HyperX Cloud Alpha – Gaming Headset with In-line
HyperX Cloud Alpha – Gaming Headset with In-line volume control
Ultra-portable design with detachable cable
Reduces storage bulk and potential cable damage.
Detachable noise-cancellation microphone
It’s easy to plug in for gaming use or unplug for music-only purposes.
TeamSpeak and Discord certified so you’ll be heard loud and
HyperX Cloud Alpha is TeamSpeak and Discord certified and compatible with Skype, Ventrilo, Mumble and other VOIP programs.
One headset for virtually all platforms
The versatile Cloud Alpha is designed to work on PC, PS4, Xbox One and other platforms with a 3.5mm port.
| Weight: | 336 g |
| Size: | Headset Only |
| Dimensions: | 19.5 x 15 x 9.7 cm; 336 Grams |
| Model: | HX-HSCA-RD/EE |
| Colour: | Black-Red |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. |
| Manufacture: | HyperX |
| Dimensions: | 19.5 x 15 x 9.7 cm; 336 Grams |
| Size: | Headset Only |
I couldn’t find a cheaper one for the same specifications I see a lot of famous gamers use this as it truly helps me to focus in gaming and does make critical change in my valorant gaming match many times it helped me identify the persons location by them making a little sound as possible making my team win the round.
The audio has not lost quality, the wiring has not deteriorated and the microphone quality remains unchanged.
Only one change, after three years the ear pads wore – but after an easy 5 spent on replacement ear pads and an effortless transition, the headphones were good to go.
I would highly recommend these headphones to anyone looking for casual/competitive gaming or general media consumption. They offer great sound and an incredibly low price, I’d happily pay double for these headphones, and I’ll definitely buy another pair once mine break (if they ever do?)
The headset is very comfortable and fits nicely. The sound quality is very good and is loud. The microphone is also decent which you can take off. Its is a little pricey but its a amazing headset. I would recommend buying when on sale. Overall great quality headse
eally great headset, when its on offer for around 50 notes dont hesitate to get one, music is much clearer and with no stupid software to download unlike others, gaming is more atmospheric and intense, so good i bought two for when/if it does happen to break but the quality is great and comfort is fine, cable length generous in line volume works, i personally dont use the microphone thats included, but as its detachable its not in the way at all which is great, if u want better gaming/music for great value yeah go for it!
For gaming, these are amazing, you can hear enemy footsteps very clearly so these are perfect for eSport titles. As for Mic Quality, they’re nothing special, but teammates can hear me and that’s all that matters.
There were no spare ear cup cushions which was disappointing, my previous Cloud came with an extra set which was great to swap over midway through its lifespan.
Now comparing aside they are still good headphones. tho had some white noise issues when I plugged straight into the sound card and any other plugin had the same issue but after trying couple more times it just went away and now I haven’t had the balls to unplug it just in case it comes back 😀
Pros
Good for Competitive gaming for games like Valorant And Tarkov.
Is nice and comfy with glasses on.
Nice and long cable (with the extinction/splitter that is included)
Good enough noise cancelation
Cons
Not as good as Wireless version.
The Sound volume control thing is very easy to move. (I move a lot in my chair so it gets coastally adjusted with my sweater or just elbow gets stuck a lot)
Other than that Its a decent headset. I didn’t use the mic so cant say anything about that but if you want good mic quality just buy a separate microphone cause headset mics are just not it. and I have tried lots of them.
been impressed by these for the money (50) , little bit better sound quality/mic than my last pair the fit on my head isn’t quite as good as the Nubwo n9’s ( chinese clones of this headset that did some things better and some things worse ) I’m replacing but anyone in the market for decent cheap cans should think about them , don’t know if I’d be as happy paying the full 90 but at nubwo money
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is a solid 10/10 for me. The best headset i’ve had in 20 years. I’ve mostly been using unbranded ones which are cheap and cheerful whilst decent, they usually lack a decent microphone.
Whilst trying to get more involved with voice communication online, i needed a better microphone, along with decent quality earphones. I had only just bought a Logitech G335 last week, which honestly sounded like wet farts, and the microphone was buzzing non-stop, which is ironic because the Cloud Alpha is cheaper, yet it’s 1000% better. So Logitech’s (typical) poor product got returned. I ended up getting this one instead.
