Any decent wireless noise cancelling headsets with mic?

P1Fanatic · 24 Apr 2018 at 10:05

Currently running Sennheiser 558’s and a modmic but 2 sets of cables is annoying me and the 558’s don’t block much if any outside noise. My PC is currently in the lounge so when the wife has the TV on I hear a lot of background noise.

My main requirements are comfortable to wear (558’s I hardly notice I am wearing them), good at blocking external sound and a decent quality mic for PUBG Squad play on discord.

Anyone use a headset that matches the above criteria and would recommend? Budget of £100ish.

Quartz · 24 Apr 2018 at 10:07

My Astro A50 can be a pain at times, but the sound quality is good.

P1Fanatic · 24 Apr 2018 at 10:15

Quartz said:
My Astro A50 can be a pain at times, but the sound quality is good.

Bit more than I planned to spend unless I go for a refurbed pair. What issues do you have with them and how do you find them for blocking out external sound?

Quartz · 24 Apr 2018 at 10:49

The main issue is losing the connection. The link will appear fine on the base station but I get no sound. I have to switch the sound output to the Realtek Digital Output devices or back from that. Sometimes that doesn't work and I have to unplug and replug the USB cable from the base station. It's a rare occurrence, but not rare enough.

Quartz · 24 Apr 2018 at 10:50

I used to have a Creative Labs Soundblaster Rage 3D USB wireless headset which worked flawlessly, but the sound quality wasn't as good and I don't recall the microphone as being noise cancelling.

EsaT · 24 Apr 2018 at 15:33

P1Fanatic said:
Bit more than I planned to spend unless I go for a refurbed pair. What issues do you have with them and how do you find them for blocking out external sound?

After those Sennheisers its sound quality would be bad.
And closed design is bad enough challenge for sound quality even without wasting budget for wireless so would be better to drop that.

Quartz · 24 Apr 2018 at 16:14

EsaT said:
And closed design is bad enough challenge for sound quality even without wasting budget for wireless so would be better to drop that.

That depends upon the OP's hearing. All I can say is that my Astro A50 sounds more than good to me, and has none of the drawbacks of wired headphones. I have had numerous disasters with wired headphones, ripping cables and connectors, pulling the PC tower over or off the desk, and so on.

P1Fanatic · 24 Apr 2018 at 17:10

EsaT said:
After those Sennheisers its sound quality would be bad.
And closed design is bad enough challenge for sound quality even without wasting budget for wireless so would be better to drop that.

That is my one fear as spectating on PUBG after dying I am often calling out enemy footsteps that others are not hearing. I have no issue with their sound quality. Some chap on ebay is selling refurbed 2nd gen A50's for £35 which sounds too good to be true but may just be the headphones and no base or cabling. Have asked but if seems legit may give them a punt for that money. Certainly not paying £250 for a new pair of Gen 3's.

EsaT · 24 Apr 2018 at 18:08

P1Fanatic said:
That is my one fear as spectating on PUBG after dying I am often calling out enemy footsteps that others are not hearing.

While good open headphones easily give also sense of distance besides direction cheap closed design headphones are pretty much incapable to any kind sound stage and immersion is at level of "head in bucket".
Very few closed headphones manage actually to reproduce more decent size sound stage.

So without testing them with binaural sound clips there just aren't much sure options.
Most "reviews" of gaming headphones simply aren't worth the cost of the space review takes on HDD.

Earlier there were some old stock first gen Beyerdynamic MMX300s for around £100 price in eBay.
If finding one that would certainly be one of the surer bets as its "base" DT770 should have quite good soundstage for closed headphone of price class.