Performance and Daily Use
Now that you have a clear grasp of Vengeance 1500 Gaming Headset, we will look at how well they perform. I am sorry to say I could not find a way to test the performance of a USB headset, so I will be playing this by ear.
The key to the Vengeance 1500 performing well is selecting the correct mode and preset. I found the Bypass mode is best for Skype, TeamSpeak, or any time you are just talking to friends. The stereo output keeps everything in the immediate foreground so the person or people you are talking with can be clearly heard. This is not a good choice for movies, listening to music, or gaming as the sound is muddled into just two channels.
When you are listening to music, playing your favorite game, or watching a movie on your PC then Dolby Digital Mode is the best option. The 5.1 is best left at the “Studio” distance and then you can use the presets to adjust to what you are doing. If the sound is not to your liking, then you can create and name your own audio presets. The Dolby based audio processing does a great job simulating surround sound, but struggles with audio coming from the rear.
The Vengeance 1500 only has two speakers so it suffers from a positional flaw since the audio can’t really change location. This means audio that is supposed to be behind you, does not sound any different from audio directly in front of you. This can be a little disorienting at first, but you will adjust to it within a few minutes as you can clearly see nothing is in front of you. It also helps that this only applies to gaming situations.
The final 7.1 Virtual Surround Sound mode, I find to be useless. The audio does not sound any different from the Dolby Digital mode unless you change the location of the virtual speakers. This kind of audio tuning is designed for real speakers in a real room since ideal placement is often not possible. Since these speakers are virtual, their location is already ideal and does not need to be corrected.
I personally prefer circumaural ear cups since it allows for large amounts of padding just like the ones on the Vengeance 1500. This helps with comfort while providing great audio reproduction. The two swivel joints, memory foam, and angled arms are all designed to maximize comfort for the user. You will never get to a point where you forget you are wearing the Corsair Vengeance 1500 due to the weight though, but by no means are they heavy. But the weight does ensure a well constructed feel.
I normally never spend more than 2 hours at my PC without a break, but I did wear the headset for at least 4.5 hours on at least three different occasions. This seems to be the time frame when perspiration does become noticeable. Similar headsets will clock in around 1.75 hours when I first notice the perspiration so they are very good in the comfort department. In addition, I was deliberately waiting for this to happen and was fairly pleased with the result.
Final Thoughts
The Corsair Vengeance 1500 Gaming Headset comes as no surprise for being great for gaming. One of the weakness of 3.5 mm headsets is it often is only two or three channels of input. The V1500 using USB allows for audio input channels up to a full 7.1 for more a more full sound; however, I personal do not perceive a difference above the 5.1 surround sound setting. To me this is the difference between what the hardware is designed for, and what the software is capable of.
It is clear that this headset was designed for 5.1 surround sound. I think the inclusion of the 7.1 options in the control panel is due to the same panel being used for all three of the Corsair Vengeance headsets. Or it was just left in as a marketing gimmick. But even so, I spent more than my normal threshold of time in these and the comfort provided is excellent.
Corsair avoids the failings of other brands in this price range by not using overly complex software or lots of smaller speakers which often cripples bass frequencies and overall musical performance. Instead, the Vengeance 1500 headset is over-engineered to provide the most comfort and best audio experience possible from the hardware standpoint.
At an MSRP of $99.99, you can’t go wrong with a pair of these. And when they are on sale, they get my nod as a bang-for-your-buck solution for gaming and any other audio you want to enjoy in front of the PC. Especially when you compare it to the top end Vengeance 2000 version which gives you similar audio quality and wireless at $149.99 US. However, I’ll take the wires and the same sound quality at a cheaper price any time.
Pros:
- Very comfortable design
- Minimizes perspiration
- Solid 5.1 surround sound performance
- Extremely long cable (9.8 feet)
- Attention to detail in design
Cons:
- Virtual 7.1 audio an unnecessary bullet point
- Trouble with rear center audio reproduction
Overall Rating: 9.0 / 10.0
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