There is no 7.1 gimmick here, no need for dumb software that emulates a fake surround sound (which is impossible because you only have 2 ears anyway…)
Plug it in and it’s good to go. Solid piece of equipment for everything from voicechat, to bassy music, to clearly hearing trebles, and gaming alike.
Noise cancellation on the microphone is great too. You can have your earphone volume quite high and it still won’t leak into the microphone.
Would definitely recommend.
This might be because I was quite specific in what I desired: I wanted good, well balanced sound (not too heavy on the bass or anything!), a cabled connection ideally with in-line controls, comfort and ideally a microphone that could be positioned and kept out of the way when not in use.
Seems simple? It wasn’t until I found these!
I’d typically aimed to pay around the 40-50 range – and feel I was really lucky to get this quality at the price I paid (around 45 at the time – might have been on offer) – especially since others I’d tried at that sort of price hadn’t been good or lasted, and I was gearing up for the 60 – 80 range if these didn’t work out.
I love the sound quality and the surround effect – it feels very natural and clear, the bass doesn’t dominate.
The microphone is both bendable and removable – so a lot of the time I just use these as headphones without the microphone attached (ideal, in my mind, as it reduces any stressing on cables etc from bending). When I do use the microphone voice is clear.
The inline controls on the cable offer mute microphone (very handy for when doing zoom calls and wanting to be certain your not going to accidentally speak – though it’s important to remember its there! Few times when they were new I was like “Is the microphone not working? Ah, no – just the mute on!”). and a wheel to control the volume of sound – much better than an up/down volume button in my mind.
I only wish there was the option to pause/play/move forward/move back when listening to music, allowing you to stow the device away and control it from the cable – but it hasn’t, so best way around this is to get an additional little add on cable if this is something you like to do too. (It seems very hard to find headphones/headsets that tick all the boxes, and sound quality I think trumps inline controls)
Biggest thing I love is that almost a year on from buying is they still work!
So often there’s fatigue around the cable joints and that becomes the weak point. The fabric covered cable doesn’t tangle – but I have found it gets sort of permanent kinks/bends in it that can’t straighten? It’s a problem with other fabric covered cables too – so just life I think – but main thing is it’s still working without a problem! AND – this was a big selling point to me – the fact the cable can be removed means it could be replaced: no more replacing entire sets of headphones/headsets just because the cable’s stopped working!
They also come with a nice bag – ideal for storing them, cables or detached microphone in when not in use – and an extra cable for connecting to devices with a port each for microphone and headphones.
Other than the solid bends in the cable and lack of play/pause controls the main downside is that they’re a bit bulky. Not great for resting the head to the side when travelling or resting with them on, and a bit bulky for travelling with – but that’s just how they are.
I absolutely love them and am so relieved to have a headset that works so well and so long already compared to others I’ve tried – and with no problems in sight and the reassurance that I should be able to replace the cable if there are problems, I highly recommend these!
I got a really good deal on Amazon Warehouse and got something like 30 bucks off, despite the headphones being brand new!
After having used them for maybe one or two years (time flies!) I can safely say they are still working as brand new. My 3.5mm jack does have a slight bit of corrosion but this is completely my fault for spilling tea in it.. so maybe don’t do that
The detachable 3.5mm jack cable in my opinion makes the price worth it, as unless I somehow break the metal headband I will not likely need to replace these for many years to come, due to the typical point of failure for my headsets being the cable itself.
The only complaint I have is that these are not simulated surround sound so can make hearing footsteps in games like Rust kind of hard
I can’t find fault with them, and it makes me wonder how some headsets can costs above 250. Are they really 3.5 times better to warrant the price tag?
Now, enjoy the photo of my pug who is also blown away by the quality of the headphones
When plugged into my Xbox One controller, there is a static like white noise in the background that doesn’t go away until you turn down the volume on the actual headphones on the in-line mic to about 60%. This static noise disappears when plugged into my laptop, so I do not think it is the headset, however there is no static noise in my old headset when I have that plugged into my controller, so I think this headset mustn’t play too nice with my Xbox One controller. This isn’t too much of an issue because you can just turn the game audio up to counteract this but it is still something that is wrong with them and something to bear in mind.
