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 to the headphones. That said, the cable is detachable, and an alternative cable without a mic is provided for those who prefer a more casual look.
Our Verdict
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO aren't meant for sports and fitness use. Their wired design means it's very easy to snag the cable while in motion. Additionally, you can damage the headphones by allowing sweat or dust to get into their grilles. They're bulky and can easily fall off your head during moderate exercise.
- Comfortable fit.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
- Bulky, not very portable design.
- Leak a lot of audio.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO aren't great for travel. They're not designed with portability in mind, so their cumbersome, wired design isn't well-suited to journeys. Although they have a comfortable fit, their open-back design provides minimal isolation against ambient noise. They'll also leak a lot of audio, which can be annoying for other people when you're using them in a public place.
- Sturdy build quality.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
- Bulky, not very portable design.
- Leak a lot of audio.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are passable for office use. Due to their open-back design, they struggle to isolate you from background noise, such as office chatter, and others around you will hear what you're listening to, even at moderate listening volumes. They're comfortable enough for long days at the office, and their excellent mic recording quality is well-suited to conference calls, provided you're in a controlled environment.
- Great mic recording quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
- Leak a lot of audio.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are wired headphones that you can't use wirelessly.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are good for wired gaming. They have low wired connection latency, 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 open design helps make gameplay sound as though it's all around you rather than just in front of you. They also come with two swappable cables, one with a microphone and one without, to cater to all your gaming needs. However, their underemphasized bass response means that low-frequency sounds, such as explosions, won't be as cinematic or convincing as those of closed-back alternatives.
- Immersive passive soundstage.
- Great mic recording quality.
- Comfortable fit.
- Poor noise isolation performance.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO have very good audio reproduction accuracy. Objective performance in harmonic distortion and stereo matching is solid, with no issues that affect regular use. While group delay scores poorly due to fluctuations in the bass range, the resulting frequency response changes from the indicated phase shifts in the affected region aren't very noticeable in practice. Due to their open design, the headphones lack in sub-bass, though they compensate by increasing the mid- and high-bass, resulting in a perceived warm sound signature. Their frequency response also deviates minimally from this sound, and the headphones interact naturally with your pinna, closely mirroring the PRTF of our reference stereo speaker setup.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO aren't meant to isolate you from noise. Their open design allows audio through and out of the headphones, so you'll notice your PC fans whirring just as a neighbor will notice your game audio bleeding from your headphones.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO have a very good microphone system. It reproduces your voice clearly and without excessive coloration. In noisier environments, your voice remains audible over background noise, but the mic also picks up everything going on in the background. There's also a hissing noise floor, which may be annoying if you aren't running any software-level processing.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO have excellent frequency response consistency. Most people's perceived sound will closely resemble our frequency response measurements, as these headphones deliver audio in a similar way between reseats and differing individuals' head shapes and characteristics.
Performance Usages
Changelog
-
Updated Jan 08, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated Dec 15, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0, which updates our sound tests and adds performance usages. You can read more about this in our changelog.
-
Updated Jul 29, 2025:
We've updated the Sound Profile box with a link to a downloadable folder of EQ settings that will help you match these headphones' frequency response to different target curves available in our Graph Tool.
-
Updated Jan 21, 2025:
Several Sound tests have been updated following Test Bench 1.8. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons to match these results.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are available in two color variants: 'Carbon' and 'White'. You can see the label. We tested the 'Carbon' variant, but we expect other variants to perform similarly. If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are the manufacturer's first pair of wired, open-back gaming headphones. They're 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, though.
Check out our recommendations for the best gaming headphones, the best headsets for PS5, and the best headsets for Xbox Series X|S.
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. 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.
The Turtle Beach Atlas Air and the Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO are both open-back gaming headphones. The Corsair produce audio more closely resembles speaker-like pinna interaction, and deliver 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 microphone, and come with a companion app to tweak their sound to your liking.
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 bassier sound signature, which some might prefer, but the Drop + Sennheiser are more comfortable and have 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.
