PowerA acquired LucidSound in 2020 and since then, they’ve moved towards a greater range of PlayStation, Xbox and PC headsets. Their latest iteration, the LS35X, is a step above anything that’s come before it, and the company's really pulled out all the stops here.
Costing £129.99, it’s certainly an affordable higher end headset, with some of the features that come alongside that. Granted, it commands a chunky price tag, but that’s not to say it doesn’t live up to that.
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Comfort Above All
The LS35X's build quality is excellent, feels premium and the Rose Gold/White aesthetic is surprisingly super pleasing. Furthermore, as someone with a head the size of a small planet, the LS35X never felt too small. In fact, I’m certain it’s a goldilocks situation, where you could put this on anyone’s head, and it'd feel just right no matter what.
The earcups being made with a gel and memory foam pairing inside make for an incredibly comfortable experience, no matter how long your play time is. It's such a snug fit that the headset never went walkies, even during the most animated of rages.
As for features, there’s a significant amount directly on the headset itself, however I wouldn't call it a button fest. On the left earcup, you have the power button, a 5v USB charge port, a 3.5mm jack and a plug-in point for the boom microphone. On the right, there's the connect button.
There’s further functionality directly on the earcups too. The left side has a rotatable wheel controlling game volume, while the right adjusts the game/chat balance. Pressing the left earcup mutes the game, whereas the right side mutes your mic. Hold the right earcup for 3 seconds and you’ll hear your microphone in your own ears as well.
This may seem like a lot of buttons and a fair bit to remember, but as a result, you can efficiently game while on console, and for that I really commend this headset. It’s nice to be able control everything from the headset itself. It would've been good to have noise cancellation but honestly, these earcups are built so well that the natural noise cancelling properties are excellent.
One important thing to remember, which originally confused me a little. You can’t connect this headset to PC via standard Bluetooth, it must be done via an Xbox Controller Adapter. That's slightly weird, but I'd guess that to ensure maximum functionality for the LS35X, LucidSound had to get it recognised as a controller. A weird quirk, but one for PC players to keep in mind.
Perfectly Balanced
As for the audio, I'll need to start with a single negative here. Given the price tag, I was surprised that there’s no software for the microphone, apart from an updater tool. If you’re looking for high control over your EQ settings, unfortunately you’ll be disappointed.
However, the LS35X contains one of the most balanced sound profiles I’ve ever heard from a gaming headset. Actually, from any over ear audio device I’ve owned. There’s a clearness to the high frequencies, and perfectly accurate lows, that make even simple things like listening to music on a PC better.
I’m of the opinion that balanced is better, so when a headset arrives that gives a nice central sound profile, warm but not too warm, it’s a breath of fresh air. That's in comparison to other headsets on the market, which sometimes put too much onus on the bass to make playing FPS games more ‘badass’. Thatt’s something I’ve never really appreciated in headsets as sound ultimately feels muffled, so I’m glad the LS35X avoids this.
The battery lasts a good 15 hours per charge, which for most gaming sessions (assuming that you charge up every night) will be more than enough. However, a slightly better battery life would've been appreciated.
Testing the microphone thoroughly, I was highly impressed by the excellent sound quality. Even for streamers, that's more than acceptable and given its removable, there's also good scope if you want to use these headsets on the move. Alongside this, Noise and Echo cancellation on the plug-in microphone is useful if you regularly use a headset in noisy environments.
LucidSound LS35X Wireless Gaming Headset - Is It Worth It?
Overall, LS35X is a brilliant high-end option in the LucidSound's headset line-up. There’s more than enough features to satisfy any avid gamer, and although the secondary mic feels slightly redundant, it’s easily outweighed by the excellent audio quality and supreme comfort. As such, LS35X is an excellent high-end all-rounder to use on Xbox and PC.
Score: 4/5
Review unit provided by publisher
Click Here To Buy: LucidSound LS35X on Amazon