Overall this is an excellent piece of kit for any setup: a killer combination of great price, solid design, great built quality, and an impressive soundstage. The cans pack a punch, without anything being overwhelming. I use it mainly for CS:GO, but I’m sure it has a good deal of versatility genre-wise.
I see many reviews complaining about the comfort: some peoples’ ears are large enough to touch the driver itself and this can be uncomfortable. I haven’t found this specific issue in my own use, although I will concede that the earpads take a bit of getting used to, due to the majority of the clamping force taking place towards the front of the head. This leads to more pressure being placed on the temples rather than evenly across to the back of the head, so this is worth bearing in mind. It’s also worth considering though that you can get a decent selection of aftermarket pads for a good price that may eliminate the issue. I have personally opted to stick with the default pads as they’re comfortable enough to my taste. Overall a 6.5/10 for comfort: not quite as good as I remember the Cloud 2s being, but still perfectly fine for long periods of sitting at your PC/console.
All in all, it’s a really solid headset for pretty much any purpose. There’s a small chance you’ll find it uncomfortable, but 9 times out of 10 I’d say it’s a great buy.
I looked at reviews for AGES and kept jumping from brand to brand. One brand that consistently got good reviews was HyperX. Eventually, I decided these were the brand for me but I still couldn’t decide between the Cloud Alphas or the ones made for PS4. My reasoning was the Cloud Alphas apparently had an audio drop when used via a PS4 controller.
In the end, I went with the Cloud Alphas anyway. And boy am I glad I did.
They are super comfy and I’m able to wear them for several hours without issue. They are just as comfy as the Sony MDRs they replaced but the MDRs to have angled speaker grills which help with ear clearance a little. It’s not a problem for me but if you have larger than average ears, you may experience contact between the speaker grill and your ear.
The mic is awesome. It is so clear that everyone I game with regularly has noticed the difference. They reckon it sounds like I’m in the same room as them. I’ve tested it while streaming, too, and it sounds just as good as a dedicated mic. It offers great noise cancellation, too, which I have tested with two kids playing in the same room while chatting to squadmates. They couldn’t hear them at all.
The sound is great. The headphones pick up so much more sounds and I can hear footsteps in-game from quite far away. I can even hear hostiles re-plating or reloading in Warzone, which has given me a huge advantage. The audio is also very loud with plenty of adjustment to suit anyone’s hearing. I mean you can turn it down so low you can’t hear a thing or crank it up ’till your ears bleed. I don’t know what other users have been doing to say their audio was quiet while using them on a PS4.
One criticism on the sound is the bass. I noticed a slight difference in the lack of punchy bass tones compared to the MDRs. This is most notable with explosions and getting hit markers when shooting. They are not as crisp or deep but rather a little bit muddy. However, you do still get those sounds and you eventually get used to it. All the other sounds are so much better and precise it becomes a very small trade-off.
I’ve also tested the headphones for music and they are pretty good but due to that lack of clear bass tone, the MDRs have the edge while listening to tunes.
Finally, I did a phone test with them, too. Although they would qualify as a very elaborate handsfree kit, they do a very good job, with possibly the best phone call audio I’ve ever experienced. People on the other end of the call have commented on my clear audio back to them, which just adds another confirmation as to how good the mic is.
Do I recommend them? Hell yeah! Don’t hesitate. Buy them!
I had to get a new headset as my HyperX Cloud Stinger was annoying me, as something the hearing would mess up and it would come out of 1 ear etc. So i decided to buy the HyperX Cloud Alpha as i knew how comfortable the HyperX Cloud Stinger is.
Firstly i have left this review 9 days so that i can give a proper complete opinion on this product and have experienced the good and bad things. In general i really like this headset. There are very few negatives for this headset, and many positives.
The best thing about this headset is the sound quality. I use this for everything on the internet, like watching videos, listening to music and gaming. The game i needed it for mostly is Warzone. With my old headset i was struggling with hearing people loudly enough as sometimes if the lead slightly moved the sound would either stop working or would only come out of one ear. Changing to this was a game changer. I could have it loud and still so clear, and could finally hear footsteps clearly. The next big thing with sound quality is the music. I listen to music every day and it is very good sound quality.
