Headset for VoIP, Skype, iChat, Gizmo Project and more

There are a number of good, free services to use for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls:

• Skype (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• Gizmo project (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• iChat (Mac)

These services let you call user-to-user free when both are on line. Skype and Gizmo Project have options for conference calling, as well as free/low fee domestic and international calling.

To best take advantage of these services, you should invest in a good quality USB headset. That allows you to position a mike boom close to your mouth so your sound quality is consistent. Think of it… if you used a stationary microphone on your desk, you’d have to keep your head positioned close to the mic stand, which could create unnecessary stress on your back and neck. If you move about, your sound quality to the person on the other end of your connection will be choppy and inconsistent. A simple investment in a headset can solve this problem and create a positive user experience for all.

I purchased the Logitech Premium USB Headset 350 primarily to use for VoIP.

Benefits:

• Good quality construction
• Comfort is okay. Padded ear phones. Frame not too stiff.
• Noise canceling microphone seems to work.
• Long cord.
• Both Windows XP Home Edition and Mac OS X 10.4.7 recognize the USB hardware without difficulty.
• Audio quality is good.
• My recorded voice quality is fine.
• My voice quality while talking over Skype, etc., is okay (as decent as my connection can be).

Concerns:

• I expected the microphone recording volume could be louder. Might be solved with software that improves gain.
• As other consumer comments reported on Amazon.com, I had difficulty with the inline volume control. The mute button is very sensitive to touch. +/- volume control works fine. The blue mute status light stopped glowing after a week of use — less than 5 hours overall. (Mute still functions, but I no longer have visual indicator when mute is active.) But a few weeks later it started working again and has been working ever since.

Wanna be podcasters can use the Logitech Premium USB Headset 350 to get comfortable with recording. A digital USB connection is more favorable in terms of capturing higher quality audio than using an analog mic input. The headset worked fine in my tests capturing spoke word with Garageband and Audacity.

Overall, I think it’s a decent investment for the price range ($30-50). Hope you find this useful.
-Roland

Roland Reinhart is an interactive marketing professional. His observations can be found at Chaos365.com and AdMadMan.com.

©2006 Roland Reinhart. All Rights Reserved.