If you’re one of the growing number of music fans that wants a single set of headphones that can deliver excellent audio quality, but also double as a headset to take and make calls, then you’re in the right place.
Though, as a hi-fi site, we always put audio quality front and centre when testing headphones, our team of experts are aware a growing number of music fans also want solid mic performance from their earbuds or over-ears.
To help with that, we make sure every pair of headphones and earbuds with a mic that passes through our listening rooms is checked for call quality, as well as our usual library of audio checks.
You can see a full breakdown of how we test headphones with a mic using the attached quick link. But the short version is, we use them to take work video calls in our offices and listening rooms as well as real world checks, where we gauge how they perform in difficult conditions, such as windy, outdoor environments.
After all that, if they manage to deliver excellent audio, solid call quality and great value for money, we then consider them for this list, where we rate the best headphones with a mic for music fans.
If you're after something more general, we also have our main best headphones and best wireless earbuds guides.
The quick list
The best over-ears
The WH-1000XM5 aren’t just the best over-ear headphones with a mic for making calls, they’re also brilliant all round performers. As well as crystal clear call quality they offer a comfortable fit, wonderfully detailed audio, reliable ANC and lengthy battery life.
Best earbuds
The WF-1000XM5 are the best wireless earbuds we currently recommend to most people. As well as excellent mic quality, they deliver great audio and reliable ANC making them a great choice for any buyer with cash to burn.
The best cheap
Based on our testing, the Sony WF-C700N are the earbuds to get if you're short on cash and want a great all-round set of earbuds that work for taking and making calls and listening to music. Though they don't match the performance of the more expensive options on this list, for the money you won't do better.
The best wired
If you're old school and want a wired pair of headphones with a decent mic, then the Shure Aonic 3 are the ones to get, based on our checks. In our tests, they deliver a reliable call-ready seal as well as excellent mic and audio quality.
The best Apple earbuds
If you have an iPhone and want an in-ear set of wireless earbuds with a decent mic then the Airpods Pro 2 is the set to get. During our checks, they provided great call quality, which coupled with their excellent ANC made them great for any buyer after a pair of true-wireless for chatting and listening to music on the go.
Best for Samsung phone owners
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the best earbuds for Samsung phone owners. They feature a wealth of custom features, including access to a hi-res, Samsung-exclusive wireless codec, solid audio quality and reliable ANC. But most importantly for this list, they are also great for taking and making calls on.
Best for ANC
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer the best ANC performance of all the sets in this guide, based on our testing. If you want to block out office noise in between calls these are the ones to get.
I’ve been a tech journalist covering the headphones beat for 17 years. As the guiding hand overseeing this best headphones with a mic list, I liaise with our team of reviewers to help identify the best options we’ve tried and tested. Every set on this list has had its call quality checked by multiple people to ensure it is the best of the best.
Recent updates
19th June 2024: Updated with new intro and updated copy to the Sony WH-1000XM5 to reflect how they compared to newly reviewed rivals.
The best headphones with a mic we recommend in 2024
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Best over-ears
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is currently the best over-ear option if you want solid mic quality as well as excellent audio.
The key selling point if mic performance is a key item on your headphone wishlist is the inclusion of the brand's Precise Voice Pickup technology. This uses four beamforming mics and AI-powered noise-reduction, plus wind-noise reduction to help your calls sound as clear as possible.
Testing the headphones over calls being made both in our dedicated listening rooms and outdoor windy conditions we were impressed how well the XM5’s mics performed. During our checks the XM5 successfully cancelling out a surprising amount of wind noise, ensuring people could still hear us even in very challenging conditions. This is a key achievement most headphones struggle with and reason our testers concluded in our XM5 review:
“The combination of all these technologies means your voice comes through the WH-1000XM5 clearly and without distortion. When we use the WH-1000XM5 for a call, the Sony's do a great job of suppressing general noise and gusts of wind that can threaten to drown you out when using lesser headphones. One of the best headphones with a mic we've tested.”
As an added perk the XM5 can also seamlessly switch between up to two connected devices. This means you can happily listen to music with them connected to a portable music player, and then automatically switch the source to your phone when you need to take an incoming call.
The only minor caveat we have recommending them, is that rumblings suggest Sony may release the next generation Sony WH-1000XM6 in 2025, which are expected to be a big upgrade.
