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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.8 update for Headphones! Read the R&D Article to learn more.

Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.7
Reviewed Nov 23, 2023 at 09:30 am
Latest change: Writing modified Aug 28, 2024 at 01:23 pm
Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO Picture
8.1
Neutral Sound
4.3
Commute/Travel
5.4
Sports/Fitness
5.5
Office
5.5
Wireless Gaming
7.6
Wired Gaming
6.7
Phone Calls

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are wired, open-back gaming headphones designed with streamers and gamers in mind. They're the first headphones from this manufacturer to feature 50mm graphene drivers, which the manufacturer advertises as lightweight and capable of producing a deep, immersive sound. They have a unique design whereby the flexible boom mic is attached directly to the cable rather than the headphones. That said, the cable is detachable, and another cable lacking a mic is provided for those who prefer a more casual look.

Our Verdict

8.1 Neutral Sound

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are great for neutral sound. While they lack the low-end boom and rumble common in closed-back headphones, their excellent mid accuracy ensures vocals and lead instruments sound natural and present. Their open-back design also means that they have an open and immersive passive soundstage that makes audio sound like it's coming from speakers around your head.

Pros
  • Immersive passive soundstage.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation performance.
4.3 Commute/Travel

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are poor for commuting and travel use. They're not designed with portability in mind, so their cumbersome, wired design isn't well-suited to journeys. While they have a comfortable fit, their open-back design provides very little isolation against ambient noise, and they'll also leak a lot of audio, which can be annoying for other people when you're using them in a public place.

Pros
  • Sturdy build quality.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation performance.
  • Bulky, not very portable design.
  • Leak a lot of audio.
5.4 Sports/Fitness

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are poor for sports and fitness. They're gaming headphones that aren't intended for this purpose. Their wired design means it's very easy to snag the cable while in motion and damage the headphones by getting sweat or dust in their grilles. They're bulky and can easily fall off your head during moderate exercise.

Pros
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation performance.
  • Bulky, not very portable design.
  • Leak a lot of audio.
5.5 Office

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are sub-par for office use. Due to their open-back design, they struggle to isolate you against background noise, like office chatter, and others around you will hear what you're listening to, even at a moderate listening volume. They're comfortable enough for long days at the office, and their excellent mic recording quality is well-suited to conference calls.

Pros
  • Great mic recording quality.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation performance.
  • Bulky, not very portable design.
  • Leak a lot of audio.
5.5 Wireless Gaming

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are wired headphones that you can't use wirelessly.

7.6 Wired Gaming

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are good for wired gaming. They offer a low-latency performance via their wired connection, and they're comfortable enough to be worn for marathon gaming sessions. Their excellent mid-range accuracy brings out all the nuance in in-game dialogue and their wide, immersive soundstage helps make it sound like gameplay is coming from all around you rather than just in front of you. They also come with two cables, one with a mic and one without, to fit all your gaming needs. However, their underemphasized bass response means low-frequency sounds, like explosions, can be slightly underwhelming.

Pros
  • Immersive passive soundstage.
  • Great mic recording quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation performance.
6.7 Phone Calls

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are okay for phone calls. The flexible boom mic has great recording quality, so your voice sounds clear and easily understandable. The mic is also very good at separating your voice from background noise, even in noisier environments. However, their open-back design means they struggle to block out any background noise, so you'll have a hard time hearing what's said on the other end.

Pros
  • Great mic recording quality.
  • Comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation performance.
  • Bulky, not very portable design.
  • 8.1 Neutral Sound
  • 4.3 Commute/Travel
  • 5.4 Sports/Fitness
  • 5.5 Office
  • 5.5 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.6 Wired Gaming
  • 6.7 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Aug 28, 2024: We referenced the Turtle Beach Atlas Air Wireless in the Leakage box.
  2. Updated Jul 30, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.7, which updates our Noise Isolation test. We've also expanded the scope of this test to include Common Scenarios in addition to Voice Handling and Wind Handling.
  3. Updated Nov 23, 2023: Review published.
  4. Updated Nov 15, 2023: Early access published.
  5. Updated Nov 10, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Oct 23, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Oct 10, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are available in two color variants: 'Carbon' and 'White'. You can see the label here. We tested the 'Carbon' variant, but we expect other variants to perform similarly. If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are the first pair of wired, open-back gaming headphones that the manufacturer has produced. The VIRTUOSO PRO are unique within Corsair's gaming headset lineup in that they feature a mic attached to a detachable cable instead of the non-detachable mic on the Corsair HS60. They're comparable in design to the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X, but the Corsair are lighter and have a more immersive soundstage. The Drop + Sennheiser are more comfortable and offer a more neutral sound profile.