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. That said, the open-back nature of the Corsair may be preferable to some for pinpointing the location of audio cues like footsteps. 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.
Test Results
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. Unfortunately, they aren't compatible with Corsair's iCUE software, which provides customization features for many of the manufacturer's other gaming headsets.
However, to help you customize the sound of these headphones, we've created a downloadable set of EQ profiles that you can use to more closely match one of the target curves shown on our Graph Tool.
These headphones have excellent 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 and between individuals.
These headphones have great bass compliance. The low bass is underemphasized, meaning that low-frequency sound effects, such as explosions, will lack rumble and excitement. While the boosted mid and high bass helps to bring out footsteps, this can also cause vocal and instrument fundamentals to sound muddy due to auditory masking.
The mid-range compliance with our target is excellent. The response is mostly flat across the entire range, with only a slight dip in the high-mid. In-game dialogue sounds detailed and present, with slightly reduced intensity. In games like The Last of Us Part 2, the guttural noises made by bloaters sound vivid and visceral, adding to the overall sense of dread.
The Corsair VIRTUOSO PRO's treble range compliance is fantastic. There's a noteworthy dip in the low treble that can veil vocals and lead instruments. Meanwhile, the mid-treble is mostly balanced, rendering sibilants as bright without reaching painful or piercing territory.
These headphones have a very good peaks/dips performance, and their frequency response matches their warm sound profile well in most regions. Some unevenness in the low-treble boosts can render neighboring frequencies in vocals and instruments slightly veiled or bright, followed by a dip in the mid-treble that takes the edge off lower-pitched sibilants, like washy ride cymbals.
The headphones' L/R drivers are very well matched. Overall, there's little to report in weighted amplitude, frequency response, and phase response mismatch between the drivers. That said, you may notice faint matching issues in the mid-range (where human hearing is particularly sensitive), which can reduce the clarity of stereo object positioning. This won't be audible in regular content, though.
The headphones score disappointingly in group delay. However, this doesn't significantly impact your listening experience in this case. The noteworthy blip around 60Hz indicates phase shifts in neighboring frequencies, ultimately resulting in a minor notch in the frequency response in the same range. It's not that noticeable in practice, though.
These over-ears produce an impressively similar PRTF to that of our benchmark speaker setup. As a result, you may find that their reproduction of spatial cues is more natural-sounding than that of most other headphones.
This headset has exceptional harmonic distortion performance. Even seasoned listeners probably won't notice any timbral coloration without conducting a side-by-side comparison and exerting considerable effort.
These headphones don't need an amp, delivering audio at high listening levels, even when connected to a smartphone or tablet.
These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using them in this configuration.
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 has a black frame and chrome accents, and 'White', which features 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.
These headphones have a comfortable fit that's well-suited to longer gaming sessions. The memory foam headband and earpads feature soft, cloth padding that feels pleasant against 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.
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.
Like most gaming headphones, they aren't designed with portability in mind. While the ear cups 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.
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 storing the cable.
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.
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 more likely 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.
- 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")
The isolation performance is poor. Their open-back design offers almost no isolation against lower-frequency noises, such as the rumble of a bus passing by 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.
As expected from open-back headphones, they have a very poor noise isolation performance in common scenarios. They do very little to block out the roar of airplane engines and the honking of cars on a busy street. They offer marginally more isolation against the sounds of a bustling office, but you'll still hear just about everything going on around you.
Like the Turtle Beach Atlas Air Wireless, these open-back gaming headphones have poor leakage performance. Leakage is particularly noticeable in the upper-mid and treble ranges, sounding thin. If you're gaming with other people in the room, they'll hear higher-frequency sounds like gunshots and teammates' voices, especially at higher volumes.
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.
The flexible boom mic has impressive recording quality. Your voice sounds clear and full-bodied, and your teammates won't have problems understanding you.
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, such as a bus passing by outside the window.
These headphones don't have any compatible software for added customization.
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. A Y-splitter cable is also provided, allowing 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 won't experience any issues with audio lagging behind your visuals.
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.
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.
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.