If you want wired, in-ear monitoring with strong sound isolation for zoom calls, choose Mackie MP Series In-Ear; if you need over-ear wireless listening with noise-control modes, choose AlphaTheta HDJ-F10. The Mackie’s compact fit and included range of ear tips suit people who prefer in-ear headphones, while the AlphaTheta is built around wireless DJ monitoring and a larger over-ear design. For everyday calls, I’d lean toward the Mackie’s simpler wired setup—but neither product’s listed features include a microphone.
Mackie MP Series In-Ear vs AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 at a Glance
• Mackie MP Series In-Ear: Triple-driver design, cable, multiple ear-tip types, and up to 40 dB of sound isolation. The trade-off: it is a wired in-ear monitor, not a wireless headset, and no microphone is listed.
• Choose Mackie if you want a compact in-ear fit, selectable tips, and isolation for focused listening.
• Choose AlphaTheta if you want over-ear coverage, wireless DJ monitoring, or the option to switch between noise-control modes.
• For Zoom calls: Neither is described as a call headset. Mackie is the simpler wired listening option; AlphaTheta offers more wireless and noise-control features.
The Mackie MP Series In-Ear is a wired in-ear monitor with three dynamic drivers and a precision three-way crossover. The design separates the sound spectrum across the drivers, while the product information highlights clarity, stereo imaging, and bass response. That makes it a more specialized choice than a basic pair of earbuds: it is intended for monitoring and focused listening, with sound isolation of up to 40 dB.
Fit is a meaningful part of the package. The headphones include four types of ear tips, each in three sizes: standard silicone, wide-bore silicone, memory foam, and triple-flange silicone. That gives a buyer several ways to approach the seal and feel, rather than locking them into one tip design. A hard carrying case, cleaning tool and cloth, and 1/4-inch adapter are also included. The shielded, braided cable is designed for durability and sonic performance, but it still means you need to manage a cable while listening.
For Zoom calls, the wired connection may appeal if you want to avoid relying on a wireless connection, but there is an important limitation: the listed features do not include a microphone. I would not choose it on the assumption that it can handle both listening and speaking on calls. It is a better fit for someone whose priority is in-ear monitoring, isolation, and a choice of tips—not a conventional call headset.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-22 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
Who should skip it: Skip the Mackie if you need wireless listening, over-ear coverage, or a listed built-in microphone for calls.
The large 40 mm PEEK composite drivers are designed to reproduce detail across low and high frequencies. AlphaTheta also describes the earpads and housing as providing substantial sound insulation for loud booths and stages. Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes add two different listening options: one for reducing surrounding sound and another for letting more of it through. Those features could be useful in settings where the listener wants to focus at one moment and remain more aware at another.
The HDJ-F10’s trade-offs are practical. It is an over-ear headphone rather than a small in-ear monitor, and its most distinctive low-latency feature requires a separate transmitter. Its listed battery life is up to 9 hours with SonicLink or up to 30 hours over Bluetooth, so the mode matters when planning a long session. The product information does not list a microphone, so I would not treat it as a ready-made Zoom call headset either.
Who should skip it: Skip the AlphaTheta if you want a wired in-ear design, do not need DJ-focused wireless monitoring, or require a listed microphone for calls.
• Best fit for a wired in-ear setup → Mackie MP Series In-Ear. Its in-ear form and cable suit a listener who prefers a direct, compact monitor rather than an over-ear headphone.
• Best for low-latency wireless DJ monitoring → AlphaTheta HDJ-F10. SonicLink is specified at 9 ms, but it requires the dedicated HP-TX01 transmitter.
• Best for choosing among ear-tip styles → Mackie MP Series In-Ear. Four tip types in three sizes give you several ways to find a comfortable seal.
• Best for switching listening modes → AlphaTheta HDJ-F10. It includes Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes, which the Mackie’s listed feature set does not.
• Best for a long wireless session → AlphaTheta HDJ-F10, with a caveat. The stated battery life is up to 30 hours over Bluetooth, compared with up to 9 hours using SonicLink.
• Best for sound isolation in an in-ear design → Mackie MP Series In-Ear. Its stated isolation reaches up to 40 dB, though that figure does not make it a call headset.
• Best for Zoom-call listening without a wireless connection → Mackie MP Series In-Ear, cautiously. Its wired design avoids wireless pairing, but no microphone is listed, so speaking on calls may require separate equipment.
• Best for over-ear DJ use in a noisy setting → AlphaTheta HDJ-F10. Its over-ear construction, noise-control modes, and DJ-focused wireless option align more closely with that use.
Before choosing either product for Zoom calls, check how you plan to speak as well as listen. Neither product’s listed features include a microphone. That means the key question is not only which one plays sound in the way you prefer, but also whether your computer or a separate device will handle your voice. If you need one headset for both audio and calls, the details provided here do not establish that either product can fill that role by itself.
Think about your listening environment, too. Mackie’s in-ear design includes a variety of tips and up to 40 dB of sound isolation. The AlphaTheta offers over-ear coverage, Active Noise Cancelling, and Transparency mode, as well as housing and earpads designed for sound insulation. Those are different approaches, not a simple like-for-like comparison. Your comfort preference—ear tips versus over-ear headphones—may matter as much as the noise-control features.
Finally, consider the connection you will actually use. Mackie is wired. The AlphaTheta supports Bluetooth and SonicLink, but the low-latency SonicLink mode calls for a dedicated transmitter, and its stated battery life differs by mode. For everyday listening and calls, it is worth checking the current price on Amazon and confirming that the connection and microphone arrangement fit your setup before deciding.
I would choose the Mackie MP Series In-Ear for Zoom-call listening if I already had a separate way to speak, because its wired design, tip selection, and stated isolation match a focused, straightforward setup. I would choose the AlphaTheta HDJ-F10 instead for DJ monitoring, especially when low-latency wireless use and over-ear noise-control options matter more. For Zoom calls alone, neither is a clear all-in-one answer: neither product’s listed features include a microphone.
Neither product lists a microphone, so the available details do not establish either one as a complete call headset. Mackie is wired; AlphaTheta offers wireless modes and noise-control features. Plan for a separate microphone if needed.
Its SonicLink low-latency monitoring connection uses the dedicated HP-TX01 transmitter. The headphones also support Bluetooth, which is a separate wireless option and has a different stated battery life.
Mackie specifies up to 40 dB of sound isolation through its in-ear design. AlphaTheta combines over-ear sound insulation with Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes. Those figures and features describe different approaches, so they are not directly equivalent.
Are either of these the best in-ear headphones for Zoom calls?
The biggest decision is whether you want a wired in-ear monitor or an over-ear wireless DJ headphone. Mackie includes a 1/4-inch adapter and a hard case alongside its selection of ear tips and cleaning accessories. AlphaTheta’s standout extras are its wireless connection options and noise-control modes, but SonicLink is tied to its dedicated transmitter.
Also weigh how often you expect to move between focused listening and awareness of your surroundings. The AlphaTheta’s Transparency mode is specifically relevant to that choice, while the Mackie’s listed approach centers on in-ear fit and isolation. For either product, check that your audio source supports the connection you intend to use and decide how you will handle your voice on calls. Those practical details are more important than choosing based on the word “wireless” or “monitor” alone.
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