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HyperX Cloud Mix Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Review updated Mar 08, 2019 at 10:15 am
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:28 am
HyperX Cloud Mix Wireless Picture
6.7
Mixed Usage
6.9
Neutral Sound
6.7
Commute/Travel
7.1
Sports/Fitness
6.6
Office
5.7
Wireless Gaming
7.3
Wired Gaming
7.6
Phone Call

The HyperX Cloud Mix is a decent gaming headset that's particularly versatile since it supports Bluetooth as well. It has decent audio reproduction and a great microphone, which is common to HyperX headsets. The build quality of these headphones is similar to the HyperX Cloud Alpha and HyperX Cloud II, but they are slightly less comfortable for long gaming sessions. They also don’t isolate much noise and won’t be ideal for commuting. On the upside, since they support Bluetooth, you can unplug the mic and audio cable to use them wirelessly, eliminating the need for multiple pairs of headphones for different use cases.

It should be noted that we measured these headphones as a wired gaming headset with some wireless features according to the best use case regarding individual tests. If we were to measure and score these headphones as we would normally do, their gaming and mixed usage ratings wouldn't reflect an average use case and the versatility of the headphones.

Our Verdict

6.7 Mixed Usage

The HyperX Cloud Mix are decent mixed usage headphones. They have decent audio reproduction for critical listeners, and are unique gaming headphones that support Bluetooth for you to use wirelessly outside as well. However, their isolation performance is sub-par, so they won’t be great for blocking out noise during your commute, and their over-ear design won’t be ideal for sports. On the upside, they support aptX-LL for you to watch videos on Bluetooth with minimal delay, and their microphone is great for online gaming with friends.

Pros
  • Versatile gaming headset with Bluetooth connection.
  • Great microphone.
  • Comfortable and durable build.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • No customization options.
  • Bass delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
6.9 Neutral Sound

Decent for neutral listening. They have a powerful and extended bass, a fairly flat and well-balanced mid-range, but a mediocre treble. Unfortunately, their bass is slightly overemphasized and is boomy and cluttered. Their bass is also prone to inconsistencies across users, and there’s a dip in the mid-range that will nudge the vocals and leads to the back of the mix. Most noticeably, their treble range is underemphasized, and S and T sounds lack detail and brightness. You also don’t have access to an EQ since HyperX doesn’t have software like some other gaming brands.

6.7 Commute/Travel

Okay for commuting and traveling. They are comfortable over-ears for long trips, but their isolation performance is poor and they don't isolate against engine rumbles. Though you can use them wirelessly when you’re on the move, their bulky design won’t be the easiest to carry around. On the upside, their battery life will last you for long flights and rides.

7.1 Sports/Fitness

Okay for sports. These headphones are fairly tight on the head and have a secure fit that should be stable enough for jogging. However, their bulky design isn’t ideal for more intense physical activity and aren’t easy to carry around. Also, they aren’t very breathable, and you might sweat more than usual if you wear these during your workouts. On the upside, you can unplug the audio cable and use their Bluetooth capability to use them wirelessly.

6.6 Office

Okay for the office. They don’t isolate ambient chatter very well and are a bit leaky at higher volumes, so you might bother surrounding colleagues if you play your music loudly. On the upside, they are comfortable to wear during long periods of time and their battery will last you more than a full day. Unfortunately, they can’t connect to multiple devices simultaneously, but you’ll be able to take calls with their great microphone.

5.7 Wireless Gaming

These headphones shouldn't be used via Bluetooth for wireless gaming due to the latency. However, you can expect minimal delay with an appropriate dongle that supports aptX-Low Latency, but you won't be able to use the microphone. Also, this dongle isn't included inside the box with the headphones.

7.3 Wired Gaming

Decent gaming headset. When used wired, you won’t have any latency issues and can use their great boom microphone when playing online games. Also, they're comfortable for long gaming sessions and are well-built. You might have to take the headphones off from time to time to let your ears cool off, but this shouldn’t be an issue for most. Unfortunately, HyperX doesn’t have a gaming software that allows customization like some other gaming brands.

