After recently reviewing the LZ35X’s, LucidSound are back yet again with a new headset and this time they have teamed up with PlayStation (but not exclusively) to provide more options for you, the consumer, whether you also be on Xbox or PC. Packed with a removable mic, 3.5 jack cord, USB charging cable, USB base station, optical cable and a mic port cover, how did the LS41‘s from LucidSound stack up against all of the competition in the market?

LucidSound once again did not disappoint straight out the box, and their silky, magnetised carry bag, the headset looked sleek and well proportioned. I’ve always been fond of a big, fat, strong headband that is flexible and heavily padded and this one is exactly that and now pretty iconic to most Lucid headsets. The LS41 is slick in matte, dark grey plastic with their name sake branding printed onto the band.

The thick band padding is also embroidered with a sleek as hell, crisscross pattern, I like a quirky, unique design and it certainly makes them stand out from the rest. It is pleasant to see they have stuck with their recognisable large, logo-ed, ear cups that have the ability to swivel almost 180 degrees, meaning they can rest comfortably on your chest. These are padded out with soft memory foam, a layer of ‘cooling’ gel foam and covered in pleather with breathable inner fabric. Physically, you can actually feel this layer difference, and they are definitely still one of the comfier headsets I have worn.

The first feature you appreciate is the lag-free, wireless feature for game audio and chat. Living up to their other models designs I was pleasantly surprised that these too had no mucking around functionality. Syncing them was as simple as using the USB Base Station with the PlayStation, then on the headset. It was that easy. The PC set up is a little more complicated with some EQ balancing in settings. Unfortunately for them to be used on the Xbox for chat, the 3.5 cable they provide needs to be used via a connection to your controller which was a surprise as it is labelled everywhere on the box. I didn’t mind this as I normally prefer wired headsets anyway.

I was impressed with how long they stayed charged too, with myself being able to easily use them 15 to 20 hours without having to plug them in to charge again. My only critique of this was the fact the USB charge cable is still a little too short for my liking, from someone that is often moving around her large computer set up.

Despite this, I did often use them in game, wired into a controller no matter what box I had them plugged into because I’m a lazy recharger and often forget. While a lot of headsets have the volume controls on their 3.5 cords, you can certainly tell this headset is designed to be mainly used wireless as all controls are on the headset itself. The left ear cup can be turned to control the volume levels and the right to control the chat mix and with a simple push you can mute your voice. Surprisingly I wasn’t too opposed to this.

Speaking of voice, the removable mic despite appearances was really impressive. It is highly flexible with a solid jack input. The inclusion of a LED light to signify when you are muted was amazing for jumping in and out of the game with precious call outs without being confused who can hear you. I still wouldn’t mind seeing LucidSound consider an optional mic sock, however in mentioning this, the mic quality produced clear vocals, and the mic monitoring was a good way to keep clarity in your voice.

So, the big question, what’s the audio quality like? Marvellously, crystal clear. The 50mm drivers really shine. I used them on my mobile, both consoles and my PC with the volume cranked and soft, and the sound was smooth and loaded with bass, just the way I like it. Unexpectedly they also were quite noise cancelling, I could often not hear the muffled noises of my busy background life I escape in my games. The only issue I had was my chat on Xbox with an apparent echo, but my friends said it was instantly fixed with the optical cable properly installed with Lucid’s very simple, online instructions.

The 7.1 surround sound added so much gravity to this headset and what it could do with sound with its 3 settings; Gaming, Boosted and Stereo. The depth of the sounds was magnified without piercing undertones and overpowering bass. You’d be surprised how much you take the little sounds for granted until you hear the difference in surround sound. The gunfire fights and explosions to even the orchestral backing music of Anthem to the reloading of clips and sliding over terrain in Apex having that acoustical, immersive edge and flair.

Overall, The LS41’s from LucidSound were an impressive product designed predominately for PlayStation but is still a nifty headset for PC and Xbox. Coming in at about US$199.99 which is a solid mid to higher range price, this is one wireless headset that provides a quality sound experience for any of your gaming or social needs. Though I’d prefer the LS35X as an avid Xbox user this one will also sit proudly next to its other LucidSound brother. LucidSound are shaping up to be an impressive brand indeed. Happy Gaming.

Written by: Stacey