If the microphone has an attached headphone, then it is called a headset. In
PC (Personal Computer)
s, nearly these are nearly always integrated. You can spend an
incredible range on a headset for your
PC.
Even with a simple
PC,
it is possible to record voice or music and prepare to play on the
Internet or as part of your own computer programs. You can also use it
for speech to text Dragon
Naturally
Speaking or hand-free control of your computer. There
are two major problems to solve:
- Sound quality
- Compressing the sound to conserve storage and band width
If you don’t compress, your audience will give up waiting for all
but the shortest of clips.
To get decent sound quality you need three things:
- A high-quality microphone. Count on spending
up. For speech-to-text, a mono headset with only one ear covered
will suffice. For listening to music or web presentations, you will
want a stereo headset.
- A low-noise sound card microphone or aux-in hookup. This might be
an external
USB (Universal Serial Bus)
POD (Persistent Object Database),
or a sound card with a front mounted jack, that is shielded from all
the other RF-noisy computer components in the rear of the computer
or near the monitor. The mike may plug straight to the sound card,
or via your stereo or other amp.
- An appropriate sampling rate. 8-bit
8 kHz is what you might get from a
telephone. 16-bit 48
kHz is
CD (Compact Disk)
quality.
You will need some recording an editing software such as GoldWave. The Recorder that comes
with Windows is just a toy, mainly useful for testing your hardware is
working.
You then need software to compress without too much quality loss to a
popular WEB format such as Mp3, Silverlight or RealAudio.
For streaming audio, you may need a special server. Even when
compressed, audio is very bulky taking up many times the storage or
bandwidth of the equivalent transcripts. If you are not careful, using
it will soon bankrupt you with the Internet fees for broadcasting it.
Doing live Internet Radio broadcasts is considerably more difficult.
You have to do all this, especially the compression, in real time.
Desirable microphone features include:
- Noise cancelling. Electronics measure background noise and
generate a negative noise signal added to your voice signal to
cancel out background noise. You definitely want noise cancelling in
the microphone. You may also want it in the headphone.
- A
POD.
The electronics to convert the analog to digital fit in a little box
that sit on your desk. Only a digital signal goes into your
PC,
usually via a
USB.
The idea is to keep the delicate analog signal away from the
electrically noisy desktop case. Only the robust digital signal goes
into it. This gets rid of hum and other jittery computer electrical
noise. Nuance, the makers of Dragon
Naturally
Speaking posts a list
of high quality microphones with a rating of how good they are for
speech to text.
- If it has minijacks, you can use an adapter to also plug them into
your stereo. You plug the earphone jack in and leave the microphone
jack unconnected. The single microjack pin has both signal and
ground connectors.
- Low impedance, <60Ω, especially if you plan to use a long
cord.
- Microphone mounted on a headset in such a way you can precisely
position the microphone without it wiggling away from where you put
it.
- If you get an analog headset, make sure the connectors are
compatible with your computer.
PCs (Personal Computers)
typically want a separate mike and headphone 3.5 mm connector.
- Wireless. This is rare since continuous use rapidly exhausts
batteries. The problem is the batteries run out after about 3
hours. The wider the range, the faster they wear out.
- You want a wide frequency range in both microphone and headphones.
The lower the first number, the better the bass. The higher the
second number the clearer high frequency sounds like s
will be.
- If you buy buy 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound, pretty well the only
thing that can generate surround sound is games. Don’t expect
it from videos and
DVDs (Digital Video Discs).
Headphones or Headset?
Advantages of a Headset
- The headset holds the microphone in place right in front of your mouth no matter where you turn your head.
- The headset holds the microphone close to your mouth, which lets the noise canceling logic easily tell your
voice apart from background noise.
- USB port will attach to a laptop that does not have the necessary analog jacks.
- USB port is immune to electrical hum emanating from the computer.
Disadvantages of a Headset
- If the microphone breaks off from the headset, you must buy a whole new unit.
Advantages of a Separate Headphone/Microphone
- For the same dollars, you can get better quality equipment.
- If you make a video, you don’t have to look like a geek wearing a headset.
- You can spend your dollars where you need the extra quality, on the microphone or the headphones.
Disadvantages of a Separate Headphone/Microphone
- You must hold your head steady, pointed at and close to the microphone. You can’t turn your head to look
at parts of the screen.
- You need some way to mount the microphone close to your mouth.
Unless you spend a lot of money, your headset will be
fragile. You will be lucky if it lasts a year. The really rugged
headsets are called aviation headsets, but they cost about $1000.
The are many specialised online headset stores. When
you have decided on a model, Google to check out who is carrying it at
what price and shipping. e.g.
Headset vs Headphone + Microphone
If you are mainly interested in Dragon Naturally Speaking, the
quality of the headphones does not matter. What matters is the quality
of the microphone. For noise cancelling microphones used with Dragon,
the microphone must be as close to your mouth as possible, in other
words, you need an integrated headset.
If your interest is making podcasts, you probably want a separate
microphone, so viewers can see you head unencumbered.
If your interest is gaming where you speak, you will want an
integrated gaming headset.