  • 6.7 Mixed Usage
  • 6.9 Neutral Sound
  • 6.7 Commute/Travel
  • 7.1 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.6 Office
  • 5.7 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.3 Wired Gaming
  • 7.6 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Mar 08, 2019: Review published.
  4. Updated Mar 06, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  5. Updated Mar 06, 2019: Early access published.
  6. Updated Mar 04, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Feb 27, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

Comparison picture

The HyperX Cloud Mix is a good gaming headset that sets itself apart with its versatility since you can also use them casually outdoors with Bluetooth. Unfortunately, HyperX doesn’t have software for customization options like other gaming brands, which is disappointing. If you’re looking for a gaming headset, we suggest taking a look at our recommendations for the best wireless gaming headsets, the best PC gaming headsets, and the best PS4 gaming headsets.

HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II

The HyperX Cloud 2/Cloud II is a better gaming headset than the HyperX Cloud Mix Wireless, but it won't be as versatile. The Cloud II is slightly more comfortable and offers channel mixing, which is great. However, it can't be used wirelessly like the Cloud Mix. Overall, these two headsets are very similar, but if you’re looking for a gaming-only one, get the Cloud II. If you want one pair of headphones for multiple use cases and gaming, get the Cloud Mix.

HyperX Cloud Flight

The HyperX Cloud Mix Wireless and HyperX Cloud Flight models perform similarly but are designed for different uses. The Cloud Mix are wired gaming headphones that you can use wirelessly with your phone thanks to their Bluetooth compatibility, while the Flight are wireless gaming headphones that you can use passively when on the go with an audio cable, though they're audio-only when used wired. Overall, the Mix feel better built, but the Flight can be used wirelessly with PS4 and PC since they use a USB receiver and don't rely on Bluetooth for a wireless connection.

Astro A50 Gen 3 Wireless 2017

The Astro A50 Gen 3 Wireless 2017 are better gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud Mix, but they won’t be as versatile since they can’t be used without their dock. For gaming, the Astros are more comfortable, have better audio reproduction, and are compatible with the Astro Command Center for many customization options. On the other hand, the Astros barely isolate any noise and the Cloud Mix can be used with your phone when you’re commuting. The microphone of the HyperX headset also has better recording quality. The Cloud Mix also have a longer battery life and a very good control scheme.

SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless

The SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless are better gaming headphones compared to the HyperX Cloud Mix Wireless. They have tons of customization options, switchable batteries, and a great control scheme. You can also use them wirelessly when gaming with their transmitter, but also with Bluetooth if you’re on the go. However, while the HyperX can still do chat mixing via Bluetooth, if you want to use them for console gaming, you need to use their wired connection. If you're gaming on a PC, you can either use their Bluetooth or wired connection. At the same time, the HyperX also aren’t as pricey as the SteelSeries and are still very versatile for their price tag.

HyperX Cloud Flight S

The HyperX Cloud Flight S are better wireless gaming headphones than the HyperX Cloud Mix Wireless. The Flight S have a longer battery life and wireless charging, and are compatible with HyperX's Ngenuity software for customization options. They also can be used wired as well as wireless over Bluetooth. On the other hand, the Cloud Mix have better controls, feel a bit better built, and have lower latency thanks to their USB receiver which doesn't rely on a Bluetooth connection.

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Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The style of the HyperX Cloud Mix is a mix of the cups of the Cloud Alpha with the yolks of the Cloud II, all in a nice and sleek all-black design with a silver HyperX logo on the cups. The padding on the headband and ear cups is thick and the overall design feels high-end. They also have a detachable mic that you can unplug when using the Cloud Mix as a Bluetooth headset.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.6 lbs
Clamping Force
0.9 lbs

The Cloud Mix are comfortable headphones that you’ll be able to wear for a while, but they feel a bit tighter than similar HyperX headsets such as the Cloud Flight. The padding of the headband and the ear cups feels a bit stiff, but we expect it to soften up with time. You will still be able to play comfortably for long gaming sessions, but the Cloud II and Cloud Alpha are slightly more comfortable overall.

7.9
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control Yes
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control N/A
Talk-Through
N/A
Additional Buttons No

The Cloud Mix controls change whether you are using the headset wired for gaming or with the Bluetooth connection. When wired, you have access to the mic-mute switch on the in-line remote and get a volume wheel as well. The wheel is a bit small and a bit harder to use than the physical buttons on the cups. When wireless, you have a volume rocker and a multipurpose button, which lets you manage calls and music, skip tracks, and trigger your device’s voice assistant. Note that the on-cup controls don’t work when the headset is used wired.

