If you want detailed, modeled headphone sound for focused listening on Zoom calls, choose Slate Media Technology Steven Slate Audio; if you need a mixer-centered setup with multiple inputs and included accessories, choose Mackie DLZ Creator 12-channel. The Slate option is the clearer fit for someone choosing headphones, while the Mackie is a broader audio-production bundle.
• Slate Media Technology Steven Slate Audio: Closed-back, wired headphones with VSX modeling software and virtual reference spaces; the trade-off is that the listed package centers on headphones rather than a complete mixer setup.
• Mackie DLZ Creator 12-channel: A 12-channel digital mixer with four mic preamps, a USB audio interface, Bluetooth, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen; the trade-off is that it is a larger system than someone shopping only for headphones may need.
• Slate’s audio range is listed as 20 Hz–20,000 Hz, with 37-ohm impedance; it connects by wire and includes volume control.
• The Mackie bundle adds two pairs of closed-back headphones and four 25-foot XLR cables, but the supplied details do not specify the headphones’ microphone capabilities.
• Choose Slate for modeled headphone listening and a focused, headphone-based setup; choose Mackie for a multi-input production hub and bundled recording gear.
The Steven Slate Audio VSX Essentials Edition is a wired, closed-back over-ear headphone set paired with modeling software for Mac and PC. Its central idea is to let a listener switch among virtual reference spaces rather than rely on one physical room’s sound. The package description also identifies a selection of virtual spaces, beryllium drivers, and a system designed to shape low-end response.
That makes Slate the more direct choice if your work involves editing, mixing, or listening closely through headphones. For Zoom calls, the closed-back design and over-ear fit make it a plausible option when you want to focus on the conversation and keep your audio setup straightforward. The listed specifications include a 3.5 mm jack, a wired connection, passive noise cancellation, and volume control. No built-in microphone is specified, so I would not choose it on the assumption that it provides one.
The trade-off is specialization. The VSX modeling software is aimed at headphone reference listening, not at replacing a mixer with multiple mic inputs. If you need to connect several microphones, route audio across a larger production setup, or get a mixer and cabling in one package, Slate’s listed features do not answer that need. And if the phrase “best ear clip headphones for Zoom calls” describes what you want, neither product is presented as an ear-clip design; Slate is explicitly over-ear.
How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Mackie DLZ Creator 12-channel: Who It's For
The Mackie DLZ Creator bundle is built around a 12-channel digital mixer with four mic preamps, Mix Agent Technology, a USB audio interface, Bluetooth connectivity, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. It also includes two pairs of closed-back studio mixing headphones and four 25-foot XLR cables. That combination makes it the more complete option for someone assembling a recording or streaming setup with multiple audio connections.
For Zoom calls, the mixer’s USB connection and four mic preamps may be useful in a broader setup where a microphone and other audio sources need to be part of a production workflow. Bluetooth adds another connection option. But the supplied details do not explain how the mixer behaves with a particular calling app, and they do not specify a microphone built into either included headphone pair. I would treat it as a mixer bundle first, not as a ready-made headset for calls.
The headphones have closed-back designs, 40 mm drivers, and padded headbands, but the information provided does not list their frequency range, impedance, or microphone features. That makes the bundle less compelling if your main question is which individual headphones are better for listening. The Mackie’s appeal is the whole setup: mixer, inputs, touchscreen, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, headphones, and XLR cables. If you want only a simple pair of headphones, much of that system may be beside the point.
• Best for modeled headphone reference listening → Slate Media Technology Steven Slate Audio. Its VSX software and virtual reference spaces are the defining features.
• Best for a multi-microphone audio setup → Mackie DLZ Creator 12-channel. It has four mic preamps and a 12-channel digital mixer.
• Best for a compact decision focused on headphones → Slate. The product is a wired, closed-back over-ear headphone system with modeling software.
• Best for a bundled recording setup → Mackie. The package includes the mixer, two headphone pairs, and four 25-foot XLR cables.
• Best if you want a touchscreen mixer → Mackie. Its 10.1-inch touchscreen is a specific control feature the Slate package does not list.
• Best if Bluetooth connectivity matters → Mackie. Bluetooth is listed alongside USB; Slate is described as a wired headphone product.
• Best if you need a specified headphone microphone → Neither based on the provided details. Neither product’s listed headphone information identifies a built-in microphone, so check the exact configuration before relying on either for voice capture.
• Best headband headphones for Zoom calls → Mackie’s included headphones are the only ones whose padded headband is specified. That does not establish that they include a microphone; Slate is described as over-ear, but its headband details and microphone are not specified.
For a call-only purchase, I would separate “headphones for listening” from “headphones with a microphone.” Closed-back construction can help keep listening focused, but it does not itself confirm that a headset can transmit your voice. The Slate package is clearer about its listening and modeling purpose. The Mackie bundle is clearer about its broader input and production capabilities. Neither product description resolves every call-specific question.
That distinction matters for search terms like “with microphone headband headphones for Zoom calls.” A padded headband is listed for the Mackie’s included headphones, but a microphone is not. Slate’s product description does not list a headphone microphone either. If voice pickup is essential, verify that feature in the exact product configuration instead of inferring it from the presence of a mixer or headphones.
My Verdict
I’d choose Mackie instead if I needed a mixer-based production setup with four mic preamps, USB, Bluetooth, and bundled cables and headphones. For a headphone-first decision, Slate is my pick.
Slate is the more straightforward headphone-focused choice, while Mackie is a mixer bundle with included headphones. The supplied information does not specify a built-in microphone for either headphone option, so neither should be assumed to be a complete microphone headset.
A headphone microphone is not listed in the product details provided here. The listed features include a wired connection, a 3.5 mm jack, volume control, and passive noise cancellation.
The bundle includes two pairs of closed-back headphones with 40 mm drivers and padded headbands, but no headphone microphone is specified. The mixer has four mic preamps, which are separate from a microphone built into the headphones.
Mackie bundles a 12-channel digital mixer, two headphone pairs, and four 25-foot XLR cables. Slate combines over-ear headphones with VSX modeling software and virtual reference spaces, so it is the more focused choice for headphone listening rather than a multi-input setup.
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