Overview

Drop began in 2012 as a community-driven co-development platform and became a Corsair brand in 2023[1]. In audio it partners with Sennheiser/EPOS and Axel Grell, maintaining staples like the HD 6XX and PC38X while attempting novel designs such as the OAE1. This review synthesizes current third-party measurements and market pricing to assess the company’s overall tendencies.

Scientific Validity

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Flagship measurements are mostly competent. The HD 6XX shows good frequency-response consistency and channel match[5]. The PC38X, an open-back wired headset with a boom mic, delivers stable imaging and speech capture[11]. The OAE1’s driver-forward layout broadens stage but third-party data reports an impedance peak near ~5.5 kHz and placement/leakage sensitivity, which can interact with high-output-impedance sources[14]. Net: measurement-first and reliable overall, with notable exceptions.

Technology Level

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Rather than pure in-house R&D, Drop efficiently productizes high-quality external design assets (Sennheiser lineage, Axel Grell’s know-how). Integration under Corsair has improved scale and logistics[1][2]. With OAE1-class experiments (forward driver placement, highly open mesh), originality and implementation are above industry average.

Cost-Performance

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For a company-level score we compute a weighted average across three representative models (weights by market presence: HD 6XX=0.5, PC38X=0.3, OAE1=0.2), each compared to the single cheapest equal-or-better alternative in user functions and measured performance.

• HD 6XX (199 USD) → comparator HiFiMAN HE400se (109 USD); both are open-back, wired; third-party data shows comparable FR/THD ranges[6][7]. Calc: 109 ÷ 199 = 0.547… → 0.5.
• PC38X (199 USD) → comparator Logitech G PRO X wired (99.99 USD); both wired with boom mic; mic quality comparable; closed-back Logitech has superior passive isolation[11][12]. Calc: 99.99 ÷ 199 = 0.502… → 0.5.
• OAE1 (299 USD) → comparator HE400se (109 USD); open-back wired with strong measurement consistency[6][7]. Calc: 109 ÷ 299 = 0.364… → 0.4.

Weighted result: 0.5×0.547 + 0.3×0.502 + 0.2×0.364 = 0.497… → 0.5 (rounded to one decimal as required).

Reliability & Support

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Drop states a 30-day return window for new, unused items[3] and offers an optional extended warranty program[2]. HD 6XX/PC38X pages indicate 2-year manufacturer warranty[4][10]. Support channels benefit from Corsair scale, yet cross-partner variance and limited long-horizon failure data keep this at an average 0.5.

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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Marketing claims are restrained; the lineup emphasizes measurable deliverables (open-back voicing, wired stability, mic intelligibility) over audiophile myths. Experimental pieces like OAE1 may split opinions, but with known caveats they can be operated sensibly; overall approach is pragmatic with some risk-taking.

Advice

For a neutral-leaning open-back at a fair price, HD 6XX (199 USD) remains dependable[4][5]. For gaming, PC38X (199 USD) stands out for imaging and mic quality[10][11]. To try a front-staged presentation, OAE1 (299 USD) is interesting, but avoid high-output-impedance amps (e.g., some OTLs) to reduce interactions[14]. Always verify return policy and warranty terms before purchase[2][3].

References

[1] CORSAIR IR, “CORSAIR to Acquire Drop Assets” (2023-07-17). https://ir.corsair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/corsair-acquire-drop-assets-further-expand-peripherals-business
[2] CORSAIR Newsroom, “Drop unlocks new levels of personal expression…” (2023-10-17). https://www.corsair.com/newsroom/press-release/drop-unlocks-new-levels-of-personal-expression-with-highly-customizable-mechanical-keyboards
[3] Drop Help Center, “Drop’s return/replacement policy” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://helpdesk.drop.com/hc/en-us/articles/26310998802573-Drop-s-return-replacement-policy
[4] Drop, “Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://drop.com/buy/massdrop-sennheiser-hd6xx
[5] RTINGS, “Sennheiser HD 6XX Review” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/sennheiser/hd-6xx
[6] HIFIMAN Store, “HE400se — 109 USD” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/he400se.html
[7] RTINGS, “HiFiMAN HE400se Review” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/hifiman/he400se
[8] Sennheiser US, “HD 560S — 199.95 USD” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-US/p/hd-560s/
[9] Drop, “Drop PC38X Gaming Headset — 199 USD” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://drop.com/buy/drop-pc38x-gaming-headset
[10] RTINGS, “Drop + Sennheiser/EPOS PC38X Review” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/drop/sennheiser/epos-pc38x
[11] Logitech Store, “G PRO X Wired — 99.99 USD” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://www.logitechg.com/
[12] Drop, “Drop + Grell OAE1 — 299 USD” (accessed 2025-09-02). https://drop.com/buy/drop-grell-oae1-headphones
[13] UnheardLab, “Review of Drop x Grell OAE1 Signature: style over substance?” (2024-10-28; updated 2025-08-11). https://unheardlab.com/2024/10/28/review-of-drop-x-grell-oae1-style-over-substance/

(2025.9.2)