over the user’s ears without being noticeably tight.

The HS55 Stereo comes complete with an adapter/headphone splitter dividing a “3 ring” balanced audio/mic signal (which is the standard on modern gaming headsets) into two separate audio/speaker and microphone 3.5mm input jacks meant for use on older computers, which is something we definitely appreciate.

All in all, the Corsair HS55 Stereo is one of the best PC gaming headsets in this price range, but its price is still on the high side, so you might find an equally good competitor at a lower price.

Corsair HS55 Stereo: Price and availability

• How much is it? MSRP is $59 /£49 /AU$89
• When can you get it? The Corsair HS55 Stereo is available now.
• Where can you buy it? You can get it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Corsair HS55 Stereo gaming headset is available now on the Corsair website and other mainstream retailers. It’s a fantastic headset in a very competitive field, and the main issue with the price is that there are other stereo gaming headsets that offer comparable performance and features for a lighter price tag. 

Plus, if you’re willing to spend a little more money, you can get a headset that offers haptics or even surround sound, such as the Corsair HS60 Surround gaming headset which retails for on the Corsair website for just a bit more money.

So it's not that the Corsair HS55 Stereo is overpriced, per se, but you really have to want the quality of the headset more than the affordability. If you're looking for the cheapest gaming headset in this class, it likely won't be the HS55 Stereo.

Corsair HS55 Stereo: Design 

• Outstanding comfort
• Adjustable mic

The Corsair HS55 Stereo gaming headset features a redesigned lightweight frame reinforced through the use of durable material in its construction. Memory foam pads and leatherette covering material attach to the ear cans and provide comfort to the user throughout many hours of gaming. 

The omni-directional microphone is attached to a flexible boom arm on the left ear cup, and the boom arm lifts up and pulls down for use, which also mutes and unmutes the mic, respectively. The microphone isn't detachable, though.

The cable measures about six feet long, which is enough for most people to comfortably use. Anybody fragging their friends online will have plenty of freedom to move around. There aren't any wireless options on the headset, so this is strictly a wired affair.

Corsair HS55 Stereo: Features

• Volume control of headset is made simple to use
•  Headset splitter/adapter enables the HS55 to work on older computers easily 

In addition to the flexible microphone boom arm, the left ear cup has an onboard volume wheel on the rear that lets users to make quick adjustments without having to put down their controller. 

The microphone has an omni-directional polar pattern with a solid frequency response, and while the microphone is omni-directional, the placement of the microphone’s capsule on the boom arm faces the microphone toward the user so it doesn't pick up too much extraneous noise (like keystrokes).  

The headset comes with an adapter/headphone splitter dividing a 3 ring audio mic signal (which is the standard on modern gaming headsets) into two separate audio/speaker and mic signals, which makes it compatible with older machines that have separate ports for headphones and microphones.

This adapter gives the Corsair HS55 Stereo the flexibility to be used on older machines, which is not something you can say about a lot of modern headsets. This is not much of an issue since most gamers won’t be gaming on an old Compaq desktop, but it’s a pleasant surprise to see that Corsair made the extra effort here.

Corsair HS65 Surround: Performance

• Audio drivers deliver fantastic audio quality
• Strong bass response, maybe a little too strong
• Awesome mic performance

Featuring 50mm Neodymium audio drivers with a frequency response of 20hz to 20khz, the average gaming user will seriously appreciate the sound on the Corsair HS55 Stereo gaming headset.

Those 50mm Neodymium audio drivers really do make games come alive, with every explosion or hit having a real robust sound. If there’s any criticism that we have with the performance of the Corsair HS55 Stereo, it is that the bass response can be a little strong. You might not hear it in your Discord or Facetime chat, but the problem is most notable with casual listening. 

Songs and movies that normally sound great might sound out of balance since the audio drivers are pushing the low end harder than normal. This might be great for gaming, but the bass in Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was more accentuated so that the bass seemed as noticeable as the vocals. 

Considering that there’s no way to adjust the EQ settings on the headset itself, you’re left with music that sounds slightly out of balance unless you run it through a third party equalizer. Obviously, this particular criticism is a matter of taste. If you’re blasting Future’s “Puffin on Zootiez” or Kendrick Lamar’s “N95” (where the bass is meant to be boosted), the HS55 Stereo sounds absolutely amazing.

The performance of video conferencing and voice chat using apps like Discord, Zoom, Teams, or Facetime is outstanding, and while Corsair isn’t promoting the HS55 Stereo as a video conferencing solution, colleagues and friends will hear you loud and clear.

So while the Corsair HS55 Stereo is a bit on the pricier side, it delivers outstanding performance across the spectrum, so it's definitely worth giving a look if price isn't your biggest concern.

Should you buy a Corsair HS55 Stereo?

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

Also consider

Astro A10
At a retail price of $59/£49 the Astro A10 costs the same as the Corsair 55. However, it has been on the market for months now and there are deals for this model. Which means that you can get a competing headset for a fraction of the price of the Corsair HS55 Stereo.

Read the full Astro A10 review

Turtle Beach Recon 70
For the retail price of $39/£29 (about AU$60), the Turtle Beach Recon has roughly the same number of features as the Corsair HS55 Stereo, but smaller 40mm audio drivers in the ear cups and a much lower price.

Read the full Turtle Beach Recon 70 review 

• First reviewed May 2022