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SONY DR-260 USB (Click here for technical data).
This hands free monaural non-slip PC headset offers quality, Sony
sound, and a comfortable, swivel ear design. The headset fits around your ear frame and provides easy right-to-left ear switching. With two options of connection (all-digital USB or headset/microphone). With all digital USB technology sound and voice will be at its crispest. The unit also sports a flexible boom microphone that minimizes surrounding noise, a 3.5mm gold-plated plug (mic/headphone), and a three meter cord so you have plenty of room to move about. The Sony quality and the dual connection choice make this headset easily worth the money. But if this is a little steep for your budget, there are more good choices below.
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Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB)
(Click here for technical data).
- Foldable for easy storage and transport
- Digital Signal Processor provides full-range digital audio
- Digitally-enhanced, full-range stereo sound
- PerSono Audio Control Software for easy control of all your audio needs
- Ultra-sensitive, digitally-enhanced noise-canceling microphone delivers the
full spectrum of the human voice
- Sleek, stylish design with color accents
- New lightweight materials for ultimate comfort
- QuickAdjust microphone boom allows the user to position the microphone
easily and consistently for uniform performance and higher accuracy
- Uses dual minjacks or USB.
- Half the cost of the 400 (next on the list)
We tested this microphone during a major rollout to a training group of nearly 160 participants. Between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 had difficulties with it. However, the problems were grouped into four categories of about even proportions:
- Those who couldn't follow instructions.
- Those who were technolgically unsophisticated.
- The use of the dual jacks.
Those in category 1 attempted to skip using the headsets all together. They showed up at the online meeting sessions causing havoc because their computer speakers created feedback echoes through their microphones and other participants could hear everything going on in the background. Then they took up valuable instructional time being helped to get their headsets working. Reminders in invitations to subsequent sessions slowly educated this group until, at the end of the program, there were almost no participants having trouble.
Those in the second category ran into trouble running the audio wizard for installation. They were unfamiliar with what to choose as the "device." TIP: If you use this headset, watch for either "front mic" or "C-Media" as the device name.
This secon group also tended to not understand about mute buttons and volumen controls on a device like a headset. So they often had their volume turned down or their microphone muted.
Those in the third group had difficulty making the headset work through a USB port and so they logically tried unplugging the headset from the USB dongle and plugging it into the dual jacks on their computers. The main problem with this approach was getting the jacks mixed up: that is, plugging the headset jack into the microphone port and vice versa.
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Plantronics DSP 400 (Click here for technical data).
- Foldable for easy storage and transport
- Digital Signal Processor provides full-range digital audio
- Digitally-enhanced, full-range stereo sound
- PerSono Audio Control Software for easy control of all your audio needs
- Ultra-sensitive, digitally-enhanced noise-canceling microphone delivers the
full spectrum of the human voice
- Sleek, stylish design with color accents
- New lightweight materials for ultimate comfort
- QuickAdjust microphone boom allows the user to position the microphone
easily and consistently for uniform performance and higher accuracy
- Uses dual minjacks or USB.
Buy Now
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KOSS SB40 Closed Ear PC Headset (Click here for technical data).
The closed-ear headphone, or stereophone, as Koss calls it, blocks sounds from within the earcups and without, maximizing privacy and intelligibility. The boom microphone offers a pickup pattern that rejects off-axis sound, so the parties on the receiving end of your calls will hear your voice and little else from your mic. Smooth leatherette cushions and the headband's adjustable, cloth sling and provide comfort during extended use, while the headset's straight, 9-foot cord grants ease of movement at a good-sized radius from your work station.
Uses dual minjacks (not USB).
Buy KOSS SB 40 Now.
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Logitech Stereo USB 200 (Click here for technical data).
- Advanced digital audio for superior sound clarity
- Dynamic stereo sound for music and games
- Adjustable headband and versatile left or right microphone
placement
- Noise-canceling microphone filters out background noise
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Plantronics Audio 80 Folding Stereo (Click here for technical data).
The Plantronics Audio 80 Folding
Headset gives you full-range sound and a superior speech-recognition
microphone. Equipped with a noise-canceling microphone, inline volume and mute
controls, and soft ear cushions, the Audio 80 analog PC headset offers
top-quality stereo sound and comfort. The Quick Adjust telescoping microphone ensures perfect placement.
- Folds up so you can take it with you
- Superior speech recognition microphone
- Great for internet telephony, multiplayer games, music, etc.
- Inline volume and mute controls
- QuickAdjust microphone
- Full-range stereo sound
- Compatible with most PC sound cards
- 3.5 mm plug (not USB)
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Cyber Acoustics AC-100R (Click here for technical data).
Broke? Ain't got no money? Here's a headset for under 15 bucks. It has good sound quality and is noise free, to both sender and receiver. Light weight, so it doesn't cramp your ears. Mine lasted about 4 months before the mic boom came loose. I taped it up and it still does an ok job. For trouble free satisfaction, pick another headset. But you sure can't beat this price if you're on a budget and need a headset urgently.
Claude
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