HyperX Cloud II vs Cloud Stinger

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Overview and Differences
Headphone Audio Quality
Microphone Audio Quality
Comfort and Build Quality
Verdict

Overview and Differences

The HyperX Cloud II and Cloud Stinger both have headphone and microphone functionality, but the Cloud Stinger has less features being the more budget option. Here are the main differences between the two:

The Cloud II and Cloud Stinger have non-detachable 3.5 mm audio cables, but the Cloud II has a detachable mic.
The Cloud II comes with a USB controller that allows for system volume adjustment, mic volume adjustment, mic muting, and 7.1 virtual surround sound.
The Cloud Stinger comes with a splitter cable for use with a desktop PC.
To mute the mic on the Cloud II, there’s a switch on the USB controller, but the Cloud Stinger’s mic is muted by moving it to the vertical position.

In my testing, the USB controller on the Cloud II passes through sound on the PS4, but none of the buttons actually work. If you want to use the USB controller, it should be used with PC. Also, most headsets including these have issues with the microphone working on Android devices but are fine with iPhones that still have the 3.5 mm headphone jack.

I bought my Cloud II for $92 and Cloud Stinger for $50. Links are to Amazon so you can see their current prices.

Headphone Audio Quality

Hopefully you weren’t expecting a journalist mode, surface level review of these headsets. I actually played with both of these devices extensively for over a month before writing this. I’ll go over detail, sound profile, equalizer potential, 7.1 virtual surround sound, and close with a summary of the audio.

Detail

The HyperX Cloud II has some of the most detailed sound of any headset I’ve used. When it comes to hearing enemy footsteps, grass rustling, and other important sound cues, the Cloud II is top notch. It’s in Sony MDR-7506 territory - and often better depending on what you’re doing. But that’s for a different article.

The Cloud Stinger doesn’t really hold a candle to the Cloud II in terms of detail. Everything is a bit muffled, though not nearly as bad as the even cheaper Cloud Stinger Core. It was still clear enough for me to perform well in Call of Duty Warzone, but I would definitely prefer the Cloud II for FPS games.

Sound Profile

The Cloud II has suppressed bass, a boosted upper mid-range and boosted highs. This is absolutely perfect for FPS games, but the piercing highs aren’t so great for other genres. NOS boosts, thrusters, and pretty much any highs can get fatiguing easily. The same is true for listening to music over extended periods - you’ll need some EQ software to even things out.

The Cloud Stinger leans much more towards the bass side of things. Is the bass strong? No. the Cloud II actually has clearer and more powerful bass when listening to rap music. But the highs on the Cloud Stinger are dipped down, and the mids don’t stand out very much either. The best way to describe the Cloud Stinger is a more muddy sound than the Cloud II.

The positive side of this is highs like glass shattering won’t rip into your eardrums since they’re much quieter. This isn’t great for FPS games, but for racing games and other genres, it actually ends up being a more comfortable experience.

Equalizer potential

As of this writing, HyperX does not provide its own equalizer software. So you’re gonna have to dig to find your own or use your computer’s built in EQ if your sound card came with one. Both devices benefit from changing up the volume on some of the frequencies.

For immersive large world games like the Mass Effect series, the Cloud II sound drastically better when increasing the lower frequencies and dipping the highs a bit. The basic “bass boost” setting in the Equalizer APO with Peace Extension program is a decent place to start and tweak from there. You can’t increase the lows very much without getting distortion though - the drivers just don’t crank out the low end like that.

The Cloud Stinger can use some high and upper mid boost for both FPS games and music to get the sound out of the muck. But it’s honestly fine as is for open world games. It withstands bass boosting like a champ, but distorts when boosting the highs pretty fast.

7.1 Virtual Surround Sound

The 7.1 virtual surround sound on the Cloud II is not good. It drops the bass, boosts the highs, adds echo, and it can make sound also come from the wrong direction. I don’t know why they added it. Actually I do. Marketing.

Headphone Audio Quality Bottom Line

The Cloud II is just a clearer, better sounding headset than the Cloud Stinger. However, the Cloud Stinger provides a more comfortable listening experience in many different use cases even without third party EQ adjustment.

Microphone Audio Quality

It might seem surprising that the Cloud Stinger has a far better sounding mic than the Cloud II. The Cloud II’s mic sounds muffled and there’s significant distortion compared to the Cloud Stinger.

As with every USB capable headset I’ve tested thusfar, I believe this is due to the microphone audio compression caused by the USB controller on the Cloud II. The Cloud Stinger S mic (not in this comparison) actually sounds a lot like the Cloud II because its audio has to go through its own USB adapter. Here’s an example below.

Comfort and Build Quality

Both of these devices dominate the market in terms of comfort. The leatherette padding and memory foam inside lets you play for hours without any pain. I do find myself readjusting the Cloud II a bit less though and it’s softer, so I’ll give it a slight win for comfort - but just barely.

The build on the Cloud II is clearly more sturdy due to the aluminum frame versus the plastic of the Cloud Stinger. There’s a bit of metal on the adjustment hinge on the Stinger, but I expect the Cloud II to last longer if it were to get dinged accidentally.

Verdict

The Cloud II is definitely worth the premium cost over the Cloud Stinger. The headphone audio quality is superior, it has the edge in comfort and the aluminum build is more sturdy. I highly recommend the Cloud II especially for competitive FPS players.

If you’re strapped for cash, the Cloud Stinger is quite decent for its price point with still excellent comfort and it has good sound for a budget headset.

Amazon Listings

HyperX Cloud II: https://amzn.to/3xvVKN0
HyperX Cloud Stinger: https://amzn.to/36aAOiP

Overview and Differences