Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out. I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get? VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality. I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too. ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation. Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu? TIA, Liz J
Liz, Have you looked at the stuff Plantronics sells? They're fairly decent. I use a wireless headset at work hooked to a phone. Not sure if they have a plain headset though. Can you tell us which model(s) you've had bad experiences with, so we can steer clear of them as well? Thanks, John
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics. Randall Mason On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 2:50 PM, Randall Mason <clashthebunny@gmail.com> wrote:
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are
I thought Bluetooth audio on Linux was still too much of an adventure to be worth it.
your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics.
Randall Mason
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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On an earlier version of Ubuntu, I couldn't stop making my phone use my computer from being my "headset". I had to unpair everything. That was a while ago though, and I think things work better now. Can anybody else confirm or deny that Linux somehow broke audio? Also, I have an N900, and it's all bluez. I use a bluetooth headset all the time. It's had some good integration efforts from Nokia, but it's just regular Gnome libraries behind it. Randall Mason On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 2:57 PM, Jorden M <jrm8005@gmail.com> wrote:
On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 2:50 PM, Randall Mason <clashthebunny@gmail.com> wrote:
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are
I thought Bluetooth audio on Linux was still too much of an adventure to be worth it.
your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics.
Randall Mason
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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Do not have Bluetooth here; do not want. I make VoIP calls through the computer (not a telephone handest). The headset must not hiss, must transmit voice clearly without chopping, needs to be able to send/receive some depth of sound in order to hear voice nuances. Don't need huge booming bass, just normal voice. Would like something that uses the pair of 3.5 mm jacks. Would like analog sound rather than digitally-processed. Sound is already digitally-processed as it moves through the sound card and sent out in packets. Someone asked for reviews here. Can't do really --some of these headsets are long-gone; the ones remaining are in the reject bin, but not labelled as to the reason. At least three sets have bee given away to friends to use for emergency backup in case theirs fails. One Logitech headset for VoIP (an inexpensive, behind-the-head model) was very painful above the ears. Most of the supra-aural sets are like wearing little wooden blocks over the ears, lightly padded with thin foam. Two I have had to pad out under the foam phone covers. The units with pseudo-leather or pseudo-velvet phone covers seem to be padded a little better. Most of these headsets are too big (slip off) yet conversely the same headset might be too tight on the ears. Believe it or not, the best headset I ever had was the Cyber Acoustics Neckband Style Stereo Headset/Microphone AC-634, which used to cost about $11 and now costs about $14. It's too big for my head in back, though. These seem to last about 6 months to a year before one of the phone or mic wires breaks. owned several of those. gave up because I thought it would be nice to rest my neck against the headrest here, without pushing the headset forward off my ears. One needs a large head.think neck for these to fit well, perhaps. Logitech now offers a behind-the-neck headset with a sofe(er) silicone-lined headband, that people seem to like. But the review I find for this one seem mainly to have been written by gamers. They have totally different requirements than VoIP users. Also, this thing is a little expensive for what it appears to be... unless it really does produce very good sound. Has anyone used this one?? Although my question here may be another of my famous unanswerable questions, thanks again, Liz J On 19 April 2010 14:50, Randall Mason <clashthebunny@gmail.com> wrote:
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics.
Randall Mason
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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Bose is generally regarded as having superior audio-quality. Maybe out of your price range, though. On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 4:31 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Do not have Bluetooth here; do not want.
I make VoIP calls through the computer (not a telephone handest). The headset must not hiss, must transmit voice clearly without chopping, needs to be able to send/receive some depth of sound in order to hear voice nuances. Don't need huge booming bass, just normal voice.
Would like something that uses the pair of 3.5 mm jacks. Would like analog sound rather than digitally-processed. Sound is already digitally-processed as it moves through the sound card and sent out in packets.
Someone asked for reviews here. Can't do really --some of these headsets are long-gone; the ones remaining are in the reject bin, but not labelled as to the reason. At least three sets have bee given away to friends to use for emergency backup in case theirs fails.
One Logitech headset for VoIP (an inexpensive, behind-the-head model) was very painful above the ears. Most of the supra-aural sets are like wearing little wooden blocks over the ears, lightly padded with thin foam. Two I have had to pad out under the foam phone covers. The units with pseudo-leather or pseudo-velvet phone covers seem to be padded a little better.
Most of these headsets are too big (slip off) yet conversely the same headset might be too tight on the ears.
