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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want inline control over game and chat balance without ever leaving the controller, choose LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter; if you need a boom mic that turns your existing headphones into a proper gaming headset, choose ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. They both promise "volume control on a cable," and that's exactly why people get them confused. But they solve two completely different problems, and picking the wrong one wastes both your time and your money.
• LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter — biggest strength: a dedicated adapter that plugs into the bottom of an Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S controller and puts game/chat balance, volume and mic mute right on the controller, so you never open the system's chat mixer mid-match.
• LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter — biggest trade-off: it's a single-purpose Xbox accessory. No Xbox controller, no use. It also doesn't add a microphone — you still need a headset that already has one.
• ABLET Cable Boom Microphone — biggest strength: a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable with a detachable, flexible boom mic, rotary volume dial and mute switch that upgrades ordinary headphones into a headset for PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC, laptop, tablet and phone.
• ABLET Cable Boom Microphone — biggest trade-off: it's a cable, not a controller dock, so there's nothing to plug into the controller itself, and it only fits headphones that have a 3.5mm input port.
• Who each pick is for: LEVELHIKE if you game on Xbox and want one-touch audio balancing on the pad; ABLET if you already own good headphones and want to add a mic and volume control across multiple devices.
The LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter is built around one very specific irritation: Xbox's chat mixer. Anyone who's been mid-firefight and had to pause to rebalance game sound against party chat knows the pain. This adapter moves that job onto a small black matte module that clips into the bottom of your controller. Controller and figure icons split game audio from chat audio, plus and minus handle overall volume, and a microphone icon mutes or unmutes you. A beep confirms when you've hit the top or bottom of the range, which is a small touch that matters more than it sounds when you're not looking at a screen.
Who should buy it? Xbox players who already own a headset with a mic and want physical dials for balance, volume and mute — especially people who play in parties a lot and are tired of the system menu. Who should skip it? Anyone on PlayStation, PC or Switch, because this is an Xbox controller accessory through and through. Also skip it if your "headset" is really just headphones — this adapter controls audio, it doesn't add a microphone.
ABLET Cable Boom Microphone: Who It's For
The ABLET Cable Boom Microphone attacks the problem from the other direction. Instead of adapting a controller, it adapts your headphones. It's a 3.5mm male-to-male audio cable with a detachable boom mic on a SteelFlex arm, plus a rotary volume dial and a mute switch built into the cable. Fit a pair of V-MODA Crossfade M-100, LP, LP2, M-80 or V-80, or most headphones with a 3.5mm input like Beats Solo, Studio or Mixr, and suddenly those headphones are a gaming headset. That's the whole pitch, and it's a genuinely useful one.
The device list is the headline here. ABLET lists compatibility with PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S controllers, PC, laptop, iPhone and Android phones — basically anything with a 3.5mm audio output. For devices that split mic and headphone into separate jacks, there's a dual 3.5mm Y-adapter in the box, which is the detail that saves desktop PC users a second purchase. The mic itself is omnidirectional with a 20 KHz frequency response and 2200 ohm impedance, on a 1.2m (roughly 4ft) grey cable, and the boom detaches when you just want to listen.
Who should buy it? People who already love their headphones and don't want to buy a separate gaming headset. It's also a strong fit for mixed use — the same cable handles gaming, calls, Skype-style VoIP and podcasting, so it earns its place in a bag rather than living permanently on a desk. Who should skip it? Xbox players who specifically want on-controller balance dials, since this cable gives you volume and mute but not a game/chat mix control. And skip it if your headphones have a fixed cable or no 3.5mm input port — there's nothing to connect to.
• Best for on-controller audio balance → LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter. The game/chat split dial is the entire reason this product exists, and nothing on the ABLET cable replicates it.
• Best for turning existing headphones into a headset → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. It adds the microphone; LEVELHIKE assumes you already have one.
• Best for multi-device flexibility → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, laptop, phone — plus a Y-adapter for split jacks. LEVELHIKE is Xbox-only.
• Best for a single-cable travel setup → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. One 1.2m cable with mic, volume and mute covers gaming and calls on the go.
• Best for Xbox players who hate the chat mixer menu → LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter. Mute, volume and balance without taking your hands off the pad.
• Best for headset owners with a mic already → LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter. You get control without adding a second microphone to the chain.
• Best for desktop PC users with separate mic/headphone jacks → ABLET Cable Boom Microphone. The included dual 3.5mm Y-adapter is the difference-maker here.
• Best for someone who wants both control and a mic → neither alone. If you're on Xbox with plain headphones, the honest answer is you may want a mic solution and a control solution; these two aren't substitutes.
In my opinion, the ABLET Cable Boom Microphone is the pick for more people, simply because it does two jobs — microphone and volume/mute control — across far more devices, and it costs you nothing in flexibility. It's the better first purchase if you're unsure. That said, if you're an Xbox player who already owns a mic'd headset and your real complaint is juggling the chat mixer every session, the LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter is the more targeted fix and I'd buy that one instead. Match the product to the problem, not the other way around. And before either, check the current price on Amazon with the button on this page, since that's the one variable that can flip the decision.
No. It's designed for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S controllers, connecting to the controller's expansion port. On PlayStation there's nothing for it to plug into, so it isn't the right buy.
It fits headphones with a 3.5mm input port, including V-MODA Crossfade M-100, LP, LP2, M-80, V-80 and models like Beats Solo, Studio and Mixr. Headphones with a fixed cable or no 3.5mm jack aren't compatible.
Only the LEVELHIKE Headset Adapter separates game audio from chat audio. The ABLET cable gives you rotary volume and a mute switch, but not a game/chat balance dial.
Usually not. Buy the ABLET cable if you need a microphone and volume control on headphones you already own. Buy the LEVELHIKE adapter if you already have a mic'd headset and want Xbox-side balance control. They solve different problems.
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