If that doesn’t put you off and you need a pair of wireless over headphones to take calls on as well as listening to music now, then look no further.
Read the full Sony WH-1000XM5 review
Best earbuds
The Sony WF-1000XM5 are currently the top option and overall recommendation in our general best wireless earbuds guide. Thankfully, as well as sounding great delivering class-leading levels of detail and clarity in our checks, they are also very good for taking and making calls.
Using them in the office, windy outdoor conditions and busy signal areas, the mics consistently delivered reliable audio, with our test subject on the other end of the line reporting clear audio during all our checks.
We were particularly impressed with how well the mics dealt with wind noise, a factor aided by their new noise reduction structure, which is designed to help them work in difficult outdoor environments. The inclusion of a new bone conductor sensor, which uses AI wizardry to help the earbuds know when you’re talking also made them feel more responsive than most rivals when taking calls.
This is why our testers reported:
“The design and tech changes seem to have done the job. Wind noise is largely subdued, even in the blustery conditions in which we found ourselves during testing. Our voice sounded detailed, clear and easy to follow, which isn’t always the case with wireless earbuds.”
The combination of factors means the WF-1000XM5 are the best headphones with a mic for most people at the moment.
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review
Sony has a great track record when it comes to delivering decent mic, as well as audio quality. This is because it is constantly rolling out new features and designs focused on doing just that. The WF-1000XM5 are the culmination of that effort and the earbuds we recommend to most buyers. We'd strongly recommend considering them if you want the best overall experience, as they offer great audio as well as mic quality.
Best cheap
These are the middle children in Sony's earbuds range, sitting neatly between the budget WF-C500 and newest WF-1000XM5.
And they're a brilliant option that more than justify their price tag. The buds are impressively small, and their lightweight design helps make them even more comfortable than Sony's new flagship WF-1000XM5, while battery life is competitive at seven and a half hours.
Calls are a joy thanks to Sony's Wind Noise Reduction Structure blocking out background sound. This helps voices sound natural and clear. Even large gusts of wind didn’t affect the clarity of our conversations. Compared to something like the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS, our voices sound more refined and dynamic.
They lack aptX HD and LDAC but do feature noise-cancelling tech, which the cheaper WF-C500 lack. Adaptive Sound Control automatically switches listening modes depending on your location, and Sony's DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscales low-res digital audio files to higher quality. A software update has seen Bluetooth Multipoint also added so you can be connected to two devices simultaneously.
The sound quality is superbly balanced too, with deep, detailed bass, expressive mids and engaging highs. They're a very musical listen for the money, and utterly worthy of a 2023 What Hi-Fi? Award as part of Sony's dominance of the wireless headphone market.
Downsides? The lack of support for aptX HD and LDAC is disappointing, and, the charging case only provides one extra charge which seems a little mean. But the superb sound and great feature set make these easy to recommend as some of the best Sony headphones available.
Read the full Sony WF-C700N review
Best wired
With a noise-isolating design (no noise cancellation tech), wired connection and 3.5mm headphone jack, you might think these Shures are a little out of step with most modern headphones. And that price! They'll have to do something pretty spectacular to convince us they're worth considering.
Thankfully, they do and they are – having now won three consecutive What Hi-Fi? Awards in 2021, 2022 and 2023. They time nigh-on perfectly, able to separate strands and knit them together in one glorious musical tapestry. The sense of rhythm and timing needs to be heard to be believed.
The same can be said of their dynamic ability. In the nicest possible way, they're the kind of headphones you can put on and just forget about. There isn’t a single element that sticks out – bass notes don’t protrude and highs don’t cut too deep. They're honest, transparent and true to the original recording. There’s detail and analysis, but never at the expense of the music's life and emotion.
They're comfortable and lightweight, too, and with nine different pairs of eartips, you're guaranteed a good fit. An in-line mic seals the deal, serving to make calls clearer than many rivals.
Read the full Shure Aonic 3 review
Best Apple earbuds
Apple's in-ear AirPods have always been decent, but unremarkable – something their string of four-star reviews attests to. But with the AirPods Pro 2, Apple has made a pair of true wireless buds capable of cracking that fifth star.
How? Better noise-cancelling, better battery life, new features and, more importantly, better audio performance. They also cost the same as their predecessors at launch, which helps.