Believe it or not, the best headset I ever had was the Cyber Acoustics Neckband Style Stereo Headset/Microphone AC-634, which used to cost about $11 and now costs about $14. It's too big for my head in back, though. These seem to last about 6 months to a year before one of the phone or mic wires breaks. owned several of those. gave up because I thought it would be nice to rest my neck against the headrest here, without pushing the headset forward off my ears. One needs a large head.think neck for these to fit well, perhaps.
Logitech now offers a behind-the-neck headset with a sofe(er) silicone-lined headband, that people seem to like. But the review I find for this one seem mainly to have been written by gamers. They have totally different requirements than VoIP users. Also, this thing is a little expensive for what it appears to be... unless it really does produce very good sound. Has anyone used this one??
Although my question here may be another of my famous unanswerable questions, thanks again, Liz J
On 19 April 2010 14:50, Randall Mason <clashthebunny@gmail.com> wrote:
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics.
Randall Mason
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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Wow, amazing. Bose is way too high-cost. Some of these headsets have an input impedence of over 100 ohms --I recall having one like this which did not work. Plantronics does not show input impedence on their website. In fact tech sheets there are impossible to find, even with the correct part number / product description. Nor do their "technical representatives" have this available. A nice girl there will have an engineer!!! look this up & tell her, then she promises to e-mail me with this arcane but necessary data. I had been hoping someone here would be able to say "I have this unit, it works great for the purpose you specified", but it appears I'm in for a long stalk and not a quick ambush. So if I find whatever I'm hunting I'll be back with details. Thanks again, Liz On 19 April 2010 17:01, Jorden M <jrm8005@gmail.com> wrote:
Bose is generally regarded as having superior audio-quality. Maybe out of your price range, though.
On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 4:31 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Do not have Bluetooth here; do not want.
I make VoIP calls through the computer (not a telephone handest). The headset must not hiss, must transmit voice clearly without chopping, needs to be able to send/receive some depth of sound in order to hear voice nuances. Don't need huge booming bass, just normal voice.
Would like something that uses the pair of 3.5 mm jacks. Would like analog sound rather than digitally-processed. Sound is already digitally-processed as it moves through the sound card and sent out in packets.
Someone asked for reviews here. Can't do really --some of these headsets are long-gone; the ones remaining are in the reject bin, but not labelled as to the reason. At least three sets have bee given away to friends to use for emergency backup in case theirs fails.
One Logitech headset for VoIP (an inexpensive, behind-the-head model) was very painful above the ears. Most of the supra-aural sets are like wearing little wooden blocks over the ears, lightly padded with thin foam. Two I have had to pad out under the foam phone covers. The units with pseudo-leather or pseudo-velvet phone covers seem to be padded a little better.
Most of these headsets are too big (slip off) yet conversely the same headset might be too tight on the ears.
Believe it or not, the best headset I ever had was the Cyber Acoustics Neckband Style Stereo Headset/Microphone AC-634, which used to cost about $11 and now costs about $14. It's too big for my head in back, though. These seem to last about 6 months to a year before one of the phone or mic wires breaks. owned several of those. gave up because I thought it would be nice to rest my neck against the headrest here, without pushing the headset forward off my ears. One needs a large head.think neck for these to fit well, perhaps.
Logitech now offers a behind-the-neck headset with a sofe(er) silicone-lined headband, that people seem to like. But the review I find for this one seem mainly to have been written by gamers. They have totally different requirements than VoIP users. Also, this thing is a little expensive for what it appears to be... unless it really does produce very good sound. Has anyone used this one??
Although my question here may be another of my famous unanswerable questions, thanks again, Liz J
On 19 April 2010 14:50, Randall Mason <clashthebunny@gmail.com> wrote:
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics.
Randall Mason
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com>
wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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I've got a Logitech set that's very good. The mic is clear and the phones are OK. They're not exactly sennheissers with regards to comfort, but I can wear them for a few hours before taking a break. It was $20 at target, iirc. No clue what the model number was. It's also got mic on/off and volume on the cord. Good luck, soup
I think I will try the Altec Lansing AHS302USB headset. Was able to find a detailed review that makes this unit look reasonable http://www.legitreviews.com/article/314/1/ Thanks again, Liz
On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 6:57 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
I had been hoping someone here would be able to say "I have this unit, it works great for the purpose you specified", but it appears I'm in for a long stalk and not a quick ambush.
