HyperX Cloud Alpha S  Headphones Review

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S have a simple design that looks pretty much identical to their predecessor, the HyperX Cloud Alpha. While the black and blue color scheme we tested isn't too flashy, you can also get them in an all-black if you prefer an even more sleek look. Both colors have perforated-style hinges that make them look more unique. Although they still look like bulky gaming headphones, their boom microphone is detachable so they should stand out less if you're wearing them for casual use. If you're looking for more flashy gaming headphones, check out the JBL Quantum 800 as it has RGB lighting on both ear cups.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S are comfortable headphones. They come with two different kinds of padding, one cloth and one leather, which is nice if you prefer one fabric over another. They don't put too much weight on your head either and should be comfortable enough for long gaming sessions.

These headphones have two control schemes. The first is a bass slider that's found on the headphones' ear cups. With their slider, you can independently control the amount of bass each ear cup receives. When turned up, these headphones produce a warm, boomy bass. You can also turn them down if you want to reduce the bass. There are also physical controls on the detachable USB dongle and when plugged in, you can control volume, chat mixing, and mic muting. There's also a 7.1 button, which is their surround sound feature, and it lights up when you use it. You hear beeps when you change settings too, which is nice.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S aren't very portable. Although they're a little bit smaller than other gaming headphones, they can't fold or lay flat to make them easier to store in a bag or backpack.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S come with a simple fabric pouch. It's more likely to prevent dust from collecting on your headphones than protecting them from drops or water damage.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S have an excellent build quality. They feel well-built and durable. Just like the HyperX Cloud Alpha, they have a sturdy but flexible aluminum frame. Their padding feels good and the detachable braided cables help to protect the integrity of the wire, especially if it gets snagged on something. The mic is also detachable, which is nice. However, they have small braided cables that connect the headband to the ear cups which could get snagged on something.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S are reasonably stable headphones but they're not designed for physical activity and can fall off with more intense exercise. While they're stable enough for playing video games at home, they're still fairly bulky and wired. Their cables can also get snagged on something but since their audio cable is detachable, you'll just lose your audio.

• HyperX Cloud Alpha S headphones
• USB-A dongle
• Carrying pouch
• 1/8" TRRS audio cable
• Cloth ear cup pads
• Leather ear cup pads
• Detachable boom microphone
• Manual

As we tested the HyperX Cloud Alpha S with both bass sliders are turned up, they have a sound profile that's slightly boomy and lacks detail. At this setting, they're still suited for a variety of audio genres though as they have balanced and accurate mid-range. You can always change the bass slider to better suit your preferences if needed. However, lowering or raising the bass can affect the mid-range. As they also have an inconsistent sound across users due to their large ear cups, our results are an average and you may experience their sound reproduction differently. If you're looking for gaming headphones with a more neutral default sound profile, consider the HyperX Cloud Stinger S instead.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S have a sub-par frequency response consistency. Bass delivery varies and a drop in bass can occur if the ear cups are not flush to your head or if you have glasses. The treble range is also inconsistent. As the overall frequency response depends on fit, seal, and positioning of these headphones, once you achieve a good overall fit, you should get a more consistent frequency response each time you use them.

When the bass slider is turned up to its max, the HyperX Cloud Alpha S have a fairly boomy bass. However, its delivery can vary across users. While some may find the low-bass lacking in thump and rumble, it still has a fairly neutral sound. The mid-bass also packs a punch. However, the high-bass sounds muddy and boomy. This bass accuracy performance represents the average response and your experience may vary.

The mid accuracy is great. There's still a bit of overemphasis in the low-mid that comes from the high-bass which can make your mixes muddy or cluttered. However, the rest of the mid-range is very even and flat, resulting in an accurate reproduction of lead instruments and vocals.

The treble accuracy of the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is mediocre but delivery can vary across users. There's a dip in the low-treble which can make vocals and lead instruments lose detail and presence. The high-treble is also uneven and recessed, although it's in a high enough frequency that it may not be noticeable to most listeners. However, this treble accuracy performance represents the average response and your experience may vary.

The peaks and dips performance of the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 is alright but their position, seal, and whether you have glasses or thick hair can all affect sound delivery, resulting in inconsistent bass and treble. That being said, the minor peak in the high-bass can make your mixes boomy. The peak in the low-treble sharpens some sounds in this frequency but its sudden dip in the same range also hurts the detail and brightness of other sounds. There's also a high peak in the mid-treble, which can make sibilants painful and harsh but the following dips in the high-treble make sounds lifeless.

The imaging performance of these headphones is excellent. The GD graph shows that almost the entire group delay response is within the audibility threshold which results in a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched in amplitude, frequency, and phase response. This ensures an accurate placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo field.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S' passive soundstage is disappointing. While the soundstage will likely be perceived as being somewhat large, due to their closed-back design, it also sounds like it's located inside your head rather than out in front of you.

These headphones have a 7.1 virtual surround sound feature but we don't currently test its performance.

The harmonic distortion performance of these headphones is good. While most of the range falls within the audibility threshold, there are a couple of peaks in the treble range at a decent volume level. This could cause a small amount of distortion, though it might not be noticeable to everyone.

These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when these headphones are used at these settings.

The noise isolation of the HyperX Cloud Alpha S is disappointing. They don't block out any low bass noise such as the rumble of bus or plane engines. Although they do a better job in the mid-range, which is where background chatter falls, they still won't be enough if you're working in an office setting. They cut down the most noise in the treble range such as an A/C unit or a fan, though.

The leakage performance of these headphones is good. Although they leak a bit of audio, it still falls below the noise floor of an average office. However, if you're gaming at home and you've got your audio cranked up to a high volume, it could disturb those also sharing your space.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S have a detachable boom microphone.

The recording quality of the boom microphone is very good. Your voice sounds full-bodied, natural, and relatively clear so you shouldn't have any problems being understood.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S' boom microphone has remarkable noise handling. Even in a noisy environment like a gaming tournament, you should have no problems being heard.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S are wired-only and don't require a battery.

These headphones have mediocre companion software called HyperX Ngenuity. There isn't a lot you can do with it other than adjust the level of your mic and turn on/off surround sound support. Unfortunately, even though the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless can access a graphic EQ and presets through the Ngenuity app, these features aren't available to these headphones.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S are wired-only headphones and don't support Bluetooth.

These are wired-only headphones.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S use a detachable 1/8" TRRS audio cable that can be used on most gaming consoles. They also have a detachable USB-A dongle that has several audio controls.

The HyperX Cloud Alpha S are fully compatible with Xbox One by plugging them directly into the controller.

These gaming headphones have a wired USB dongle that has audio controls such as volume management, surround sound, and channel mixing.