Headset for working from home
Discussion
I'm looking for a decent headset for Teams/Zoom etc. Mac use if that makes any difference.
Wired is fine, but I'd rather get something decent (within reason price-wise).
I can't make up my mind if mono or stereo is better? Will be used in a home office so it's quiet there anyway.
I think the Jabra Evolve2 40 seems like a good choice. UC/Teams version is a bit confusing but I think which-ever is cheaper.
Google not coming up with much in way of proper reviews / recommendations.
Wired is fine, but I'd rather get something decent (within reason price-wise).
I can't make up my mind if mono or stereo is better? Will be used in a home office so it's quiet there anyway.
I think the Jabra Evolve2 40 seems like a good choice. UC/Teams version is a bit confusing but I think which-ever is cheaper.
Google not coming up with much in way of proper reviews / recommendations.
page3 said:
I'm looking for a decent headset for Teams/Zoom etc. Mac use if that makes any difference.
Wired is fine, but I'd rather get something decent (within reason price-wise).
I can't make up my mind if mono or stereo is better? Will be used in a home office so it's quiet there anyway.
I think the Jabra Evolve2 40 seems like a good choice. UC/Teams version is a bit confusing but I think which-ever is cheaper.
Google not coming up with much in way of proper reviews / recommendations.
Not sure on the wired options but I have a bluetooth Jabra noise cancelling binaural headset for Teams and it is absolutely superbWired is fine, but I'd rather get something decent (within reason price-wise).
I can't make up my mind if mono or stereo is better? Will be used in a home office so it's quiet there anyway.
I think the Jabra Evolve2 40 seems like a good choice. UC/Teams version is a bit confusing but I think which-ever is cheaper.
Google not coming up with much in way of proper reviews / recommendations.
I've tried a few but I haven't found anything better than the Plantronics Blackwire.
A quick note on the desktop speakers, all is fine until you get a slight lag on the audio and the echo cancellation stops working. It doesn't tend to be a problem at your end but it's annoying for others.
Edit to add:
They have a newer model which is also cheaper.
A quick note on the desktop speakers, all is fine until you get a slight lag on the audio and the echo cancellation stops working. It doesn't tend to be a problem at your end but it's annoying for others.
Edit to add:
They have a newer model which is also cheaper.
theaxe said:
I've tried a few but I haven't found anything better than the Plantronics Blackwire.
A quick note on the desktop speakers, all is fine until you get a slight lag on the audio and the echo cancellation stops working. It doesn't tend to be a problem at your end but it's annoying for others.
Edit to add:
They have a newer model which is also cheaper.
That looks good. Do you feel that purely for meetings (no music) the mono versions are better?A quick note on the desktop speakers, all is fine until you get a slight lag on the audio and the echo cancellation stops working. It doesn't tend to be a problem at your end but it's annoying for others.
Edit to add:
They have a newer model which is also cheaper.
Magnum 475 said:
If you spend many hours on Teams / Zoom etc, consider a desktop speaker rather than a headset. I've had my Jabra unit for about 7 years now, one of the best things I ever bought for remote working.
This. I have a Sennheiser SP30 that I picked up on a whim fromCEX a couple of years ago for £11 (proper bargain).
It’s built for Skype but there is a couple of newer models (SP30+ and also SP30T) I’d highly recommend them and they work perfectly with a Mac (mines used several times a day on a 2020 iMac)
Microsoft Lifechat LX3000 about £25, great sound, great mic that doesnt pick up background noise, great even with music/video at your desk. Block out much of office background with around ear pads. Comfy - I can wear them 8 hrs straight
I am a bit of an audio nut, having multiple relatively expensive sets of headphones and the Lifechats never cease to amaze me with their sound quality.
They are USB 'wired' so not sure if that is a limitation for you. I'm on my second pair, the first pair lasting a number of years being stuffed and dragged out of a laptop bag travelling all over UK and europe, I changed them 2 years ago when the cable started coming away from the headphone.
The adjustable mic on them is also excellent.
I am a bit of an audio nut, having multiple relatively expensive sets of headphones and the Lifechats never cease to amaze me with their sound quality.
They are USB 'wired' so not sure if that is a limitation for you. I'm on my second pair, the first pair lasting a number of years being stuffed and dragged out of a laptop bag travelling all over UK and europe, I changed them 2 years ago when the cable started coming away from the headphone.
The adjustable mic on them is also excellent.
I've been usng a set of Plantronics Voyager Focus for over 10 years now and they still brilliant. I replaced the ear pads for a couple of quid other than that they last all day and I can wear them for long periods of time too.
I pad just over £100 for them but seen they have increased a bit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-headset-both-...
I pad just over £100 for them but seen they have increased a bit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plantronics-headset-both-...
My wife has a pair of these Sennheiser PC 8.2 CHAT, wired headset for casual gaming, e-learning and music, noise cancelling microphone, call control, foldable microphone, high comfort – USB-A connectivity
The voice quality is very good and the noise cancelling is excellent (I can play music in the same room and her colleagues don't hear it).
