Ask HN: Remote workers, what headphone/mic combo do you use for video calls? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Remote workers, what headphone/mic combo do you use for video calls?

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Simple enough question. I'm about to start a remote position and I'm looking for good suggestions for a clear, comfortable, and hopefully non-intrusive headphone/mic combo for video calls. Preferably, something wireless would be even better. Interested to hear what others are using

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When having more than one person in the room, I'm using the Samson Go Mic¹.

When I'm alone, for calls and everything else really: listening to music or just cancelling the noise (AC, on flights etc.), I'm using BOSE QC35².

Both products I would highly recommend. But the headphones in particular are probably the best investment I've made to boost my productivity.

1. http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/microphones/usb-mi...

2. https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/over_ear_head...

Wow, +1 on the Bose. I completely forgot there was an inline microphone on the Bose QC25 cable. I just tested it with my MacBook Pro, it detects it as an External Microphone, and the quality is good enough for work calls. This is going to reduce my luggage while travelling!

Prior to that I've been using a pair of Logitech USB 250s, which have a surprisingly clear microphone (better than the Bose), but aren't very comfortable for extended use.

I had a great experience with another Samson Mic until it broke. By chance we found that an old Microsoft webcam (looks like NX-3000) with mic was great to handle multiple people in the room.

I tried to find a good wireless headset for my remote meetings. My discovery was:

- Bluetooth microphones are of general terrible quality. After recording and playing back my different attempts at a nice wireless mic, the build in omni directional mic on my MBP always shockingly came out ahead. It really didn't make any sense to me. - Long pair programming or brainstorming sessions with co-workers can outlast the headsets.

In the end, I just plug in my earbuds that came with my phone, which give me audio, and the built-in mic pics up my voice.

That being said, appreciate this question, maybe someone else has found something better.

I tried various Logitech and other bluetooth headsets made for cell phones, I also tried Beats Powerbeats. So maybe I was just going in the wrong direction.

I think it's a combination of both the tech and lack of demand. Bluetooth audio stuff is only now getting up to par (at least that's the feeling I get sniffing around /r/headphones and the like), and when the two primary audiences that care - gamers and enterprise - have reliable wired alternatives, there just isn't enough motivation for someone to really break out there.

I suspect on the tech side one of the big disadvantages a BT mic has to suffer from is how to balance power consumption with the circuitry you need to pull a good signal off. Looking this up[1] it seems that a MBP is much better positioned for that kind of hardware as opposed to a mic.

On another note I've seen some praise for the Skullcandy PLYR.

[1] http://www.mediacollege.com/audio/microphones/how-microphone...

Just a set of mid-range earbuds with inline mic, and a clip on the cord to attach it to my collar and keep the mic near my mouth.

As long as the mic is clipped there, I've never had anyone complain about audio quality. I doubt it'd be difficult to find a similarly decent Bluetooth set.

I'd be more concerned about Bluetooth range and reliability than the quality of the mic. Audio hardware for this sort of purpose is basically a solved problem. Usually connectivity or software issues interfere more with communication than audio hardware does once you reach a certain (low) baseline for hardware quality.

Apple headphones that comes with iPhone, the sound quality is really good and portable to carry.

Same here.

Agreed these are very good for an included product. I also have a pair of the Apple in ear buds that I find quite good when you have background noise.

Wanted to say the same.

Mic in earpods combined with Skype's background noise cancellation makes it so that you can be heard clearly by your peers even if you're in a noisy restaurant.

It's already in my reflexes to just shove earpods into a small pocket in my jeans/shorts whenever I put them on or stand up from my desk so that they're always with me.

As an added plus, they work like a charm with every windows/androind laptop or phone out there.

In my company, everybody uses Jabra gear (because the company pays for it). I own some Bose Noise Cancelling headset, because I had it before, and everybody complains that there is no noise cancelling on my mic, what the Jabras have. Evolve 80, that's what everybody got and people are quite happy with it, despite the gamer look: http://www.jabra.com/business/office-headsets/jabra-evolve/j...

I generally don't use a headphone/mic. I use a plug in puck style speakerphone.

I can do this because no one else is around when I'm working or I can close the door and be alone. The main reason that I don't use something with a headset is because I always had problems with headsets, especially wireless ones -- either they wouldn't pair, or they'd come unpaired between calls and I'd have to do the "can you hear me" dance, or I'd have something wired on my head and it'd be a pain in the butt, or ... well, the list goes on.

