Audio Technica StreamSet Adds Wireless Desktop Audio

Audio-Technica has added a wireless model to its StreamSet headset range. The ATH-M50xSTS-WL combines closed-back headphones with a boom microphone, giving desktop listeners who also stream, chat or record a single device for both jobs.

Listed at $299 in the US, it sits above entry-level headset prices. Its appeal is the combination of music listening and microphone duties, rather than being the cheapest way to hear music from a computer.

Quick Reference

• Product: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xSTS-WL wireless StreamSet headset
• Price: US $299; UK pricing not confirmed here
• Wireless: 2.4GHz connection using the supplied USB transceiver
• Hardware: 45mm headphone drivers and a cardioid condenser boom microphone
• Battery: Up to 24 hours claimed; weight: 365g without cable

Wireless Without Bluetooth

The headset uses a dedicated 2.4GHz USB transceiver rather than Bluetooth. Audio-Technica describes the connection as low latency, aimed at keeping what you hear closely aligned with what happens on screen. Check compatibility with your particular computer or console before ordering.

USB wired operation is available while charging, so running the battery down need not end a session. Two types of earpad are supplied, including mesh pads, giving you a choice of fit and feel.

A Microphone For More Than Chat

The flexible boom carries a condenser microphone with a cardioid pickup pattern, designed to favour sound from the front. Raising the boom mutes it. Adjustable microphone noise reduction is intended to cut unwanted background sound in your outgoing voice; it is not the same thing as noise cancellation for the music you hear.

Sidetone lets you hear your own voice through the headphones. That can make speaking while wearing closed-back headphones feel less strange. These are useful features for a desk that doubles as a listening space and a place to make videos, but their real-world sound and comfort still need a hands-on test.

What The Terms Mean

Driver: The part that produces sound inside a headphone.

Closed-back: Earcups with enclosed backs.

Cardioid: A microphone pickup pattern focused mainly in front.

Latency: Delay between an event and its sound.

Sidetone: Your microphone signal fed back into your headphones.

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