HARDWARE REVIEW

LucidSound LS-40 Wireless Headset Review

by Luke Walsh, April 9th, 2017

Headsets are a plenty in the gaming space now, you can pick up ones with massive amounts of lights, sharp corners, and additional gimmicks. Most are aimed at PC, with other manufacturers concentrating their efforts in either the console market or desktop gaming scene. However, it is hard to find a headset that ticks all the boxes for all of your technological devices and not falls prey to the “gamer” effect, making them look garish.

After spending a few weeks with the LucidSound LS-40 headset, it seems like the company has attempted to bridge the gap even further from their previous model the LS-30. They have done a pretty darn good job at doing it too for £179.99.

LucidSound since their creation as a company, moving away from other headset companies have concentrated their efforts on making a gaming headset that does not look like one. The style resembles the high-end headphones you’d find in a retailer; great build quality, light and comfortable while adding their ingenuity on top to make it work as both a wired or wireless headset with a range of different connectable options.

A 3.5mm cable can be plugged into the base of the headset turning it wired, or if can connect up wirelessly by using a USB dongle. Having a detachable audio cable is a great addition, as jack cables are not usually that tough, breaking after extended uses and usually making a solid connection to the headset render the whole thing useless. It’s a shame that the headset does not support Bluetooth to make a connection via mobile phones easier and wire-free.

Much like LS-40’s brother the LS-30, has opted to stick with the controls moulded as part of the earcups. On the left earcup are the play and pause (or answering a call on your phone), while the other earcup focuses on pausing the mic. Around the edges of each earcup are the volume controls for the headset and the microphone. Probably one of the best designs I have seen for this, the control works as a slider, being able to effortlessly turn the edge of the earcup to change the volume. This functionality improves the user experience while not compromising the sleek design, true craftsmanship in headset form.

Built into the headset as well is a small serviceable microphone that has mainly been designed for using it out and about connected up to your smartphone. It’s not something you will want to use when gaming but included in the box is an attachable microphone which can then be used like other regular gaming headsets, providing high-quality directional sound.

The guys and girls over at LudicSound have surely made one the best looking headsets on the market. With the brushed-metal look, red stitching and black leather earcups, it looks sexy, sleek and something you can actually wear outside the house. More often than not, I found when I was wearing them outside of the house people would come up to me and ask who they were made by. LucidSound might not be the home brand name yet but their headsets definitely catch the eyes of passers-by giving testament to their designs.

Extremely comfortable are the words I’d use to describe the LS-40s. As someone who games regularly and who knows gamers who like to play extended sessions sometimes for up to 8 hours+ at a time. Wearing a headset that is too tight or hard can cause earaches, headaches and other problems. Without surprise, you’ll have no problems with the 40s. Encased in the leather earcups are memory foam making them soft but mouldable to your ears, the headset is lighter than it looks. This combination makes it wearable for as long as you and with 15-hours of battery life, this should be suitable for even the most extreme users.

Of course, the sound quality is really the focal point for any headset, gaming or otherwise. I am happy to say, you won’t be disappointed. The LS-40 produces some crystal clear and detailed sound when listening to music from your phone or playing video games on your PC. Sound quality is great in both wired or wireless form, the only ‘issue’ is when using the 3.5mm jack, you won’t be able to get the amplified sound that is enabled through or the wireless dongle.

7.1 DTS Headphone X surround sound in video games works amazingly and is probably one of the best in the price range. In Battlefield 1 I could easily discern enemy footsteps, which more than once saved me from a knife in the back. Bass is extremely deep and powerful, sounding full and giving a real kick to explosions.

Trying out the headset on PlayStation 4, I liked how the headset picked up the background noises and sounds in the environment Horizon Zero Dawn. Clear sounds really improved the gameplay and it is something you won’t ever really notice until you get a decent headset but won’t want to turn back once you can hear all the subtleties of video games.

If you like to tweak your audio, there are also built-in equaliser settings which you can change at the touch of a button. Unlike the previous headset which was confirmed the change via a beep. The LS-40, have a spoken voice which tells you what setting you have selected mentioning “super stereo wide / super stereo front” etc. Again, it would have been great if you could use the equalisation when using your mobile but it’s not available while using just the 3.5mm jack.

If you do use the headset on the PC, you can use the wireless USB adapter which comes in the box. It is a bit of a shame that with such a well-designed headset, the adapter is still very large and it also not possible to be stored inside the headset itself. You do get a carry case with the LS-40s but that is not the neatest solution considering how well thought out the actual unit is.

Overall though, the LucidSound LS-40 headset is probably the closest you will get to having a well-rounded solution for all your devices. It has great sound and build quality which is comparable to high-end headphones of brands in the music industry but it’s not perfect. Having no Bluetooth option especially for smartphones it’s a feature that would only benefit but don’t get me wrong the LS-40’s are damn near close to perfection. So far, it is my favourite gaming headset of 2017.