When I first reviewed the Beyerdynamic MMX 330 Pro, I liked it—but I didn’t love it. Its open-back design and airy soundstage were a dream for immersive RPGs, and the build quality was impeccable. But it wasn’t perfect. The bass felt far too restrained, and the open-back design sometimes let the magic slip away in noisier environments. Thankfully, it has a sibling in the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro, a closed-back variant of essentially the same headphone that addresses every gripe I had with the 330 Pro’s sound performance. With punchier bass, better isolation, and the same premium feel, the MMX 300 Pro takes what its sibling does well and amps it up for a gaming experience that sounds so much better in my ears.
The MMX 300 Pro retails for the same $499.99 as the MMX 330 Pro so price is certainly not the differentiating factor here. The unboxing experience is likewise similar — classy, simple. There’s just the headset and its accompanying cables though surprisingly, no carry bag. You wouldn’t tell by holding them but the 300 Pro is ever so slightly lighter than the 330 Pro. Not that you will feel that on your head in every day use.
From a design perspective, the MMX 300 Pro leans minimalist with its matte black finish, metal frame, and plush velour ear pads that scream comfort. I should point out that apart from the notable air vents on the MMX 330 Pro, these two headphones are essentially identical. The 300 Pro also comes in the same black finish with red Beyerdynamic logo on each ear cup and non-removable gooseneck microphone on the left cup.
Overall build quality is excellent and the closed-back ear cups on the 300 Pro creates a snugger, more isolating fit, perfect for shutting out distractions during competitive gaming sessions. Even with a slightly tight clamping force, the 300 Pro is very comfortable and I have no problem wearing these for an entire day. I also love that both the headband and ear cushions are replaceable because my absolute favorite headset, the DT 900 Pro X have started peeling and I can’t fix that short of replacing the whole headset. There’s no doubt that the MMX 300 Pro will fair much better and last a very long time.
The biggest difference between the sibling headsets comes when you dive into their audio performance. The MMX 300 Pro delivers a sound that’s far more punchy, with bass that has just the right amount of kick to make explosions and gunfire feel visceral. By contrast, I felt that while the MMX 330 Pro’s open-back design provides a wider soundstage, ideal for sprawling RPGs like The Witcher 3 or Cyberpunk 2077:Phantom Liberty, that spaciousness comes at the cost of bass impact and sound isolation. Even listening to music wasn’t as enjoyable due to the week sub-bass, all of which is like a night and day difference.
The MMX 300 Pro does an amazing job with bass and sub-bass — so much so I can often feel the sound vibrating in the cups. This allows me to feel the audio more and because of the clarity, the low end never ever feels bloated or muddy. It’s just wonderful. Listening to the same tracks, the 300 Pro just sounded so much better as a result. I’ve been loving the Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred soundtrack lately and in particular, the “All Good Things” track sounds so much more foreboding and heart thumping on the 300 Pro while on the 330 Pro, it sounded a bit too airy and far off.
Additionally, if you’re gaming in a noisy environment, the MMX 300 Pro is the better choice. It blocks out ambient noise, keeping you focused on the game. I was actually surprised by how much noise-isolation you get compared to the MMX 330 Pro compared to the MMX 330 Pro’s open-back design which lets in a lot of external sounds in, making it less ideal for shared spaces. I remember switching between the two while playing Diablo IV; the 300 Pro’s closed-back design made dungeon runs feel tense and claustrophobic—in a good way—while the 330 Pro’s open soundstage made the game’s open-world environments feel alive and expansive.
As for microphones, the MMX 300 Pro’s cardioid condenser mic delivers crisp, clear audio, filtering out background noise effortlessly similar to the 330 Pro. Beyer has delivered one of the best, most natural sounding microphones on any wired headset, coming just shy of the Rode 100 Headset I reviewed a while ago. My only gripes with this mic are that you can’t remove it and it doesn’t have flip-to-mute function which seems like such a problem from decades ago. There’s no real reason why Beyer can’t do this in 2024 and I certainly hope to see it in the next iteration. Yes, you can mute the microphone with a switch on the inline-remote on the cable but it’s far less convenient during fast-paced games.
Verdict
Now although the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro is almost identical to the MMX 330 Pro, it’s obvious to me which is the better overall headset — the MMX 300 Pro. It’s just so much better at reproducing the kind of gaming experience that I personally enjoy — maximum immersion and sound isolation. Not only do games sound so much meatier and engaging, music listening is also so much more enjoyable. Meanwhile, the MMX 330 Pro is for those who value a natural, spacious audio experience over raw bass and isolation. If you’ve got a quiet gaming space and enjoy the open-back charm, the 330 Pro might be your match. But if you need a headset that locks you into your own world while blocking everything else out, and will get your head and hearth thumping, then the MMX 300 Pro is the clear winner. It’s as close to perfect as a wired gaming headset can get.
Beyerdynamic kindly loaned the MMX 300 Pro to PowerUp for the purpose of this review.
