I wouldn’t consider myself a streamer, nor someone who partakes or even enjoys eSports — however, one aspect of both those niches that I have come to love is that it has given manufacturers a reason to iterate and produce better gaming-focused gear that anyone can appreciate. Being their first foray into an open-back design, the Corsair Virtuoso Pro is no exception to that trend.
I’ve been an early adopter of cutting the cord, getting my first pair of Bluetooth earbuds around 2014, meaning I was curious to see just how much of a difference a high-quality wired headset would have on me in 2023. Starting with its design, the Corsair Virtuoso Pro sports an open-back approach, which comes with some unique properties and its own set of pros and cons.
I say cons, but for a headset designed with streamers, gamers and content creators in mind, a little noise bleed, which is inherent to having an open-back design, will likely be a non-issue. I advise those planning to be on the move to be mindful of their audio levels, as the Corsair Virtuoso Pro can get loud, and those worried about having to contend with a mic sticking out of their headset while out and about can rest assured in knowing that the Corsair Virtuoso Pro features a removable mic, but more on that later.
Additionally, suppose you’re used to noise cancellation. In that case, the open-back design means you will still be able to discern sound coming from your periphery when using the Corsair Virtuoso Pro at a low volume or when not in use, but due to the excellent sound quality of the headphones when in use, this feels more like a positive than anything that will get in the way of your listening experience.
The benefit of an open-back design, something the Corsair Virtuoso Pro nails, is its ability to convey a richer, more full-sounding experience akin to an excellent sound stage. In other words, the ambience and overall level of the headphones provide a deep and nuanced listening experience that properly isolates elements of whatever you’re listening to in a way that approximates the feel of an analogue experience.
Powered by 50mm graphene drivers, the Corsair Virtuoso Pro delivers punchy and full-sounding highs that not only translate well for music listening but are essential when playing a game like an FPS, where it becomes easier to discern the direction of others in your environment.
“The benefit of an open-back design, something the Corsair Virtuoso Pro nails, is its ability to convey a richer, more full-sounding experience akin to an excellent sound stage.”
In fact, I recommend using the Corsair Virtuoso Pro with a DAC if you have the option to do so, which, despite the extra hardware hanging off my phone and desktop setup, felt warranted due to just how good things sounded versus my usual Bluetooth options, ultimately delivering what I’d say is the best sound I’ve heard out of a headset geared towards gamers.
I’m used to bass-heavy headphones, and in that area, the Corsair Virtuoso Pro, along with its mid-range levels, can be a little underwhelming, often being outperformed by the headset’s tendency to focus on its highs, which can result in some sound being muddled, but overall, particularly for gaming, the Corsair Virtuoso Pro are an excellent sounding pair of headphones.
The design and overall aesthetic of the Corsair Virtuoso Pro, like any Corsair product, blurs the line between gamer and professional in a sleek and modern chassis with round cuffs featuring two high-quality metal latticed grills that complete the open-back look while allowing airflow, which helps with sound delivery and comfort.
Featuring dual jacks on both the left and right cuff of the Corsair Virtuoso Pro, users will be able to connect their headphones to any standard 3.5mm jack. Corsair also made the Virtuoso Pro idiot-proof by ensuring the headphone jack on the device is keyed, meaning you can’t accidentally plug in the removable mic into the wrong input of the device.
The Corsair Virtuoso Pro also ships with a Y adapter on top of the two 3.5mm cables for use with a desktop or gaming rig. The flexibility of all the removable IO is a nice touch. It allows those who want to use the headphones for purely consuming media the option to do so while making it easy to switch over to an actual headset configuration for playing with friends or talking to colleagues.
In terms of the mic quality itself, when compared to the excellent sound reproduction of the Corsair Virtuoso Pro, the mic can feel a little average, with some instances where it can even sound a bit compressed, but never to the point where I would say it sounded terrible or inaudible to my friends. Finally, the directional nature of the mic also ensured that it did an excellent job of isolating my voice without picking up on my air conditioner or the room’s background noise.
