Sony has placed a headset built on planar magnetic drivers, a technology once reserved for costly audiophile equipment, within reach of everyday console players at AU$159.95 or US$99.99. It is a quiet sign of how a premium idea travels down the market, from specialist enthusiasts to the living room and the commuter's bag. Magic 105.9's reviewer, after extended testing, found the result largely convincing, a new Pulse that trades the earlier model's eccentric shape for something simpler, more comfortable and easier to carry.
Sony's Standard Pulse Brings Planar Magnetic Sound to a Lower Price, With Comfort and Clarity As Its Strengths
Premium studio-grade sound the standard rather than an expensive luxury
Mark
Why does a AU$159.95 headset get this much attention?
Mimi
Because of the drivers. Planar magnetic tech was mostly an expensive-gear thing, and Sony is making it the baseline for console players.
Mark
And that started with the Pulse Elite in 2024?
Mimi
Yes, after Sony acquired Audeze. This one takes that idea and makes it cheaper, sleeker and more durable.
Luke
Worth saying this is one reviewer's opinion. Claims like outclassing almost everything at this price come from their testing, not from measurements in the piece.
Mark
What about the mic and the connection?
Mimi
The mic uses AI noise rejection, and PlayStation Link gives low latency while Bluetooth runs to a phone at the same time.
Luke
The review doesn't give battery life, latency figures or mic test results, so those strengths are described rather than quantified.
Mark
Who should hold off?
Mimi
Competitive players who want active noise cancellation and physical chat dials. The review points them to the pricier Pulse Edge.
Luke
Right, and we don't know the Edge's price or release details from this piece.
O Pulso
- A premium audiophile driver design now sits in a mid-priced console headset, pressing into a crowded field led by SteelSeries and Razer.
- The earlier Pulse Elite's bulky, cone-shaped look is being replaced with a sleek, foldable frame that lies flat for travel.
- Engineers have reworked the build for marathon sessions, aiming to remove the clamping pressure that leads to headaches.
- Mic noise rejection and PlayStation Link latency are being tuned to put teammates' callouts ahead of keyboard clatter and room noise.
- The outlook is settling into a clear split: everyday players are likely to embrace the standard Pulse, while competitive players may hold out for the pricier Pulse Edge.
Sony has placed a headset built on planar magnetic drivers, a technology once reserved for costly audiophile equipment, within reach of everyday console players at AU$159.95 or US$99.99. It is a quiet sign of how a premium idea travels down the market, from specialist enthusiasts to the living room and the commuter's bag. Magic 105.9's reviewer, after extended testing, found the result largely convincing, a new Pulse that trades the earlier model's eccentric shape for something simpler, more comfortable and easier to carry.
Sony's standard PlayStation Pulse wireless headset arrives at AU$159.95, or US$99.99 in the United States, and its central promise is simple: bring planar magnetic drivers, a technology usually tied to expensive audiophile gear, to ordinary console players. Magic 105.9 spent extensive hands-on time with it and came away largely impressed.
The story begins with the Pulse Elite, launched in 2024 as the first console headset with planar magnetic drivers, following Sony's acquisition of the audiophile maker Audeze. Players admired its precise sound separation but wanted something sleeker, more durable and less fussy, something that could sit in a living room or a commuter bag without looking like bulky gear. The new Pulse is Sony's answer.
The design has been reshaped. The sweeping, cone-shaped curves give way to a cleaner look, available in PlayStation White or Midnight Black. The reviewer admits to missing the predecessor's quirkiness but prefers the new comfort. The earcups rotate so the headset lies flat, easing its way into a backpack without stressing the band.
The sound earns warm praise. Spatial audio is good enough to pick out footsteps or distant reloads in shooters, and stronger drivers deliver deeper, punchier bass without blurring fine detail. The microphone uses AI noise rejection to screen out sounds like a mechanical keyboard, so teammates hear callouts rather than the room. PlayStation Link provides ultra-low latency, and Bluetooth can run alongside it for phone audio and group chats.
In a field where the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 and Razer BlackShark V2 Pro have long held ground, the reviewer argues that the Pulse's edge is clarity. Its planar drivers offer a more open soundstage than the typical dynamic drivers that can mask vocals. For PlayStation Portal owners especially, the connection is steadier than ordinary Bluetooth can manage.
The verdict is that the Pulse bridges audiophile performance and everyday convenience. Competitive players who need active noise cancellation and physical chat dials may prefer to wait for the pricier Pulse Edge. For everyone else, the standard Pulse is clear, comfortable and easy to use across devices.
Sony's standard PlayStation Pulse wireless headset costs AU$159.95, or US$99.99 in the United States. That price is the point of the product: it puts planar magnetic drivers, a technology usually found in expensive audiophile gear, within reach of ordinary console players. Magic 105.9 reviewed it after extensive hands-on testing and came away largely impressed.
The background is the Pulse Elite, which Sony launched in 2024. It was the first console gaming headset to carry planar magnetic drivers, and it followed Sony's acquisition of the audiophile manufacturer Audeze. According to the review, players liked the precise sound separation but wanted something sleeker, simpler and more durable that worked without fuss, and that could sit in a living room or a commuter bag without looking like bulky equipment. The new Pulse is Sony's answer.
The design has changed. It drops the sweeping, cone-shaped curves of the earlier models for a cleaner look, and it comes in PlayStation White or Midnight Black. The reviewer says they enjoyed the quirkiness of the predecessor but prefers the new look and the comfort. Sony has also redone the build for long sessions, and the reviewer describes it as sitting comfortably without the clamping pressure or headaches that mar marathon play. The earcups now rotate so the headset lies flat, which makes it easier to slide into a backpack without risking the band.
On sound, the review is warm. The spatial audio and sound separation are good enough to locate footsteps or distant reloads in shooters. Sony has also strengthened the drivers this time, producing deeper, punchier bass without muddying the finer detail.
The microphone gets attention too. It uses AI noise rejection to filter out background noise, such as a mechanical keyboard, so teammates hear callouts rather than the room. The headset connects through PlayStation Link for ultra-low latency and can also pair with a phone over Bluetooth at the same time, so game audio and group chats can run together.
The review places the Pulse in a crowded mid-tier field where the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 and the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro have long held ground, both offering comfortable builds and reliable wireless. Where the Pulse pulls ahead, the reviewer argues, is clarity. Headsets at this price typically use standard 40mm or 50mm dynamic drivers that push low frequencies hard and can mask mid-range vocals and subtle environmental sound. The planar design gives a cleaner, more open soundstage. Anyone already in the PlayStation ecosystem, especially owners of a PlayStation Portal, also gets a stable connection through PlayStation Link that ordinary Bluetooth cannot match.
The verdict is that the Pulse bridges audiophile performance and everyday convenience. One caveat: competitive players who want active noise cancellation and physical chat dials may prefer to wait for the more expensive Pulse Edge. For everyone else, the review calls the standard Pulse clear-sounding, comfortable for daily wear and easy to use across devices.
Citações Notáveis
Competitive players wanting ANC and physical chat dials may prefer to wait for the pricier Pulse Edge.— Magic 105.9 review
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