I've never been crazy about chatting or talking on the phone any more than necessary. My girlfriend, before I moved in with her, wanted to chat online, so I picked up the cheapest headset I could find. What I often ended up doing was placing the headset on the desk with the microphone facing me, and wearing my wireless circumaural Sony headphones. You might want to consider separate headphones and microphone. ecost.com often has cheap deals on refurbished wireless headphones. My Sony's aren't perfect, but they beat my previous RCA set by a mile. -- Rich
My wife and I did long distance for 7 months before we were married. We talked ~2.5 hours a day. I used a pair of headphones and an external microphone. It was very good quality, but you have to look in the same direction all the time. Probably shouldn't be a problem, because you would be tied to a location anyhow, but it gets MUCH better audio than any other microphone setup that I've tried. Also, you don't have the extra weight of the microphone on your ears, so it's easier on the whole head. Randall Mason On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 4:31 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Do not have Bluetooth here; do not want.
I make VoIP calls through the computer (not a telephone handest). The headset must not hiss, must transmit voice clearly without chopping, needs to be able to send/receive some depth of sound in order to hear voice nuances. Don't need huge booming bass, just normal voice.
Would like something that uses the pair of 3.5 mm jacks. Would like analog sound rather than digitally-processed. Sound is already digitally-processed as it moves through the sound card and sent out in packets.
Someone asked for reviews here. Can't do really --some of these headsets are long-gone; the ones remaining are in the reject bin, but not labelled as to the reason. At least three sets have bee given away to friends to use for emergency backup in case theirs fails.
One Logitech headset for VoIP (an inexpensive, behind-the-head model) was very painful above the ears. Most of the supra-aural sets are like wearing little wooden blocks over the ears, lightly padded with thin foam. Two I have had to pad out under the foam phone covers. The units with pseudo-leather or pseudo-velvet phone covers seem to be padded a little better.
Most of these headsets are too big (slip off) yet conversely the same headset might be too tight on the ears.
Believe it or not, the best headset I ever had was the Cyber Acoustics Neckband Style Stereo Headset/Microphone AC-634, which used to cost about $11 and now costs about $14. It's too big for my head in back, though. These seem to last about 6 months to a year before one of the phone or mic wires breaks. owned several of those. gave up because I thought it would be nice to rest my neck against the headrest here, without pushing the headset forward off my ears. One needs a large head.think neck for these to fit well, perhaps.
Logitech now offers a behind-the-neck headset with a sofe(er) silicone-lined headband, that people seem to like. But the review I find for this one seem mainly to have been written by gamers. They have totally different requirements than VoIP users. Also, this thing is a little expensive for what it appears to be... unless it really does produce very good sound. Has anyone used this one??
Although my question here may be another of my famous unanswerable questions, thanks again, Liz J
On 19 April 2010 14:50, Randall Mason <clashthebunny@gmail.com> wrote:
I would probably convert to Bluetooth, but that's up to you. What are your requirements? Does it need to just need to get audio both ways from your face to your computer, or is it a wired handset, like your phone? I had a boss that had a Platronics Bluetooth phone headset (Bluetooth base station plugs into a handset jack, and the rest is wireless to your ear), and he really liked it. I've also liked many of my Bluetooth headsets from Platronics.
Randall Mason
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 12:39 PM, E Johnson <iris.gates@gmail.com> wrote:
Going nuts here trying to find a headset I can use for long periods of time in VoIP. Last thing I bought was comfortable and worked OOB, but had very fuzzy sound in and out.
I've been using headsets with 3.5 mm jacks, but never found a hedset that was both comfortable and had decent mic output plus phones input. What to get?
VoIP needs are apparently very different than gaming needs... headsets that gamers like might not be the greatest for VoIP. VoIP headsets seem to be expensive for the build and/or quality.
I don't need fabulous quality for playing music (don't listen to music or watch movies), but VoIP must sound good on my end and on my contact's side too.
ALSA is working well here, want to keep it, but if anyone can provide clear direction on other options that do succesfully work with a non-zillion-dollar headset, I would dearly appreciate some consultation.
Does anyone have experience with USB or 3.5 mm headsets in (hopefully) Debian or Ubuntu?
TIA, Liz J
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participants (6)
-
E Johnson -
John Stoffel -
Jorden M -
Randall Mason -
Richard Klein -
soup