Almost every gaming headset I’ve enjoyed wearing has a pretty bad mic. It’s mostly fine for game chat or yelling at your friends, but if you want a better voice, it might put you in the bin. However, many streamers, podcasters, and content creators of all kinds mostly opt for a dedicated desk mic for high-quality recording. There is a reason to use it.
Even our absolute favorite gaming headset can’t compare to a quality desktop mic. It’s actually kind of weird considering how good the lapel mic is and there is a casting headset but still this gaming headset truth has led most creators of content to branch out between his two devices need to do it. Not so with his new ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet headset from Audio Technica.
The ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet isn’t a $229/AU$399/$169 budget headset, but it certainly isn’t what it’s meant to be. A true high-end closed headset.
Its price is reflected in its build quality. It features a strong yet flexible construction with fully rotatable and foldable earpieces with replaceable pads for comfort. Although mostly plastic, the build is sturdy and the silvery metal embellishments look great with the overall matte black design. I think it’s excellent.
ATH-M50xSTS stream set specs
Connection: Wired
style: closed back
driver: 45mm
frequency: 15 to 28,000Hz
connector: USB Type-A to Type-C adapter or analog XLR
weight: 330g
Microphone type: back electret condenser
Polar pattern: Unidirectional
Microphone frequency range: 50 to 20,000 Hz (at 3 cm)
price: $229/$AUD399/£169
Listening to music on the ATH-M50xSTS is a great experience, and what I’ve come to expect from Audio-Technica headsets. Audio quality is fine, especially at this price point. The balance is good and the details in the songs shine through. It’s a bit heavy on the bass that’s typical of all headsets, but the fairly mild, bright highs and warm tones are addictive and engaging.
In-game sounds also benefit from the quality. It turns out that there is a lot of action, but there is little turbidity. I geared up for an afternoon of Overwatch 2, sneaking around as Sombra, following footsteps and hunting enemies to great effect. In Sons of the Forest, I wandered foolishly, with a headset, into the blades of a propeller-swaying cannibal audio that took me on his adventures. These cans definitely have the audio chops to withstand the demands of a gaming session. The choice of cuffs and lightweight design, which have relatively low strain on the crown of the head, also contribute to a comfortable ride.
The StreamSet’s outer housing is minimal, with only one button and a depressible scroll wheel. Just turn off monitor mode and specifically adjust the volume so you can monitor your own voice with the headset. Monitor mode can be pretty jarring, but I found myself using it far more than I normally would with this headset, and was able to get a better sense of what my voice was like. I found it easier to do this with a control. It could also be thanks to the sidetone circuitry that should give your voice a more natural tone in the headset.
There are no other buttons on the headset as it is dedicated to monitor mode. This makes sense, especially for headsets that want to make sure they sound good. All other audio is intended to be controlled from a PC. It takes a bit of getting used to remembering to reach for your PC’s volume control instead of the headset itself, but I think the simplicity trade-off is worth it.
We know that the ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet is all about having a good mic, but does it really have a good mic? Audio-Technica has packed a cardioid condenser into this included boom mic. It’s based on the brand’s 20-series mics, and well, it sounds like it.
StreamSet mics are much easier than using desktop mics. I’ve used it for a few streaming sessions and I’m pretty sure it’s less hassle and probably a better solution than setting up a desktop mic. but I’m pretty sure it should be in your streaming kit.
The headset mic is mounted on a flexible arm so you can position it exactly where you need it. There is also the ability to flip to mute. No more worrying about setting up a secondary his device too far from the mic’s midstream. I didn’t even need to enable software like Nvidia’s Noise Removal to clean up background noise. The ability to easily monitor your voice with the push of a button made me want to check it out more, but I can’t help but think my voice is amazing.
This gaming headset is old fashioned cool. There are no real drivers to worry about. And there’s no flashy gamer software to install and navigate. They are plug-and-play, and you can have them working perfectly the moment you plug them in. For things like PC work, I’ve seen a USB model that has a fixed USB Type-A cable and comes with a USB Type-C adapter in the box and is perfectly fine. There’s even an incredibly rare analog XLR option for those who are way cooler than me.
Audio Technica’s ATH-M50xSTS Streamset set the lofty goal of replacing desktop microphone streaming setups with a single headset capable of delivering high-quality audio from both ends. Besides providing a great listening experience, the mic is proudly good. I’ve found this to be a set of cans that does exactly what it says on the can. Higher prices make it more attractive.
This headset and mic combination doesn’t disappoint in either spec, delivering amazing sound quality and recording, and you can watch desktop mics collect dust.
