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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• IPD IPH-160 — biggest strength: a monaural over-ear design with a Quick Disconnect to RJ9 setup that plugs straight into the headset port of a desk phone, plus acoustic shock protection that caps sudden loud peaks.
• IPD IPH-160 — biggest trade-off: it's a wired, desk-phone-specific headset. No USB, no softphone-first design, and the frequency range tops out at 10,000 Hz.
• Arama USB Headset — biggest strength: a USB connection with wideband audio and DSP, 180° rotating ear cups, a headband that extends an extra 35mm, and a 2m cable with a clip.
• Arama USB Headset — biggest trade-off: it's on-ear leather rather than over-ear foam, and it lives and dies by a computer — there's no RJ9 desk phone path.
• Who each is for: IPD IPH-160 for anyone wired into a Polycom, Avaya, Mitel, Nortel, Aastra or Samsung landline phone; Arama USB Headset for laptop, softphone and UC-platform users.
The IPD IPH-160 is a purpose-built desk phone headset, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. The connection is Quick Disconnect to RJ9 through a U10P bottom adapter, which means it goes into the headset port of a compatible landline phone and works immediately — plug and play, no drivers, no software. The compatibility list is genuinely broad: Polycom VVX models, the IP301 through IP600 range, and a long run of Avaya and Lucent sets including the 6400, 8400, 9400 and 4600 series. If your desk phone is on that list, this is the headset that was designed for it.
Who should skip it? Anyone whose calls happen on a computer. There's no USB connection here, and the wired RJ09 path locks you to a desk phone. It's also worth saying plainly: this is not a sleep headset. The specs point to an office and contact center tool. If you're hunting for the best wireless headphones for side sleepers, this isn't that product — it's wired, and it's monaural by design.
Arama USB Headset: Who It's For
The Arama USB Headset is the modern softphone answer. It connects over USB, ships with a USB-C adapter in the box, and needs no drivers — you plug it in and go. Compatibility covers Windows 2000 through 10, XP and Vista, Mac OS X, and most leading UC platforms and softphones, with Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and FaceTime named specifically. If your workday lives in a browser tab or a desktop app, this is the natural fit.
The audio specs are the headline difference. The Arama runs a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz frequency range against the IPD's 20 Hz to 10,000 Hz, and it layers in wideband audio plus Digital Signal Processing with a noise-cancelling microphone. In plain terms, that's a fuller, more detailed sound on both ends of the call. Impedance is 32 ohm, which is an easy load for a computer's USB audio path.
Comfort is where it gets interesting for anyone who cares about fit. The headband extends an extra 35mm, the ear cups rotate a full 180°, and the microphone swings through 290° of adjustment. That combination of rotation and extension is exactly the kind of geometry people search for when they want the best rotatable ear cups open ear headphones for side sleepers — the cups can lie flatter against a surface instead of digging in. The trade-off is the cushion material: it's on-ear leather rather than over-ear foam, so it presses on the ear instead of surrounding it. If you specifically want a memory foam ear cushions headphone for side sleepers, the IPD's foam cushions are the closer match of the two, even though neither is a true sleep design.
The cable is 2m (6.56ft) with a cable clip included, so you can move around a workstation without dragging a tangle across the desk. Volume sits on a remote inline control. Arama backs it with a 2-year warranty and roughly a decade of headset industry experience behind the brand.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for computer and softphone use → Arama USB Headset. USB plug-and-play with a USB-C adapter, no drivers needed.
• Best for audio range and clarity → Arama USB Headset. 20 Hz–20,000 Hz with wideband audio, DSP and a noise-cancelling mic beats the IPD's 10,000 Hz ceiling.
• Best for acoustic safety on loud lines → IPD IPH-160. The acoustic shock protection circuit caps peaks above 105dB.
• Best for fit adjustment → Arama USB Headset. 35mm of headband extension, 180° rotating ear cups and a 290° microphone arm.
• Best for open-ear awareness during shifts → IPD IPH-160. Monaural design keeps one ear free to hear the room.
• Best for cable management → Arama USB Headset. 2m cable plus an included cable clip.
• Best for cushion feel → IPD IPH-160. Soft foam cushions, 216g total weight, built for all-day wear.
In my opinion, the Arama USB Headset is the one I'd buy for a modern setup — the USB connection, the wider frequency range, the DSP and the genuinely flexible fit make it the more versatile tool for laptop, softphone and webinar work. The IPD IPH-160 is the better pick only if you're anchored to a physical desk phone that's on its compatibility list, and in that case its acoustic shock protection and monaural comfort make it a smart, purpose-built choice. If side sleepers are your actual concern, neither is a sleep headset, but the Arama's rotating cups and extendable headband make it the more forgiving of the two when you're reclining.
Both work, but it depends on your phone system. IPD IPH-160 for physical desk phones like Polycom, Avaya or Mitel. Arama USB Headset for computer-based softphones and UC platforms.
Can I use the Arama USB Headset with a landline desk phone?
They work differently. IPD IPH-160 uses passive noise cancellation with a noise control method driven by voice, plus an acoustic shock protection circuit. Arama USB Headset uses sound isolation with an active noise-cancelling microphone and DSP.
The IPD IPH-160 is lighter at 216g with soft foam cushions and a monaural fit. The Arama USB Headset offers more adjustability with 35mm headband extension and 180° rotating ear cups, but uses on-ear leather cushions.
Both are positioned as affordable work headsets, and pricing moves around. Check the current price on Amazon for each before deciding, since the value math depends on what you're paying at the time.
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