The Five Best Headsets With Attached Microphones
Whether you’re playing, taking part in video calls, listening to music, or doing all three, a good headset makes all the difference. There are tons of options on the market, many of which are good, but this week we’ll be looking at five of the best based on your nominations.
Earlier this week, we asked you which headsets you think are best for whatever you want to do – whether it’s chatting with teammates in a game, chatting with colleagues on Hangouts or Skype, or listening to music when you’re not. do the other two. You’ve been offered tons of more nominations – more lane than we have room for here. However, here are the five options that have climbed to the top, in no particular order:
Sennheiser PC350 Special Series
Sennheiser’s line of PC headsets has always been popular, in large part because Sennheiser is doing its best not to degrade sound quality by adding a microphone. The PC 350 SE is technically discontinued, but it’s still readily available ( around $ 127 on Amazon ) and earned more praise in the competition round than its successors, the more expensive Sennheiser G4ME ONE (around $ 180 on Amazon ) or the G4ME ZERO. ( $ 200 at Amazon ). In any case, the PC 350 is an excellent compromise between high quality headsets and comfort. They’re closed, wrap-around ears (and large, even in my experience) so they rest on your head without pinching your ears, and the drivers are engineered to look more like headphones and optimize your listening experience over anything else. -or around you. the need to hear what you are listening to. This means they will also work as a great pair of headphones when the noise canceling mic is not in use. The microphone, on the other hand, uses Sennheiser’s patented noise canceling technology, and can be disabled by simply flipping the boom arm up and to the side. Headphones are plugged in (analog via two 3.5mm audio outputs and input jacks), but the cord is long enough to plug in and use without interfering or too short. Finally, the foldable design means the earbuds are portable enough to take with you, but they don’t look like huge, bulky, and brightly colored game cans when resting on your head and video chatting with coworkers.
Those of you who nominated the PC 350 SE commented that you love the sound quality as much as you love hearing every detail of the games you play, or hearing your teammates when you play together, which is why it was important to have a headset. that is not a single compromise. You also noted that the PC 350 SE is comfortable to wear and doesn’t sweat in your ears, and some of you praised the microphone above others in our review for its noise cancellation and clarity. The built-in volume control on the earcup and the fact that the microphone emits an audible “click” when you pick it up to mute or lower it to speak were also nice features mentioned in the nominations thread. You can read more on this thread here .
Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma
The Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma headset will set you back $ 89 on Amazon , and for your money, you get a closed, wrap-around design with virtual 7.1 surround sound and a digital mic. You can tweak and “calibrate” (according to Razer) your personal audio profile using the included software to specifically highlight high frequencies, boost bass, or, if you do a lot of video chatting or Skype calls, to increase the mid-range this is how voices sound. clearer. Plus, as with any Razer Chroma device, the headphone lighting is customizable (not that you see it while you’re wearing it, but it’s a nice benefit). The earbuds connect via a 6.5-foot braided USB cable to avoid kinks and tangles, and the microphone slides out, so you can pull it out of the left earbud when you need to speak and slide it back when you don’t need it.
The Kraken was a rather controversial nomination, but received enough support to make it into the top five. Some of you have praised its customizable sound profiles and virtual 7.1 surround sound that delivers excellent positional sound in games. You also praised the quality of the microphone, but the sound quality was a different matter. At best, you called it “great,” but other of you have complained that listening to music through Krakens is muddy at best. Since the Kraken is actually a line of headphones, some of you noted that other models were better than the Chroma, such as the Kraken Pro. You can check out other Razer Kraken models here . One of you suggested the nearly indestructible Razer Tiamat ( $ 180 on Amazon ) as a much better option, with better sound quality and more reliable handling, even if they are much more expensive. Read more in the nomination thread here .
Logitech G930 7.1 Wireless Gaming Headset
Logitech’s flagship headset, like many others in the review, is designed for gaming. This is a 7.1 channel wireless Dolby surround model that connects to a small 2.4GHz USB powered receiver that you can place on your desk. Foldable noise-canceling microphone ensures your teammates (or colleagues) don’t pick up tons of background noise when you need to talk to them, and closed-back, noise canceling headphones sound great on their own when you just need to hear your surroundings or listen to music during operation, and also block external noise. In addition to sound and voice quality, Logitech has three programmable buttons on the headset in addition to a volume wheel and a mute button. If you have Logitech Customization Software installed, you can program these buttons for specific commands in your favorite apps and games. Since they’re wireless, you’ll need to keep them charged, and Logitech boasts 10 hours of use with each charge – enough to get you through a work day or a few reliable gaming sessions. If you run out of juice in the middle of using, you can plug in the included USB cable for charging and simultaneous use. If you need one, it’ll set you back about $ 100 on Amazon .
If wireless isn’t your thing, the Logitech G35 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset is a wired USB option and will set you back around $ 90 on Amazon . Those of you who nominated the G930 praised both models for their superior sound quality and excellent voice quality. Most of you reported great gaming experiences like World of Warcraft, but some of you said they were more than happy with them when making Skype or Hangouts calls. Some of you reported about nine hours of battery life (as promised by Logitech) and excellent value for money. You also noted that while the headset may look depressing, it is actually quite comfortable to wear for a long time. You can read this – and more – on his nominations thread here .