If your interest is listening to music and videos, you want a
separate headphone engineered for comfort and high fidelity. It will
be hum-free if you use a
USB
port rather than the analog jacks.
If you want to talk on the phone hands-free, you probably want a
monaural, noise-cancelling, wireless headset, specially designed to
interface with telephones.
You have to decide if you want to be responsive to sounds around you
or if you want to block them out with over-the-ear and
noise-cancelling headphones.
Wireless lets you get up and walk around, but only get about 4
hours per charge.
DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony)
is the standard that lets the wireless headset talk to the base.
Real World Headsets
These headsets are in ascending order by list price. This
approximates the order of street price.
$5.39 |
recommend electronic⇒Syba SD-CM-UAUD Analog to USB Adapter |
| asin |
B001MSS6CS |
|---|
| It lets you inexpensively turn any headset with minijacks into a digital USB headset. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$22.99 |
recommend electronic⇒Koss SB40 Computer Headset |
| asin |
B00005ML7T |
|---|
| non-USB headset, Minijacks, microphone noise-canceling, but headaphones are not noise-cancelling. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. Earphones: an impresive 20 Hz — 20 kHz. The microphone frequency range is not specified and it is low quality. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$28.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser PC 131 stereo Headset |
| asin |
B000NH4EI4 |
|---|
| non-USB headset, noise-cancelling microphone. Minijacks. Microphone: 80 Hz — 15 kHz. Rated 5 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Earphones: 30 Hz — 18 kHz. Specs |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$41.25 |
recommend electronic⇒Thermaltake eSports SHOCK Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B004HPRKIO |
|---|
| Model HT-SHK002ECBL, non-USB. Black with red trim. Also comes in white and red. Reputed to be more rugged that usual. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. Headphones: 20 — 20,000 Hz. Microphone: 100 — 10,000 Hz. Very good for the price. Noise canceling microphone. Amazon sells it under four different ASINs, and four different prices. Oddly, the more expensive TT-HT-SHO001EC has less impressive specs. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$33.23 |
recommend electronic⇒Andrea Headset NC-185VM USB |
| asin |
B003LY5RCS |
|---|
| USB headset. Rated 6 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Noise-canceling microphone. Stereo headphones. Frequency response of microphone and headphones not divulged. There are two cheaper variants without the USB. Specs |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$40.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Razer RZ04-00700100-R3U1 Electra Headset |
| asin |
B005HMCCNE |
|---|
| This is a non-USB headset with noise-canceling microphone. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. I included it because of the fun colour and because it looks unusually comfortable. Headphone: 25 Hz — 16 KHz. Microphone 100 Hz — 10 KHz. Has a retractable microphone. I am nervous of that for Dragon. You need precise placement of the microphone for optimal noise canceling. Specs |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$43.97 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser PC 230 traditional Stereo Headset |
| asin |
B003XQDYGK |
|---|
| non-USB headset with earphones and noise-canceling microphone. Rated 6 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Microphone: 80 Hz — 15 kHz. Earphones: 18 Hz — 22 kHz. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$48.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser PC 151 stereo Headset |
| asin |
B001KWXWKW |
|---|
| non-USB headset, noise-cancelling microphone. Minijacks. Intended for gaming and Skype. Noise cancelling microphone but not noise canceling headphones. Microphone: 80 Hz — 15 kHz. Earphones: 18 Hz — 22 kHz. Rated 5 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$51.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser PC 36 USB Stereo Headset |
| asin |
B001SN8QJ0 |
|---|
| USB headset with earphones and noise-canceling microphone. Microphone: 80 Hz — 15 kHz. Earphones: 40 Hz — 18 kHz. Not particularly impressive bass. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. Very light weight. I suspect it is near its end of product life. It is rarely stocked. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$54.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Plantronics 995 Wireless USB Stereo Headset |
| asin |
B001SEQN3U |
|---|
| Uses disposable batteries. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$69.99 |
recommend electronic⇒Corsair Dolby 7.1 USB Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B005QUQP7G |
|---|
| Corsair CA-9011112-WW Vengeance 1500 Dolby 7.1 USB Gaming Headset, USB headset with earphones and noise-canceling microphone. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. Microphone: 100 Hz — 10 kHz. Weak at low frequencies. Earphones: 20 Hz — 10 kHz. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$72.75 |
recommend electronic⇒Logitech Digital Precision PC Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B000RVD89M |
|---|
USB headset with earphones and noise-canceling microphone. This is what I bought myself. It was not my first choice, just the best I could find at local retailers. - Nice crisp sound. No background hum or hiss. They were so quiet at first I thought they were not working.
- Noise canceling microphone that works extremely well. When I recorded, I heard dead silence whenever I was not speaking.
- Long 10 foot cord.
- Nice cushiony grip on the ears with an open gap at the top for air circulation.
- Does not need a driver. It uses the built-it Microsoft driver. You just plug it in and go. It was even easier to get going than an analog headset.
- Behind-the-head grip is just as idiotic as it looks. It squeezes your head uncomfortably and keeps slipping down. The band should be on top.