When she asked for a decent headset, I made a point of finding something decent, as I've lost count of the amount of times I've spoken to someone in a noisy environment and can't hear a word they're saying. Not to mention the amount of times I've encountered super tinny sounding microphones (usually Bluetooth I might add)....
The voice quality is very good and the noise cancelling is excellent (I can play music in the same room and her colleagues don't hear it).
When she asked for a decent headset, I made a point of finding something decent, as I've lost count of the amount of times I've spoken to someone in a noisy environment and can't hear a word they're saying. Not to mention the amount of times I've encountered super tinny sounding microphones (usually Bluetooth I might add)....
Magnum 475 said:
If you spend many hours on Teams / Zoom etc, consider a desktop speaker rather than a headset. I've had my Jabra unit for about 7 years now, one of the best things I ever bought for remote working.
Me too. I started the lockdown with a headset most of the time but many hrs each day with a headset did my head in so switched to Jabra desk speaker full time from about May. Much better.theboss said:
I prefer a headset (DECT) as I like to go walkies during meetings and it works everywhere even the other side of a meter thick wall.
I have both so I can switch it up though.The greatest thing about the headset is that flipping up the microphone disables it. So great when you have some background noise or meetings where you're not actively participating all the time.
Magnum 475 said:
If you spend many hours on Teams / Zoom etc, consider a desktop speaker rather than a headset. I've had my Jabra unit for about 7 years now, one of the best things I ever bought for remote working.
ThisI went from headset to speaker after an all-day Teams meeting. Best thing I did for home working.
Only works if you’re in the room alone, obviously. If you aren’t in a quiet space go with Jabra in my experience.
Thanks all, really helpful discussion.
Is something like the Jabra speaker a step up from using my iMac, which in basic form has pretty good speakers/microphone? The problem I have is I’m finding myself semi-shouting rather than talking naturally, so it might simply be a case of re-educating my brain.
Is something like the Jabra speaker a step up from using my iMac, which in basic form has pretty good speakers/microphone? The problem I have is I’m finding myself semi-shouting rather than talking naturally, so it might simply be a case of re-educating my brain.
The speakers on a mac are good, but included microphones and cameras in general (also on mac) are pretty terrible.
It's also a lot lower on the list of things that need to work properly, so a lot of money is saved (iirc there's still a Mac with 480p camera?) which might shift a bit post-covid.
I've used them but I think the main issue is that they are usually built for (small) conferences, so they will pick up a lot more sound around you.
If you go that way, I'd say get a decent microphone that you can put in front of you and use your laptop speakers for the sound.
Blue Yeti Nano is great stuff but a bit more expensive, HyperX SoloCast gets very good reviews at about 70 quid.
The difference for your other attendees will be night and day.
It's also a lot lower on the list of things that need to work properly, so a lot of money is saved (iirc there's still a Mac with 480p camera?) which might shift a bit post-covid.
I've used them but I think the main issue is that they are usually built for (small) conferences, so they will pick up a lot more sound around you.
If you go that way, I'd say get a decent microphone that you can put in front of you and use your laptop speakers for the sound.
Blue Yeti Nano is great stuff but a bit more expensive, HyperX SoloCast gets very good reviews at about 70 quid.
The difference for your other attendees will be night and day.
I'm on my second Jabra Evolve 65 headset.
The first just stopped connecting with any bluetooth device a week after its warranty expired. Jabra Customer Services didn't want to know - fair enough I suppose, but I was a tad miffed, given that they had previously replaced a set for a colleague when his suffered the same fate a year before me, his being 6 months out of warranty. Perhaps their goodwill policy has changed.
Annoying as that was, I found this headset worked so well with Teams and Skype, and I loved that I could simultaneously bluetooth to my iPhone to listen to music, it automatically swapping when I got a Skype call, was a great feature, so I reluctantly bought a replacement.
The second set is still working, but its low battery warning has ceased to function, so I have to remember to charge it, otherwise it just stops working without warning. I use it fairly heavily, 5hrs a day, Mon-Fri.
So a great piece of kit, but not without its flaws. If this one dies I won't be buying Jabra again.
The first just stopped connecting with any bluetooth device a week after its warranty expired. Jabra Customer Services didn't want to know - fair enough I suppose, but I was a tad miffed, given that they had previously replaced a set for a colleague when his suffered the same fate a year before me, his being 6 months out of warranty. Perhaps their goodwill policy has changed.
Annoying as that was, I found this headset worked so well with Teams and Skype, and I loved that I could simultaneously bluetooth to my iPhone to listen to music, it automatically swapping when I got a Skype call, was a great feature, so I reluctantly bought a replacement.
The second set is still working, but its low battery warning has ceased to function, so I have to remember to charge it, otherwise it just stops working without warning. I use it fairly heavily, 5hrs a day, Mon-Fri.
So a great piece of kit, but not without its flaws. If this one dies I won't be buying Jabra again.
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