[Trainer-Talk] Looking for a headset with microphone.

[David Goldfield]

Raul,
Many thanks for this excellent and detailed feedback. Would you mind commenting on the microphone quality when using the headset for Zoom and Teams calls?

Take care.

David Goldfield,
Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist

NVDA Certified Expert

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-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Raul Gallegos - NAGDU via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2022 9:02 AM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Raul Gallegos - NAGDU <rgallegos at nagdu.org>
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] Looking for a headset with microphone.

Hello. The headset you choose will largely depend on what you are looking for specifically. For example do you want wired or wireless, do you want noise canceling or not, and what is your budget? Keeping this in mind, here are a few that I have tried along with the approximate hole in your wallet that it will cause. Logitech headsets are great. They are generally not too expensive and if cared for, can last a while. The wired headset 570 is a good choice because it has a microphone boom, it is not so overly big that you look like a DJ, and it has the onboard controls on the wire. The controls will be volume up and down along with mute and unmute. The cool thing about this headset is that it will literally send the mute and unmute command to zoom and teams. This wired headset usually runs for about $40 on Amazon. Next is another Logitech headset model 800. This one is a wireless headset that has Bluetooth but also has a USB dongle to connect to a laptop. This headset has the volume buttons and the mute button on the side of the headset itself. This headset usually runs for about $60. While this headset is nice, my issue with it was that the ear cups are not the most comfortable for me. However, considering that I used it for more than a year, it was clearly not too bad. The cushion on the headphone part started wearing out as it is a bit on the thinner side. This also has a smaller microphone boom but the headset itself is a lot more visible. All in all, not a bad purchase. Next we go into the three digits of dollars. I have a Plantronics Voyager 8200 which is outstanding. It also comes with a Bluetooth dongle to give you a wireless and easy connection with your laptop computer. It has noise canceling and it is an over the ear headset which will be very visible. It does not have a microphone boom but the internal microphones are good enough that you can be heard clearly. The music quality is outstanding if you care about such things. One thing about this headset is that it will pair with two devices, so if you want to have it on your laptop through the dongle and on your phone through its Bluetooth, you can do both. The headset is a little on the heavier side but it is constructed in such a way that it does not give me headaches if I wear it for long periods of time. When I purchased this Plantronics headset, it set me back about $240. Next is a headset that I recently purchased from anker on amaz0n. This model is the sound core life q20. I purchased this headset for around $40. This is an over the ear headset and it does not have a microphone boom but the internal microphones are really nice. It is not as heavy as the Plantronics and is very comfortable to wear. This is Bluetooth only but it does come with a wire to connect to a device that does not have Bluetooth. However, if you connect it this way, the internal microphone of the headset will not be used. When connected to a phone, you can add additional controls and make additional adjustments through the sound core app which at least on Android, is very accessible. 
There is a higher model of this headset, The q40, which adds even more additional features like sound profiles and multiple device connections. 
All in all, this is also a great headset and it sounds great with zoom and teams. Last, is the aftershocks open calm bone conduction headset. This one does not cover your ears, as it uses bone conduction technology to help with the sound. It wraps around the back of your head and the transducers rest on your cheekbone in front of your ear canal. This headset also has a microphone boom which helps with phone calls. It is very clear and the microphone works really well. This headset will set you back about $150. 
One thing I like about this headset is that if I am out and about, I can wear it while still paying attention to my surroundings but simultaneously having easy access to my phone and or my phone calls. Every headset that I have mentioned in this email will work well with iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and will work well with zoom and teams.
--
Raul Gallegos - President
National Association of Guide Dog Users
346-439-7444 | RGallegos at nagdu.org



On February 10, 2022 6:14:32 AM Kat Bottner via Trainer-Talk <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi All,
> I wanted to reach out, as I'm looking for a headset with microphone as 
> I'm in a lot of meetings at work and it's been said that other 
> participants hereJAWS. I am having to mute myself for the duration of 
> the meeting and email my responses when I asked questions. I know that 
> Chancy had mentioned a logitech headset that she uses, that has a 
> microphone and all of the controls are on the side. If anyone can 
> assist in regards to the exact model, that would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Kat
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