The next thing to comment on is the comfort. This headset is very comfortable mainly because it is so light. You don’t feel any weight on your head at all. But the only problem with this is how it sits on my head, don’t know if this is the same for everyone, but my headset doesn’t really close around my ears too well and feels a little loose around the ears, however i have never felt that they are going to fall off my head and have never slid off my ears or anything, so i assume this is how they were designed so they feel more lightweight. But one of the main negatives i have with it is that the noise cancelling is not the best, and it might be because how it feels around my ears. The reason i have give this part 4 stars and not less is because it does give a little bit of noise cancelling and also it has helped me in a way. A lot of the time with my old headset (which had very good noise cancelling) i couldn’t hear my family calling my name and i don’t have a lot of noise from my computer or anything external so i don’t particularly need the noise cancelling. If you need noise cancelling badly, then i wouldn’t get this product.
In terms of the design of the headset, i only have one complaint. I love the long cable as it means i can wire it behind my monitor so it looks neat, but it is long enough that i can move it around when i need to take it off or if i move on my chair. The audio controls are very nice as well as it is so easy to mute the mic and change the volume. The detachable mic is a very nice feature and makes it easy when i am not gaming with people, and means it doesn’t get in the way. The complaint i have with the design is that the Stinger had 90 degree rotating ear cups which i loved. with this one it doesn’t have the rotating ear cups so it means it doesn’t lay down on my desk as nicely, but it is not the biggest problem, just a little annoying.
Overall, i really like this headset and it is definitely worth the extra 40 than the stinger. I think this is definitely worth the money. I understand there are definitely better headsets out there but not for the price. For me the most important things with a headset is sound quality and comfort. This headset is definitely very good at both of those things.
The short version. Only main points that affect me.
Pro’s
– Good sound quality
– Comfortable
– Lightweight
– Good features (detachable mic, long cable)
– Good for the money
Con’s
– Poor noise cancelling
– No rotating ear cups
Overall Hyper X have made a really good product. Excellent sound quality, almost perfect for gaming and really good for music as well. I had bought this well over a year ago and have been using them since.
There were two main things that I was not happy with. Firstly the microphone. Whenever I used the microphone and tried to talk to someone on discord, annoyingly they could hear my gameplay or hear the YouTube video I was watching in the background so audibly they could clearly make out the words. Initially I thought it may have been a issue of me playing the video too loudly, and it may have been some sort of sound bleeding, so I turned the volume down so even I could barely hear it. Turns out the person I was in the call with could still hear it. This was a huge problem and as a result I had to invest on a separate microphone as well.
Remember how I said the volume was almost perfect for gaming? It’s almost perfect because the volume on the headset is way too low. When using these headphones to play a game like Rainbow 6, I have to put the volume up to 100% to make sure I can hear everything clearly. Even then it feels lacking. I’m not sure why but this is a problem many other people have also had. What feels extra weird is when listening to music or watching a video I have to put the volume down by a lot every time so the volume only seems to under perform in games. One of things I was most disappointed about was the fact that Hyper X still do not have proper software for their peripherals despite being one of the biggest in the gaming scene. When I do play games the sounds are clear albeit quiet, but I can hear people’s footsteps and locate exactly where people are coming from. Overall it’s a relatively good experience and is also very comfortable as well.
Im a fan of HyperX since 2014. First time i bought their heafset i bought 2 at once as an investment for future. I have made a smart move. 2018 bought a cloud II version with usb connection and 7.1 suround sound switch. Here i am 2020 and i bought them again over dozens of headphones i looked at.
Whats improved? Well designers clearly were listening for consumer reviews, i assume. The flimsy big controller is finaly compact and sturdy, plug connections moved from it further back onto cable. My old headsets took a lot of damage on this part, like stepping on it, sitting on it or acidentally jolting on cable damaging that plastic controller case. Braded cable is now fully braded and has a softer plastic cable inside, old ones used to get very stiff inside and eventually snap. All 3 headsets i had suffered same fate – stif cable snaped inside and was only held by a braded coating, eventually small cabled getting twisted and snapping. All sets had a weakspot where cable meets a speaker casing. Now this spot is replaced with a plug! Briliant. Cable is a bit shorter now to.
