Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite | One Major Flaw
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Quick Summary
The Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite is a wireless gaming headset using planar magnetic drivers thanks to Sony’s acquisition of Audeze in 2023. This headset has simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity. It sounds great for FPS games, but it lacks bass. It also has severe connectivity issues with the dongle.
Connectivity Options
The Pulse Elite was made specifically for the PS5, but it works with PC and Mac as well. Apparently PlayStation Portal too, but I don't have one of those.
This headset uses a 2.4 GHz wireless connection with the PlayStation Link USB dongle and it has simultaneous Bluetooth audio. Additionally, it can be used with a 3.5 mm wired connection.
This headset can work on Xbox, but you'll have to use it 3.5 mm. When you go wired, it disables both Bluetooth and the PlayStation Link USB connection.
The battery life is listed at 30 hours which seems pretty accurate based on my own use case.
The Major Flaw…
On my PC, the headphone audio from this headset cut out about 2-3 times per hour for about 5 seconds each time. This was very jarring in games. It was particularly problematic with the microphone which you'll hear later on. This did not happen on PS5, but I’ve seen others complain that it has.
The Bluetooth connection also cuts out on my phone when watching YouTube videos - just a lot less. The dongle range is about 10 feet which the shortest length of any device I've used.
Headphone Audio Quality
Unlike almost every other gaming headset, Sony hasn't openly advertised the frequency range or driver dimensions.
Anyway, this sounds pretty much like what it is: a budget planar magnetic driver headset. For FPS games, I'd put it on the level of the EPOS H6PRO.
It's very upper mids and treble heavy, which I find grating for most use cases. Still, the detail is great. This seems made for games like Warzone. When it comes to hearing footsteps and the overall sound separation, this is close to the Audeze Penrose and Maxwell. The bass response is very precise and quick, so rumbles and explosions don't linger around very long.
That leads into use case for stuff outside of shooters... As a basshead, this isn't really it for me.
EQ absolutely helps, and you can make your own curves on PS5 or just use some of the stock presets that Sony gives you. Unfortunately, that boom and thump is just never going to be there. The Pulse Elite has what I like to call “implied bass”. In FPS games, effects like an EMP pulse are going to lack impact. It’s even weaker in bass heavy music.
Overall, this is still a good sound for the price, and it's near the top for FPS games. However, for other use cases I'd only recommend this to those who really don't like or don't care about strong bass and sub-bass.
Microphone Audio Quality
The Pulse Elite has incredible background noise cancellation. Unfortunately, the filter they’re using for it cuts out sounds at the beginning and ends of sentences. There’s no way to adjust the noise reduction filter, so the overall audio is choppy and robotic.
Comfort and Build Quality
The Pulse Elite is all plastic and I measured it 341 grams. There’s no swivel, but the ear cups can be slightly rotated.
The weight distribution is excellent. This is a unique headband design where there's a second band that automatically adjusts its height to fit your head. This evens out the pressure between the pleather ear cushions and the headband. The result is this doesn't feel as heavy as it is on paper.
Unfortunately, you can't manually adjust the headband or make the fit looser. You can control it a little, but it pulls itself back into place, and it was too tight for me. As a glasses wearer, I definitely prefer to be able to loosen things up, so these started to become problematic after a couple hours.
Additionally, the ear cushions just aren't that soft. These are decent, maybe a C+ in comfort.
Verdict
Do I recommend the Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite? I'm going to break this into 2 groups.
Group A: Someone who wants a budget planar magnetic driver headset with great detail, simultaneous Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz wireless connectivity. Also if you appreciate functioning EQ controls on PS5. If that sounds like you, definitely check out this headset.
Group B: Someone who wants more bass, something with softer ear cushions, and a headset with more stable wireless connectivity, there are better options.