Check out our recommendations for the best gaming headphones, the best headsets for PS5, and the best headsets for Xbox Series X|S.

Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO and the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X have similar strengths, and your choice will depend on personal preference. Both are open-back, wired headphones designed with gaming use in mind. The Corsair have a more immersive, wider-sounding soundstage, but the Drop + Sennheiser are more comfortable and have a better mic recording quality. Both feature non-detachable boom mics, but the Corsair's mic is attached to a cable, which can easily be swapped out for a mic-less one for a more casual look.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro

The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro are better overall wired gaming headphones than the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO. Thanks to their GameDAC, you can plug them in and access a host of sound customization options, including channel mixing and graphic EQ. They also have better controls, and their excellent bass accuracy adds intensity to bassy sounds like explosions. That said, the open-back nature of the Corsair creates a more immersive soundstage that enables you to more easily locate footsteps within the stereo field. It's also much easier to achieve a consistent sound across multiple gaming sessions, as you don't need a perfect seal to ensure accurate bass delivery.

Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO and the Sennheiser Game One Gaming Headset are both wired, open-back gaming headsets. As a result, they have similar strengths and weaknesses: they both struggle to reproduce low-bass frequencies and won't block out any ambient noise, but they also offer a comfortable fit and a superior soundstage performance to closed-back headsets. While the Sennheiser have a better quality microphone, the Corsair have a more immersive soundstage and come with a sturdy carrying case if you need to transport them.

Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO aren't designed specifically for gaming like the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are, but they're still a good choice for wired gaming. They're comfortable and more sturdily built than the Corsair and offer a lower bass extension. However, if you need a microphone to communicate with your teammates, you'll want to opt for the Corsair and their high-quality microphone. The Corsair also have a wider, more immersive soundstage. That said, if you prefer the sound profile of the Beyerdynamic but need to use a mic, you can always pick up a standalone microphone to pair it with.

Turtle Beach Atlas Air Wireless

The Turtle Beach Atlas Air Wireless and the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are both open-back gaming headphones. The Corsair's passive soundstage feels more immersive and speaker-like, delivering audio more consistently from wear to wear. On the other hand, the Turtle Beach can connect to your PC and PlayStation wirelessly, have a better mic, and come with a companion app to tweak their sound to your liking.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Open-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO stand out from the rest of the Corsair lineup due to their open-back, wired design. They come in two color schemes; 'Carbon', which have a black frame and chrome accents, and 'White', which feature a white frame and chrome accents. The headband and earpads are made of memory foam and covered in a soft, plush cloth that gives them a premium look. The flexible boom mic is attached to the cable rather than the headphones. The L/R cables have different housings, so the mic will always be on your left side. They also come with a standard, mic-less 1/8" TRS cable if you prefer a more casual look.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.76 lbs
Clamping Force
1.3 lbs

These headphones have a comfortable fit that's well suited to longer gaming sessions. The memory foam headband and ear pads have a soft, cloth padding that feels pleasant on the skin. However, they fit tightly on the head, which can be a little uncomfortable if you wear glasses as the arms can press into the side of your head. The ear cup depth is also quite shallow, so your ears can brush up against the foam.

3.9
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Mediocre
Call/Music Control No
Volume Control No
Microphone Control Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls No

These headphones have a poor, very limited control scheme. There's a single switch on the cable that you can slide to mute and unmute the mic. However, there's no feedback to indicate when you're muted or unmuted.

5.8
Design
Portability
L 8.2" (20.7 cm)
W 8.7" (22.0 cm)
H 1.8" (4.7 cm)
Volume 130.62 in³ (2,140.40 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

Like most gaming headphones, they aren't designed with portability in mind. While the earcups can rotate to lie flat, they're bulky and won't easily fit in a bag or a coat pocket. However, their cable can be detached and stored separately, which helps you transport them without worrying about tangling the cable. They also have a good quality case that helps protect them while in transit.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 9.1" (23.2 cm)
W 9.7" (24.6 cm)
H 2.5" (6.3 cm)
Volume 219.41 in³ (3,595.54 cm³)

These headphones come with a good quality hard case that can help protect them from falls or from getting crushed in your bag. They're molded to fit the headphones and feature a handy pouch for cable storage.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

These headphones have a great build quality. They're made of a mixture of sturdy plastic, metal, and cloth that feels high quality. That said, their open-back design means that you must be cautious and keep the grilles away from water and dust, as these can easily penetrate the enclosure and damage the headphones.

