Headset Test 2020: Recommendations For Home Office, Office And Co

2023 Author: Sheila Hailey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 04:29

operation area	product	price	offer
Home office	Sennheiser PC 8 USB	approx. 32 euros	To MediaMarkt
office	Plantronics Voyager Focus UC	approx. 193 euros	To Amazon
Gaming	Beyerdynamic MMX 300	approx. 240 euros	To eBay
All-rounder	Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro	approx. 114 euros	To Amazon
	Lavalier microphone incl. Clip-on system	about 18 euros	To Amazon

The best headset for the home office: Sennheiser PC 8 USB

SENNHEISER PC 8 USB

Now from € 34.02 at Mediamarkt price can now be higher. Price from 27.07.2020 00:40 a.m.

The Sennheiser PC 8 USB is an inexpensive on-ear headset that has all the necessary basics. Thanks to the USB connection, it is designed for use on a PC. The sound quality is quite solid according to numerous user ratings for this price and is therefore also suitable for occasional gaming or listening to music. There is also a volume control on the cable and a switch to mute the microphone.

Advantages:

Good value for money
Solid sound and speech quality
Low price

Disadvantage:

USB connection prevents use on the smartphone
Open construction problematic with loud ambient noise

The best headset for the office: Plantronics Voyager Focus UC

Plantronics Voyager Focus UC

Now from € 214.44 at Amazon price can now be higher. Price from 2020-27-07 00:11 a.m.

The wireless Plantronics Voyager Focus UC is anything but cheap at just under € 200, but the range of functions is enormous. Together with Active Noise Canceling, it is ideal for use in open-plan offices. In addition to practical features such as automatic muting, it can also be connected to almost any end device: PC, smartphone or landline phone. This positive overall impression was also shown in our test.

Advantages:

Charging cradle for storage included
Active noise canceling
Numerous connection options
Good battery life

Disadvantage:

High price
Charging cradle and dongle occupy a total of two USB ports (dongle only required for PCs without Bluetooth)

The best gaming headset: Beyerdynamic MMX 300

Beyerdynamic MMX 300

Now from € 292.00 on Ebay price can now be higher. Price from 27.07.2020 02:08 a.m.

For a long time, Beyerdynamic was known for its headphones in the professional music sector. In the meantime, they are also in the gaming realm and do not need to hide. This is now proven by the Beyerdynamic MMX 300. In terms of price, they are definitely at a high-end level, but that's exactly what they offer. In our detailed test, they therefore received a final rating of 91 percent.

Unfortunately, the headset cannot be folded to save space and is therefore only suitable for use on the go. If your budget is a bit smaller, the Hyper X Cloud Alpha would be an inexpensive alternative.

Advantages:

Balanced sound
High wearing comfort
Interchangeable upholstery
Numerous accessories included

Disadvantage:

Not foldable
Microphone in need of improvement
High price

The all-rounder: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro including clip-on microphone

Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO (32 Ohm)

Now from € 115.00 at Amazon price can now be higher. Price from 2020-27-07 00:21 a.m.

Lavalier microphone incl. Clip-on system

Now from € 11.99 at Amazon price can now be higher. Price from 2020-26-07 11:59 p.m.

Would you like to convert your favorite headphones into a headset? In this case you can use the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, for example. A lavalier microphone including a clip-on system then serves as the microphone. The first obvious advantage with this option is the price-performance ratio. Only the operation is a bit more cumbersome than with a conventional headset.

You want as little cable as possible? The Antlion ModMic Wireless is a wireless microphone that can be attached to your headphones with an adhesive magnet. Although this solution costs correspondingly more, it offers you first-class voice quality and does not require any additional cables. If you don't mind the cables, the Antlion ModMic Uni would be another alternative.

Advantages:

Best price performance ratio
Can be individually tailored to your needs
Headphones and microphone can be used independently

Disadvantage:

More complicated operation
Depending on the configuration, very expensive

The best headsets: this is how it was selected

The selection of headsets is now huge and it is therefore not easy to always keep an overview. It starts with the construction of the headset: in-ear, on-ear or over-ear? The type of connection is just as important: cable or wireless? Many headsets also have additional functions such as noise canceling and more.

