Are you regularly joining on on conference calls while you work from home? Life instantly becomes a whole lot easier when you can answer calls without having to pick up and hold the handset to your ear the entire time, plus, having a nice set headphones that can also play your fav music when you're not on a call is pretty great too. Sure there are the call-center style headsets, but today, we want to offer up another option that’s highly worth considering if you haven’t already — headphones with an integrated mic.
There are a few reasons you might opt for headphones (with a mic) over a headset, majority will be improving sound quality and comfort but some reasons include the aesthetic — headphones tend to have more stylish designs that look cool inside and outside of the office; selection — more options, more price points, more brands, more features to choose from; features — some headphones even come with awesome features such as built-in voice assistants and AR.
Join us as we jump in and take a look at some of the most popular, and best value options, available today!
1. Sennheiser HD 400S Over-Ear Headphones with Mic
The Sennheiser HD 400S will add legendary Sennheiser sound to your everyday work routine, while also doubling as a headset so you can take calls with a push of a button. The HD 400S features a 1-button smart remote conveniently located on the cable, which allows you to control music and take calls with ease, and the sturdy folding design makes these headphones durable and compact enough to carry in your bag, and take with you anywhere.
The single 3.5mm plug makes connecting them fairly easy for most laptop and android smartphone users, but if you're using an Apple iPhone, check for the jack or consider Apple Headphones, same goes if you're using a PC or Mac - check for the single 3.5mm input/output you'll need - on a desktop PC these are often separated into two lines (one for mic and another for stereo) if that's the case this 3.5mm Y Splitter Cable is the one you'll need.
2. Sennheiser HD 569 Closed-Back Over-Ear Premium Headphones with Mic
If you’re looking in the mid-high range, the Sennheiser HD 569 is a great option too. The Sennheiser HD 5 model range offers high quality and value in any aspect. These brilliant headphones not only deliver great sound, but they feature a contemporary design that is both attractive and ergonomic, so you’ll be comfortable wearing these all day as you work.
With a closed-back over-ear design, you’ll enjoy a great soundstage with rich detail and bass response; and effective acoustic isolation, so outside noise stays out, and the music stays in. And when you’ve got calls coming in, this noise-isolating headset lets you manage them with its in-line remote. Much the same as the option above, depending on your PC setup you may need to get this 3.5mm Y Splitter Cable to connect properly, with both mic and stereo sound having there own plugs in some cases.
Now we get into the more premium options. If you’ve been after a high-quality pair of headphones for a while, and need a headset, then these are some options you might really consider. Some of them even have integrated voice assistants which is perfect for the workplace!
3. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones
The new Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones are a popular new choice in the Over-Ear Noise-Cancelling space, and they have an excellent microphone array built-in too.
These Bluetooth headphones can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time and will smartly let you take calls from whichever, they’ll know which device is calling and can connect you automatically as calls come in - full manual switching available too of course - so you’ll always be in control and able to quickly, smoothly swap your headphones between the two connected sources with the touch of a button.
With a massive 30 hours of battery life you'll have enough power to go through several work days in a row without recharge, but it's the small touches, like that custom button, and the adaptive sound control feature that lets you talk with people around you without removing the headset, and having my music pause when I take the headphone off, that are really neat and make these headphones an absolute treat to own.
4. Bose QuietComfort QC35-II Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort 35-II series of wireless headphones are super comfortable, the lightweight design is exceptionally good.
Engineered with renowned noise cancellation so you can get in the zone and take your concentration to the next level. With the power of the QC35s, you'll get deeper into your music, your work, or whatever you want to focus on. You can adjust the level of noise-cancellation between three levels to get the best fit for your environment. As well as great sound, the Bose QC35s have an excellent microphone, so they're fantastic for taking calls as you work.
These headphones are designed to keep up with a busy you, made with impact-resistant materials, glass-filled nylon, corrosion-resistant stainless steel, and wrapped in luxurious Alcantara. The included carry case is premium too.
They use a USB cable to recharge, and battery life is strong enough to go a couple of workdays in a row. The QC35-II can also be used as cabled headphones, even when the battery is fully depleted. Connecting the direct audio cable to the jack on the bottom of the left earcup will disable Bluetooth functions and you'll be free to keep on going with sound, but not microphone, so if you want wired microphone too you'll want to grab this Bose in-line mic cable which solves that.
Bluetooth connectivity is excellent, and you can pair with multiple sources simultaneously using the function called multi-point. This allows us to switch between our smartphone and laptop for example, without disconnecting and reconnecting each time - and making this even better - once you've paired the headphone will automatically connect to the two most recently connected devices when you turn on - so convenient!
5. Sennheiser PXC 550-II Wireless 2nd Gen Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones
The PXC550 has always been one of the most popular over-ear headphones at PB Tech, and with great reason. Now it’s back and better! The new PXC 550-II still has that amazing Sennheiser sound quality but has now been upgraded for a smarter experience. Enjoy up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge as you listen to music, take calls, and interact with AI assistants.
You can think of these headphones as your personal assistant. Take control via convenient, one-touch access with the Voice Assistant button that connects to virtual assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri. With the triple microphone array offering unrivaled speech clarity when giving voice commands.
Not only do your voice assistants get great speech clarity, but also anyone on the receiving end of your phone calls. These headphones offer first-class call quality. Active Noise Cancellation detects and removes background noise providing fantastic call quality.
6. Bose 700 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 delivers everything you’d expect and more! Think of these headphones as smart headphones that let you keep your head up to the world with superior sound; easy access to voice assistants; an adaptive mic system for superior voice pickup; and even an AR platform!
Bose Headphones 700 deliver a great listening experience with astonishing Bose sound and 11 levels of noise cancellation. As you increase the noise cancellation, you incrementally minimise the distractions you hear in loud places. Or, decrease it to the point where you hear the world as if you weren’t wearing active noise-cancelling headphones at all.
These headphones also feature an unrivalled four-microphone system that picks up and isolates your voice while cancelling the noise around you. You’ll hear and be heard like never before—even in noisy environments!
Built for comfort, you’ll also appreciate how they feel as you wear them all day to work. They have a streamlined, light-weight headband with soft, angled ear cups to provide a perfect fit. The underside of the headband features an ultra-soft gel foam material that sits comfortably on your head — it won’t even snag a single hair!
The above options are a selection of some of the most popular headphones that are also headsets, but there are so many more options to choose from - many of which also have integrated microphones to allow hands-free calls - so shop the full range of headphones & earphones today for more awesome options!
