LucidSound LS25 Esports Stereo Gaming Headset Review

Our Verdict

The LucidSound LS25 is large, advised and loud, only it sounds slap-up, fits comfortably and provides intuitive, aesthetically pleasing controls.

For

Excellent sound quality
Comfortable fit
Reasonable price

Against

Subpar microphones
Limited portability
Low height book

Tom'south Guide Verdict

The LucidSound LS25 is big, advised and loud, but it sounds great, fits comfortably and provides intuitive, aesthetically pleasing controls.

Pros

+
Excellent audio quality
+
Comfortable fit
+
Reasonable cost

Cons

-
Subpar microphones
-
Limited portability
-
Low peak volume

Even though it's a relative newcomer, LucidSound has consistently been 1 of the most unusual competitors in the gaming-headset sphere. Eschewing the oversize, overdesigned, aggressively "gamer" artful of its contemporaries, LucidSound provides full-featured gaming headsets that wouldn't expect out of place on the subway.

That's why it's a niggling weird that the LucidSound LS25 does look extremely out of place on a subway — or anywhere outside of a gaming nook, for that matter. The LS25 is big, brash and loud, leaving the visitor'south signature subtle look behind. On the other manus, it still sounds smashing, and its elegant controls are equally welcome every bit ever.

In spite of some questionable design choices (and a surprisingly subpar microphone), the LS25 delivers high-quality sound at a reasonable price. If you need a dedicated headset for gaming and null but, it'due south worth a look, if not an outright buy.

Design

If you're familiar with the LucidSound LS30 headset, the LS25 is basically the same matter, but wired instead of wireless. The device features large, plush, foam over-the-ear cups; a padded headband; and a detachable smash mic.

What sets the LS25 apart from many of its competitors is just how much stuff information technology integrates into its ear cups. First and foremost, the volume controls aren't on a dial somewhere; they're in the left ear cup itself. Only rotate it forward to make things louder, or backward to make things quieter. There's a like mic mute button on the right ear cup.

Whether I was gunning downwardly foes in Overwatch or sneaking upwards behind orcs in Middle-earth: Shadow of War, the headset provided splendid directional audio and a natural balance of music, voices and sound furnishings.

The boom mic isn't necessary to talk with people. There's a secondary built-in microphone on the underside of the left ear loving cup. Neither mic is perfect (more than on that later), simply it's convenient when y'all need to take a quick phone phone call or use a vocalism search.

Otherwise, the LS25's appearance is unremarkable — possibly fifty-fifty a little on the clunky side. The red-and-black color scheme isn't nearly as elegant as the LS30's blacks and grays. Furthermore, the headband relies on rigid notches rather than the more elegant rubberband headbands that companies similar SteelSeries are embracing. You tin can fold the ear cups to brand the headset more portable, but the device is still pretty bulky. I took it on a cross-country flight, and information technology took up more real estate in my handbag than it really should have.

Comfort

Cheers to its padded ear cups and headbands, the LS25 is easy to habiliment for hours at a time. Because the ear cups hinge a little, you can get a surprisingly close fit, and there are plenty of notches to conform to adjust your head size and hairstyle. I did feel a little force per unit area right under my ears, which got a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't annihilation that a few quick adjustments every now and so couldn't fix.

To see how comfy some other person might discover the LS25, I handed information technology off to my sister. (I usually exercise this with a co-worker, just I am on a family trip this calendar week. Happy Thanksgiving!). She said that the headset was comfy and that she could probably article of clothing information technology for a few hours at a time. On the other mitt, she said the design was too big for her taste. ("Ginormous" was her exact wording.)

Gaming Performance

The LS25 works well with any kind of gaming system, cheers to 2 interchangeable iii.5-mm wires. Ane has a single jack; the other has one for the mic and ane for headphones. (You tin utilize the mic either mode; the latter setup is only a flake more efficient for PCs.) I tested it extensively with PC, Nintendo Switch and mobile games, but it works fine with a PS4 and Xbox One as well.

More than: The Best Headsets for Immersive Gaming

If yous've used a LucidSound headset before, it shouldn't daze yous to acquire that the LS25 has exquisite sound. Whether I was gunning downwards foes in Overwatch, listening to extended conversations in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine or sneaking upwards behind orcs in Heart-earth: Shadow of War, the headset provided excellent directional sound and a natural rest of music, voices and audio effects.

What sets the LS25 apart from many of its competitors is just how much stuff it integrates into its ear cups.

It's worth pointing out, though, that if y'all're using the LS25 with a handheld or mobile device, it'south not necessarily the loudest headset out at that place. When I used it while in the window seat of an plane, the background drone almost drowned out Battle Chef Brigade on the Switch and an episode of The Punisher on my Android tablet.

Features

Normally, I'd say that the best feature of a LucidSound headset is that information technology doubles equally an everyday pair of headphones, merely the LS25'due south color scheme makes it a bit more garish exterior the business firm. As mentioned above, it's not every bit portable every bit it could be, either. Information technology's not terribly different from the LS30, to exist fair, but information technology's much more similar to a traditional gaming headset than LucidSound's comparable hybrid models.

Though the headset's advent isn't a bargain billow, its mic might be. The detachable nail mic is good plenty for casual multiplayer and Skype conversations, but information technology has a strange, hollow quality to it that my co-workers pointed out during an online chat session. I recorded my voice and encountered the aforementioned thing. The boom mic distorted my voice, making it sound stretched and afar, before snapping information technology back to a normal, clear tone with simply minimal pops on "P" and "Due south" sounds.

While I was in the window seat of an airplane, the background drone near drowned out Boxing Chef Brigade on the Switch and an episode of The Punisher on my Android tablet.

Opting for the built-in mic isn't a feasible solution, either. Information technology recorded a tremendous corporeality of background noise, and tended to push my voice to the periphery. It will work fine if you're at home in a repose spot; information technology worked acceptably well in a crowded office, and I imagine information technology wouldn't piece of work at all in a noisy public space.

Music Performance

One of the LS25's pleasant surprises was how well information technology handled music. Over the course of a few days of work and two long airplane rides, I listened to everything from Thou. F. Handel to The Rolling Stones, and found that the LS25 produced faithful, clear, balanced sound across every genre I tested. Non many gaming headsets tin hold their ain with a decent set of music headphones. The LS25 tin. That information technology's marginally difficult to transport, then, is merely more of a shame.

Bottom Line

The LS25 lacks the handy wireless features of the LS30, the incredible depth of the LS40 and the slim profile of the LS20. However, for what it is — a dedicated, comfy PC gaming headset that doesn't cost too much — it strikes a very reasonable balance. For $fourscore, yous get gorgeous audio (both gaming and music), costly ear cups and handy volume controls. On the other hand, neither microphone is very good, and that's a pretty large drawback, because that LucidSound wants the LS25 to strike a chord with the esports crowd.

For the same toll, you can get the SteelSeries Arctis 3, which offers a slightly more than comfortable fit and a better microphone. If you're willing to dish out $20 more than, y'all can become the wireless LS30. Otherwise, the LS25 is well worth thinking nearly, even if you lot're not probable to take information technology too far from home.

Credit: LucidSound

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a science writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and engineering science. After hours, yous can detect him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.