For calls, they're still decent, just like the first-generation Pro. But throw in all these other improvements, and they're a real step up.
A new XS size of eartips should help with fit, and thanks to their vents, they feel a lot less intrusive than some in-ears. Apple has finally added on-bud volume controls, which is a lot more intuitive than digging out your phone or barking commands at Siri.
The noise-cancelling blocks out twice as much background sound as their predecessors, while Adaptive Transparency muffles loud noises when letting in ambient sounds. And the sound quality? With added weight, greater detail and even greater dynamic subtlety than the original Pro, they really are a class act.
Read the full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review
Best Samsung earbuds
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsung’s direct answer to the Apple AirPods Pro, and in many ways they follow the same formula. They include everything from Samsung’s take on Spatial Audio and head tracking to new advanced active noise cancellation. The in-ear, tipped earbuds even look similar from a distance.
The unique selling point that earns them a place in this list, is their excellent call quality. Samsung has put a lot of effort designing the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro to offer brilliant call as well as audio quality. Key measures include 15kHz of bandwidth specifically for calls as well as advanced voice-tracking AI algorithms designed to help improve call audio, even in difficult conditions.
Testing them in our viewing rooms with varying levels of ambient noise and the real world, we found the buds uniformly delivered excellent results. Hence why our reviewers’ reported: “the new buds sound solid, clear, natural and with pleasing levels of vocal depth during a team Zoom meeting.”
For Samsung fans they’re a particularly great choice as on top of reliable audio quality, they also include support for Samsung's proprietary SSC UHQ hi-res codec. This allows for transmission of up to 24-bit/96kHz music files over Bluetooth when the buds are paired with a modern Galaxy Phone as their source.
The only downside is that, like the AirPods you need a Samsung phone to unlock all their best features. This, plus their high price is the main reason we only recommend them to Samsung fans/owners in this list.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review
Best for ANC
If noise cancelling is a top priority alongside mic and audio performance, then the Bose Ultra Earbuds are a reliable option, based on our checks.
After thoroughly putting them through their paces in our listening rooms and while out and about we found they deliver a wonderful punchy, musical, sound with plenty of weighty bass alongside the iconic ANC performance Bose has become famous for. Whether it was the high-frequency background engine noise on the Underground, or the low but constant rumble of background office noise, the ANC dealt with it.
But it is the reworked mic design, which performed exceptionally well during our tests, that earns them a place on this list. The big change on past Bose sets is that the Ultra can intelligently detect which mic is experiencing the least noise and tweak its mic’s settings to improve call quality on the fly.
The results led to significantly improved call quality during our checks, especially compared to their predecessors, leading to our testers' conclusion:
“During testing, we found the new model does provide a big step up. Background noise was more heavily suppressed and broke through less often, while our voices came through much more clearly.”
The only reason they’re not higher on this list is that we feel some of the sets higher on this list offer better value for money.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review
Also consider
- Apple AirPods Max: If you’re an Apple fan and don’t mind spending a lot of money then the AirPods Max are a fantastic sounding set of over-ears from the iPhone maker that also delivers excellent call quality.
- Sony WF-1000XM4: They may not be the latest model, and not offer quite as good mic quality, but if you want to save some cash Sony's previous generation earbuds are worth considering.
How to choose the best headphones with a mic for you
As a baseline, given our focus on audio, all the headphones on this list need to deliver solid musical performance, though for this specific guide, we’ve weighted mic quality more heavily than we normally would.
That’s why you’ll see the entries are different to our best headphones, best wireless earbuds and various other buyer's guides where mic quality is less of a core focus. With that in mind, here’s what we look for when testing headphones and earbuds with a mic.
Call quality is the core area we expect headphones with a mic to deliver on. If the mics can’t deliver crystal clear call quality then they’re not going to appear on this list. But that’s just the start of our mic checks. On top of voice delivery, for wireless sets we also factor in connection stability. No matter how good a mic is, the headphones won’t be able to deliver good call quality if they’re prone to signal dropouts.
As a hi-fi focused brand, while we factor in mic quality more than normal in this list, audio quality is another key metric any headphone needs to deliver on before we can recommend it. Whenever we check headphones we have our testers listen to a variety of different tracks from various genres using a range of sources to make sure they deliver good audio.
