Pandemic Audio Gear: Audiophile Solutions for COVID Lockdowns


Does anyone else get frustrated when switching between their carefully assembled, high resolution audio and video setups to glitchy calls, videos and "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW??"
I would be grateful to hear from any of you who have managed to improve or optimize your audio/video/PC setups for phone calls, conference call and/or video conference calls during COVID.
My discoveries so far have included a Poly smartphone dock which enables you to "dock" a mobile phone and at least enjoy a real keypad.  Don't know how it might sound however.  Sony apparently makes well reviewed "noise cancellation" headphones which can also take calls, while providing isolation when working remotely?  I experimented with a higher resolution camera than the one on my laptop, but didn't make any progress on the audio and generally found it to be a miserable and low resolution experience.  Certain IEM companies who I know make great IEMs offer cables with microphones.  But how will any cheapo, built into the cable microphone provide good audio??

Thank you for any ideas.


cwlondon
soix - thank you.  And yes, the Sennheisers seem like a good option here. 

For long haul international flights, I bought a pair of PXC 450 years ago but sold them recently given the apparent progress from Sennheiser and other brands.  But the active noise cancellation changed my life for traveling and practically eliminated jet lag.

Since posting this thread, it seems the Sony WH-1000XM4 continues to get good reviews and has had some sales for Black Friday. 

So far, I have only purchased a cheapo headset on Amazon, a Yamay bluetooth for < $35.  Nothing I would normally discuss on Audiogon - but even that has been a significant improvement over my miserable OEM earbuds and microphone for my Samsung Note.
So c'mon 'goners!  We need our phone and video calls to sound just as clear as our music and movies, please.
I’m considering a pair of Sennheiser PXC 550-ll headphones for my wife who’s working from home for the foreseeable future and can’t deal with earbuds for extended periods.  Noise isolation and speech clarity — both coming and going — are most important to her.  The Senns seem to be near the level of the Sonys and sounds like they might have an even better microphone for calls, and Drop.com is offering them for $200 that seems like a good deal.  FWIW.