How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wired USB computer headset with a noise-canceling boom mic for calls, dictation and long work sessions on a PC or Mac, choose Andrea Communications NC-255VM; if you need attachable headphones built specifically to clip onto a PlayStation VR2 headset for immersive gaming, choose Bionik Mantis Attachable VR.
• Andrea Communications NC-255VM — biggest strength: a proprietary noise-canceling microphone on a heavy-duty flex boom with internal windscreens, plus in-line volume and both mic and speaker mute, all over a single USB plug.
• Andrea Communications NC-255VM — biggest trade-off: it's a wired, USB-only headset built for computers. No 3.5 mm jack, no wireless, no console or VR use.
• Bionik Mantis Attachable VR — biggest strength: it clips directly onto the PlayStation VR2 headband, flips on or off your ear, and consolidates the hardware so there's nothing separate to wear or store.
• Bionik Mantis Attachable VR — biggest trade-off: it's a purpose-built VR accessory. Its 3.5 mm jack and clip design are aimed at the PSVR2 (and PlayStation VR), not at desktop voice work.
• Who each pick is for: the Andrea is for the person who spends the day talking into a microphone on a computer. The Mantis is for the person who lives inside a PSVR2 headset and wants sound attached to it.
This is a work headset, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. The headline feature is the microphone: a proprietary noise-canceling design with internal windscreens that cut down breath popping, mounted on a heavy-duty flex boom that swivels so you can park the mic exactly where you want it. If your voice is the product — support calls, remote meetings, voice notes, dictation — that boom and those windscreens are the parts that matter most. The 40 mm stereo drivers handle the listening side with deep bass, and the plush, extra-thick leatherette on-ear cushions are replaceable, which is a small detail that matters a lot if you wear a headset for hours every day. The adjustable headband rounds out the comfort story.
The controls are refreshingly old-school practical. An in-line module gives you up/down volume plus separate mute for the microphone and the speakers — so you can kill your mic without killing your audio, or the reverse. The cable is extra-long, which is the kind of spec you only appreciate once you've yanked a short one out of your ear mid-sentence. Connectivity is a single USB plug with a built-in USB sound card, so the headset carries its own audio processing rather than leaning on whatever your machine's jack happens to do. It's listed as compatible with Windows XP through Windows 10, plus Mac OS X 10.5 and higher.
Who should buy it: anyone whose day is built around a computer and a microphone. Call center work, home office meetings, transcription, language learning, online teaching — the noise-canceling boom mic and the mute controls are the reason to pick this over a generic pair of headphones. Who should skip it: console players, VR users, and anyone who wants to move around untethered. There's no wireless here and no 3.5 mm option, so it lives where the USB port lives.
The Mantis solves a specific, very real annoyance: wearing a second pair of headphones on top of a VR headset. Instead of doubling up, these clip onto the headset band and flip on or off your ear with a simple movement. Once mounted, they become part of the headset — one piece of hardware to put on, one piece to store. If you've ever fumbled with earbuds while already blind to the room around you, that consolidation is the whole point.
The design leans into the PSVR2's look, in white and black with silicone enclosure material, and it's built to complement the headset's color scheme rather than clash with it. Audio comes from dynamic drivers with a stated frequency range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, which covers the full audible span you'd expect from a gaming headphone. The included soft replacement pads use an over-ear design to block ambient noise, and the unit also works on the original PlayStation VR. Connection is a 3.5 mm jack wired directly into the headset, and the item is listed with a voice control control type and push-button control method, with sound isolation as the noise control approach. Bionik positions the benefit plainly: less ear fatigue than regular headphones or earbuds, and a more immersive, in-the-game feel.
Who should buy it: PSVR2 owners who are tired of stacking headphones over a headset, and who want the audio to travel with the headset instead of being a separate object. Who should skip it: PC users who need a microphone for talking. There's no boom mic here, no noise-canceling mic array, no in-line mute — this is a listening accessory for VR, not a communications headset. It also won't help you on a laptop, a phone, or anything without that 3.5 mm connection into a PlayStation VR setup.
• Best for microphone quality and voice work → Andrea Communications NC-255VM. The noise-canceling boom mic with internal windscreens and swivel placement is the standout feature of the whole comparison.
• Best for VR gaming immersion → Bionik Mantis Attachable VR. It clips to the PSVR2 band, flips on or off your ear, and eliminates the double-headphone problem.
• Best for mute and volume control at your desk → Andrea Communications NC-255VM. In-line up/down volume plus separate mic and speaker mute is exactly what a work headset needs.
• Best for consolidated hardware → Bionik Mantis Attachable VR. It connects directly to the headset so there's nothing extra to wear or store.
• Best for long-session comfort while talking → Andrea Communications NC-255VM. Adjustable headband and replaceable plush leatherette on-ear cushions are built for all-day wear.
• Best for ambient noise blocking while gaming → Bionik Mantis Attachable VR. The included soft replacement pads use an over-ear design specifically to block ambient noise.
• Best for PC and Mac compatibility out of the box → Andrea Communications NC-255VM. Windows XP through Windows 10 and Mac OS X 10.5+ are listed, via a single USB plug with a built-in sound card.
• Best for PlayStation ecosystem fit → Bionik Mantis Attachable VR. Compatibility is listed for PlayStation VR2 and PlayStation VR, with a 3.5 mm jack that plugs straight into the headset.
In my opinion, these two aren't really competing for the same buyer — they're competing for the same slot on your head, and only one of them belongs there. If you talk for a living, I'd buy the Andrea Communications NC-255VM. The noise-canceling boom mic, the swivel placement, the in-line volume and dual mute, the replaceable cushions — that's a tool built around voice, and it's the one I'd reach for every morning. I'd only pick the Bionik Mantis if a PlayStation VR2 is your main screen and your problem is headphones fighting with a headset. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing that can tip a close call like this.
An on-ear headset rests on top of your outer ear rather than surrounding it. The Andrea Communications NC-255VM is an example: its earpieces are specified as on-ear, with plush leatherette cushions that sit against the ear and help reduce background noise.
An over-ear headset surrounds the whole ear with a larger cup. The Bionik Mantis Attachable VR uses an over-ear design, and the included soft replacement pads are over-ear specifically to block ambient noise — useful when you want to shut out the room while gaming.
You position the earpiece over or on one ear and adjust the band so it stays put. On the Andrea NC-255VM, the adjustable headband sets the fit and the heavy-duty flex boom swivels so you can bring the microphone to the corner of your mouth without moving the earpiece.
If you mean swinging an earpiece out of the way, that's exactly what the Bionik Mantis is designed for — it clips onto the headset band and can flip on or off your ear with ease, so you can hear the room without removing the whole setup.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Mad Catz Tritton ARK 100 vs dreamGEAR Bionik Sirex Gaming, TRANSFORMERS MG-C03 vs The Next Beat Sound: Low Latency, Dronoval Motorola APX 6000 vs stdgove Ear Clip Wrap