If the headphones support the technology, reliable ANC (active noise cancellation) is another key area we expect most modern headphones with a mic to deliver on. In fact, every model in this list bar the wired Shure in-ears feature it (and appears somewhere on our best noise-cancelling headphones and best noise-cancelling earbuds guides too). ANC is a key area that can help headphones with a mic block out background noise.
Many of the sets on this list are wireless, which is why we also want them to deliver reliable battery life. If you’re looking for headphones with a mic specifically, you’re likely on calls regularly. So having a set that’ll run dry after a few hours of use isn’t practical.
Comfort is the final big factor we check for when choosing the best wireless headphones and earbuds with a mic. Like any pair of headphones or item you wear, comfort is a key factor. With that in mind, we expect any headphones or earbuds with a mic we test to offer a comfortable fit, and reliable seal even when worn for prolonged periods.
How we tested these headphones with a mic
Multiple testers making direct comparisons: We test headphones with a mic with the same methodology we do with any product. Specifically, multiple reviewers test the products independently and then compare notes. This ensures it is never one tester's opinion.
When making performance comparisons with competing products we think buyers will also be considering, we test the two directly against each other to ensure our findings are based on real-world use, not our memory.
Call quality: When testing headphones for mic quality we run a variety of call quality tests. These include taking calls in indoor and outdoor conditions. Indoors we use them with general office background noise and light conversations in the background. Outdoors we run them in windy conditions, an area most mics struggle with, and busy train stations. In each instance, we get a team member in a controlled quiet environment to report back on the call/voice quality.
Audio: Testing audio quality, we play a variety of test tracks in our dedicated listening rooms and out in the world, with the headphones connected to our reference system, and any other sources we think are appropriate to the product’s price. The tracks we use are designed to gauge key factors including their detail, dynamism, rhythmic precision and more.
Battery life: Where applicable we always check how much battery life headphones with a mic offer. To do this we check how many hours of music playback they offer with ANC on and off. We also check how much battery life is drained when using the mic on video and voice calls.
ANC: When testing headphones with a mic, we check how effective their active noise cancellation is. To do this we use them to listen to music and take calls in environments with various levels of background noise. These range from our office to busy train stations and windy outdoor environments.
Comfort: We check if headphones with a mic can provide a comfortable fit for a variety of head sizes during our testing process. This involves multiple members of the team wearing and using them during the review process. During this, we check everything from the clamping force and the number of band adjustment options on over-ears. For in-ears, we check if they have enough tip options to provide a comfortable fit, with a solid seal for most common ear sizes.
FAQ
Can you use headphones with a mic for gaming?
Headphones with a mic can be used for gaming, if they have the right connectivity to pair with the console or PC you're playing on. Most regular wireless headphones feature Bluetooth connectivity, which works with most PCs and the PS5. Cabled sets will require a 3.5mm to work. Be warned, Bluetooth isn’t the best option for call quality. This is why most dedicated gaming headsets, which are different to headphones, are either cabled or come with 2.4GHz wireless dongles, which connect directly to the console via USB. This provides a much better connection that is less prone to dropouts. On top of this, gaming headsets also tend to have dedicated boom mics, which can offer better call quality, compared to headphone mics, based on our testing.
Do all headphones have a mic?
Mics are an increasingly common feature in headphones and earbuds, especially the wireless variety. But there are still a number of headphones that don’t come with a mic. You should always check the spec sheet to make sure they have a mic, if that’s a deciding factor. On top of that, be aware many headphones mics are an afterthought, as most brands prioritise other features like audio quality, battery life and active noise cancellation for their consumer headphones.
Are over-ear or in-ear headphones with a mic better?
Based on our testing it depends on the specific headphones and earbuds you’re comparing. When testing headphones we find there are massive differences in call quality and mic performance across every form factor. It’s best to do your research on the specific set you’re interested in rather than assume one design is better holistically when it comes to mic quality.
What’s the difference between headphones with a mic and a headset?
What Hi-Fi? is a consumer brand, so the options in this list are all consumer headphones with microphones, rather than dedicated headsets designed for either work or gaming. The headphones in this list are primarily designed for listening to music, rather than taking work calls or chatting on Discord. Headsets are the reverse, with business-to-business models focussing purely on helping people take and make voice or video calls. Gaming headsets equally are more focussed on letting players communicate while playing online.
