A serious gamer needs a serious gaming headset if they can’t surround themselves with good speakers in a controlled environment. With a good gaming headset, you can game in any size of space, let it be a full living room or a converted closet. Various things come into play like wired vs wireless, audio quality, microphone quality, and comfort during long periods of use. Today we are going to look at a model that is a bit more expensive than the rest, coming from a German company with a vast background in headphones/headset performance, to find out where it falls along these lines. This is a focus on Beyerdynamic’s MMX 300 (2nd Generation) gaming headset.
If you are familiar with Beyerdynamic’s products, you’ll find that this one looks quite familiar. A mashup between something like the 770 Pro headphones and the Custom gaming headset. Or if you simply took something like the 770’s and slapped a microphone on it.
It’s an all-black wired headset with a permanently attached microphone (unlike the Custom series) that can swivel in either direction (although you have to keep your left and right muffs in mind if you are going to swing the mic in the opposite direction.
The muffs feature felt-covered pads that break in well over time while the headband features vinyl-lined padding going around the top of your head. The cable is detachable and connects to the left muff. Its connection is a bit of a tight fit, so you do have to give it a good push to make sure it pops all the way into place.
This headset is a bit tight around the ears at first, but as mentioned, it does break in over time. The shoebox trick works to help relieve some of the pressure if you don’t want to wait. Breaking in the pads will generally take some time though (you will notice a difference when it happens). Until then, you will absolutely notice the pressure on your head and ears (mostly ears).
Two cables come with the headset. One is 2.5m in length and is typically used for use with a computer. It breaks out to two 3.5mm connections, one for audio and the other for the microphone (headphone-out and mic line-in). So if you don’t have a system that has a separate input for each, you’ll have to buy into a USB adapter. Thankfully, you can find all sorts of adapter options and some of them are pretty affordable. Of course, you’ll want to make sure you get a decent one if you are rocking a headset like this. Just make sure the adapter has the two connections (typically color-coded as red and green).
The other option is a 1.2 m cable for console gaming, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and any other device that combines both audio and the microphone into a single port (3.5mm TRRS).
Both cables feature the same in-line controller. This is a simple controller that you shouldn’t find distracting when you reach for it. There is a hard-switching mute across the face, as well as a scrolling volume wheel on one side and an MFB (multi-function button) on the other. The button takes care of most of your common tasks like track control, play/pause, answering/disconnecting phone calls, and so on.
The boom microphone offers a firm boom that can be molded into any direction that meets your needs and has a decent length to it, making sure it reaches most mouths. As mentioned, it swivels around to user preference as well. It maintains its positioning well and offers no noise as you are moving it around (mostly). It also offers a decent level of noise isolation allowing everyone else to focus on your voice.
Microphone audio quality is also pretty decent, which is expected at this price point. We couldn’t say it was one of the absolute best microphones we have ever come across for gaming, but it still delivers pretty well.
As for audio going to your ears, the benefits are quite noticeable. The highs are crisp, the mids are pretty decent, and the lows are noticeable and warm. A mixture of crisp/clear and warmth altogether. Entry-level audiophile without completely jumping into the deep end. Possibly a tad better than that even.
You will find yourself using these for listening to music and movies as well, taking them beyond gaming and using them to enjoy all forms of media.
However, things are taken much further thanks to software options like Immerse Gaming | Hive, which offers the ability to turn normal stereo headsets into full 360-degree experiences. The software has a profile specifically for this model as well, dialing things in a bit further.
Now, you have up to 7.1 surround sound in your ears as well, which really adds a lot of quality to this model, taking it beyond its previously boring stereo sound.
Finally, this headset does come with Beyerdynamic’s popular semi-hard shell case design. Helping you to keep things safe as you travel between gaming sessions. There is also a 1/4″ adapter for the longer cable and a small pouch inside the case to store it in when not being used.
Our Conclusion
It’s nice to have a go-to solution that can be used for both gaming and listening (fulfilling your needs for both headset and headphones alike). The sound quality is quite enjoyable and so is the comfort over time.
The MMX 300 headset is a bit expensive in our opinion though. That’s nothing new with Beyerdynamic. You wind up paying for that German engineering that comes with all of the company’s products. If we have to really choose between it and something else, though, we’d prefer something like the Audeze Penrose as a gaming headset at this price point (when it comes to both price and function). This way you gain the option to also go wireless (along with other features).
However, if you are a Beyerdynamic fan, you will likely enjoy the MMX 300 a lot. Plus, if you include the use of something like the before-mentioned Immerse Gaming | Hive software, you can take things to the next level with 360-degree sound. Of course, the Penrose can do that as well. It all just comes down to what you need in a headset in the end.
The price tag is a bit less as well. In our below video, we mentioned that the normal price was around $299 (now $279). However, the original launch MSRP was actually $349, which was asking a bit much. However, the price eventually fell into the $299 range and then what it is today. You can even find it on sale for less than $279 at times. This is when it really becomes a decent competitor. However, at its original $349 price, not so much.
| Available from the following retailers: | | | | | |
| Our Rating | Average Price* $279.99 |
*Average price is based on the time this article was published
Downloads:
Immerse | Hive software: Click here
Video:
Additional Images:
Specifications:
- Headphone
- Transducer type: Dynamic
- Operating principle: Closed
- Frequency response: 5 – 35,000 Hz
- Nominal impedance: 32 ohm
- Nominal SPL: 96 dB
- H.D.: < 0.2%
- Power handling capacity: 100 mW
- Sound coupling to the ear: Circumaural
- Ambient noise attenuation: approx. 18 dBA
- Headband pressure: 3.5 N
- Weight with microphone and cable: 332 g
- Cable length and type: 1.2 m [3.9 ft] cable with remote control for use with consoles 2.5 m [8.2 ft] cable with remote control for use with a PC
- Connection: 1* 3.5 mm for consoles, 2* 3.5 mm for PC, 1* adapter 6.35 mm
- Accessories: 2 x detachable cables (console & PC), 1 x transport case
- Microphone
- Transducer type: Condenser
- Polar Pattern: Cardioid
- Frequency response: 30 – 18,000 Hz
- H.D.: 0.2% at f = 1 kHz
- SPL: 120 dB
- Length mic boom: 150 mm
- Capsule diameter: 13 mm
Co-Author: Jeffrey B.
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