Most of the gaming headsets I've used have had pretty poor quality microphones. They are mostly fine for chatting in-game or yelling at friends, but as soon as you want your voice to sound good, they can end up in the trash. The average gamer probably doesn't care too much, and would prefer that the headset provide great sound and forgo the quality of the microphone for a cheaper price. However, there is a reason why most streamers, podcasters, and various content creators have dedicated desk mics for higher quality recordings.

Even our absolute favorite gaming headsets can't hold a candle to the quality desktop mics out there. It's actually odd, given how good lapel mics are and the fact that casting headsets exist. Still, the truth of this gaming headset will force most content creators to buy two devices. Audio-Technica's new ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet headset is a far cry from that.

The ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet is not a cheap headset, at $229 / A$399 / £169, but it is by no means meant to be. It is a high-end, sealed headset.

Its price is reflected in its build quality. The earpieces are fully rotatable and foldable, and the pads can be replaced for a comfortable fit. Although made mostly of plastic, they are sturdily built, and the silver metal decorations look good against the overall matte black design. It's the kind of look that makes you think that if someone else is wearing it, the music they're listening to must be better than mine.

Listening to music with the ATH-M50xSTS is a nice experience, as one would expect from an Audio-Technica headset. They are basically a rebuild of the ATH-M50x, so they have all the DNA of good sound. The sound quality is nothing to complain about, especially at this price point. The balance is good, and fine details shine through in the songs. The bass is a little heavy, as all headsets tend to be, but it is quite mild, and the bright highs and warm tones are perfect for immersion.

In-game sound also benefits from this quality. Even when there is a lot of action, there is very little muddiness. I loaded up for an afternoon of "Overwatch 2" and spent time sneaking around as Sombra, hunting enemies with my footsteps; in "Sons of the Forest," I foolishly went on a wandering trip, and the headset's audio on a propeller-wielding cannibal's blade took me on an adventure. The headset definitely has the audio performance to withstand the demands of a gaming session. The choice of cuff and the lightweight design, which puts relatively little pressure on the top of the head, also make for a comfortable fit.

The outer housing of the StreamSet is fairly minimalist, with only one button, a scroll wheel that can be pressed all the way down. This button turns off monitor mode and only adjusts the volume so that you can monitor your own voice on the headset. Monitor mode can be quite uncomfortable, but with this headset you can use it much more than normal and get a good feel for what your voice is like. I found it easy to do this with the dedicated monitor controls, and perhaps it is the sidetone circuitry that makes my voice a more natural tone on the headset.

Because of this dedicated monitor mode, there are no other buttons on the headset. This makes sense, especially on a headset where you want to make sure you sound good. All other audio is controlled from the PC. It takes a little getting used to remembering to reach for the volume control on the PC rather than on the headset itself, but the trade-off in simplicity is worth it.

We know that the whole point of the ATH-M50xSTS StreamSet is to have a good microphone, and it does. Audio-Technica packed this included boom mic with a unidirectional condenser. The mics are based on the brand's 20-series mics and they sound great.

The StreamSet mic is as easy to use as using a desktop mic. I have used it for several streaming sessions and am convinced that it is less hassle than setting up a desktop mic and maybe a better solution. I almost exclusively use wireless headsets because I hate cables, but I am convinced that a wireless headset is a must for my streaming kit.

The headset microphone is mounted on a flexible arm and can be positioned wherever it is needed. There was no need to worry about moving too far away from the microphone or setting up a secondary device in the middle of streaming; there was no need to enable software like Nvidia's Noise Removal to remove background noise. The ease of monitoring my voice with the push of a button also encouraged me to check my voice, but tended to let me know only that my voice was great.

This gaming headset is old-school cool. There are no drivers to worry about, no loud gamer software that you have to navigate as well as install. It's plug-and-play and works flawlessly right out of the box no matter what you plug it into; due to working on a PC, I'm reviewing a USB model with a fixed USB Type-A cable and a USB Type-C adapter included, and I have no problems at all. For those much cooler than me, there is also an analog XLR option, which is incredibly rare and seems to further show off the audio respect for such a device.

Audio-Technica's ATH-M50xSTS Streamset had the lofty goal of replacing a desktop microphone streaming setup with a single headset that could deliver high-quality audio from both ends. Not only does it provide an excellent listening experience, but the microphone is as good as it boasts. This turned out to be a set that does exactly what it says on the can. Considering that you get a great quality headphone and microphone in one package, the high price is understandable.

This headset/microphone combination does not disappoint in either spec, delivering excellent sound quality and recordings that would leave desktop microphones in the dust.