Can You Hear Me? Optimize Your Work From Home Set-Up With These Distraction-Proof Headphones

Can You Hear Me? Optimize Your Work From Home Set-Up With These Distraction-Proof Headphones

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Listen: Invest in the best pair of headphones that fits well for your work from home situation, especially since this might be our reality for the foreseeable future.
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There have been many assumptions debunked over the current course of the coronavirus crisis. Most glaringly, the world was confronted with the fact that many healthcare systems are in languishing, deplorable, and inexcusable states, and conversely, much of the strong-man type of leaderships once thought to change the course of history and progress ended up non-committal and regressive than anything else. Also, it was made clear that for many states, there is little to no concrete plan to curtail the pandemic, and instead, we are left fending for ourselves to make things better. And then there are more insular revelations, such as the fact that a work from home set-up, once thought as a way out of the work routine turns out to be more exhausting. Oh, and with everything shifting to a digital system, the most curious eye-opener is how your regular, run-of-the-mill earphones, you know, the ones that come with box of your smartphone, won’t cut it in the many Zoom calls and Google Meets you have to juggle in a work week.
At this point, a considerable chunk of the population have eased into a work from home set-up, repurposing a corner of their home into an office. While investments have been made with better tables, ergonomic chairs, perhaps a sprucing of the space or so, headphones have been left off the list. Sure, you can content yourself with that flimsy earphones you own, but it will do you little favors when it comes to keeping the distractions at bay such as your new officemates (aka whoever you live with at home), the barking of the neighbor’s dog, and the incessant noise from nearby home constructions. This discomfort becomes most apparent during virtual sessions at work, where the now oft-used phrase: “Can you hear me?” gets thrown a lot just as much as the freeze frames that have become part and parcel of working from home.

The solution is simple, really. Get a better pair of headphones, because at this point, clear, crisp, and consistent communication is key to a successful and seamless work from home situation. There’s no going around it for the foreseeable future, because while the pandemic punishes and persists, more and more companies are considering this standard, with a lot pushing a return to the office until the next year, if at all. Besides, earphones and headphones aren’t just made for hearing, because with all its innovations, it also functions as a microphone for all that talking, as well as an arbiter of roles between your phone, the screen, and your computer. Consider it a wise buy, especially if you have found yourself going through many earphones at an alarming wear-and-tear rate.
Listen, we’ve rounded up and road-tested several smart options to up your work from home set-up, featuring these distraction-proof headphones that will turn your day-to-day efficient, productive, and when it is time to clock out, ready for that thumping and pulsating party for one in your room.
Take our word for it. You’ll thank us later, promise.

MONTBLANC MB 01
As synonymous as it is with craftsmanship and design, Montblanc has fully entrenched itself in innovation from revolutionizing the culture of writing, advancing its position in luxury with watches, as well as with leather goods and fragrances. This time, however, it clears a path in its product line with the introduction of its first smart headphones. Designed for unerring comfort, unequivocal functionality, and uncompromising quality, the Montblanc MB 01 is a seamless product of design and development, as it was crafted by an experienced team of award-winning engineers and designers, achieving a topnotch sound quality and unparalleled aesthetic.
Led by sound expert and visionary, Alex Rosson, an acoustic mastery and audio engineering expertise was lent to the production of the headphones, where it is also charged with the advance wireless, active noise cancelling, and clear voice capture technology, Google Assistant activation, universal compatibility for iOS and Android systems, and a battery life of 20 hours. Coming in black leather with chrome metal finishes, brown leather, with gold metal finishes, and light gray leather with polished metal finishes, the Montblanc MB 01 is a snazzy and sensible addition to your upgraded home office.

