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Top 5 · Headphones

Top 5 Best Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing 2026

Dedicated UC headsets and consumer headphones ranked for video call quality.

Updated February 8, 20265 rankedNo paid placements
2Jabra Evolve2 85 - Ranked #2 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing
Jabra Evolve2 85
Score 9.0 / 10 · Best premium
2
1Poly Voyager Focus 2 UC - Ranked #1 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing
Poly Voyager Focus 2 UC
Score 9.0 / 10 · Best overall
1
3EPOS Impact 1060 ANC - Ranked #3 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing
EPOS Impact 1060 ANC
Score 9.0 / 10
3

Full rankings

1
Poly Voyager Focus 2 UC - Ranked #1 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing
Best overall

Poly Voyager Focus 2 UC

The best conferencing headset for most people. Acoustic Fence isolates your voice even in open offices, the boom mic delivers consistently clear audio, and at 175g it's the lightest option by far. Teams/Zoom certified with a USB dongle included for reliable PC connectivity. At $159, it's also the best value.

Acoustic Fence technologyUltra-lightweight at 175gDynamic Mute Alert (notifies if speaking while muted)Sound quality trails music-focused optionsANC not as strong as Sony/Bose
9.0/ 10
$159at AmazonCheck priceRead full review
2
Jabra Evolve2 85 - Ranked #2 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing
Best premium

Jabra Evolve2 85

The enterprise workhorse with a 10-microphone system and retractable boom that delivers the most consistent voice isolation in noisy open offices. Built-in busylight and Teams/Zoom certification make it IT-friendly. At $460 it's expensive and the hardware dates to 2020, but nothing matches its mic system for extreme noise environments.

10-microphone system for voice isolationRetractable boom micBuilt-in busylightExpensive at $460 (launched 2020, aging hardware)Heavy for all-day wear
9.0/ 10
$460at AmazonCheck priceRead full review
3
EPOS Impact 1060 ANC - Ranked #3 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing

EPOS Impact 1060 ANC

The only headset with true triple-device multipoint (PC + 2 phones simultaneously). 3-microphone boom with EPOS AI noise cancellation and hybrid adaptive ANC. At $289, well-priced for the feature set—Zoom/Meet certified (UC model) or Teams certified (1060T variant).

Triple-device multipoint (PC + 2 phones)3-microphone boom with EPOS AI noise cancellationHybrid adaptive ANC (BrainAdapt technology)On-ear design may cause discomfort in long sessionsUC model not Teams certified (need 1060T variant)
9.0/ 10
$289at AmazonCheck priceRead full review
4
Sony WH-1000XM6 - Ranked #4 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing

Sony WH-1000XM6

A consumer ANC headphone with significantly improved call quality (12 mics). Best choice if you want ONE headphone for music, travel, AND calls. However: no USB dongle (Bluetooth-only can be flaky on Windows), no boom mic, no hardware mute button, and no Teams/Zoom certification. Dedicated UC headsets above are better for calls-first users.

Industry-leading noise cancellationFoldable design (brought back from XM4)30mm carbon fiber dome driversNot audiophile-grade for critical listeningPremium price at $449
8.8/ 10
$398at AmazonCheck priceRead full review
5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) - Ranked #5 Over-ear Headphones for Conferencing

Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)

Included for those who prioritize comfort and ANC above call quality. Best-in-class noise cancellation and legendary all-day comfort, but beamforming mics without a boom trail every other option here. No dongle, no certification, no hardware mute. Buy this for music/travel and accept 'good enough' call quality—not as a dedicated conferencing headset.

Class-leading ANC blocks virtually all background noiseLegendary all-day comfort (best in this list)Lossless USB-C audio for music between callsNo boom microphone—beamforming mic trails dedicated UC headsetsNo USB dongle (Bluetooth-only can cause issues on Windows)
8.6/ 10
$449at AmazonCheck priceRead full review
Side by side

How they scored

ProductMicrophone Quality · 35%ANC Performance · 25%Comfort · 20%Connectivity · 10%Battery Life · 10%ScorePrice
1Poly Voyager Focus 2 UC
9.589.59.589.0$159
2Jabra Evolve2 85
1097999.0$460
3EPOS Impact 1060 ANC
998.5108.59.0$289
4Sony WH-1000XM6
8109.579.58.8$398
5Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)
71010798.6$449

How we ranked them

For the best call quality, look for dedicated UC headsets with boom microphones, USB dongles (more reliable than Bluetooth on Windows), and Teams/Zoom certification. Consumer ANC headphones (Sony, Bose) work for calls but lack boom mics, dongles, and hardware mute—they're better as do-everything headphones than dedicated conferencing tools.

We test call quality in various environments (office, home, outdoor, street) and verify Teams/Zoom certifications. Microphone quality is evaluated by call recipients across platforms. This list includes both dedicated UC headsets (Poly, Jabra, EPOS) and consumer headphones (Sony, Bose)—we clearly note the trade-offs of each type.

Microphone Quality

Voice clarity and noise isolation

35%
ANC Performance

Background noise blocking

25%
Comfort

All-day wear comfort

20%
Connectivity

Multipoint, range, reliability

10%
Battery Life

Hours of talk time

10%
Learn more about how we test

Questions, answered

What's the difference between a UC headset and consumer headphones for calls?
UC (Unified Communications) headsets like Jabra, Poly, and EPOS include USB dongles for reliable PC connectivity, boom microphones for superior voice pickup, hardware mute buttons, and Teams/Zoom certification. Consumer headphones (Sony, Bose) use Bluetooth only (less reliable on Windows), beamforming mics (lower quality), and software mute. UC headsets are purpose-built for calls; consumer headphones are music-first with decent call capability.
Do I need a boom microphone?
For the best call quality, yes. Boom mics (Poly, Jabra, EPOS) consistently outperform beamforming arrays (Sony, Bose) for voice clarity, especially in noisy environments. If you're mostly calling from a quiet home office, beamforming is acceptable.
Why does the Poly Focus 2 beat the more expensive Jabra?
For most remote workers, the Poly offers 90% of the Jabra's call quality at one-third the price, weighs nearly half as much (175g vs ~286g), and includes Acoustic Fence technology. The Jabra's 10-mic system is superior in extreme noise (open offices, airports), but most home/hybrid workers won't notice the difference.
Can I use Sony XM6 or Bose for Teams/Zoom calls?
Yes, but with caveats. Without a USB dongle, Windows may default to 'Hands-Free' Bluetooth profile (mono, low quality) instead of the higher-quality audio profile. You'll also lack hardware mute buttons and busylights. They work fine for occasional calls but aren't ideal as primary conferencing headsets.
Are business certifications important?
For enterprise/IT-managed environments, Teams/Zoom certification is often required and ensures optimized audio. For personal use, certification is less critical but means the headset has been tested for call reliability.
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