When you use a headset to make a call, then you need a clear, stable headset. What determines the quality of your audio output is the microphone that comes with the headset.
With the evolution of entertainment media, we can't live without our headsets now, but have you noticed the microphone that has completed its evolution along with the headset? In this blog, we'll discuss the past and present of headset microphones to learn more about headset microphones, how they've changed, and why they're so important for the voice and video calls that are so prevalent today.
Source From acxpa.com
The Evolution of Headset Microphones
The concept of the headset microphone dates back to the early 1900s and was primarily used in telecommunications and broadcasting. These early models were relatively bulky, featured large, conspicuous microphones, and often required manual operation, and while they represented an important advancement in audio technology, they were a far cry from the minimalist designs we know today.
The turnaround occurred during World War II, when the complex battlefield environment and the strong need for hands-free communication led to the invention of the boom microphone, which allowed the wearer to adjust the position of the microphone around their mouth. The design of the boom microphone not only improved audio quality, but also increased user comfort
The rapid rise of the entertainment industry later accelerated the development of headsets and the evolution of the headset microphone. Stage performers, especially theater and live music performers, began to favor headset microphones over handheld microphones. The headset microphone evolved quickly into its current simple and comfortable form.
Headset Microphone Technology Now
Noise-canceling and non-noise-canceling microphones
First of all, there are headset microphones that are called noise-canceling and headset microphones that are labeled as super noise-canceling. I suspect that super duper noise cancellation is not far off. In any case, what all of these microphones have in common is that they are designed to cancel out background noise so that your callers can't hear it.
This is especially important if coworkers in the background are talking about sensitive issues such as finances, health, and the law. What you don't want your callers to hear.
The first generation of noise-canceling microphones for business headsets were great. They did what they were designed to do, which was to eliminate background noise. But as you can imagine, some models did a better job than others.
The same difference exists today, with some models clearly doing a better job. I know this to be true because we test many brands and models and in doing so, we find it easy to see which ones do a good job of reducing noise and which ones don't.
Who cares about the quality of the microphone?
Obviously for important online business meetings or to communicate with your clients, the quality of your microphone determines how professional and reliable an impression you make. Not all of us have the luxury of a separate, noise-free space, and most of the time our office environments are filled with noises that make it difficult to concentrate on work.
If your office environment meets the following conditions, you'd better choose the headset with noise-canceling function
- Your office is frequented by people coming and going or passing by.
- The distance between you and your colleagues is less than 30 feet.
- You spend most of your time in this position.
- Your job requires you to provide stable, continuous, uninterrupted and clear call quality.
If your job does not meet any of the above criteria, you are free to choose whether or not to use a headset with noise cancellation, but please note that headsets with noise-canceling microphones are generally more expensive than headsets without noise-canceling microphones, so you can make a choice based on your needs.
How to pick the right microphone
The placement of the microphone is just as important as the way it is used, and you can easily see that there are several different types of microphones on the market that are integrated into headsets, and you can find the most common ones below:
Boom microphone
A flexible arm that extends from the headset and places the microphone near the wearer's mouth. It is commonly used in gaming headsets, aviation headsets and call center headsets. The adjustable arm allows for precise positioning and better voice pickup.
Noise canceling microphone
Noise-canceling microphones are designed to filter out ambient background noise and ensure that the wearer's voice remains clear. These microphones are typically used in professional call center headsets, aviation communication headsets, and gaming headsets.
Electret Microphone
An electret microphone is a condenser microphone with a diaphragm that uses a permanently charged material. They are commonly found in a variety of headset types, including communications headsets and consumer grade headsets. Electret microphones offer a good balance between sensitivity and power efficiency.
Final thoughts
Whether you work in a quiet office, a moderately noisy office, or the loudest office, having a headset with a good quality microphone that does a good job of canceling out noise is a good idea.
For those who work in a quiet office, they may also experience sudden interruptions or spikes of sound from multiple different sources. When this happens, a quality noise-canceling microphone will dampen the noise so that your callers aren't shaken or suddenly surprised. It helps keep things professional.
For those who work in moderately noisy or even noisy offices, it goes without saying that it makes sense to provide a better call experience for your callers. Do you really want them to hear all the noise in your background?
The good news about using a quality noise-canceling headset is that you don't have to perform any actions because the headset microphone does all the work. You simply speak as you normally would, and when the noise becomes annoying, you don't have to worry because the caller can't hear it.