Microphone Performance

I tested the detachable omnidirectional microphone of the Corsair Virtuoso MAX Wireless headset in wireless mode. To review the microphone's sound and to compare it to other similar headsets, I used the Adam A7X speakers and Shure SRH840 headphones, both being studio monitors, connected to the powerful EVGA NU Audio Pro sound card, acting as a DAC, and the Topping A90 Discrete high-quality (pre)amplifier. The testing was done in Discord, TeamSpeak, Skype, and Audacity, and I also used Audacity to record sound from the microphone. The sound was recorded with microphone sensitivity set to 100% and was not post-processed or edited in any way.

For reference, this voice recording was made with the Rode NT-USB, a high-quality studio microphone:



This is the sound recorded by using the unidirectional microphone supplied with the Corsair Virtuoso MAX Wireless.



For a wireless gaming headset, the Corsair Virtuoso MAX Wireless offers above-average microphone quality. The microphone capsule provides a wide gain range, allowing you to set it at a lower level to reduce sensitivity to background noise. Given its omnidirectional polar pattern, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of depth it manages to capture. The original Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless was one of my long-time favorite wireless gaming headsets in terms of microphone performance, and I'm pleased to report that the Virtuoso MAX Wireless continues that legacy of quality. To be clear, this isn't a microphone you'll want to use for professional podcasting or voiceover work, but for chatting with friends and teammates, it performs exceptionally well.

Additionally, the headset features built-in onboard microphones that activate when the detachable microphone is not connected. You can listen to their performance in the following sample.



While the onboard microphones don't match the quality of the detachable mic, they are perfectly adequate for phone calls or casual Discord chats. This means you don't need to carry the detachable microphone with you when using the Virtuoso MAX Wireless on the go.