VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT Gaming Headset 2022 REVIEW

A headset that makes you feel like you’re in the game.

Nowadays, video games are more realistic and engaging than ever before. In order to completely enjoy the cutting-edge sound design and communicate with other players, it’s important to have a premium set of gaming headphones available when you game. Whether you are playing an online game with friends or by yourself, a quality headset helps to immerse you into the gaming world and improve your overall experience.

A few months ago, I started playing Call of Duty: Mobile using my iPhone. I am hard of hearing and that makes it difficult for me to communicate through the microphone and speaker on my mobile device alone. So, I started searching for a good headset specifically for gaming. At first, I used my Apple AirPods Max.

They were comfortable and isolating, and because of the Transparency mode which is part of Apple’s noise-canceling technology, I was able to hear more clearly when I was talking with my friends. Unfortunately, those headphones are not sweat and water-resistant. So, even though they have a 20-hour battery life, condensation can build up inside the ear cups over time. I play in hours-long gaming sessions and I soon noticed that the AirPods Max was not working properly.

Those headphones are still among my favorite to use for listening to music but weren’t right for gaming. So, I began searching for something that was not only designed for gaming but also had the features I was looking for. One of the most important was being compatible with mobile devices and Bluetooth connectivity.

You would be surprised to learn — I know that I was — that good over-ear gaming headphones are hard to find when you want them to be mobile/Bluetooth compatible. Some have Bluetooth connectivity, but they are meant to allow you to connect to your mobile phone so that you can listen to music or answer calls — not play games. What this means is that you will get audio, but not premium sound effects.

Because I was searching for over-the-heard headphones, I was willing to sacrifice those extra features as long as I had clean sound, a strong microphone, and comfortable headphones that could withstand long gaming sessions. I went through several sets of headphones before I settled on the Corsair VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT headset.

About the VIRTUOSO XT Gaming Headset

The VIRTUOSO gaming headset product line was originally launched in 2019 with the CORSAIR VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless and VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless SE headsets. They were designed to “bridge the gap between gaming headsets and high-fidelity headphones.” Two years later in May of 2021, the VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT headset was announced. The biggest difference between the XT and the other models is the XT’s ability to connect via Bluetooth.

The VIRTUOSO XT also features the Dolby Atmos sound, inline controls on the 3.5mm audio cable, a storage pouch, and micro-perforated RGB LED lighting.

The VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT delivers uncompromising sound quality from virtually any source, including PC, Mac, PS5/PS4 (wired or wireless), Xbox Series X and Series S (wired connection only), Switch, mobile, and more. Connecting with 24bit/48KHz SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS technology for a blisteringly fast, unwavering 60ft signal, the VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT also adds Bluetooth with the Qualcomm® aptX™ HD codec for simultaneous dual-wireless connections.

A USB wired connection delivers high-fidelity 24bit/96kHz audio, while a universal 3.5mm connector ensures compatibility with a multitude of devices, built with an inline controller that conveniently controls volume and mute. With so many ways to connect, you can switch from PC to console, wired to wireless, 3.5mm to Bluetooth and back, all with just a single amazing headset.

The Dolby Atmos feature also provides users with a three-dimensional spatial audio effect, which provides total immersion into your gaming experiences. This lets users react faster and more precisely to in-game audio cues.

Main Features & Specs

Model → VIRTUOSO Wireless XT

Color → Black

Lighting → RGB

Audio CUE Software → Yes

Battery Life → Up to 15 Hours; Rechargeable

Dimensions (H x W x D) → 7.68” x 6.69” x 3.94”

Weight → 0.84 pounds

Cord Length → 5.9 feet

Platform Compatibility → Mac/Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, iOS

Built-in Voice Assistant → N/A

Water Resistant → No

Ear Cushion Material → Memory Foam

Audio Features

• Surround Sound
• Dolby Atmos
• Active Noise Cancelling → No
• Sound Isolating → No
• Environmental Noise Control → No
• Volume Limiting Function → No

Headset Features

• Frequency Response → 20Hz – 40 kHz
• Sensitivity → 109dB (+/-3dB)
• Wireless Range → Up to 60ft
• Impedance → 32 Ohms @ 2.5 kHz
• Driver Size → 50mm
• Over-the-Ear

Connectivity

• Wired (detachable) → 3.5mm or USB
• Radio Frequency (RF) → USB Wireless Receiver
• Bluetooth Version 5.0
• Number Of Devices Connectable Simultaneously → 2

Microphone Features

• Detachable
• Impedance → 2.0k Ohms
• Omni-directional
• Frequency Response → 100Hz to 10kHz
• Sensitivity → -42dB (+/-2dB)

Pricing & Availability

The VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT headphones have a hefty price tag. They have a list price of $269.99, which is similar to other gaming headsets with similar features. They typically range in price between $150 – $300. The VIRTUOSO headphones can be purchased directly from corsair.com, or any of their authorized retailers such as Amazon or Best Buy.

