Before I s⛄tarted reviewing headsets professionally, I used a pair of wired headphones from Corsair called the Void Pro. In between testing dozens of new headsets, I always find myself returning to the comfort and reliability of the Void Pros because I love the way they sound, the way they fit, and the simple design. I have wireless headsets with a lot more features and ev♔en some with better sound quality, but the Void Pros are my old reliables.
The Void RGB Elite is the upgraded version of those classic Void Pros and comes with some heavy-hitting new features, including 7.1 surround sound, side-tone, and RGB customization. It was the easiest replacement I've ever made because, for the most part, the Void RGB Elite is a straight upgrade to one of my most beloved pieces of hardware. Though there are a couple of issues I have with it, namely th🃏e USB connection and the voice prompts, but the Void RGB Elites have still managed to improve what is already my favorite headset.
Improving A Legend
At a di⛎stance, you might not even be able to tell the difference between the two 🍷headsets, and I think that's actually what I like about the Elite the most. The wide-set band and lightweight frame of the Void headsets are incredibly comfortable. The Elite even uses the same plush material on the ear cups as the Pro, so I'm confident the Elite will last for years, just as my Pros have. I appreciate the extra-large cups that engulf my ears without pressing against them, as I think it contributes just as much to sound quality as it does to comfort.
Spe💧aking of sound quality, the Elite now has 7.1 surround sound which can be toggled with a press of the volume jog wheel (replacing the volume scroll wheel on the Pros). 7.1 surround in headphones is a tricky subject because it combines pretty complicated science and technology in both software and hardware to simulate the way perceive 3D space. It's a topic for a much bigger st🦋ory, but of the Void Elites, I will say that the sound is fuller and more immersive in 7.1, even compared to the Void Pro. I turn 7.1 off in competitive shooters when directionality is really important, but for anything else the 7.1 surround is fantastic.
The analog mute button has also been replaced with a multi-function digital button that toggles both mute and side-tone. I love this feature, as with 𝓡a lot of my wireless headphones, they require bei🅰ng docked to turn side-tone on and off, but with the Void Elite, I can toggle it was a press of a button. I'm not a side-tone person, but I do turn it on occasionally when I'm playing something intense and need to keep my voice down. I'm glad they added side-tone and made it easy to turn on and off.
The Airing Of Grievances
I only have two complaints about the Void Elites, one minor and one major. My minor gripe is with the voice prompts when you toggle mute, side-tone, and surround sound. A voice announces, "Mic on," and, "Mic off," when you press the button, which I find to be annoying and unnecessary. The Void Pro doesn't do this, and in all my years of using it, I never felt like I needed to be told that I just pressed the button. If you aren't sure if the headphone is muted or not, the red light at the end of the microphone will tell you. The voice has interrupted communication in-game more than once, and even when you turn off the voice prompts in the iCUE software, it instead makes a twoꦛ-tone beep which is equally distracting.
My major complaint is about the USB connection. The Void Pro had a♓ 3.5mm headphone jack at the end and came with a USB adapter, making it the perfect headset for PC and console. Those headphones were the only pair I needed for PC, PS4, and Switch. Whenever I switched platforms, I just unplugged the cable from the adapter and left the USB adapter connected to my computer. I even plugged them into my phone on occasion.
I no longer have that versatility with the Void Elites, as t𒁃hey only have a USB connection. I don't know if this is necessary because of the 7.1 surround or if Corsair determined customers didn't need the 3.5mm connection, but I per🧸sonally really miss it and consider that one alteration a pretty disappointing downgrade.
My New Old Reliables
I was very happy to hand down my Void Pros that have been with me for years (yet look and feel brand new) when I got the Void Elites, and I know this pair will serve me well for years to come. Despite needing to now use different headphones when I leave my PC from now on, the inclusion of 7.1 surround and side-tone make these a worthy upgrade to an already phenomenal headset. The Void RGB Elite headset from Corsair is my favorite wired headset for under $100, and I🐼'm confident it will be yours too.