In our selection, we deliberately chose models that cover the broadest possible price range and also have an optimal price-performance ratio. In order to provide you with the best possible overview, in addition to our own experience, we have also included external user ratings in our decision.

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Buying a headset: you should note that

The choice primarily depends on the purpose of the headset. In which environment do you mainly want to use the headset? In the quiet home office or in the hectic open-plan office? How important is the quality of the music playback to you? Should the headset have detailed sound so that it can also be used for listening to music and gaming? Do you want to enjoy the freedom of movement of a wireless headset or do you only use it stationary? Fortunately, there are suitable solutions for each of these scenarios.

Wired, Bluetooth or DECT?

Wireless headsets mostly work with Bluetooth. The radio standard is widespread, simple and convenient for PC or cell phone. The Bluetooth range is usually between 10 and 50 meters, depending on whether you are in a building or outside. With other wireless headsets, the DECT standard for landline phones may also be supported. The only disadvantage of wireless headsets: they need a rechargeable battery or batteries. If you prefer a wired headset, you should pay attention to the length of the cable in order to be able to move enough.

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Available interfaces

Current headsets often only have a USB port, which you simply plug into your computer for sound playback and microphone recording. If you want to connect the headset directly to the sound card of your PC, the headset needs a 3.5 mm jack plug. If you also want to connect the headset to your smartphone, it could well be that it no longer has a jack connection.

In such a case, a Bluetooth headset would be a possible solution. Corresponding adapters are also conceivable, which make your respective connection compatible with a conventional jack plug. So if you are not willing to pay more for a wireless headset, such an adapter in combination with a wired headset would be an inexpensive alternative.

USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter

Now from € 7.99 at Amazon price can now be higher. Price from 2020-27-07 1:20 a.m.

Apple Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter

Now from € 9.70 at Amazon price can now be higher. Price from 2020-26-07 11:33 p.m.

One or two earpieces

There are headsets with only one or two earpieces. Headsets with an earpiece usually work with mono instead of stereo sound and are therefore best suited for making calls in call centers or open-plan offices. For gaming, audio and video streaming or editing, headsets with two earpieces are usually the better choice. Here you have stereo sound and ambient noise can be shielded.

In-ear headphones with a simple microphone are usually sufficient for Internet telephony or the hands-free system.

Over-ear or on-ear

Over-ear headsets feature large earpieces that protrude completely above the ears. On the other hand, the lighter versions for everyday office use are often found on-ear headsets, they sit on the ears. The latter shield little or little from ambient noise, but can still have very good sound quality.

In addition to on-ear and over-ear, there is a distinction between open and closed headphones.

Active noise canceling

If you work in an open-plan office or need quiet ambient noise on the way, the so-called Active Noise Canceling (ANC) is very practical because it largely suppresses ambient noise. How well this really works can be seen in the following video:

Test: Noise Canceling is so quiet

Useful additional functions

So that you can turn the sound louder and quieter without constantly looking in the settings of your operating system, it would be advantageous if the headset has a built-in volume control. Depending on the model, this can either be a switch integrated in the cable or corresponding buttons that are located directly on the earpiece itself.

Muting by pressing a button or flipping up the microphone arm is also useful. Some models even do this automatically as soon as you take the headset off your head. Some gaming headsets also have removable microphones, which has the advantage that they can be used to listen to music on the go.

Which headset is right for me?

This question can only be answered if it is clear beforehand what the headset is primarily used for. Which features are particularly important to you and which can you do without? Do you only want to use the headset for phone calls or is good music quality just as important to you? On which devices do you mainly use the headset and do you need a wireless connection or is the connection by cable sufficient?

Which headset suits me best?

An on-ear headset with one or two earpieces is suitable for the office. The quality of the microphone is particularly important here. Depending on the size of the office, a headset with Active Noise Canceling would be worth considering so that unwanted ambient noise is masked out.
The situation is similar in the home office. In addition, a Bluetooth headset would be worth considering. So you are not tied to the desk and benefit from the freedom of a wireless connection.
When it comes to gaming, the choice is either a dedicated gaming headset or a combination of headphones and a clip-on microphone. The latter often offers better value for money, but is sometimes a bit more cumbersome to use.