6.0
Design
Stability

Like most gaming headphones, the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are only reasonably stable. They lack the flexible ski-band headband design of the Corsair HS80 MAX WIRELESS and are likelier to slide around and fall off your head during moderate to intense head movements. Sharp tilts of the head and sudden movements will require you to re-adjust their fit.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO headphones
  • Case
  • 1/8" TRS to split 1/8" TS cable (76")
  • 1/8" TRRS to split 1/8" TS cable with boom microphone (76")
  • Y-splitter cable (7")

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-1.02 dB
Treble Amount
-2.08 dB

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO have a warm sound profile, somewhat similar to the Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X. Due to their open-back design, they can't reproduce the kind of low, rumbly sub-bass that brings life to explosions, but the over-emphasized high-bass helps bring out footstep sounds. The relatively neutral mid-range adds detail to both in-game dialogue and the voices of your teammates. However, a dip in the low and mid-treble causes instruments and sibilants to lose clarity. Unfortunately, they aren't compatible with Corsair's iCUE software, which provides customization features for many of the manufacturer's other gaming headsets.

8.6
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.28 dB

These headphones have great frequency response consistency. Due to their open-back design, they don't need a perfect seal to reproduce bass accurately and are consistent in their treble delivery, even if you have thick hair or glasses. As a result, it's relatively easy to achieve a consistent sound across multiple gaming sessions.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.4
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.7 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
42.38 Hz
Low-Bass
-3.94 dB
Mid-Bass
3.1 dB
High-Bass
4.82 dB

These headphones have decent bass accuracy. The low bass is under-emphasized, meaning low-frequency sound effects, like explosions, will lack rumble and excitement. While the boosted mid and high-bass helps to bring out footsteps, this can also cause mixes to sound a little muddy.

8.8
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.54 dB
Low-Mid
1.18 dB
Mid-Mid
0.06 dB
High-Mid
-1.7 dB

The mid-range accuracy is excellent. The response is very flat across the entire range, with only a slight dip in the high-mid. As a result, in-game dialogue sounds detailed and present, but there's a slight loss of clarity in the upper harmonics of instruments. In games like The Last of Us Part 2, the guttural noises made by enemies like bloaters sound vivid and visceral, adding to the overall sense of dread.

7.4
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.93 dB
Low-Treble
-1.73 dB
Mid-Treble
-0.24 dB
High-Treble
-5.44 dB

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO's treble response is decent. There's a significant dip in the low treble that veils vocals and lead instruments. The mid-treble is uneven, partially dulling lower-frequency sibilants and making higher-frequency sibilants, like cymbals, sound airy and bright.

7.1
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.88 dB
Dips
1.33 dB

These headphones have decent peaks/dips performance and follow their sound profile well in certain regions. A wide peak in the mid and high-bass adds warmth and punch to audio, bringing out the sound of footsteps while also muddying the overall mix somewhat. Some unevenness in the low-treble reduces the presence of vocals and lead instruments, followed by a sharp peak between the mid-treble that makes higher-pitched sibilants sound piercing.

9.1
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.22
Weighted Phase Mismatch
3.26
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.37
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.15

The imaging performance is outstanding. Imaging performance tends to vary between units, but a good imaging performance generally indicates a manufacturer's quality control and ergonomics. Other Corsair headphones we've tested have typically had solid imaging performance, so, unsurprisingly, our unit's group delay falls below the audibility threshold, and the L/R drivers are well-matched in amplitude and frequency response. There's a slight mismatch in phase response in the mids, but this isn't noticeable in real-life audio content. Overall, this results in accurate localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) within the stereo field.

