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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO — biggest strength: a real hybrid driver setup (10mm dual magnetic dynamic driver plus a 30095 balanced armature) in a zinc alloy and resin shell, with a detachable C PIN 3.5mm cable and a mic version available.
• Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO — biggest trade-off: it's wired only, uses a 3.5mm jack, and the all-in-one control button does not support volume control.
• EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic — biggest strength: a direct replacement boom mic for SteelSeries Arctis 1 headsets, built to match the original microphone across Arctis 1 PS4 Pro, PS5, Xbox One X and PC setups, with 60-day refund and 12-month warranty coverage.
• EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic — biggest trade-off: it is not a headphone at all. It's a mic boom for one specific headset family, so it's useless if you don't own an Arctis 1.
• Buy the Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO if you want one wired in-ear pair that does gaming, music and monitoring with a cable you can swap.
• Buy the EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic if your Arctis 1 headset's mic died, got lost or crackles, and you want to keep the headset instead of replacing the whole thing.
The KZ ZSN PRO X is an in-ear monitor, not a headset, and that distinction matters. Inside each earpiece you get a 10mm dual magnetic dynamic driver handling the low end and a 30095 balanced armature driver covering high frequencies. That hybrid arrangement, tuned by an acoustic team according to the spec sheet, is why the frequency response is described as wider and vocals as richer and clearer. In practice, that means footsteps, gunfire, ambient cues and voice chat all sit in a reasonably separated space instead of mushing together the way cheap single-driver buds often do.
Who should buy it: someone who wants one wired pair for gaming, music listening and basic monitoring, and who values a replaceable cable because that's usually the first thing to fail. Musicians and IEM-curious gamers fit here too. Who should skip it: anyone who wants wireless freedom, anyone who needs true volume buttons on the cable, and anyone who wants an over-ear headset with a boom mic rather than an inline mic. If you're in that last group, keep reading.
EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic: Who It's For
This one is a single-purpose part, and it's honest about that. The EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic is a detachable microphone boom made for SteelSeries Arctis 1 headsets — the Arctis 1 Wireless, and Arctis 1 units used with PS4 Pro, PS5, Xbox One X and PC. The listing states it's 100% compatible with the original microphone, which is the whole point: you slide the old boom out of the earcup jack, slide this one in, and you're back in voice chat.
It's a 3.5mm jack connection, weighs essentially nothing at 0.01 kg, and comes in black plastic to match the headset. The spec sheet lists a dynamic driver, a 20–22,000 Hz frequency range and noise cancelling, and describes active noise cancellation with remote control method — though for a boom mic, the practical takeaway is simply that it's designed to pick up your voice while cutting down background noise. The manufacturer backs it with a 60-day refund window and a 12-month warranty plus 24/7 email support, which is unusually explicit for a replacement part and tells you the brand expects people to actually use it as a fix, not a novelty.
Who should buy it: Arctis 1 owners whose mic is lost, snapped, or producing static. That's the buyer. Who should skip it: everyone else. If you own a different headset brand, or you're looking for headphones, this product does nothing for you. It's a repair part, and it's excellent at exactly one job.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for replacing a broken Arctis 1 mic → EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic. That's its entire reason to exist.
• Best for music and monitoring → Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO. Wider frequency response and richer vocals are the stated goals of the tuning.
• Best for cable longevity → Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO. Detachable C PIN cable means you replace the cable, not the earphones.
• Best for an all-in-one wired solution → Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO. The mic version gives you audio and voice in one 3.5mm plug.
• Best for keeping existing hardware alive → EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic. Cheaper than a new headset in spirit and in purpose, and it preserves the Arctis 1 you already like.
• Best for plug-and-play with no adaptation → EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic. No tuning, no fit adjustments, no cable routing. Out and in.
• Best for freedom from wires → neither. The Kinboofi is wired via 3.5mm, and the EXMUMCMR is a wired boom for a headset. If wireless is non-negotiable, look elsewhere.
In my opinion, the Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO is the better buy for most people reading this, because it's a complete product that covers gaming, music and monitoring, and its detachable cable gives it a longer practical life. I'd only steer you to the EXMUMCMR Replacement Game Mic if you already own a SteelSeries Arctis 1 and its mic is the only thing broken — in that case it's the smart, targeted fix. Different jobs, different answers. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's the one variable I won't guess at.
are studio headphones better than gaming headsets
Not universally. Studio-style in-ears like the Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO often give you better driver hardware and clearer separation, which helps with positional cues, but they lack a boom mic and headset-style controls. Gaming headsets win on convenience and integrated voice chat. It comes down to whether you want audio quality or an all-in-one package.
what headphones do pro gamers use
That varies a lot by game and by player, so there's no single answer. What the specs here show is that in-ear monitors with hybrid drivers, like the Kinboofi's 10mm dynamic plus 30095 balanced armature, are a legitimate competitive option because of their detail and isolation. Many players also use over-ear headsets with detachable boom mics like the Arctis 1.
do all headphones have mics
No. Plenty of headphones and in-ear monitors ship without any microphone at all. The Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO comes in a "With Mic" version with an inline control button, so if voice chat matters, pick that variant. The EXMUMCMR is not headphones — it's a standalone replacement boom mic for Arctis 1 headsets.
can studio headphones be used for gaming
Yes, and in-ears like the Kinboofi KZ ZSN PRO are a common choice for it. The 25 ohm impedance makes them easy to drive from a controller or motherboard jack, and the sound isolation helps block room noise. The catch is you won't get a boom mic, so plan on a separate mic or the inline mic version.
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