Setup
The setup for the headphone was really pretty intuitive and simple; in fact the quick start guide didn’t even have any directions for that part, just two pictures. One picture showed the inserting of the driver CD to load the software and drivers, and a second picture of you plugging in the USB connector to a port on your computer. You can do It the other way around with no problems, but be aware you will not see the 5.1/7.1 speaker options in windows until the software is installed.
The quick start guide gives you a description of each of the buttons on the inline controller and also gives you a one sentence description of each of the features of the software. It also has a couple paragraphs on Dolby headsets in regards to gaining the advantages in games and movies, how to set up windows to properly identify and 5.1/7.1 source and getting the most out of your Corsair HS1 headset.
Software
The software that comes with the Corsair HS1 is a fully configurable environment, and may be familiar to those that have used the Xear3D audio engine before. It has several features that will help a user select the audio to perform to the users liking, including an equalizer with such a dynamic range not usually found in gaming headsets, but more similar to studio monitor headphones. The software also has some neat effects for sounds output such as concert hall, in the shower, a music pub, or even underwater. The sound output effects include the ability to add a karaoke effect, change the user’s voice pitch, and can even change your voice to sound like someone of the opposite sex.
For audiophiles the software has options for configuring stereo and multi-channel modes (2.0, 4.0, 5.1 and 7.1 ) and can be selected to match the source audio of your choosing, although its recommended by Corsair to select 7.1 for most games. It also has a DSP mode to allow you to choose which one of the three DSP Effects to use: Either Dolby Pro Logic IIx for stereo mode, 7.1 Virtual Speaker shift to adjust the distance of the virtual speakers from your head, and also the Dolby headphone mode to help reduce “ear fatigue” by replicating the environment of listening to music on speakers in your living room.