8.3
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
3.09 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
5.84 dB
PRTF Distance
15.92 dB
Openness
9.2
Acoustic Space Excitation
7.6

Thanks to these headphones' open-back design, the passive soundstage performance is great. This results in an open, wide-sounding stereo soundstage that allows you to accurately locate in-game audio cues within the stereo field, like footsteps.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
8.1
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.223
WHD @ 100
0.079

The weighted harmonic distortion performance is great. There's a small peak in treble range at regular listening levels, but this can be hard to hear in real-life content, even with higher frequency sounds that are likely to be distorted, like the clink of metal on metal. Generally, all frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in clean audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
No Firmware
Power
Passive
Connection
Wired
Codec
PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Boom

These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using them in this configuration.

Isolation
2.4
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Full Range
Noise Cancelling No
Overall Attenuation
-5.52 dB
Bass
0.83 dB
Mid
-1.80 dB
Treble
-17.31 dB

The isolation performance is poor. Their open-back design offers almost no isolation against lower-frequency noises, like the rumble of a bus passing outside your window. They do a slightly better job of reducing higher-frequency noises, like the whir of PC fans, but these sounds will still be audible while you're gaming.

2.6
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
Airplane Noise Attenuation
-4.79 dB
Airplane Noise Isolation Audio
Office Noise Attenuation
-5.05 dB
Office Noise Isolation Audio
Street Noise Attenuation
-4.86 dB
Street Noise Isolation Audio
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
Female Voice 1
Male Voice 1
Female Voice 2
Male Voice 2
Isolation
ANC Wind Handling
ANC Wind Noise
N/A
3.4
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
56.56 dB

As with other open-back gaming headphones like the Turtle Beach Atlas Air Wireless, they have poor leakage performance. Leakage is particularly audible in upper-mid and treble ranges and sounds thin. If you're gaming with other people in the room, they'll hear higher-frequency sounds like gunshots and teammate's voices, especially at higher volumes.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
No
Boom
Yes
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes

These headphones come with one 1/8" TRS cable and a 1/8" TRRS cable with a non-detachable boom mic. You can swap these out depending on your need to use the mic.

8.2
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
103.75 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
4.23 dB
HFE
12,002.9 Hz
Weighted THD
0.374
Gain
26.05 dB

The flexible boom mic has impressive recording quality. Your voice sounds clear and full-bodied, and your teammates won't have problems understanding you.

7.5
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
26.17 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The mic's noise handling performance is good. It does a great job of separating your voice from moderately noisy environments, so you'll be understandable even if your PC's fan is working hard to keep up with your gaming. Your vocal clarity will be preserved even with louder sounds, like a bus passing outside the window.

Active Features
0
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
No Battery
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Passive Headphone
Charging Port None
0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

These headphones don't have any compatible software for added customization.

Connectivity
9.9
Connectivity
Wired Connection
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable
Yes
Length
6.33 ft (1.93 m)
Connector
1/8" TRRS
Latency - Analog
0.2 ms
Latency - USB
N/A
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Connection Analog

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO come with two cables: a 1/8" TRS cable and a 1/8" TRRS cable, which has a flexible boom mic attached. If you use the cable with the attached mic, it's worth noting that the L/R connector jacks are slightly different, so the mic will always be on your left side. There's also a Y-splitter cable provided that allows you to split the mic and headphone signals for use with PCs that don't feature a combo jack. Latency via the audio jack is negligible, so you'll have no issues with audio lagging behind your visuals.

0
Connectivity
Bluetooth Connection
Bluetooth Version
No Bluetooth
Multi-Device Pairing
No
Quick Pair (Android)
No
Quick Pair (iOS)
No
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Latency - SBC
N/A
Latency - aptX
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality)
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
N/A
Latency - LDAC
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
Recorded Latency Codec No Bluetooth Audio
AAC Support
No
0
Connectivity
Wireless Connection (Dongle)
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Latency - Dongle
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio + Microphone
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones have full audio and mic compatibility on PCs when using the 1/8" TRRS cable with the mic attached. You can also use the included 1/8" TRS cable if you don't need microphone support or if you're using a standalone mic.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones have full audio and mic compatibility with PlayStation family consoles when using the 1/8" TRRS cable with the mic attached. You can also swap it out for the 1/8" TRS cable provided if you don't need microphone support or prefer a standalone mic.

Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No

The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO have full audio and mic compatibility with Xbox family consoles when using the 1/8" TRRS cable with the mic attached. You can also use the included 1/8" TRS cable for audio only if you don't need microphone support or prefer a standalone mic.

0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock