How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-07 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• PLT Poly — biggest strength: true plug-and-play USB-A connection with on-demand active noise cancelling and a boomless dual-ear design, so there's nothing to pair and nothing to charge.
• PLT Poly — biggest trade-off: it's a wired USB-A headset, so you're tethered to a PC or Mac, and despite listing Bluetooth as a wireless technology the practical connection here is the USB-A cable.
• EPOS Impact 1060 — biggest strength: hybrid ANC plus EPOS AI voice pickup, triple-device Bluetooth 5 connectivity, and a contactless charging stand for genuinely cable-free work.
• EPOS Impact 1060 — biggest trade-off: it's wireless-first with no headphone jack, so it leans on Bluetooth and a charging routine rather than a simple cable.
• Buy PLT Poly if you want the simplest possible noise-cancelling setup on a fixed desk.
• Buy EPOS Impact 1060 if you move between PC, laptop, tablet and phone and want ANC that follows you.
The PLT Poly (Blackwire 7225, USB-A) is built around one idea: remove every obstacle between you and a quiet call. It connects to a PC or Mac over USB-A, so there's no pairing, no app, no battery to think about. You plug it in and the active noise cancelling is there on demand, ready to push down the hum of an office or a home workspace. The dual-ear, over-the-head design covers both ears, and the boomless noise-cancelling microphones keep your voice clean without a mic arm in your face.
In my view it suits the person who works from a fixed spot — a desktop, a docking station, a single assigned PC — and wants premium audio for calls, video and multimedia without managing a wireless device. The hi-fi stereo sound and 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency range make it as comfortable with music and video as with voice, and the leatherette cushions with memory foam are aimed at all-day wear. The boomless mic and on-demand ANC also make it a genuinely low-friction choice: nothing to configure, nothing to keep charged.
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs to roam. If you take calls walking around, or you switch between a phone, a tablet and a laptop through the day, the wired USB-A tether is a real limitation. It's also a dual-ear over-the-head headset, so if you want something featherweight or open to the room, this isn't that. And if you specifically want wireless ANC, look elsewhere — that's the EPOS's territory.
The EPOS Impact 1060 ANC is the flexible, wireless counterpart. It's a Bluetooth 5 headset with hybrid active noise cancelling, and it connects to up to three devices at once — PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone — so you can take a Teams or Zoom call on one device and switch to another without re-pairing. EPOS AI microphones filter background noise for voice pickup, and the mic boom does double duty: flip it up to mute, or rely on auto-end-call when you take the headset off.
It's aimed squarely at the hybrid and open-office worker. Soft breathable cushions and a padded headband are designed for long stretches, and the on-ear, double-sided build keeps it lighter on the head than a big over-ear. The contactless charging stand is the standout convenience — set it down and it charges, no cable hunting. Super wideband audio and intuitive voice/media controls round out a package that's clearly meant to move with you.
Who should skip it? If you want the absolute simplest, cable-and-go setup with no charging habits to build, the wireless design is a downside, not a feature. There's no headphone jack, so wired fallback isn't an option — it lives on Bluetooth. And if you prefer a boomless mic or a fuller over-ear seal, the PLT Poly's approach will feel more natural. For everyone else who values freedom and multi-device switching, this is the more versatile tool.
• Best for plug-and-play simplicity → PLT Poly. USB-A in, ANC on, no pairing or charging to manage.
• Best for wireless freedom and multi-device switching → EPOS Impact 1060. Bluetooth 5 with up to three simultaneous connections.
• Best for hybrid ANC in a noisy open office → EPOS Impact 1060. Hybrid ANC plus EPOS AI voice pickup is built for exactly that environment.
• Best for a fixed desk setup → PLT Poly. If you work from one PC or Mac all day, the tether costs you nothing.
• Best for mic control → EPOS Impact 1060. Flip-to-mute and auto-end-call are genuinely handy in back-to-back meetings.
• Best for a boomless mic and full over-ear coverage → PLT Poly. Dual-ear, over-the-head, boomless noise-cancelling mics.
• Best for charging convenience → EPOS Impact 1060. The contactless charging stand removes the cable ritual.
• Best for never thinking about battery → PLT Poly. Wired means it's always ready.
If I had to pick one for a hybrid, multi-device workday, I'd buy the EPOS Impact 1060. Hybrid ANC, EPOS AI voice pickup and triple-device Bluetooth 5 cover the realistic office-noise problem better, and the contactless charging stand makes the wireless trade-off easy to live with. I'd choose the PLT Poly instead if my day happens at one desk, on one computer, and I want zero setup friction — plug in, ANC on, done. Same logic applies when I'm comparing quiet gear for a hobby like fishing: the wireless, noise-cancelling, go-anywhere pick usually wins for movement, while the wired one wins for a fixed, focused setup. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one variable these specs can't tell you.
A noise cancelling headset uses active noise cancellation (ANC) — tiny microphones and electronics that reduce surrounding sound — so you hear less of the room and more of your call or audio. Both headsets here include ANC: the PLT Poly offers on-demand ANC, and the EPOS Impact 1060 adds hybrid ANC plus EPOS AI voice pickup for calls.
Yes. The PLT Poly connects over USB-A to a PC or Mac, which is why it's plug-and-play with no pairing. The EPOS Impact 1060 is a Bluetooth 5 wireless headset with no headphone jack, connecting to up to three devices at once.
For a noisy open office, the EPOS Impact 1060 is the stronger fit in my opinion, because its hybrid ANC and EPOS AI microphones are designed specifically for filtering background noise in open and hybrid setups. The PLT Poly still handles it well with on-demand ANC and boomless noise-cancelling mics, but it expects you to stay at your desk.
Both are built for that world. The PLT Poly is positioned for professionals using Teams and Zoom over USB-A, and the EPOS Impact 1060 is designed for Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Skype with EPOS AI voice pickup. Neither locks you into a single platform.
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