Last fall, LucidSound, which was founded in 2016 and specializes in headsets, recently became part of PowerA, introduced the LS15, a wireless headset for the latest console generation.
The LS15 appeared in two versions. As LS15P for the Playstation 5, Playstation 4 and the PC and as LS15X for the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Both versions can also be used wired, via 3.5 mm cable, with other devices such as smartphones and tablets.
We have the LS15P for our test and tested it extensively on the PC for you.
Technical details
| Design | Over-ear (circumaural) |
| Compatibility | Playstation 5 (wireless) Playstation 4 (wireless) PC (wireless) Other audio sources with 3.5mm cable |
| Battery life | Up to 15 hours |
| Sound room | Amplified stereo or surround sound using Dolby Atmos, DTS:X or Windows Sonic (PC) |
| Driver | 50mm |
| Frequency range (headphones) | 20 – 20,000 Hz |
| Sensitivity (headphones) | 97±3dB |
| Microphone type | omnidirectional (clip-on), integrated microphone |
| Sensitivity (clip-on microphone) | -35±3dB |
| Weight | 282g |
| Scope of delivery | Headset, clip-on boom microphone, USB wireless receiver, quick start guide, sticker |
| Price | € 9.99 * |
Scope of delivery
The headset comes together with the plug-in boom microphone, a micro USB charging cable, the USB wireless stick, a quick start guide and a sticker in a simple cardboard box. If you’re expecting high-quality packaging, a case, or additional accessories, you’ll be disappointed here. LucidSound focuses on the essentials. Considering a price of ~€100, this is not too tragic. However, at least a 3.5 mm cable could have been included, since they advertise wireless use on PS5, PS4 and PC, and it is absolutely necessary for other devices, such as smartphones and tablets.
Design and workmanship
The LS15P is completely finished in matte black. There is a black logo on a dark gray background on both earcups, and glossy black LucidSound lettering on the temple. The headset is slightly textured in parts, but this is only noticeable from close up. Visually, the LS15P is simple and unobtrusive, which has its advantages.
LucidSound deviates from the standard when it comes to the controls. On the left side there is the power on/off switch, the power LED, the micro USB port for charging, the 3.5 mm connector for wired use and the connector for the microphone. On the right side, there is only the EQ switch.
Of course, the other usual controls are not missing. To make the controls easier to use, LucidSound has moved them to the outer sides of the ear cups. If you press the logo on the left, you mute the sound and press it again to turn it up. The ring around the logo can be rotated to adjust the volume. Similarly, you can mute the microphone and adjust the chat volume on the right. After some time to get used to it, we liked this solution very much. Furthermore, each keystroke is confirmed by a voice.
The headset is completely made of plastic and makes an overall stable impression. Nevertheless, we would have liked the use of some metal, especially on the ear cup holders. The ear pads of the LS15P are made of artificial leather and there is also padding on the underside of the earpiece. The padding feels very comfortable, and we also like the firmness very much.
The microphone is also completely black, can be bent well but not too easily and remains reliably in position. Our only criticism regarding the design is actually the USB wireless stick. With a length of almost 6cm, which protrudes from the USB port, it seems huge for today’s times. Especially when used on a notebook, the size was always annoying, as we had to remove the stick every time we stowed it away.
Carrying comfort
The LucidSound headset also left a very good impression when it came to wearing comfort. The length of the headband is adjustable in 7 steps and the attachment of the ear cups is also very flexible. These are sufficiently large and shield ambient noise well. Furthermore, they can be rotated by 90°, which allows the headset to be stored in a space-saving manner.
The already mentioned synthetic leather pads also proved to be very good in the test. They are not too soft, but also not too firm. The weight turns out to be very low at 283 grams including the microphone, also thanks to the plastic. The headset fits very well and is still comfortable after several hours.
Microphone and sound quality
The LS15P has not one, but two microphones. In addition to the clip-on microphone, another one is integrated in the left ear cup, recognizable by the small hole in the front. As expected, the recording quality is significantly worse than that of the boom microphone, but it is sufficient for short conversations in a quiet environment.
The clip-on microphone did a good job in the test, but turned out to be quite quiet. Unfortunately, the voice quality is, like in most wireless headsets, noticeably worse than in wired ones, but the voice was still always clear and well understandable for the caller. Very little of the background noise was audible. A red LED ring on the microphone also shows whether it is currently on or off.
The sound quality left an all-around good impression, but unfortunately there is a slight hiss from the ground up when the audio pauses. Whether in conversations, podcasts, music or games, the sound image was convincing. We did not notice any major weaknesses and the bass was also appropriate at all times. The two additional equalizer settings disappointed us a bit. The bass boost was sometimes more and sometimes less convincing. In some situations the difference was well noticeable, in other situations it was very slight, even if you paid close attention to the bass. The Signature Sound mode, which is supposed to emphasize the sounds of steps while playing, worked a bit better in return. The difference was permanently audible here, the details were emphasized, but not enormously. Locating enemies in games, for example, was generally possible.
Our impression was much worse when using the notebook with a cable. A lot of sound is lost here and the range of functions is also limited. The controls and the EQ do not work, so we only recommend it in exceptional situations.
If we assume the intended use of a wireless headset, i.e. without a cable, the LS15P has a good to very good microphone and a good sound overall. In terms of sound quality, you definitely won’t go wrong with the LucidSound LS15P on the one hand, but in our opinion, you can expect an even more refined and detailed sound at a price of €100 on the other.
The battery lasted sufficiently long with 15 hours. From about 2.5 hours before it is empty, a voice keeps informing us of the low battery state, unfortunately at intervals of only a few minutes. We would have liked a USB-C port for charging, since Micro-USB is not really up-to-date anymore, especially in the upper price range.
Conclusion
Overall, LucidSound offers a good to very good overall package with the LS15P. The headset is very well workmanship and the wearing comfort could completely convince us. The microphone is also good for a wireless headset. There are no major flaws in the sound quality, but unfortunately it cannot stand out particularly from the competition. The battery life could convince us with 15 hours and the reception quality was also very good at all times.
LucidSound LS15P
Workmanship
Comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value for money
89/100
Good to very good wireless headset that does not have any major weaknesses, but cannot stand out from the competition in terms of sound quality.
