Review: LucidSound LS20 Amplified Universal Gaming Headset

• December 2, 2016
• James Skemp
• review

The following is a review of the LucidSound LS20 Amplified Universal Gaming Headset, received as part of the Amazon Vine program.

Amazing Build Quality, But Heavy and Tight

Having recently moved in with my girlfriend, I’m no longer able to crank up the sound and openly chat with friends during our weekly (or at least when we can now) gaming sessions. While we’ve bounced around a few services, we’ve stuck pretty closely with Google Hangouts.

The first time I used these headphones I actually used them with my PlayStation Vita to listen to a game. There’s a button on the side that is seemingly used to switch between the various devices that you’re trying to use the headphones with, so I had to bounce around a few times before I got sound through these headphones. More on this later.

Given that experience, the first time I used these with Hangouts I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I tend to use a Google Nexus tablet, so I plugged the headphones, without the microphone extension, and kept the tablet close. However, after a few minutes I discovered that the headphones were picking up my voice quite clearly.

The only issue I ran into that night was how heavy these headphones are, which brings up the amazing build quality.

The padding around the ears feels quite comfortable, with just the right amount of give. However, after a couple of hours the metal within the sides of the headphones, while giving the impression that the hinges will last for many years, started to tire out my ears and head. They also feel a little tight, which while not immediately noticeable, does add up.

I’ve yet to use these with a PlayStation 4 or the like, but they worked perfectly fine with a PlayStation Vita and MacBook Pro.

However, I’ve yet to figure out how to use the volume control buttons on the headphones. While I’m able to pause/play videos without issue, I have to use the device itself to increase/decrease the volume.

Despite these issues, I really like the LucidSound LS20 Amplified Universal Gaming Headset. While a bit on the expensive side, they definitely have an amazing build quality. While things may change as time goes by, right now I give these five of five stars.

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