It’s really easy to become complacent with hardware these days because much of it is disposable. Personally, I’d rather spend a bit more money and get something that does the job I need it to and more. That’s where a device like the EPOS Adapt 360 Headset comes in because it’s not just a one-trick pony, it’s capable of so much more.
That capability is a very good thing given the changing landscape of our daily lives, particularly work since the pandemic. More and more of us are working from home with meetings being held online, rather than face to face. The EPOS Adapt 360 headset is a remarkably capable headset that can crossover from work to leisure without skipping a beat.
My work consists of lots of calls: video and mobile, as well as (when I’m actually in the office) landline calls. So it’s important for me to have a comfortable headset that’s capable of handling as much of that workload as possible.
What is it?
The EPOS Adapt 360 is an Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), on-ear headset that has the capability to connect to multiple devices simultaneously to cover your desktop and mobile communication needs. As a point of difference from many other headsets, making it quite suitable for corporations and government positions, its Microsoft Teams certification is a big bonus.
I’m actually really excited about this one because it’s not just your run of the mill “call centre” headset. It’s designed and set up for comfort and style, as well as delivering a really solid feature set. Let’s take a look at the connectivity first to really understand how versatile it is.
It’s worth noting that the Adapt 360 isn’t a particularly small headset, but it is very comfortable for long periods of wear, but it’s definitely of a size you can carry daily. As an added bonus, should you decide to do that, you’ll be able to protect the headset a little with the included carry case.
The comfort levels that you’ll get, are thanks to the decent amount of adjustability with the earcups being able to be adjusted in almost any direction you like — within reason — and headband adjustability. This adjustability coupled with ample padding of memory foam around the ear cups results in a very good level of comfort.
The battery life was really good but found out the hard way (I wasn’t paying attention) that the charging time was reasonable, but not groundbreaking. The quoted used time is without ANC, so working in an open office during the day, I did chew through quite a bit of power with ANC. So at the end of the day after calls, online meetings and music playback I still had battery to burn. But because I used the ANC function, I struggled to get a second full day out of them.
That was where the charging caught me out, thinking I could plug it in for half an hour and get the rest of the day – I ran out of battery halfway through a phone call and had to resort to a wired headset. It felt like a trip back to the stone ages!
Controls, calls and sound
It would be very easy for a manufacturer of multi-purpose headsets like this to overdo the controls, making it really complex to use. Thankfully though, EPOS hasn’t done that with all of the controls easily accessed on one side of the headset.
The controls are all touch buttons on the right ear of the headset. There are only four controls:
- A push button that controls power, pairing and the ANC settings
- A volume rocker
- A slider to control playback of media
- A button to control calls
Making these controls simple is important because the headset is capable of connecting to multiple devices simultaneously. The headset is provided with a USB dongle which is automatically paired to your headset for media playback, MS Teams controls and other calls (Skype etc) from your PC.
As well as the USB dongle, the headset connects to mobile devices or other compatible devices via Bluetooth. The documentation provided doesn’t specifically state that it can, but in our testing, you can connect multiple mobiles on Bluetooth.
Either way, whether it’s a mobile call or a PC connected call/video meeting, you’ll find that the audio quality on your calls for both you and whoever you’re talking to is going to be pretty solid. On the other end of the call, that’s thanks to the microphone array which minimises background noise pickup.
The sound quality is the final element that can either make or break a device like this one. I’m very happy to say that EPOS, with the influence of Sennheiser, has given users not just a really good headset for calls and video meetings, but great sound too.
I’m not going to say that these are in the realm of high-end Sennheiser or Bose headsets focussed purely on media playback. But these are very good and if I had to put a number on it, probably around 80% of the way there. When you consider the cost (Check out online options: You can grab them for under $300) of these, vs the top headphones you can buy that’s a bargain buy!
The sound playback highlight is the vocal range of audio, where you’ll find impressively clean sound. If you’re listening at high volume, the highs can be a little sharp but not unbearable and of course, Sennheiser rarely disappoints with bass. The Adapt 360 is a nicely rounded audio experience that’s going to please most users without going to ridiculous costs.
Conclusion
We are very privileged at Ausdroid having the opportunity to test, alright play, with a lot of equipment like this. Personally, I’ve had a lot of hardware come and go which I was impressed by, but when I’m sad to finish a review because the experience has been that good, I know what I’m reviewing has delivered a great user experience.
As a generalised statement, I was very please and honestly impressed with the quality of the audio. This includes the media playback with a really well-rounded sound as well as the call quality for me and the person I was talking to.
The range of connectivity makes this a hugely versatile headset for work and play, allowing you to connect to your PC, mobile and other Bluetooth compatible devices. I have honestly struggled to find any reason to criticise beyond the battery life which, in all honesty, was my own fault.
Would I buy the EPOS Adapt 360 headset?
Even if I was purchasing this purely for media playback, at the price I’d be happy with my purchase. The fact that this is such a versatile headset for calls, online meetings and delivers really good audio simply makes it a great buy.
As I re-pack the Adapt 360 to send it back to the PR company, I’m looking online for the best price I can find. It’s been such a positive experience, I’m seriously considering buying one for myself. At under $300 it’s not hugely expensive and a lot of workplaces will probably reimburse you for this as a work from home expense. Even if they don’t, keep your receipts if you’re using them for work ready for your end of year tax return!
Hi Phil, thanks for this. As a fellow glasses wearer, I often find I get sore ears with on-ear headsets where the top of my ear is pushed against the frame of my glasses. As such, I’ve been considering changing to an over-ear headset rather than on-ear for Teams calls which I do a LOT of, but these sound really good. How was the comfort factor with your glasses?
It really hasn’t caused me any issues at all.
Normally, I find the same problem but the padding on these is really good and soft enough that it doesn’t cause discomfort around my glasses frame while wearing htem.
Thanks for the quick feedback Phil, much appreciated.