STACK NZ Oct #78

EXTRAS FEATURE

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STYLE QUALITY AND

I don’t have the attuned hearing of some commentators who have seemingly had their ears grafted in an audio lab, but I do know what’s good and what’s bad and the LS30s are deep in the good bracket. DOOM , SW: Battlefront (when I could find a match) and FIFA 17 all performed exceptionally well with the configured settings straight out of the box delivering deep, rich sound; additionally, there are three preset sound settings to change it up for a personal preference. The same consistency across selected pieces by The Stone Roses, Gustav Holst and Black Sabbath was equally impressive. Overall, as we’ve already stated, for the price range, the LS30s are a good deal. They’re comfortable, deliver great sound, and the design is a refreshing change from traditional gaming headsets. They offer versatility for gamers who not only sport them inside for marathon gaming sessions but are also keen to wear their headset outside of the house without looking like a nincompoop. goes for music. You’ll need to use the supplied 3.5mm lead, but the quality and

First impressions last. Words Paul Jones

“W hat’s this all about”, I asked myself as I pulled the wireless LucidSound LS30s out of the box. You see, this isn’t what you would expect from a gaming headset; these actually looked remarkably stylish. “There has to be a catch!” cried my inner-dialogue as my fingers ran over the brushed metal – surely quality has been sacrificed for appearance? Eager for answers, I pushed on with the task at hand. We were sent the black hand, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn’t wager money on them being conventional audio headphones. While most of us game within the confines of our own living/ bedrooms, you can comfortably step into public wearing these and no one would be the wiser. But we’re here for the gaming so this is where we’ll start. Set-up is a breeze – plug in the supplied dongle and link that to the console's optical input via another cable in the box, and you’re basically away. We tested it on the PlayStation 4, although cable provision for Xbox One, PS3 and Xbox 360 is also catered for. From a comfort perspective, the memory foam cups and padded pair – rimmed with the aforementioned brushed steel – to trial; the headset also comes in a fetching white and gold design. A good weight in

EXTRAS

headband make for a luxury fit. No matter what your head is doing in the heat of battle, these won't slip out to a different size. However, it’s a little design touch that makes all the difference. Instead of relegating the volume controls to a small wheel that's harder to find than Jimmy Hoffa, the idea here – and it’s a bloody good one – is to utilise the entire cup as a volume switch. On the right hand side you’ll find the volume control which will mute if you press the centre of the cup, and on the left is chat control with the same configuration. The headset features an optional boom mic if you want to instantly turn your street cool appearance into that of an oil rig helicopter pilot. When it comes to sound,

LS20/ LS40

Looking for an alternative that’s a little closer to your budget? Try out the LS20 range. Smaller and more streamlined than its bulkier cousin, the LS20 is a bit friendlier to your pocket. Using 40mm drivers – compared with the LS30’s 50mm – will give you a slightly dampened audio quality, but if you’re in need of a new, quality headset that won’t cost you an arm, the LS20s do the job. The LS40s are a step up from the LS30s, offering spatially accurate, audiophile grade, 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound.

OCTOBER 2016

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