Old boxes used to be packed in a hard box with all contents fitted in a masive peace of foam. Was screaming quality. Now its in a partialy soft shell with contents fitted in a see-through plastic mold. Not a problem, you open the box once, i get it. I never was a fan of “unboxing experience” but it certainly maid an impression first time i opened.
They kept design of speakers same, by the looks of it. I dont know about tech details inside, but the sound quality is still exelent and i think 7.1 is built in now ?
Very deep base. Theres websites dedicated to tone generation, you can test headphones yourself and be amazed.
They allso removed a spare set of earpads. Used to be soft leather and soft textile in the box. Over all, soft leather over time begins to flake off and theres a lot of it on headset. Despite many reviewers complaining about bad earpads that headset comes with i can assure you, they must have elf ears. I used their headsets at home, in public, at work all day round. Never i sufered any disscomfort.
Mic – still same, with a slightly modified slot shape. Never had problems with it.
At the end of a day, this is exelent headset. 53mm drivers deliver amazing range of sound and sound cancelation is impecable.
Buy these, you wont regret. Solid build that will last at least 2 years. I know it.
I’ve used Turtle Beach headsets for years on the Xbox and initially upgraded to a newer model, only to have issues with it so returned it. I decided to do some research and many HyperX models were consistently coming out on top, so opted for these. Boy am I glad I did, I can’t recommend them enough. They are hands down far superior to anything Turtle Beach can offer you for the same price. The sound quality is like going from HD to 4K in comparison. The build quality, comfort, materials used are all excellent. It looks, feels and sounds amazing. I’ve had compliments on the mic quality from my friends who say it’s a lot clearer than I’ve ever been.
If you’re playing FPS games these are ideal – all the right tones so you can really get involved but also have an advantage over people with being able to pin point gunshots/footsteps etc (I’ve even noticed an improvement in my Apex play!). I’ve had really long sessions without any discomfort at all.
Although I bought these just for gaming, they are definitely good enough for listening to music etc, I even now use them as my main headset in the mobile for when I’m working from home and in meetings. Even my work colleagues have commented on better sound quality of my voice!
Just buy them, you won’t be disappointed.
When I first got the HyperX Cloud Alpha headset I was very sceptic. I have had been using my Sennheiser PC3 headset for 5 or 6 years at that stage and it satisfied my gaming and all other needs. But I had the money I decided to try something new. So when I first wore the Cloud Alpha I wasn’t entirely satisfied. It was much heavier too what I was used to and wasn’t entirely comfortable while wearing glasses. But I kept on using it for the next few days and I was blown away.
The quality of the sound is just outstanding. I wouldn’t call it “Best” as I’m sure there are better headsets out there but for this price, the sound was so much better than my worn out and quite dated Sennheiser’s.
However, I was worried, as much as I like to listen to music and watch movies I am a gamer at heart. But just after a few gaming sessions I knew that this headset is perfect truly a gamer’s ultimate accessory, it just takes time getting used to it, there’s no 7.1 or any other fancy features, which for me as a csgo player is actually a preference. Nonetheless, the positional audio is rich in detail and more importantly accurate.
The build quality is simply put… superior to any other headset I have ever owned. It is one of those things that you just have to hold to fully appreciate the detail and forethought that was put into this masterpiece.
Upon playing some loud music, while not wearing the headset, I noticed that it gets quite loud but when I had my dear sister wear it, on the full volume, of course, there was almost no sound leakage. The thick padding on the earpieces works miracles.
I highly recommend this headset and I think that for this price point you, the buyer, won’t be disappointed.
Had them now at daily use for a weak, and must say that they are exselent for mussic and some games, but not the best for certain type games. I also tryed cloud II durring one weakend playing PUBG, and i gotta say that whit cloud II it was alot easyer to concentrate and listen to the steps and surroundings. It was verry clear whit any efford to hear every thing and also the direction of the sounds whit the assus fx softwear for sound.
The mic is quiet and need to downgrade drivers for mic from 0.3 to 0.1 for the 7.1 sound card on the cable, and add output of ur mic in windows and discord, but than it works good enough and good noise cancelations asweal. Had more trouble setting up the mic on the alpha head phones, but still works at the end atleast.