User Experience

The headset comes in a vibrant, Corsair-branded box. It is packaged with a soft-sided storage case, a 3.5mm audio cable, USB-A to USB-C cable, a detachable microphone, and the USB wireless receiver dongle. There is also a quick start guide that provides instructions on how to connect the headset to various devices.

iCue Software

You can use the headset without the software, but it does provide a more customized experience. Not only does it give you the option to customize the RGB effects, but you also have an EQ included that lets you tweak the headphone’s audio settings. The headset ships with a preset audio mode that is optimized for gaming, so if you plan on listening to music or enjoying complex movie soundtracks, the iCue software will give you the opportunity to adjust those settings. The headset does support built-in standards from consoles, so the software is really just meant for when you want to mess with the settings.

High-Quality Sound

Even though these headphones don’t have noise cancellation features, they have some isolation properties based on the fact that they are ‘over-ear’ style. This level of isolation was perfect for my purpose because I wanted to be able to hear myself as I talked with my friends. The lack of noise cancelation allowed me to do this. There were other over-the-ear gaming headsets with noise cancelation that shut me off from the rest of the world and while I know that is a general idea with ANC, it’s not something I wanted while gaming.

In the interim between my AirPods Max and the Virtuoso headset, I tried a few other options including headphones by Turtle Beach, Razer, Bose, and Sony. Not all of the headphones I tried were specifically made for gaming but they did have some of the same features as the Virtuoso headphones and none of them sounded as good as the Corsair headset. That said, I would say that the audio quality is average in regards to using on a mobile device. I was able to hear just fine, but it wasn’t exceptional until I used the headphones with the PC, Mac, and Playstation.

In addition to my mobile devices, I did also try the headphones with a PC laptop, a macOS laptop, and a Playstation 5. If you want to feel as though you are immersed in the game you are playing, the Dolby Atmos effects provide that feeling. Unfortunately, it’s only available with a PC. I did use it when gaming on the PC and I could hear opponents creeping up on me from any side.

Premium Microphone

Because I play with a ‘clan’ of friends, communication is key for me. The microphone on the AirPods Max was wonderful and my friends were commenting frequently about how good I sounded on their end. Therefore, I was on the search for a microphone that could keep up with those standards.

Again, some of the other gaming headsets just didn’t meet the expectations I was looking for. In fact, some of the microphones popped so much or had so much static noise in them that my friends couldn’t understand a word I was saying. During the first gaming session I had with the Virtuoso headset, they immediately noticed and asked what I did to sound so good.

The microphone on this headset is probably the top reason I use it. It is considered broadcast-grade. It sounds really great to the people on the other end of it and I was able to hear myself as well, which helps me since I have hearing problems.

Comfortable for Long Gaming Sessions

My gaming sessions are usually around 2-3 hours in length — at a time. There have been a couple of times that I have stayed up all night to enjoy playing with friends or to test out a new feature in a game. So, comfort was essential when choosing my gaming headset.

The Virtuoso headset has plush memory foam on both the ear cups and the headband. The ear cups are round in shape and they covered my ears completely. I noticed that after particularly long gaming sessions my ears would get hot, but I never noticed a condensation/sweat build-up as I did with the AirPods Max.

I also never experienced any earaches or headaches from wearing the headset for long periods of time. The headband is adjustable and while the headset is moderately heavy, I never noticed the weight as a problem.

Battery Life

The battery life of this headset is probably the only real complaint I have with it. The spec for battery life is ‘up to 15 hours.’ This pales in comparison to a lot of other wireless gaming headsets and to be honest, it was the only real hesitation I had when it came to getting the Virtuoso headphones.

I’m glad that I took the plunge with the Virtuoso headphones based on the other features it provides, but longer battery life would be appreciated. According to Corsair, the reason for the 15-hour battery life is because of the dual-device connection option. If you are only connected to one device at a time, you will likely get more than 15 hours. In my testing, the VIRTUOSO XTs were able to work through that 15-hour mark.

For most users, 15 hours would be plenty, but If you use the headphones for work throughout the day and then switch over to gaming at night, you need more than 15 hours from one charge in my opinion. That said, the Virtuoso headset does also feature a smart-wake function that helps to preserve battery life when you remove the headset for a short period of time.

Compatibility with iOS Devices

I mentioned that mobile compatibility was an important feature to me. Well, I not only wanted Bluetooth connectivity but specifically iOS compatibility. The Virtuoso headset is one of the only over-the-ear wireless gaming headsets I’ve found that lists iOS as one of its compatible systems.

Even though some of the gaming features didn’t crossover to my iOS devices, the high-quality audio output did and these headphones did a much better job of providing the type of audio experience I wanted for my mobile gaming sessions. Are they the best option for mobile gaming? No, but they do a good job for over-the-ear gaming headsets that will work with mobile devices.

Conclusion

The Corsair VIRTUOSO RGB Wireless XT High-Fidelity Gaming Headset is the perfect addition to any gamer’s toolkit. The headset’s rich and detailed soundscape creates an immersive gaming experience, while the wireless design and comfortable fit make it easy to wear for hours on end. With its advanced features and stylish design, the Corsair VIRTUOSO RGB WIRELESS XT is the ultimate gaming headset for any serious gamer.

For more information, visit corsair.com, Facebook, and Twitter.