I don't know either but I think you're right anyway - the device closest to production of sound should probably have these physical controls. I agree with the

I don't know either but I think you're right anyway - the device closest to production of sound should probably have these physical controls. I agree with the article and hate having to find or fumble with a software based mute/unmute or volume controls. Like many people I have to work from home and I love my Sennheiser headphones because they have a physical microphone mute as well as a physical volume control that gives me immediate fine-grained control over my volume (no mute though, in extreme cases I physically remove them as someone else said).