Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
LucidSound Expands Sleek Headset Range With Surround Sound, Compact Models
At PAX East, we got the opportunity to take LucidSound’s inaugural headset, the LS30, out for a spin. The comfortable stereo headset works great with mobile devices via a 3.5mm cable and even better with the uncompressed wireless sound.
Right before E3, the company announced two more models. The LS20 is an on-ear headset, as opposed to the larger can-type over-ear models that are more prevalent in high-end audio.
The LS20 works with consoles and includes a removable boom mic, but is designed as much for on-the-go use. It’s a slimmer profile than the LS30 and other gaming headsets, but it continues to offer amplified audio via an internal, rechargeable battery.
The more portable model also features smartphone integration that puts some control of a phone attached via four-pole connector on the earcups. This includes answering calls and simple pause/fast-forward for audio.
The LS20 sounded great in our limited testing. On-ear headsets aren’t typically as comfortable (and we still have yet to put them through extended use), but the LS20 is well-padded and light.
The LS40 was teased at PAX, bringing surround sound audio to the LucidSound line. The 7.1 DTS-enabled headset features many of the same core elements of the stereo LS30, including on-ear control dials and mute buttons, removable boom and integrated microphone options, and multiple modes (in this case, two surround sound and three stereo options).
The surround sound model also features the smartphone integration and also verbal response cues. You won’t need to remember what different beep combinations mean thanks to a friendly voice in your ear.
I had the opportunity to play some Call of Duty: Black Ops III with the surround sound option. Despite the large 50mm drivers, the sound was crisp and not muddied like many headsets sporting larger, bass-heavy speakers. Toggling between stereo and surround presented a noticeable difference, though the two-channel option still sounded full and vibrant.
Both new models will be out during the 2016 holiday season. The LS20 will retail for $99. The LS40 will be priced at $199.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
