Playing video games is one of my favorite hobbies, so you can imagine how much joy I get from testing the best gaming headsets. I’ve spent a week testing the budget-friendly PowerA LucidSound LS500 and I’m seriously impressed. Available for just $69, the LS500 boasts great in-game sound quality with directional audio, and the headset is designed to be worn all-day long.
In addition to this, you get decent mic performance as well as a clever and practical control scheme too. But the LS500 isn’t perfect. Its plasticky build and underwhelming bass leave a lot to be desired. There’s no companion app for customization either. But for the sub-$70 price, those are sacrifices you might be okay with.
Should you still get the headset? Read my full PowerA LucidSound LS500 review to find out.
PowerA LucidSound LS500 review: Specs
Price |
|
Colors |
White, Black |
Platforms |
PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC |
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3, 2.4GHz |
Frequency response |
20Hz-20KHz |
Drivers |
50mm dynamic |
Multipoint connectivity |
No |
Paired devices max |
1 |
Microphone |
Omnidirectional flip-to-mute |
Weight |
9.34oz |
PowerA LucidSound LS500 review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A budget wireless gaming headset for PS5, Xbox and PC
- Who is it for? Casual gamers on a budget
- How much does it cost? The PowerA LucidSound LS500 is available for $69
- What do we like? The all-day comfort, great in-game sound quality, budget-friendly price, and clever controls
- What don’t we like? The underwhelming bass, plasticky build, and lack of a companion app
PowerA LucidSound LS500 review: The ups
The PowerA LucidSound LS500 is a fantastic budget-friendly headset, boasting all-day comfort and (mostly) superb in-game sound quality.
Lightweight and comfortable
Regardless of how much a headset costs, you shouldn’t spend any amount of money on it if it isn’t comfortable. Thankfully, the PowerA LucidSound LS500 definitely is!
The headset is lightweight, weighing just 9.34 ounces. It’s lighter than the Cherry XTRFY H3 ($99, 11.46 ounces) and the Asus TUF Gaming H1 Gen II ($49, 10.47 ounces). The frame is made of lightweight metal, and the mesh headband sits comfortably on your head and helps relieve some pressure you’d otherwise feel.
The LS500 features spacious earcups made of “moisture-wicking cloth liner.” This material pulls sweat and moisture away from your skin and spreads it across the fabric’s outside so that it evaporates quickly. This essentially means that your ears are protected against skin irritation from pooling sweat, and it results in a more comfortable fit. Marketing speak aside, I can confirm that my ears didn’t feel itchy or too hot, even after wearing the headset for seven straight hours.
Clever, straightforward controls
One of my grievances with the also budget-friendly Turtle Beach Stealth 500 ($79) was that its controls felt too cluttered, pooled together on one earcup. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with the PowerA LucidSound LS500. The headset sports a clever and straightforward control scheme, with physical buttons and dials located on both earcups. The power button is located on the left earcup, and it doubles as the Bluetooth/2.4GHz button when it’s held down for a few seconds.
You’ll find two rotatable wheels on both earcups, located around the LucidSound branding. On the left earcup, rotating the wheel changes the volume while pressing the ‘LS’ button once mutes the audio, twice tells you the battery level, and thrice swaps between three equalizer presets. It’s very easy to switch between bass boost, FPS and signature sound.
The wheel on the right earcup, on the other hand, lets you adjust the mic monitoring level (or sidetone) when the headset is in 2.4GHz mode, or change the track when you’re listening to music over Bluetooth. Pressing the ‘LS’ button on the right earcup plays or pauses playback in Bluetooth mode, too.
I really like the implementation of these rotating wheels. I haven’t seen any other headset do this, so it’s nice to see a brand try something different for a change.
Detailed sound for the price
The PowerA LucidSound LS500 boasts great sound quality, especially for a sub-$100 headset. It’s fitted with 50mm dynamic drivers which cover a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20KHz — so essentially the entirety of the human hearing spectrum. Regardless of the game I played to test the LS500, I felt immersed.
There are two ways to connect the headset to your PS5, Xbox Series X|S or PC: via the 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth 5.3. I plugged the USB-C dongle into the front of my PS5 Slim and I was good to go in mere seconds. I kicked things off by playing Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and I was immediately impressed with the well-balanced sound in battles. The neoclassical operatic and heavy rock soundtrack didn’t overpower the combat sounds and vice versa.
The treble sounded crisp and vibrant without piercing through the rest of the soundstage, so I was able to appreciate the beautiful backing tracks while still hearing my sword slashing against the enemies. I also liked being able to clearly understand my party members when they yelled, “Parry it” or “Watch out, Verso.” Their voices weren’t lost in the busy soundscape.
