The Corsair HS55 is a reasonably priced, multi-purpose wireless gaming headset with a strong wireless signal, a secure fit, excellent audio quality, and a good built-in microphone.

I should acknowledge at the outset of this review that I am in no way an audio professional. I’m not an audiophile, but I do consume a lot of podcasts and wear headphones when playing video games, watching movies, and listening to music. This review tackles the Corsair HS55 in the same manner I do when it comes to audio technology: from the perspective of a casual listener who values better audio but isn’t prepared to spend a fortune on it. I’m just a modest player here to share my thoughts on what, for $99, looks to be a very amazing headset.

The Corsair HS55 has a substantially greater range than the wireless headphones I’ve been using, I realized right away. Despite the headset’s claimed 50-foot range, I was able to go throughout my flat without losing Bluetooth connectivity. I even went outdoors and advanced approximately 15 feet before my connection disappeared. It performed as well with the low-latency 2.4GHz wifi, which you can instantly activate by inserting the included dongle into the USB port on your PC or PlayStation console. It is all the range I will ever require.

It’s cozy as well. The HS55’s memory foam fake leather cuffs wrapped my ears and kept them comfy as I listened to music for extended periods of time at my computer, in contrast to my old headphones, which are smaller and don’t completely cover my ears.

They are also exceptionally good at canceling out noise. As the keeper of a historic building, I have a rather unusual living situation. Every night, an alert sounds to signal that the intruder alarm is arming. There’s no need for anyone to address this, thus there’s no risk if I don’t. And even though I was about five feet away from the panel when the alarm went off while wearing the Corsair HS55 Wireless Gaming Headset to listen to a podcast on my phone, I didn’t hear it. Next month I’ll be on a fly, and I can’t wait to use these to drown out the noise.

Dr. Dre’s “Genocide” and Lil Wayne’s “A Milli,” two of my go-to tracks for measuring bass, were used to put the headset to the test. While playing the song loudly, it gave off the impression of being in a car with a powerful subwoofer since the bass would cause the headphones to vibrate. I also ran the HS55 through an audio test I found online, which played tones at both extremes of the audio spectrum (very low and high), and it handled both without any problems.

The headset comes with a microphone built into the left muff. To activate the microphone, you simply need to pull it down and, to mute it, push it back up when you’re done. It might seem annoying to have the microphone permanently attached, but I couldn’t see it out of my peripheral vision when it was in its upright position and I didn’t find it intrusive when it was down either. Just as importantly, the audio quality is good. I tested it over Discord and it was crisp and clear, and I also recorded my voice in Audacity to evaluate the quality. It was loud enough, but not too loud, and while the quality wasn’t as good as what you would get with a dedicated microphone, it was better than needed for communicating with friends while gaming.

Overall, the Corsair HS55 Wireless Gaming Headset offers everything I need for the various areas of my life where I regularly use headphones. The form factor is generally good. The cuffs fit well, the memory foam is soft, and the microphone is high quality without its presence ever becoming a distraction. The set is lightweight, comfortable, and does an impressive job of blocking out external noise, all for a hundred dollars. I couldn’t ask for more at this price point.