I was very excited to have bought the Corsair HS75 XB wireless gaming headset but then ended up facing multiple issues. The many problems with the headset made me think of returning them.
But it’s a good headset, so instead I decided to look into solutions for the problems.
In this post, I have summarized my research and this might help you too.
Table of Contents
Corsair HS75 XB Headset Freezes
I’ve had an issue with the Corsair HS75 XB headset where it freezes and becomes unresponsive. In this case, the headset:
- Has no audio output
- Won’t power off
- Continuously shows white light on
- Starts buzzing
- Can’t be muted and other functions don’t work also
Solution
- If your corsair HS75 XB freezes and becomes unresponsive in the middle of your game or other activity, leave it alone and let the battery drain completely. Once it dies, recharge it, and the headset should return to normal working.
- If the paired headphones go out of the Xbox’s range (20 feet or more) they will disconnect. In this case, the headset is still paired to the Xbox, so it is in an undefined state. As above, letting the power drain will fix the issue.
- If your headset is now working and not frozen at the moment, perform a firmware update. Note that you will need the latest version of the iCUE software for this. Some users have recommended rolling back the device firmware to 3.03. We do not recommend this as there’s a risk that it can brick the HS75 XB.
Sound issues with the HS75
The next issue I experienced with the Corsair HS75 XB is choppy sound when connected to the XBOX. Some users have similar issues where the audio cuts out intermittently or static with frequent interruptions. In general it’s not a good audio experience.
Perform a soft reset
If your Corsair HS75 XB has sound issues, we recommend performing a soft reset to your headset. To reset the Corsair HS75 XB:
- Turn off your headphones
- Press and hold the power button until the lights flash
- Wait for 15 seconds
- Turn the headsets on to see if the issue is resolved.
Please note that sometimes the issue is with the Xbox Console and not the headsets. If the above-mentioned reboot procedure doesn’t work, try rebooting or updating the firmware on your Xbox.
Remove Sources of Interference
The HS75 uses wireless technology to connect with the Xbox. This operates in the same frequency band as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Microwave Ovens and other wireless devices. As a result when these devices are working at the same time, they can interfere with the HS75.
To reduce radio frequency (RF) interference, remove these devices from around your Xbox and the HX75.
Corsair HS75 XB has a buzzing sound in the left cup
Multiple users have reported that this headset, when turned on, has a constant buzzing sound in the left cup. This sound is more prominent when the headset is on, but no audio is playing. The sound goes away or becomes minimal during the audio play and becomes noticeable otherwise.
Solution
The only solution to this annoying problem is to turn off the other wireless devices including W-Fi in the surroundings to limit the RF interference. No firmware update or Reset resolves the issue.
Powering off Corsair HS75 XB
Another issue with Corsair HS75 XB is that its users don’t know how to turn the HS75 off. Many users press and hold the power button for three seconds to hear a little sound that indicates the headset is on, and they release the power button. Surprisingly, no sound confirms the headsets are off, so the users don’t know when to let go of the power button.
Solution
The solution to this problem is to press the power button and count for 3 seconds in your head. Release the power button. The headset will power off. If you press it for longer than three seconds, the headset won’t turn off but will go into pairing mode.
Battery and power light behavior of Corsair HS75 XB
Since there is no physical battery level indicator, users can only look at the battery percentage in Corsair iCUE software. Some users complain that the software shows 94% battery level even after charging the battery overnight.
Also, the power light behavior is confusing for some users. According to the instruction manual:
- If the headset is Off and the headset is connected for charging, the amber light indicates it is charging.
- When the light turns solid white, the charging is complete.
But the amber light doesn’t stay on during charging. When plugged in for charging, the headset indicator shows amber light for a while, and then it goes off. This light never turns solid white, even if the battery is full.
Solution
Since there is no physical battery indicator, the software measurement is an approximation. Even if the software shows 94% on a full charge, it will have full battery usage life.
As far as the power LED indicator is concerned, the observed pattern is as under:
- A solid amber light means the headset is charging. Please note that this light might go off after blinking for sometime
- A blinking white light indicates the headset is ready to pair
- A solid white light indicates the headset is connected to the Xbox
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Corsair HS75 XB use Bluetooth?
No it does not use Bluetooth. The HS75 XB is designed for the Xbox and uses Microsoft’s proprietary wireless technology. To use it with a PC will require an Xbox wireless dongle.
How to connect the Corsair HS75 XB to a PC?
The HS75 XB is a wireless headset that connects to Xbox. It does not use Bluetooth. Instead it uses Xbox wireless – a proprietary wireless protocol designed by Microsoft.
In order to connect the HS75 XB to a PC you will need to purchase a USB dongle. The dongle plugs into a USB slot and communicates with the headset.
The Xbox wireless protocol is based on a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) frequency hopping spread spectrum scheme. This enables low latency and interference avoidance. Some users have reported significantly better performance than Bluetooth.
How to factory reset the HS75?
There is no way to factory reset the HS75 and take it back to original settings. Instead there is a procedure to soft reset the device.
How to update the firmware of the HS75?
You will need a PC to run iCUE and follow the instructions here. Unfortunately there is no way to update it using the Xbox console. It’s not possible to update in any other operating system (MacOS or Linux for instance).
Summary
In this post, I have listed all the possible issues with Corsair HS75 XB wireless gaming headset and possible solutions. Let us know if you have issues that are not covered in this post and we will do our best to help you resolve them.