Description
What The Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Is
The beyerdynamic MMX 300 in its second generation is a closed back wired gaming headset built by a company whose main business is studio and broadcast headphones. That heritage is the reason it exists in a market full of plastic gaming headsets: beyerdynamic describes it as a closed stereo headset suitable for gaming and multimedia, states that it is made in Germany, and publishes the kind of audio figures that studio headphone listings carry and gaming headset listings usually do not.
It is wired, it uses a 3.5 mm connection, and it has no lighting, no software, no surround processing and no battery. Everything about the product is directed at the drivers and the microphone capsule. That places it at the opposite end of the market from a feature driven headset such as the Alienware AW520H with its Dolby Atmos support and RGB lighting.
The Audio Specification
Three figures are published and each is meaningful. The frequency response is listed at 5 Hz to 35,000 Hz, a range far wider than the usual 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz quoted on gaming headsets, and one that extends well beyond human hearing at both ends. On its own a wide range does not prove anything about how a headphone sounds, but it does indicate driver capability rather than a copied specification.
Nominal impedance is 32 ohms. That number matters practically: 32 ohms is low enough to be driven properly by a phone, a laptop or a console controller without a headphone amplifier, which is a deliberate choice on a headset intended for gaming rather than for a studio desk. The nominal sound pressure level is quoted at 96 dB, which is the loudness produced for a given input.
Beyerdynamic also singles out the microphone, describing excellent intelligibility of speech due to a high quality microphone capsule. No polar pattern, frequency response or sensitivity figure is given for the microphone, so it cannot be compared numerically against a desk microphone such as the Rode NT2000, but the emphasis on the capsule is consistent with the rest of the product.
Cable And Fit
The cable is detachable with a stated length of 8.2 feet, which is long enough to reach a desktop tower on the floor without an extension. An adapter is included, and the compatibility list covers PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and mobile devices. The earpiece shape is over ear and closed, and the listed weight is 11.7 ounces. Beyerdynamic describes the headset as lightweight and suitable for extended wearing, and notes sound isolation rather than active noise cancellation as the noise control method.
One point about closed back design is worth making, because it affects both halves of the product. A closed back cup isolates the wearer from room noise and also stops sound leaking out toward a microphone, which is why closed designs dominate gaming and broadcast while open designs dominate critical listening. The trade is a more enclosed sound and more warmth against the ears over a long session. For a headset expected to be worn for hours with a live microphone, closed is the correct choice, and it is consistent with the rest of the design decisions here.
Highlights
- Closed back over ear design with passive isolation.
- Frequency response listed at 5 Hz to 35,000 Hz.
- Nominal impedance of 32 ohms, so no amplifier is required.
- Nominal sound pressure level of 96 dB.
- Detachable 8.2 foot cable.
- Adapter supplied in the box.
- Manufacturer states it is made in Germany.
- Compatibility listed for PC, Xbox One, PS4 and mobile.
- Volume control on the headset.
Things To Consider
The specification table on this listing contains one of the clearest data errors in this catalog. The Carrying Case Material field reads, in full, a bracketed placeholder followed by the text high quality durable material, for example leather or robust synthetic material. That is unedited template text left in a live product listing, and it means nothing about this product. It also implies a carrying case that the included components list, which names only a headset, an adapter and a cable, does not confirm.
Two other fields contradict the product. Audio Driver Type is listed as Balanced Armature Driver, a driver type used in in ear monitors rather than in full size over ear headphones, which does not fit a headset quoting a 5 Hz to 35,000 Hz response. The battery field states that one lithium polymer battery is required, which is not true of a passive wired headset.
- The carrying case field contains unedited template placeholder text.
- The driver type field says balanced armature, which is inconsistent with the rest of the specification.
- A battery requirement is listed on a passive wired headset.
- No microphone polar pattern, frequency response or sensitivity is published.
- No active noise cancellation. Isolation is passive only.
- No wireless option and no surround processing.
- Whether the cable includes an inline control unit is not clearly described.
- This is a considerably more expensive product than most gaming headsets, and the value case rests entirely on audio quality.
Who Should Buy It And Who Should Not
The MMX 300 suits someone who cares more about how a headset sounds than about what it does, and who is willing to give up wireless, surround processing and lighting to get there. The 32 ohm impedance means it works properly from a controller or a laptop without extra hardware, the detachable cable is a genuine longevity feature, and the microphone emphasis suits voice communication as much as gaming. For a listener who also uses headphones for music, a studio derived design is the sensible direction.
It is the wrong headset for anyone who wants wireless, virtual surround or software equalizer profiles, and the wrong headset for a buyer working to a budget, where a competent wired option such as the Corsair HS35 v2 or a long established model like the SteelSeries Siberia v2 covers the basics for far less. Gamers wanting a middle ground can compare the Razer Kraken TE, and the full headsets category lines the tiers up together.
