Performance Designed Products (PDP) has leveled up its gaming headset collection with the LVL50 line.
Like its name implies, LVL50 is the higher-end version of the company's other LVL-branded headsets, like the monaural LVL1 and the stereo LVL5.
Even at the top of the pack, the LVL50 is quite affordable at just $49.99 for the wired model tested here and $79.99 for the wireless version.
While both versions of the headset are comfortable, however, the wireless LVL50 model offers better-balanced audio and stronger value all around.
Design
The wired LVL50 headset has a simple, friendly design of wide curves in matte gray plastic.
Almost every part of the headset is rounded, with the only remotely sharp edges found in the puffy 90-degree angles of the sides of the fabric-covered earpads.
The light gray earcups slide smoothly up and down the black plastic headband, with no click-stops to set a preferred fit.
The nylon fabric on the earpads and the padding under the headband is black, as is the flexible boom arm and foam-covered microphone capsule.
The most color you'll find is the fabric on the inside of the earcups and the short cables that extend from the earcups to the headband, both of which are blue for the PlayStation 4 version and green for the Xbox One model.
The over-ear headset weighs a light 9.3 ounces.
The fabric covering the earpads is very breathable, which will help prevent your ears from overheating during long gameplay sessions.
It's a nice design that should feel comfortable for hours at a time, although it isn't quite as plush or premium as more expensive headsets like the Audeze Mobius or the HyperX Cloud Mix.
The microphone is mounted on the back of the left earcup, on a circular pivot that flips down when in use.
The mic clicks into place when flipped up, automatically muting.
A mechanical volume wheel sits on the back of the right earcup, with an easy-to-find thumb lever that lets you easily twist from mute to maximum volume separate from the volume controls of your connected device.
Connection and Microphone
The four-foot gray headset cable is permanently attached to the bottom of the left earcup, and ends in a four-pole 3.5mm connector that will work with any modern game system and most computers and mobile devices.
If you have a PC with separate headphone and microphone ports, you'll need to get your own splitter.
The LVL50's microphone captures fairly clear but unimpressive audio.
Our test recordings sounded slightly fuzzy, lacking the crisp, clean sound of the microphones in higher-end gaming headsets.
Your voice will be heard in games without issue, but don't count on it for the best quality when you're streaming, recording Let's Plays, or calling into podcasts.
Gaming Performance
The wired LVL50 doesn't sound too impressive when playing games.
The gunfire in Apex Legends is fairly punchy and easily discernible, but it lacks the low frequency presence that most other gaming headsets we've tested offer, including the wireless LVL50 in Bass Boost mode.
Other sound effects like footsteps in grass and doors opening also come through clearly, but without much detail, and little higher frequency finesse.
Because it's a stereo headset, the LVL50 doesn't have any simulated surround features, and any directional imaging is dependent on the game or system you use with it.
In Apex Legends, turning left and right will pan the stereo sound to help you determine the direction of gunfire.
However, with the modest audio performance, I didn't find the stereo separation between the earcups particularly distinct outside of obvious situations, like the loud buzz of a circle closing in directly to my left.
Music Performance
Connected to a PC headset jack and playing music, the LVL50 played our bass test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," at maximum volume with no distortion.
The bass drum hits sounds full and borderline unsafe with the volume cranked up.
Oddly enough, while the LVL50 shows no distortion in "Silent Shout," we heard a flutter of crackles during the low frequency sweep at the beginning of Yes' "Roundabout." This was a very limited and specific effect, but one we reproduced consistently.
Also strangely, it doesn't seem to contribute to particularly strong low frequency response in the rest of the track; the electric bass sounds fairly punchy when it kicks in, but most of the emphasis is on the high-mids, with the vocals, guitar strums, and snares taking up most of the space in the mix.
The acoustic guitar plucks in the opening of the track, after the sweep, get an appreciable amount of texture thanks to some high frequency finesse, but it isn't quite the balanced, accurate sound you get from some of the higher-end headsets we've tested.
This strange balance also comes through in Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice," where the high-mids of the rattling cacophony of the drums get loads of presence while the already muffled, distant vocals sound slightly more dampened and farther away than they should be.
The bassline also sounds a bit hollow, with the low-mids coming out more than the deeper, lower frequencies of the instruments.
Getting What You Pay For
The wired PDP LVL50 is an inexpensive gaming headset, and it acts like one.
It'll get the job done if you need a boom microphone for voice chat, but there are several other good options in this price range that sound better.
The Turtle Beach Atlas One also costs $50 and has a better microphone and a generally more balanced sound.
Our pick for sub-$100 wired gaming headsets remains the Astro Gaming A10, however, offering excellent audio performance for $60.
This doesn't mean you should discount PDP as a brand, or even the LVL50 as a product line.
While we are unimpressed by the wired LVL50, the wireless LVL50 is an excellent value.
It offers much better sound and wireless convenience for just $80, earning it our Editors' Choice for affordable wireless headsets.
The Bottom Line
The wired PDP LVL50 gaming headset is inexpensive and comfortable, but its audio performance and microphone lag behind similarly priced competitors.
