We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a plug-and-play USB headset with a boom mic you can swing out of the way, choose EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB; if you need a lightweight stereo headset with a voice-tube mic and a 3.5mm quick-disconnect setup for a deskphone or adapter-based workflow, choose HP Poly EncorePro 520V.
• EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB — biggest strength: a complete USB-A office package: over-ear protein leather cushions, a 330° rotatable noise-cancelling boom mic, in-line volume and mute, DSP plus acoustic shock protection, and broad OS/softphone compatibility.
• EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB — biggest trade-off: it's a wired USB-A headset only, the noise control is passive rather than active, and it's heavier-feeling on the head than a supra-aural design.
• HP Poly EncorePro 520V — biggest strength: a slim, stereo, on-ear headset with a voice-tube microphone, a 3.5mm mini-phone jack, and a quick-disconnect cable that's only about 2.58 ft, which suits tidy desk setups.
• HP Poly EncorePro 520V — biggest trade-off: it does not include its own USB audio path or in-line controls, and the short cable means many users will need a separate adapter or extension to reach comfortably.
• Pick EMAIKER if you want one wired USB headset for softphones, dictation, and meetings straight out of the box.
• Pick HP Poly EncorePro 520V if you want a light on-ear stereo headset with a voice-tube mic and quick-disconnect convenience.
The EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB headset is built around one idea: give an office or work-from-home user everything they need for voice in a single wired package. It's an over-ear design with oval earpieces and protein leather cushions, so the cups surround your ears rather than press on them — which matters if you're on calls for hours. The microphone arm rotates up to 330°, so you can park the boom out of the way when you're not talking, and the adjustable clip-stop headband helps you dial in the fit.
On the audio side, it uses 40mm dynamic drivers with a 32 ohm impedance and a 50 Hz to 10 kHz frequency range, tuned for speech rather than music. The noise control here is passive — the closed over-ear cups and oval, noise-cancelling earmuffs physically block some office chatter — plus a noise-cancelling microphone on the boom. It also includes digital signal processing, acoustic shock protection, and a hearing protection circuit, which are the kind of safeguards you'd want on a headset used for dictation and long calls. Controls live on the cable: in-line volume and a microphone mute button, so you don't have to hunt through software menus mid-meeting.
Connectivity is USB-A, wired, and it's pitched at a wide spread of systems — Windows versions including XP through 11, macOS X, iOS, Android, tablets, and PCs — plus softphones from Microsoft, Avaya, 3CX, Webex, and others. EMAIKER also positions it for Dragon dictation, telework, call centers, online courses, webinars, and recording.
Who should buy it: anyone who wants a single USB headset that handles softphone calls, dictation, and video meetings without extra adapters, and who values over-ear comfort and a mic they can swing away.
Who should skip it: if you specifically want active noise cancellation, a wireless option, or a featherweight on-ear fit, this isn't the one — it's a wired, passive-noise-control, over-ear headset, and that's the whole point.
The HP Poly EncorePro 520V takes a different route. It's a binaural (stereo) over-the-head, on-ear headset — supra-aural, meaning the pads rest on your ears rather than enclosing them. It's black with faux leather padding and weighs 6.4 ounces, so it's a light headset designed to sit comfortably for long stretches without the bulk of full over-ear cups.
The microphone is a voice-tube type, which is a classic call-center approach: sound travels up a tube to the mic element, keeping the pickup close to your mouth without a bulky boom. Audio is handled by a dynamic driver with a 20 Hz to 10 kHz frequency range — a wider low-end reach than the EMAIKER's 50 Hz floor, though both top out at 10 kHz. Sound mode is stereo, so you get both channels rather than a single mono feed.
Where it differs most is connectivity. It terminates in a mini-phone 3.5mm jack and the cable is just 2.58 ft, paired with a quick disconnect. That's a deliberate design: the short cable and QD plug are meant for a deskphone base, a headset adapter, or a docking station where the headset connects and disconnects fast. The HP Poly EncorePro 520V lists active noise cancellation as its noise-control method.
Who should buy it: someone with an existing 3.5mm or quick-disconnect infrastructure — a deskphone, a headset adapter, or a dock — who wants a light stereo on-ear headset with a voice-tube mic and fast disconnect.
Who should skip it: if you don't already have a 3.5mm or QD-ready setup and want to plug straight into a computer, this headset will likely need an adapter you don't have, and the 2.58 ft cable is short for reaching around a desk.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for light, long-session wear → HP Poly EncorePro 520V. At 6.4 ounces with on-ear supra-aural pads, it's the lighter-feeling of the two.
• Best for mic control → EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB. The 330° rotatable boom with a noise-cancelling mic gives you more placement flexibility than a fixed voice tube.
• Best for tidy, adapter-based desk setups → HP Poly EncorePro 520V. The 2.58 ft cable and quick disconnect are made for deskphone and dock workflows.
• Best for closed-cup isolation → EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB. Over-ear protein leather cups block more ambient office noise than on-ear pads.
• Best for plug-and-play into a laptop → EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB. USB-A straight in; no 3.5mm adapter required.
• Best for stereo audio balance → HP Poly EncorePro 520V. It's explicitly stereo binaural with a 20 Hz to 10 kHz range.
• Best for hearing-protection features → EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB. DSP, acoustic shock protection, and a hearing protection circuit are called out in its design.
For most people reading this, I'd buy the EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB. In my opinion, it's the more complete office headset: USB-A plug-and-play, in-line volume and mute, a rotatable noise-cancelling boom mic, over-ear protein leather comfort, and hearing-protection circuitry — all aimed at the softphone, dictation, and meeting work most of us actually do.
I'd choose the HP Poly EncorePro 520V only if I already had a 3.5mm or quick-disconnect setup and specifically wanted a light on-ear stereo headset with a voice-tube mic and fast disconnect. If you're unsure whether the extra adapters are worth it, check the current price on Amazon and compare before you commit.
what is noise cancelling headset
A noise cancelling headset is a headset designed to reduce unwanted sound so you can hear and be heard more clearly. It can work in two ways: passively, using closed ear cups and padding to physically block noise, or actively, using electronics to cancel ambient sound. Many headsets also pair this with a noise-cancelling microphone that focuses on your voice while cutting background chatter.
what is the difference between active and passive noise cancellation
Passive noise cancellation relies on the physical design — sealed over-ear cups and dense padding — to block sound before it reaches your ears. Active noise cancellation uses built-in electronics to counteract ambient noise. The EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB uses passive noise cancellation, while the HP Poly EncorePro 520V lists active noise cancellation as its noise-control method.
what is a voice tube microphone
A voice tube microphone routes sound from your mouth through a small tube to the microphone element inside the headset. It keeps the pickup close to your mouth without a long boom arm, which is why it shows up on lightweight call-center headsets. The HP Poly EncorePro 520V uses a voice-tube microphone, while the EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB uses a rotatable boom mic instead.
can I use a 3.5mm headset with a USB computer
Not directly. A 3.5mm mini-phone headset like the HP Poly EncorePro 520V needs a matching 3.5mm jack or an adapter to connect to a USB-only computer. If you want to plug straight into a laptop or PC without adapters, the EMAIKER Noise Canceling USB, which connects over USB-A, is the simpler choice.
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