H390 USB Headset

I read you about the wires, but try Logitech H390. Good audio for calls, cheap, reliable, hardware mute and volume and the cable is fine.

I've been teaching English online for a long time. I don't like wearing earbuds for long, my ears are small, so I wear headphones. I chose Logi H390 wired headphones because they're cheap, comfortable, not bulky and I don't have to worry that the Bluetooth interferes with other Bluetooth devices. The call quality is excellent and they look professional. In my experience, call quality is lower when I 'm talking to students using any kind of earbuds.

Basic Logitech headset suits my needs from an audio perspective (and I'm particular about such things), but I don't wear them nearly as much as it sounds like you do, so YMMV. [https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/h390-usb-headset](https://www.logitech.com/en-us/shop/p/h390-usb-headset)

From experience, the mic works best down, and not at all in the raised position.

Are you choosing over ear for sound isolation? If so, might I suggest in-ear AND foam ear tips (purchased separately)? Those have given me far better isolation than any closed back headphone below $300, including those I own for studio tracking. They also don't mess up your hair :) The only downside is they can feel a little stuffy in your ear, in case you don't like that. The Edifier Neobud pro and Nothing Ear have served me well for work/Teams/Zoom. The neobuds seem to regularly go on sale for $100 (I bought my Gen1 Neobud for $89), and the lower model of the nothing Ear is $79. Foam earbud tips are less than $10 USD on Amazon If you must choose over ear, I own one of the mid-high JBL Quantums, and the lower model Quantum 200 is much more "conservative," with less flashy colors in case you want to avoid headphone+mics that look too "gamer," which many in this price will. Having used that same Logitech you own -- my old job would give them to us like candy, as we bought them in bulk -- the JBL is far more comfortable. Less slipping, too.

Adding: the other thing I didn't like about the Logitech was the mute button. You'd have to constantly look down to see if the light was blinking, and worry about hitting that button if you are trying to adjust volume quickly. The JBL Quantums have an auto mute when you flip the mic up. Some models have mute/volume controls on the headphone cups, as well. I personally prefer the in-line volume/mute control that came with mine (along the cable itself). It's a sliding switch that you can blindly feel. Slide up for mute, down to unmute. No chance of accidentally muting while adjusting volume.

whatever you get, buy a hardshell carry case immediately because the integrated boom mic and cans are an awful single point failure. if the mic breaks you still have to replace the whole thing. some tips make sure the mic is unidirectional not omni and try to sit with your back to the cafe noise since your body actually does a pretty good job of absorbing sound. for a headset boom arm, make sure the mic is actually facing your mouth and that the back of it is shielded. the foam cover should not go all the way around, only on the side facing you so it blocks noise coming from in front. avoid lav mics since they are omni directional and avoid desktop mics unless you are willing to carry a boom arm to keep it close to your mouth. i have had really good success with cheaper over ear models like the logitech headset h390 and the soundcore by anker q20i. they cost about 30 usd, have decent build quality, sound clear, and travel well in a hardshell carry case. avoid bluetooth if you can. cables give better performance and make up for lower quality components. the software environment matters a lot too. zoom has really good noise cancellation at all tiers. google meet and ms teams are pretty awful on the free tier, not sure about paid. you can also install software like krisp which creates a virtual sound device. it takes the signal from your mic or speakers and removes background noise before it hits the call. good luck!