I then played Control and instantly felt immersed in the horror landscape as I made my way down the halls of the brutalist Oldest House building. I could pinpoint the exact direction in which the enemies spawned, as the LS500’s directional audio works excellently. Even when heavily surrounded by supernatural entities making all kinds of weird sounds, I was still able to hear the suction-like sound objects made when I grabbed them with Jesse’s Launch ability, which added to the immersion.
Alongside RPGs, the LS500 is fit for FPS titles too, or any game where listening for footsteps counts the most. I switched to the FPS EQ for 007 First Light, and this enhanced the sound of footsteps by boosting the mid-range. When I needed to infiltrate a heavily-guarded area stealthily, I could pinpoint the NPCs’ locations while hiding as their footsteps grew louder as they came closer to my hiding spot. This helped me execute timely takedowns without alerting the others.
Decent mic performance
Similar to the Turtle Beach Stealth 500, the PowerA LucidSound LS500 features a flip-to-mute mic. It’s omnidirectional which means it records audio from all directions. While that may sound counterintuitive, the LS500 has built-in noise filtering to reduce background noises — and it works well.
I recorded myself speaking while sitting in our office’s kitchen area, and my colleagues were speaking with one another and transporting guitars between studio spaces. In the clip above, all you can hear is my voice. The LS500 has done a good job of highlighting it, and I sound loud and clear. My words don’t bleed into one another so you can easily understand what I’m saying.
Budget-friendly
For those on a budget, the PowerA LucidSound LS500 offers great value for money as it doesn’t break the bank. It retails for just $69 at Amazon, making it a solid wallet-friendly choice. It’s cheaper than the likes of the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 ($79) and the Cherry XTRFY H3 ($99).
Though it’s a little pricier than the Asus TUF Gaming H1 Gen II ($49), it’s worth spending the extra $20 on the LS500 for wireless connectivity, better controls, and an overall nicer design.
PowerA LucidSound LS500 review: The downs
The PowerA LucidSound LS500 is a capable and competent headset, but the bass is lacking, the build is plasticky, and there’s no companion app.
Bass is a little lacking
While the PowerA LucidSound LS500 generally sounds good, it’s a little disappointing that the bass isn’t all there. This is something I experienced with the Logitech G325 Lightspeed ($79) too. As I mentioned earlier, the LS500 boasts great treble and a refined mid-range, but the lack of any substantial bass was clear.
For instance, in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, bomb-like magic attacks didn’t have much low-end impact to them. Lune’s Elemental Trick skill didn’t sound very powerful. I could hear the sharp crack of lightning and the hissing sizzle of fire, but the deep, resonant thud of earthen rock lacked the oomph. Her Elemental Genesis attack didn’t land with a nuke-like torrential roar either, and sounded tinny.
Similarly, even though I appreciated the suction-like grabbing sound in Control, when the objects were launched, they didn’t land with as much power either, which was a let-down. If you want a full-bodied, bassy sound, I’d recommend spending extra on the Cherry XTRFY H3.
Plasticky build
The PowerA LucidSound LS500 is an extremely comfortable headset, but I wish the build quality was better. It isn’t bad, per se, but you can tell it’s very plasticky. Tapping on the headset’s earcups with a fingernail reveals its weakness as the insides sound hollow. The plastic used doesn’t feel very high-quality either, which makes me question the LS500’s longevity.
For a better-built headset, check out the Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 3 ($99) or the Cherry XTRFY H3 instead. I’m aware that both headsets cost about $30 more than the LS500, but it’s the price you pay for better quality materials.
No companion app
Similar to the Cherry XTRFY H3 and the Asus TUF Gaming H3 Gen II, the PowerA LucidSound LS500 doesn’t come with a companion app. This means that you can’t customize the equalizer or remap the controls. I wouldn’t say this is a massive dealbreaker, though, as you do get access to three EQ presets via the onboard controls — which you can’t do on either of the aforementioned headsets.
If you do want a headset with a companion app, I’d recommend the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 — but the trade-offs are a cluttered control scheme and earcups that tend to get too hot.
PowerA LucidSound LS500 review: Verdict
You don’t need to spend a fortune to get enjoyable in-game sound, and the PowerA LucidSound LS500 proves that. For under $70, the LS500 delivers an impressive combination of comfort, ease of use via clever controls, and strong audio performance for gamers on a budget. Crisp treble, great directional audio, and balanced mids make the LS500 a compelling wallet-friendly option.
But it isn’t without its compromises. Bass response lacks the depth and impact some players may want, especially in explosive action scenes, and the plasticky build doesn’t do the LS500 any favors. Oh, there’s no companion app for customization either.
Even so, the strengths outweigh the shortcomings, given how cheap the LS500 is. This is an excellent value-focused headset that goes above and beyond with its comfort, practicality, and dependable performance.
