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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-26 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Discover D713U — biggest strength: A low-profile over-ear earpiece with a boom-style voice pickup, USB-A and USB-C plug-and-play, and cord-based volume and mute controls — built purely for computer calls and meetings.
• Discover D713U — biggest trade-off: It only works wired over USB, so there is no Bluetooth freedom and no gaming-tuned audio; it is a communication tool, not an entertainment headset.
• Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform Over-Ear — biggest strength: 50mm dynamic drivers, 24-hour battery life, Bluetooth 5.2 plus an included wireless transmitter, and a removable boom mic — a genuine multi-platform gaming and streaming headset.
• Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform Over-Ear — biggest trade-off: It is a heavier, larger over-ear design at 315 g, and getting the most out of its software features means installing Skullcandy's app rather than just plugging in.
• Who each pick is for: The Discover D713U suits office and remote workers living in Zoom, Teams, Cisco, Avaya or RingCentral; the Skullcandy PLYR suits gamers and streamers who want one headset across Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Switch.
The Discover D713U is a wired earpiece headset built around one job: making your voice sound professional on computer calls. It connects over USB-A or USB-C with no extra software, so you plug it into a laptop or desktop and it is ready for Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco, Avaya or RingCentral. The microphone is an electret condenser type — the same class used in professional audio gear — and it is designed to focus on your voice rather than the noise around you. There is active noise cancellation in the mix too, plus a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range and 32-ohm impedance, which is a normal, easy-to-drive spec for USB audio.
The design is the real selling point here. Instead of a headband, you get an around-the-ear hook with a swiveling ball joint, an adjustable clamp, and three silicone ear tip sizes so you can fit it properly and wear it on either ear. If headbands give you headaches or mess up your hair, this is the alternative. On the cord you get volume up, volume down and mute/unmute, so you are not hunting through software mid-call. The build includes a Kevlar-reinforced cord and a three-year advanced replacement warranty, which is a long coverage window for a headset in this category.
Buy it if you spend your day on voice calls and want something light, wired, and fuss-free. Skip it if you want to listen to music wirelessly, game on a console, or move away from your desk — the D713U is tethered by design and its audio is tuned for speech, not entertainment. Also skip it if you strongly prefer a traditional headband; this is deliberately not that.
The Skullcandy PLYR is a wireless, over-ear gaming headset that tries to cover every platform you own. You can connect over Bluetooth 5.2 with roughly 10 meters of range, or use the included ultra-low-latency wireless transmitter for PC, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. For Xbox, you plug the bundled cable straight into your controller. That dual-connectivity approach means you can jump into a stream wirelessly and then switch to a wired console session without changing headsets.
The audio side is aimed at gaming. It uses 50mm dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz to 20 kHz range, 32-ohm impedance and 95 dB sensitivity, and Skullcandy's Enhanced Sound Perception tuning adjusts output to your hearing so quieter cues — footsteps, distant blasts — come through. The mic setup is unusual in a good way: a Clear Voice Smart Mic uses AI to isolate your voice, and there are microphones in the headset body as well as the boom, so you can still communicate clearly with the boom removed. Battery life is rated at 24 hours, and charge time is listed at 24 hours as well.
Controls are touch-based for volume, with active noise cancellation on board, and deeper features like game/chat mix, equalizer controls and sidetone are handled through Skullcandy's software on desktop or mobile. It ships with a 3.5mm cable, a USB-A to USB-C cable, the removable boom mic and a carrying case, and it carries a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for all-day computer calls → Discover D713U. Wired USB-A/USB-C, no software, cord-based mute and volume.
• Best for gaming across Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Switch → Skullcandy PLYR. Bluetooth 5.2, an included wireless transmitter, and controller plug-in for Xbox.
• Best for battery life → Skullcandy PLYR. 24-hour rated battery with a 24-hour charge time.
• Best for a lightweight, headband-free fit → Discover D713U. Around-the-ear hook, swiveling ball joint, adjustable clamp, three ear tip sizes.
• Best for audio detail and immersion → Skullcandy PLYR. 50mm dynamic drivers, Enhanced Sound Perception, 95 dB sensitivity.
• Best for microphone isolation on business calls → Discover D713U. Electret condenser mic with noise-canceling focus on your voice.
• Best for music and streaming → Skullcandy PLYR. Over-ear drivers tuned well beyond speech.
• Best for warranty length → Discover D713U. Three-year advanced replacement versus Skullcandy's one-year manufacturer warranty.
• Best for plug-and-forget simplicity → Discover D713U. If you hate apps and settings menus, the D713U just works.
If I had to pick one, I would buy the Discover D713U for work calls and the Skullcandy PLYR for play — but forced to choose a single winner for the average buyer reading this, I would lean Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform Over-Ear. In my opinion it does more things well: wireless freedom, big drivers, a clever dual-mic setup, and genuine multi-platform support. The D713U is the better tool if your day is nothing but voice meetings — lighter, simpler, and backed by a longer warranty — but it cannot follow you to a console or a couch. Pick based on whether your priority is clear calls or one headset for everything.
what is over ear headset
An over-ear headset is one where the earpieces sit around and cover your ear rather than resting on top of it. Both products here are listed as over-ear designs, though the Discover D713U uses a compact around-the-ear hook while the Skullcandy PLYR uses full over-ear cups.
what is the best over ear headset
There is no single best one — it depends on the job. In my opinion, the Skullcandy PLYR is the stronger pick for gaming and mixed entertainment, while the Discover D713U is the better choice for computer calls and meetings. Match the headset to how you will actually use it.
what are over ear headsets
They are headsets with ear cups that surround the ear, usually for longer listening sessions and better isolation. The Discover D713U is a low-profile over-ear earpiece for calls, and the Skullcandy PLYR is a full over-ear gaming headset with a 50mm driver and a removable boom mic.
what is on ear headset
An on-ear headset rests against the outside of your ear instead of enclosing it, which often feels lighter but isolates less. Neither product here is on-ear — both are listed as over-ear — so if you specifically want that lighter on-ear feel, you would be looking at a different category.
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See also: New Bee 2 vs Skullcandy PLYR Multi-Platform, Skullcandy Hesh 3 vs TOZO HT3: Large Over Ear Headphones, Gcioii 3 vs Jesebang Earbuds: Over Ear Hook Earbuds