SONY WH1000X M3
Nobody likes total silence, but when in the context of say, long-haul travel, a moment out and about in commute, or work from home, it is almost paramount to subscribe to pockets of quiet, especially when focus is required. Recognizing this necessity when it comes to developing the next generation of headphones, Sony has taken a more immersive approach to noise canceling, a virtual type of soundproofing that doesn’t limit hearing, but more innovatively, adapts to your surroundings and the level of silence one needs at a given time.
In the form of the wireless WH1000X M3, a third-gen iteration of its superior 1000X series, Sony immediately whisks you away to a semblance of silence the moment you put the headphones on, which fits snugly over the head, with ample cushioning that provides comfort even when you rest your head horizontally. Built with its most advanced technology, HD Noise Canceling Processor QN1, there is great consideration to make sure listening isn’t compromised with its advancements, which is often a collateral in these expansions. Highly effective, it blocks out daily noise, such as voices and background noise, enveloping you in your music or your work call. In terms of sound, you can enjoy high-resolution audio content in exceptional quality with its wireless audio, including a great appreciation for frequencies and most importantly, the bass.
Perhaps its more unique advancements include the Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically detects your activity like traveling, walking, and waiting, adjusting sound settings appropriate for the situation. And if you need to communicate in the middle of it all, you can do so without fumbling to take the Sony WH1000X M3 off. Simply hover your hand over the right side and turn the volume down for conversation. Touch controls are easier to toggle where you can answer calls with a double tap, changing tracks and adjusting volumes with just swipe, and even getting to use the voice assistant-enabled system for smoother easing from one function to the next.
To put it simply, the Sony WH1000X M3 is like disappearing into a void or a completely different world, which is true, especially when we need to zone in or out, or just need to get lost in a moment. And don’t we need a lot of that these days?
 
SONY MDR XB55OAP
For the Sony MDR XB55OAP it is all about the bass, the super kind, in fact. Crafted to enjoy the hard-hitting thump and depth of heart-pounding sounds, this bold and eye-catching variation of their headphone selection is a must-have especially if you like your music to dip down low and explode in euphoria in you ear. But more than just the party in your head build-up, it also functions pretty well when you work from home, making you fundamentally hear with great precision as it also focuses on mid-range and high frequencies. In terms of microphone abilities, your voice becomes clearer to the opposite parties, mediating a more optimized conversation.
But it really shines the most with its engaging reception of sound, which is impressive, big in its boom, and precise. Without compromising the other levels, it offers an enhanced conjunction of sound, considering everything from smooth vocals to high-intensity productions. In fact, it uniquely seems to warm up the audio, adding that bounce to your listening experience. Bold in style and powerful in sound, the plugged-in Sony MDR XB55OAP could do better when it comes to fit, but it more than makes up for it with soft cushioned earpads that offset the space the headphones occupies.
Overall, if you want something to seamlessly switch between a work necessity and a good time a little after, this pair is your best bet. Even if it is just for its dedication to the bass and an assortment of delicious colors, you won’t be regretting this choice, for sure.
 
SONY WF 1000XM3
If you want the standout noise canceling ability and the sound quality of the Sony WH 1000XM3, but you cannot be bothered with an overhead headphone type of deal, then you might want to consider the Sony WF1000XM3, a more compact version as if the greater predecessor has gone through some Honey-I-Shrunk-The-Kids situation.
Realized in the more popular form of earbuds, the continuing legacy of the 1000X series prides itself with the same fantastic sound and most effective innovations of its older sibling, but this time, it features much more premium for steady Bluetooth connection with its support for AAC, as well as sensible touch-panel toggle controls on each earbud for adjustments and function transitions. Priding itself with up to six hours of continuous playback, which compounds to three full charges in its bulky case, there is also a built-in support for Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Apple’s Siri.
A long-term investment for your work from home reality, especially if you’re one who wants a seamless effect when doing conference calls, Instagram Live interviews, or simply just preferring a less in the way contraption, the Sony WF 1000XM3 fits just right in, figuratively and literally with its features and its thoughtful attention to things such as provision for multiple-sized ear tips for better fit and an easy-to-use interface, as well as microphone adjustments, which to our hands-on experience didn’t once pose warbled vocals. Instead, what we got was a piece of technology that performed best for all our work from home and day-to-day needs such as good music in between all that dizzying amount of meetings, discussions, and virtual catch-ups. All you have to do is simple really: plug it in, be productive, and then press play.

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