If you want wired, closed-back headphones for focused monitoring while gaming for Switch, choose Neumann NDH20; if you need a 16-channel mixer for recording or live audio around your Switch setup, choose Mackie ProFX16v3.
These are not two versions of the same kind of product: the Neumann is a headphone, while the Mackie is a mixer bundle that includes closed-back headphones. For straightforward listening, the Neumann is the more direct fit; the Mackie makes sense when your setup needs audio routing, effects, and USB recording as well.
If you want wired, closed-back headphones for focused monitoring while gaming for Switch, choose Neumann NDH20; if you need a 16-channel mixer for recording or live audio around your Switch setup, choose Mackie ProFX16v3.
These are not two versions of the same kind of product: the Neumann is a headphone, while the Mackie is a mixer bundle that includes closed-back headphones. For straightforward listening, the Neumann is the more direct fit; the Mackie makes sense when your setup also needs audio routing, effects, and USB recording.
Neumann NDH20 vs Mackie ProFX16v3 at a Glance
• Mackie ProFX16v3 strength: A 16-channel, 4-bus mixer with built-in effects and USB recording features, bundled with closed-back headphones and a hard case. Trade-off: It is a substantial audio-production setup, not a standalone gaming headset.
• For Switch listeners: Choose the Neumann when your priority is a dedicated pair of headphones; choose the Mackie when a mixer and its recording tools are part of the plan.
The Neumann NDH20 is a closed-back, circumaural headphone designed for monitoring and mixing. Its over-ear construction and passive noise control are intended to help keep outside sound from intruding, which can be useful in a shared room or other noisy environment. The product description also emphasizes a balanced sound image and high resolution, qualities that suit listeners who want to pay close attention to audio rather than simply have a microphone-and-headphone gaming headset.
For Switch use, the practical appeal is simplicity: this is the headphone in the comparison, rather than a mixer bundle. It has a wired connection and a 3.5 mm jack, so it avoids relying on Bluetooth. That makes it relevant if you are searching for a Bluetooth headset for Switch but would rather prioritize a direct wired headphone connection. The product details list a frequency range of 5 Hz to 30 kHz and a dynamic driver; those figures describe the headphone, but they do not by themselves guarantee a particular gaming experience.
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 NDH20 if you need a mixer, built-in recording features, Bluetooth connectivity, or an in-ear or clip-on form.
The Mackie ProFX16v3 is a 16-channel, 4-bus professional effects mixer, not a headphone model. This bundle includes closed-back TH-02-B headphones and a hard case, but the main product is the mixer. It is aimed at people who want to combine live mixing, home recording, and content creation in one audio setup. For someone building a production or streaming workspace around a Switch, that broader role may be more useful than buying headphones alone.
Its feature set includes Onyx mic preamps, 24 built-in effects, and USB input and output for recording. Mackie specifies 24-bit/192 kHz recording, 2x4 USB I/O, and zero-latency hardware monitoring. In everyday terms, those features are relevant when you want to connect audio equipment, manage sources, apply effects, or record through a computer. The included recording software packages add to that studio-oriented setup. None of those features turns the mixer into a wireless headset or makes it a direct substitute for a simple pair of gaming headphones.
The bundle is a bigger commitment in equipment and setup than the NDH20. The listed item weight is 15.8 pounds, and the product is powered by a USB cable or corded electric power. Its included headphones are closed-back, but the supplied information does not give their impedance, frequency range, or other detailed headphone specifications. So if your main question is how the headphones themselves compare for Switch listening, the available information is much more specific about the Neumann than about the Mackie bundle’s included pair.
Who should skip it: Skip the ProFX16v3 if all you need is headphones for game audio and you have no use for a multi-channel mixer or USB recording.
• Best for a dedicated pair of monitoring headphones → Neumann NDH20. It is the actual headphone product, with a closed-back, over-ear design and passive noise control.
• Best for live mixing or recording → Mackie ProFX16v3. Its 16 channels, 4 buses, built-in effects, and USB recording features are intended for broader audio work.
• Best for a simple wired headphone setup → Neumann NDH20. It has a 3.5 mm jack and does not require the mixer’s additional equipment to serve as a headphone.
• Best when you need bundled audio-production equipment → Mackie ProFX16v3. Alongside the mixer, the bundle includes closed-back headphones, a hard case, and a USB cable and power cord.
• Best if passive isolation matters → Neumann NDH20. Its listed noise-control method is passive, and its closed-back construction is intended to help with listening in noisy environments.
• Best for adding effects to a recording or live mix → Mackie ProFX16v3. It provides 24 built-in effects and Onyx mic preamps.
• Best match for a shopper seeking clip-on earbuds or in-ear noise cancelling → Neither. The Neumann is over-ear, and the Mackie bundle centers on a mixer with closed-back headphones rather than an in-ear or clip-on product.
• Best when you want Bluetooth → Neither, based on the listed features. The Neumann is wired, and the Mackie’s listed connectivity is USB; neither product is described as a Bluetooth headset.
First, decide what you are actually buying for. If you want to hear Switch game audio through headphones, the Neumann is the clearer match between these two products. If your goal is to route several audio sources, record through USB, or use effects in a live or home-production workflow, the Mackie’s mixer functions are the central reason to consider it. The bundle’s headphones are an included accessory, not the main point of the product.
Next, consider how you will connect and power the setup. The NDH20 is wired and uses a 3.5 mm jack. Its 150-ohm impedance is worth checking against the device or amplifier you plan to use because a headphone amp is recommended. The Mackie connects over USB for its recording functions and requires corded electric power or a USB cable as a power source. That is more involved than simply using a wired headphone.
Also be precise about the kind of headphone you want. Neither option is described as wireless, Bluetooth, in-ear, or clip-on. The NDH20 has passive noise control; that is not the same thing as active noise cancellation. If your search began with noise cancelling in ear headphones for Switch, or with the best clip on earbuds for Switch, these products do not match that form factor. If you are looking for a Bluetooth headset for Switch, neither product’s listed connectivity supports that expectation.
Finally, compare the detail available for the headphones themselves. Neumann provides specific headphone information, including over-ear placement, memory-foam ear pads, a 3.5 mm jack, and a 5 Hz–30 kHz frequency range. Check the current product information on Amazon if you need to confirm bundle contents or connection compatibility before choosing.
I would choose the Neumann NDH20 for Switch if my main need were a dedicated wired headphone with a closed-back, over-ear design and passive isolation. Its purpose is much clearer for listening than the Mackie’s.
I would choose the Mackie only if I also needed its 16-channel mixer, USB recording, and effects for other audio work. For Switch listening alone, I would not buy a mixer bundle just to get its included headphones.
It is the more direct headphone option here: it is wired and has a 3.5 mm jack. Its 150-ohm impedance means a headphone amplifier is recommended, so consider the capability of the source or amplifier in your planned setup.
The listed features do not describe Bluetooth connectivity. The Mackie is a USB-connected mixer bundle with closed-back headphones, so it should not be treated as a Bluetooth gaming headset.
No active cancellation feature is listed. Its noise control is described as passive, and the headphone has a closed-back design intended to provide isolation.
That depends on whether you need a mixer. The Neumann is the focused headphone choice; the Mackie includes a 16-channel mixer, USB recording features, effects, headphones, and a case. Check the current price on Amazon if you are comparing what each costs, but base the decision on which equipment you will actually use.
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