So why is cloud II better for competetive gaming? Because they have very low basses, and concentrate on high sounds, which also are steps in games, and the gunn and granedes have alot of bass in their sound, middle of the fight just having any kind of bass while fighting will make it harder to concentrate on the faded out lows aka steps and comprehend where they are comming from. And the hyperx alpha have good low sounds, but since there are 2 speaker tubes in, both are smaller in size than the cloud II ones whit 1 pair of speakers concentrated on high sounds, and not having preaty much no bass.
But here comes a twist! If u dont play competetive games like PUBG or CS, but your more like a RPG or strategy or any other game genre tipe a gamer, than u will love Alpha much more than cloud II, becaouse than u,ll have immersive experience in games, or if u just wanna listen to mussic, and looking bit more bassier headphones than usual and more expencive studio headphones, u’ll love the alpha ones.
So 4 stars becausenof of advertising, they not best for what they are advertised for, cloud II still better for pinpointing steps and sounds in games, and the alpha headphones are for music and emersivnes in storry driven games like RPG genre.
Comfort:
cloud II – u can even forget that use have them on, also whit the pads, u don’t fell like they are solid, but more soft and airy as if ur laying in bed which makes some noize in lose the sound out, but still not enough to disrupt mic
Alpha: u feel them, the top more sturdy than cloud II, and can be discomforting on a biger head, since the pading in to soft, gets squished till u fell the hard plastic below it. But the ear pads are more solid and less airy than the cloud II, which makes u hear outside noise. They are mostly very light and comfortable once the ear pads hold them on and not the top plastic.
So based on my stille of games that i play i would recommend the cloud II over alpha, and would recommend alpha to those that want to listen to mussic or watch movies.
Pros:
– Very well built, no cheap components from what I can tell or feel
– Microphone quality is great, no issues (with one exception, which will be explain later)
– Sound quality is great compared to any other headphones I have used in the past such as my Philips SHM6500
– The headset can be very loud if you want it to be, which is great if your a bit deaf or wanting to become deaf
Issues/Cons:
– If the microphone is not working, try plugging the headphone cable further into the headset as it might not have fully been pushed it, just a small issue which caused several people to wonder why the microphone wasn’t working, not really a con.
– The length of the cable is 1.3 meters and can be extended to 3.3 meters if you want to be able to use the microphone on the PC, which to me is quite a bit longer than I would’ve preferred which is a bit of a hassle to deal with but can be sorted out by zip-tying the excess cables together.
– The comfort is not great. The earpads are too thin and causes my ears to rub against the drivers causing pain within an hour. The headset clamp force may be an issue for others, especially for those who wear glasses since the headset will clamp the back of the glasses (called a temple) too tightly which will cause the temples to be pushed against the head causing pain (this may be resolved if the earpads were thicker and maybe softer). Despite the top of the headset having a soft cushion, I still feel a slight pain after an hour of use but this may be resolved by moving the headset a bit towards the further back of your head.
If the comfort is a big deal breaker for you, it may be worth sending a support ticket to Kingston asking for thicker earpads as some have already done so and have given back very positive feedback.
With the recent drop from 90 to 60 (edit: sadly they’ve gone up again), I felt the price was right and ordered these alongside some 20 HM5 ear pads. I barely used them with the original ear pads, so I can’t speak to the Alpha’s out-of-the-box comfort level, but with these new ear pads they’re absolutely amazing. The HM5s are thick enough to keep my ears from touching the drivers, audio quality is the best I’ve heard from a gaming headset, and the build quality feels incredible. A big step up from all the plastic headsets I’ve used.
I was told that HyperX Clouds were difficult to drive by the DualShock 4 and that I should expect low volume without some sort of amplifier. While I’ve not encountered the issue of low volume myself, I do find that the audio quality takes a big hit when driving these with lower-powered devices. For that reason I do recommend hooking them up to some sort of amp/digital-to-analog converter. I personally use a Turtle Beach DSS2 on PS4, and a Sound Blaster E1 as an in-line amplifier for portable devices.
So overall, I’m extremely happy with them. Yes, I realize I’ve reviewed them with a “mod” and that Kingston/HyperX should really step up and provide an official solution, but for now the price drop will do. View these as a 80 headset, and you won’t be disappointed.