Let’s talk business with these great headsets for videoconferencing

Best Business Headsets for Videoconferencing Windows Central 2020

Best Overall: Sennheiser MB 660 UC

The Sennheiser MB 660 UC are slightly more expensive than options out there, but they’re a great pair of headphones that do basically everything, including taking video conferencing calls.

Let’s first talk about microphone quality, which is one of the critical strengths of the MB 660 UC. They isolate your voice well in loud environments and are also able to block out a good amount of background noise. The sound quality is excellent if you plan on using these for casual listening as well. They’re a bit heavy on the bass and lack a tiny bit in the treble. They feature active noise cancelation (ANC), but that can mostly be ignored as it ruins the sound quality shone enabled. The passive isolation is decent enough at drowning the environment around you.

In terms of comfort, the Sennheiser MB 660 UC are solid. The ear cups aren’t as deep as some other headphones, so you might have an issue if you have bigger ears. However, the pleather they use on the ear cups and headband are super comfortable, making them great to wear for long periods for most people.

Battery life is good, with up to 30 hours of listening/calling time on a single charge. You can pair up to two devices simultaneously, which is excellent if you need to switch back and forth between two clients. Unfortunately, you don’t have any wired options here. So, if your battery dies, you’ll need to wait for them to charge.

While over-ear headphones aren’t typically great for video conferencing due to long term discomfort, the Plantronics Voyager 8200 UC are an exception to this rule. This headset is extremely comfortable for long term use.

The microphone quality is excellent on the Voyager 8200 UC as well. In an office environment, you won’t have much issue with the person on the other end being able to hear you. Even in a non-office environment, they perform great. There are no reported issues with other people being able to hear you when on the phone and vice versa. The noise isolation algorithm also isn’t too aggressive like it is with other headphones where you may sound robotic. This, combined with the active noise cancelation, really helps when needing to take that important phone call.

Unfortunately, while they can be used wirelessly, battery life is mediocre at best. You’re better off using them wired as you’ll only get three hours on a single charge when used wirelessly.

As it turns out, not every industry needs to go wireless when it comes to headphones. Usually, with wireless headphones, they need to pack in an amp/DAC, processors, and a battery, which can add weight to the overall package. The Jabra Evolve 80 goes old school with wires and is all the better for it.

When we say classic design, we mean it. Similar to gaming headsets, the Evolve 80 includes a microphone that sticks out in front of you, and honestly, in 2020, looks a bit goofy. The upside to that design is that you can adjust the microphone position to be either closer or farther away from your mouth. Even with the design, the Evolve 80 still has excellent microphone quality. Your voice is clear and crisp, and the person on the other end won’t have any issues hearing you no matter the environment.

In terms of comfort, the Evolve 80 are excellent. The ear cups are large and extend deep for even the largest of ears. The cups and headband are made of a pleather material, which will help with any sort of heaviness that may occur.

The only real downside to the Evolve 80 are the in-line controls. Unlike most other headphones that build them into the cable, the Evolve 80 has it as a separate piece, requiring you to plug it in when you want to use it. The module is rather large, but that’s less of an issue as the Evolve 80 are designed to be used while sitting down.

A neat feature of the Evolve 80 is that they have a “do not disturb” light that you can toggle. With the indicator on, the headphones let people around you know that you’re busy and not to interrupt. Some may find it tacky, but the feature is useful if people are always bothering you.

If most of your work relies on flying, sitting at airports, or sitting through long commutes, the Jabra Evolve 65e UC are a solid option. Not only is the mic quality great, but they also have some excellent active noise cancelation (ANC).

They also feature great sound quality. They’re a bit bass and midrange heavy, however, you can use their companion smartphone application to change the way they sound in addition to adjust how much active noise cancelation you want, among other features. Battery life is excellent, with up to 13 hours on a single charge.

In terms of comfort, they’re larger than most earbuds. They’re comfortable, and you can use them for long periods without much ear fatigue. And the band that goes around your neck isn’t terribly heavy, either.

If you’re looking for something that doesn’t cover both of your ears, the Jabra Evolve 40 MS is your best bet. It’s a single mono headset that allows you to use your other ear to hear what’s going on around you. The microphone quality is excellent, and you won’t have any issues hearing the other person and vice versa. Noise isolation is excellent here as well, helping you block out background noise in louder environments.

The headset features in-line controls for volume, muting the microphone, and accept/declining a call. This means you can quickly pick up or hang up a call without having to navigate your computer.

The Evolve 40 MS is a wired headset, which means you are limited to how far your cord can reach. Not a huge deal, but it does mean that you don’t have to worry about recharging. The headset features the standard USB out far, taking your calls but also features 3.5mm out in case you need to take a call on your personal device.

Bottom line

When it comes to business headsets, there’s only one thing you need to know: the difference between UC and MS. UC is a universal standard and will work with nearly anything you have, and most, if not all, of your programs. MS is used specifically for Skype Business. It’s not an open standard and will only work within Skype Business. Most headsets have two different models so that you can pick based on what you need.

Whether you sit at the office taking conference calls all day or on-the-go, there are tons of different headset options out there, depending on your needs. For those who have a tendency of sitting at the office, the Sennheiser MB 660 MS is your best bet. They’re pricey, but offer everything you could want for video or phone conferencing, including extended battery life, amazing sound, and excellent mic quality.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

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