Unfortunately, this HyperX model doesn’t have channel mixing like the Cloud II. On the upside, when used wirelessly, you have a voice prompt for the powering and pairing procedures, and you also get notified of the battery level, which is nice.

6.5
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 5.8 °C

The Cloud Mix aren't very breathable, as they create a tight seal around your ears which doesn’t allow for much airflow. You'll feel a noticeable difference in temperature when wearing these for a while, and you might also sweat more than usual if you use them during your workouts.

5.8
Design
Portability
L 7.5"
W 6.1"
H 3"
Volume 137 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

Like most over-ear gaming headsets, the Cloud Mix isn’t very portable. The cups don’t swivel to lay flat, and they can’t fold into a more compact format. Usually, gaming headsets stay in one place around your gaming setup, but the Cloud Mix is also designed as Bluetooth headphones to be used on the go. They don’t come with a case to protect them, which is disappointing.

5.5
Design
Case
Type Pouch
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A

They come with a small pouch that doesn’t really protect the headphones against water exposure and impact. However, the pouch seems thick enough to help protect against scratches, and it doesn’t add much bulk to their design, which is nice.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

Like most HyperX headphones, the Cloud Mix are very well-built. The cups feel dense and solid while the headband and yolks are made out of metal, like the Cloud II and Alpha, giving an overall sturdy feel to the headset. Unfortunately, there’s a cable that is visible and could get stuck on something. The detachable cable and microphone make them more durable and would both be easily replaceable if damaged.

7.0
Design
Stability

The Cloud Mix are fairly stable for over-ear headphones due to their tight fit. You should be able to jog with these without them falling off, but they won’t be ideal for most sports. Also, when used with their Bluetooth connection, you’ll be able to get rid of the cable, meaning you won’t have to worry that it could get hooked on something and yank the headphones off your head.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • HyperX Cloud Mix headphones
  • Detachable boom microphone
  • 1/8” TRRS audio cable
  • PC splitter cable
  • Micro-USB charging cable
  • Carrying pouch
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
0.6 dB
Treble Amount
-3.35 dB
5.3
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
1.55 dB

The Cloud Mix have poor frequency response consistency. In the bass range, the maximum amount of deviation across our five human subjects is more than 16dB at 20Hz. This is quite significant and noticeable. Even at 100Hz, there is about 9dB of deviation across multiple users. The treble range, on the other hand, has a good and consistent delivery.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
8.2
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.56 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
1.56 dB
Mid-Bass
2.68 dB
High-Bass
3.58 dB

The bass performance of the Cloud Mix is very good. The range is fairly flat but slightly overemphasized throughout the response range. Their LFE (low-frequency extension) is extended down to 10Hz, which is excellent. This ensures a good reproduction of thumps and rumbles. Mid-bass is also virtually flat but hyped by about 3dB. This gives a bit of excess emphasis to the bass and kick instruments. High-bass is also over our target by more than 3dB, adding a little bit of muddiness to the sound.

Also, their bass delivery varies significantly across users, and is sensitive to the quality of the fit, seal, and whether you wear glasses. The response here represents the average bass response, and your experience may vary.

8.6
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.88 dB
Low-Mid
1.98 dB
Mid-Mid
-0.9 dB
High-Mid
1.37 dB

The Cloud Mix have a great mid-range performance. Low-mid follows the small overemphasis of high-bass, which will make vocals slightly thick and cluttered. Mid-mid is virtually flat and within 1dB of our target, ensuring a clear mix with well-balanced vocals and lead instruments. The small dip around 600Hz, however, will slightly nudge the vocals/leads to the back of the mix, but this will barely be noticeable.

6.2
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.96 dB
Low-Treble
-4.45 dB
Mid-Treble
-3.33 dB
High-Treble
-2.11 dB

Like some other HyperX headphones, the Cloud Mix doesn’t have the best treble range performance. There is a broad and noticeable dip from 2KHz to 7Khz, which will negatively affect the brightness and detail of vocals and lead instruments in that region.

7.0
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.76 dB
Dips
2.03 dB
8.4
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.21
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.13
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.92
Weighted Phase Mismatch
4.99

The imaging is great. Their weighted group delay is 0.21, which is within a very good limit. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below our audibility threshold, suggesting a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the left and right drivers of our unit were very well-matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects and instruments (voices, footsteps) in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.

