Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsMy gold standard for gaming headsets
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2021
Short of plugging these into a HyperX Quadcast mic, I doubt you'll find a much better setup for gaming....especially at this price point. The sound quality is amazing for headphones in any context and the earcups are very very comfy. The built-in mic sounds very good for a headset mic, but I digress...
I started off with the Cloud I's first and absolutely loved them, but the volume pot started getting scratchy and I worried about damage to the attached cable becoming an issue. So I figured I'd stick with HyperX and give these Cloud Alpha's a try, since the cable does detach. I love the Cloud I's, so I'll just stick to comparing the two of those as they are both phenomenal headsets and would both be a good buy.
-Build and Comfort-
HyperX is just KILLING it on the comfort front IMO. The earcups are basically like tempurpedic memory foam and are a joy to wear. Where the Alpha differs from the Cloud I's is how they feel out of the box. The Alphas still super comfy, but firmer than the Cloud I's. After some wear-in, they soften up, but I can imagine the Alphas lasting longer because of this. Still comfy, just not quite as squishy. Some people may prefer a firmer feel, YMMV.
Both headphones feel very solid and have a good weight to them. Could use some more padding in the headband, but I don't really feel much discomfort after wearing them. This is about the only comfort area I could see them needing improvement on. Not sure if it really amounts to build quality, but the previously mentioned attached cable on the Cloud I's has become an issue for me (the volume pot is really scratchy), but the Alphas have a removable cord and the volume pot feels much more sturdy as well.
-Sound Quality-
Holy crap, I have literally returned $500 Shure headphones in favor of these. And to all assuming I have unrefined, plebian ears...16 years as a guitarist/bassist, audio engineering work for 6 of those years, running PA boards at a few venues, and a gig as a backing bassist for a solo artist (using in-ears) would put me a cut above the typical dude listening to Spotify on his iPhone. I know a good pair when I hear it.
Now the Shures were not flat response for mixing or monitoring, they were listening headphones, but while there is a slight EQ curve and some "signature" enhancements on the Alphas, they are surprisingly flat in a good way...albeit with some extended bass and very smooth highs. The difference is the Cloud I's seemed to have more bass due to an EQ bump in the low-end response along with the seal being tighter on your ears with their squishier earcups. The Alphas are firmer and so the seal isn't quite as tight on my head, making for less perceived bass at first, but if you squish them on your ears you catch a bit more of the low-end.
I will also say the low-end on the Alphas is much cleaner than on the Cloud I's, which may not be caught by some listeners. When you hear explosions, rumbling, or are listening to bassy music you won't hear these buzzing or bottoming out like the Cloud I's can. I use an external Sound Blaster card with one of my PCs and my custom EQ curve for music listening is handled beautifully by these Alphas. This by no means is an insult to the Cloud I's, they are easily contenders with most $100-$250 listening headsets out there, but in comparison to the Alphas, these are the differences you'll experience.
-Noise Isolation-
The Alphas are, again, not as tight a seal as the Cloud I's but that could change in time. FWIW, these cut out a noticeable amount of noise...with only really rumbly or booming sounds getting through. A neighbor firing up a giant truck or thunder outside will catch my attention, but high pitched sounds get drowned out when you are listening to music or playing a game. I'm sure with wear they'll get even better, but for a passive headset they do a fine job.
-Mic Quality-
The mic is perfectly fine and right in line with most $100+ gaming headset mics. Don't expect something on-par with a dedicated mic like the HyperX Quadcast or a Razer Siren, this is a totally different league of mic, but does a respectable job. Most people use these for Discord or Zoom calls, or want to cut down on background noise as opposed to using an external mic.
-Connectors-
The core cable has the headphone/mic conductors built into one 3.5mm plug, the same as old iPhone headsets and many other gaming headsets do. There is an extender cable that splits it out to a headphone and mic plug separately. One thing I found weird, is my Cloud I's were the same, but when I plugged the single 3.5mm combo jack into my HyperX Quadcast they flat out would not work. HOWEVER, the Alphas DO work for some reason. Not sure why, seems like basically the same cable. Either way, the cable is long enough for most folks' rigs so no worries on that.
-Overall-
If you want a gaming headset, or even just a headset for listening to music at your computer comfortably, this is an amazing headset. If you're fine with over-ear headphones for listening on the go, there's no reason not to use these IMO. If you're a streamer and want to save money and still get great performance...BUY THESE!!
Some people might scoff at these and not consider them good since they aren't "Pro Level" gear, but honestly for monitoring and even music listening I would put these up against nearly any sub-$600 headset. I don't abuse the hell out of my headphones, but they definitely get put to use for hours on end every day and I've still had no issues. The Cloud I's (non-USB) are great too, but for a bit more the Alphas are just plain amazing. The only thing you need to worry about these is if they discontinue them!