- Not truly digital. They are analog headphones with a separate digital USB adapter. The signal is analog for 3 meters (10 feet) or more then digital for the last 10 cm (4 inches) This defeats the point of digital. I suppose a purist could insert a USB extension cord to get the analog part further away from the electrically noisy computer box. However, they are substantially lower noise than conventional headphones where the analog signal has to wend its way inside the computer near all manner of noise sources.
- You can’t adjust the microphone directly in front of your mouth. It is always way off to the side.
- There is no noise-cancellation in the earphones.
- There is yet another volume control to fiddle with on the cord. I wish volume were controlled in one place only!
- Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking.
- The left and right sides are not labelled.
- They are very delicate. After being dropped on a carpet just once, they fell apart and would never stay assembled again. Further the left sound or both would cut out if I did not hold the cord just so. They are very flimsy construction. I would not recommend them for this reason.
Microphone: 100 Hz — 16 kHz, filters out low frequencies. Earphones: 20 Hz — 20 kHz. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$73.88 |
recommend electronic⇒ROCCAT Kulo 7.1 USB Virtual Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B0071JXE4M |
|---|
| 7.1 surround sound and noise-canceling microphone. Headphone: 20 — 20,000 Hz. Microphone 70 — 15,000 Hz. Connects with single USB connector. Connector contains an external 7.1 sound card. Steel reinforced head band. Stats. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$96.96 |
recommend electronic⇒SteelSeries Diablo III USB Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B005L38SGY |
|---|
| I included this headset because it looks rugged though I have seen mixed reviews on durability. It has some very impressive frequency specs. Headphones: Frequency response: 18 — 28,000 Hz. Microphone: 50 — 16,000 Hz. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. The kid in me was impressed by the way the earphones glow and optionally pulse red — for no purpose at all other that to look sexy. Has a retractable microphone. I am nervous of that for Dragon. You need precise placement of the microphone for optimal noise canceling. The microphone is noise-canceling, but the headphones are not, though they are padded and cover the ears. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$119.99 |
recommend electronic⇒ROCCAT Kave 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B00275C2L6 |
|---|
| 5.1 surround sound and non-noise canceling microphone. Headphone: 20 — 20,000 Hz. Microphone 20 — 15,000 Hz. Connects with USB plus 4 jacks. Does not use S/PDIF. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking.Spec. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$138.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Jabra PRO 930 UC Headset |
| asin |
B006GOG1FC |
|---|
| Wireless. Only one earpiece. Rated 6 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Frequency ranges not specified other that headphone high end 6,800 Hz. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$146.93 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser PC 330 Game Headset |
| asin |
B003DA4D34 |
|---|
| non-USB headset with earphones and noise-canceling microphone. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. Microphone: 70 Hz — 15 kHz. Earphones: 14 Hz — 22 kHz. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$156.34 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser SC 260 USB Headset |
| asin |
B007H24NPM |
|---|
| USB headset. Rated 6 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Noise-canceling microphone. Stereo headphones. Microphone: 150-6,800 Hz. Headphone: 150-6,800 Hz. This is not very impressive frequency response. It is intended for voice not music. HeadSetDepot sells them at a considerable discount. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$179.95 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser PC 166 USB Stereo Multimedia Gaming Headset |
| asin |
B000H0IDUW |
|---|
| USB headset with earphones and noise-canceling microphone. Not certified for use with Dragon Naturally Speaking. These are unusually durable. Microphone: 80 Hz — 15 kHz. Earphones: 15 Hz — 23 kHz. USB jack contains a sound card. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$195.12 |
recommend electronic⇒Sennheiser DECT Wireless /Pro2 Headset |
| asin |
B009U5B40G |
|---|
| Rated 6 dragons by Dragon Naturally Speaking. Wireless. 4 hours on a charge. Frequency ranges not specified. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$320.85 |
recommend electronic⇒David Clark H10-13H Headset |
| asin |
B003JY2VN8 |
|---|
| Designed for use in helicopters. Super noise suppression. earphone 200 Hz — 5,500 Hz (quite narrow). mike 200Hz — 5,500 Hz. Separate phone plugs for mike and earphones. No USB. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
$399.00 |
recommend electronic⇒Beyerdynamic MMX 300 715565 PC Gaming Premium Digital Headset |
| asin |
B001BYMZ5W |
|---|
| High end gaming USB headset. 7.1 surround sound. It is wired. There is an extra-cost wireless version. Headphone: 5 Hz — 30,000 Hz. Microphone 30 — 18,000 Hz. Works with an external USB sound card. Specs. |
|
| Greyed out stores probably do not have the item in stock |
headset
.
If you want your message, your name or email kept confidential,
not considered for public posting, please explicitly specify that.
Unless you state otherwise,
I will treat your message as a letter to the editor that I may or may not publish
in the
feedback section.
After that, it will be too late to retract it.
If you disagree with something I said, especially when sending an ad-hominem attack,
a rant composed mainly of obscenities or a death threat, please quote the offending passage
and cite the web page where you found it, tell me why you think it is wrong,
and, if possible, provide some supporting evidence.
I can’t very well fix erroneous or ambiguous text if I can’t find it.