5.4
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
2.17 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
2.58 dB
PRTF Distance
9.95 dB
Openness
5.0
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.6

The HyperX Cloud Mix have a sub-par soundstage. The PRTF graph shows a mediocre amount of pinna activation, but the interaction is fairly accurate. There's also no 10KHz notch present either. This and their closed-back design suggest a soundstage that is perceived to be small and located inside the listener's head, as opposed to in front.

7.4
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.423
WHD @ 100
0.147
Isolation
4.8
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-12.96 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
0.12 dB
Mid
-7.14 dB
Treble
-32.29 dB

The HyperX Cloud Mix have sub-par isolation performance. These over-ear headphones don't have active noise cancelation (ANC), and therefore don't provide any isolation in the bass range. This means they will let in all the low rumbling noises of airplane and bus engines. Also, in the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they achieve about 7dB of isolation, which is bad. In the treble range, occupied by air conditioning noise and sharp sounds like S and Ts, they provide more than 32dB of isolation, which is good.

7.1
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
38.95 dB

The leakage performance of the Cloud Mix is decent. The significant portion of their leakage is between 400Hz and 5KHz, which is a relatively broad range. The overall level of the leakage is not very loud either. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 39dB SPL and peaks at 54dB SPL, which is slightly above the noise floor of most offices.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-line
No
Boom
Yes
Detachable Boom
Yes
Mic Yes

The Cloud Mix have an integrated microphone for when using the headset wirelessly, but it also has a boom microphone for when it’s wired for gaming. The boom microphone has great recording quality and speech recorded or transmitted with this mic will sound full, detailed, and natural. In noisy situations, the mic performs well and is capable of separating speech from noise in the most demanding environments, such as gaming events. Since you’re going to use the two microphones for completely different use cases, we also measured the integrated one. The results are here.

8.5
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
88.51 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.15 dB
HFE
9,948.49 Hz
Weighted THD
0.575
Gain
31.27 dB

The boom mic has an excellent recording quality. The LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 89Hz, which is very good. The HFE of about 10KHz is also very good, resulting in speech with presence and detail, making it very clear and easy to understand. For the integrated microphone, you can expect a normal Bluetooth microphone performance, with speech that is thin-sounding and lacking in detail.

8.6
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
35.66 dB

The boom microphone has impressive noise handling. In our SpNR test, it achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 36dB, which is great. It indicates that this mic will be able to isolate speech from noise even in the noisiest environments. Also, the built-in microphone seemed to be good at noise handling too.

Active Features
7.5
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
23.8 hrs
Additional Charges
0
Total Battery Life
23.8 hrs
Charge Time
2.8 hrs
Power Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Yes
Charging Port micro-USB

When used wirelessly, the Cloud Mix have about 24 hours of battery life, which is great. This should last you a while and won’t need daily charging. You can also use them passively, even when the battery is dead. Unfortunately, you’ll need to plug the micro-USB cable on top of the audio cable while gaming to recharge their battery simultaneously, and the charging cable is very short.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name N/A
iOS N/A
Android N/A
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

HyperX doesn’t have a software with customization options like most other popular gaming brands, like SteelSeries, Astro, or Logitech.

Connectivity
6.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
4.2
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line of Sight Range
81.7 ft
Default Latency
228 ms
aptX Latency
214 ms
aptX(LL) Latency
35 ms

This headset is Bluetooth compatible, but can’t be connected to multiple devices at the same time. You have to disconnect their boom microphone and cable and power the headset to be able to pair it to a Bluetooth source.

We scored these headphones wired since most consoles don’t have audio and mic support over Bluetooth. You shouldn’t have any problem if you use them with the audio cable, which nullifies the latency issues. When used with Bluetooth devices, their latency is about average at 228ms. They also support aptX (214ms) and AAC codecs, for an overall better performance and slightly lower latency. You can also use the headphones wirelessly for gaming if you have an appropriate dongle that supports aptX-Low Latency and you can expect about 35ms of delay, but you won’t be able to use the boom microphone if you do so.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.7 ft
Connection 1/8" TRRS
Wired Latency
0 ms

When used wired, this headset is compatible with any console or PC that has a 1/8” jack. With their TRRS connection, you’ll have audio and microphone support on all platforms, making them very versatile.

Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A

These headphones don’t have a dock or a base. For gaming headsets with one, you can look at the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless for a dock with customization options or look at the Astro A50 if you want a charging dock.