SteelSeries Siberia V2
The Steelseries Siberia V2 made this review the last time we reviewed the best headsets, so it’s no surprise we’ll see them here again, even in a few years. Some of you specifically mentioned that you have had these headphones for many years, and they also stand up to punishment with regular use. The Siberia V2 are open-back headphones that wrap around your ears, large enough to fit comfortably around your ears, and feature a retractable microphone in the left ear cup. They are lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and it doesn’t look like you are carrying a huge, bulky pair of cans on your head while playing or working. The flexible “hanging” headbands stretch and move so they can be worn comfortably, and the individual ear cups adjust within their housing. The microphone can also be adjusted to any position, not just outward or inward, so you can position it closer to your mouth (or farther if you are speaking loudly), and the built-in volume control and mute button are easily accessible even when you wear them. Siberia connects to your computer via 3.5mm analog audio inputs and cables for audio output, and will set you back $ 59 on Amazon . It is also available in multiple colors to personalize your workspace a bit.
Those of you who have nominated the Siberia V2 praised it for its lightness, comfort, ability to withstand shocks and continue to perform well. You praised it for its sound quality along with comfort, especially for its price tag – well below some of the other contenders in this roundup. One of you even mentioned that you rarely use it as a headphone and instead just use it for music because the sound quality is very good. Some of you have pointed out that you are using a second or third pair and still love them, although there have been newer and brighter options since you originally bought them. In fact, one of you said that you don’t like your pair … but you’ve still been using them for the past 15 years. Read about all this in the nomination thread here .
ASTRO A50 Wireless System
The ASTRO A50 Wireless Headphones are generally considered to be among the best when it comes to both sound quality and voice quality, but you pay to own them – a “wireless system” that comes with a 5.8 GHz wireless USB port (actually actually using two-channel 2.4GHz receivers), transmitter, display stand, and Dolby 7.1 surround sound. You’ll get over $ 250 for them on Amazon for the PC version, or $ 300 on Amazon for the latest Xbox One or PS4 . On the other hand, whichever one you buy, you can use it with any system as long as you have the ASTRO MixAmp (a desktop amplifier and DAC that will set you back $ 130 on its own). closed back headphones, comfortable to wear. Build quality is surprisingly stable (and in line with the price), and the noise-canceling flip-up mic mutes when raised and provides excellent voice isolation when lowered and in your mouth. The built-in battery should last about 10 hours before you have to recharge it, and it can be charged while in use or connected via microUSB on the display stand. You also have the option to customize the sound profile (there are three equalizers to choose from) to suit the type of music you listen to or the games you play.
Those of you who nominated the A50s praised them for their excellent audio quality and fine tuning of the game and positional audio. You noted that this is not the best option for capturing nuances in music, but great for games, voice or video chat. One of you noticed that you work from home and use the A50 all the time – not only for chatting with colleagues and playing games, but also for listening to music, getting up and moving around the room, and then returning – you praised its range and clarity even when you move away from the transmitter. Those of you who don’t care about the wireless aspect might consider the near-legendary ASTRO A40s ( $ 225 on Amazon including MixAmp and $ 125 for standalone setup ) a wired alternative that also delivers high quality sound and voice in good condition. -built-in, elite package. You can read more first-hand in the nomination thread here . Then check out the Kotaku A50s review here and their A40s review here .
Now that you’ve seen the top 5, it’s time to vote for the absolute community favorite.
Honorable mentions
We have some honorable mentions this week. The first concerns the Logitech Wireless Headset H800 , which many of you have cited as an option for people who use their headsets primarily for video and voice chat, but not necessarily for gaming. One thing about many gaming headsets is that they are similar to gaming headsets, which means they can be large, sealed, sealed back cans that boast great isolation and try to improve sound quality for an immersive experience. If you’re making a video call or podcasting, you may not need huge cans on either side of your head, which is why the Logitech H800s offers a slimmer profile that still doesn’t require a cable connection and supports Bluetooth so you can use it with multiple devices. … It will set you back $ 100 outright, but they are durable, portable, sound reliable, have great battery life, and can be recharged while in use. Read more in the nomination thread here .
We also have to take our hat off to the V-Moda BoomPro and Antlion Modmic , which allow you to grab your favorite pair of headphones, whatever they are, and simply attach the mic to them when you need them to be heard. This way, you don’t have to buy a new headset or sacrifice sound quality by giving up your favorite cans or headphones. They are also much cheaper and offer good voice quality. We discuss them – and a few more options – in our guide to converting your favorite headphones into a headset .
Do you have anything to say about one of the applicants? Want to substantiate your personal favorite even if it wasn’t on the list? Remember, the Top 5 is based on your most popular nominations from the Call for Applicants thread earlier this week . Don’t just complain about the top 5, let us know which option you like best and justify it in the discussions below.