If you have something wireless, make sure you know how to use it really well and that you have a test or two that you can quickly do to ensure operation and that you have a backup you can quickly fail over to.

I spent four years working remote in a 24/7 operations position, and then another few years working out of a satellite office but from home at night in a similar position. Some of the marathon troubleshooting calls I was on would exhaust even the most serious of batteries.

Full disclosure: I'm not a full-time remote worker, but my team has VoIP conference calls if someone's working from home on a particular day (so whenever someone's sick, or if the weather's too bad for someone to make a distant commute). I've been on both sides of these calls.

My personal preference is a combination of the Blue Yeti[0] and a pair of Sony MDR-7506[1] phones. This is a really comfortable setup since I can have the Yeti a bit off to the side (not blocking my monitor) while still picking up good quality sound, and I can also step away from my desk (e.g. to look for some files) without worrying that the headphone cable's going to be too short.

I've also got the headphones plugged directly into the mic's 3.5mm jack, which means I can control output volume from the microphone (which I find more comfortable than a keyboard).

  [0] http://www.bluemic.com/products/yeti/
  
  [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_MDR-V6

What are you looking for---something mobile or something for your desk?

At my desk I use a Plantronics Savi 700 series. It integrates well with a wide variety of Windows phone apps---e.g., grabbing the headset will auto-answer, replacing it or pressing the button on the side will hang up---and since it's multi-line and supports Bluetooth, I can use it with my mobile phone, too. Mac phone app integration is less than stellar and mostly limited to Skype (not Lync) and whatever Cisco's softphone is called. (Older versions of Lync for Mac integrated with the headset, so I'm not sure if I broke something or Apple/Microsoft/Plantronics just dropped the ball.)

Audio quality is fantastic and with the default config, I can let the dog out and walk around the house without any issues. I don't recall how long the battery lasted with the default configuration, but I don't really remember running out of battery except on days where I have back-to-back-to-back meetings. I ended up switching on some power conservation settings that reduced its range, and since then I haven't had any issues running out of battery. (I just schedule meeting breaks to take care of the dog.)

I use a cheap 3.5mm-accepting headphone set [0] if travelling, or a pair of AKG K550 [1] modified to accept a 3.5mm replaceable cable, with a V-Moda boom mic [2]. The boom mic is what makes this combo. It's really cheap, and crazy resilient. I have been travelling with it for the past year and trip over it all the time. It's still going strong, and it's also the best headphone cord I've ever had as well.

[0]: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TADC6CS/ref=twister_B011QQ1W4E?... [1]: https://www.amazon.com/AKG-K550-Closed-Back-Reference-Headph... [2]: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BJ17WKK/ref=s9_acsd_hps...

I have a USB headset (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091F8F7A ) hooked into my Macbook, that I use for calls with Skype, Google Hangouts, and UberConference (the last two via Chrome).

Fairly regularly, the USB-C jack slips out, and the call switches to the MacBook's speaker and microphone. When I reinsert, and then switch back to the headset's speaker and microphone (by selecting them after option-clicking on the volume icon), the call stays on the MacBook's speaker and microphone. I then need to hang up and redial to get the headset working again.

Any ideas on how to switch to a headset mid-call?

It seems ridiculous, but I've solved for now by switching to this headset that hooks into the 3.5mm jack instead: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Analog-Stereo-Headset-Microp...

If you are working alone, do not get headphones. Use decent speakers and a condenser microphone [1] on a boom [2] mounted to your desk.

You can lean in to the mic when you need to be heard better, and it keeps your hands free.

Plus on video conferences it makes you look like a cool radio DJ.

[1] Blue Microphones Snowball (White)- Shockmount an Popfilter Bundle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P0PP1XG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ClDo...

[2] GVDV Microphone Stand Adjustable Professional Desk Recording Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand With Phone Holder, Pop Filter And Replaceable Shock Mount Suitable For Most Microphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FLQP7BE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2oDo...

I'm not currently remote, but I do have a 6+ hour remote D&D game about twice a month. I have this cheap bluetooth headset [1], and have honestly found it to be just fine. I use it with Skype on my laptop. The battery lasts a good long time, it sounds perfectly fine, and it's not noise-isolating, so I don't get that weird voice echo in my own head like I do with my earbud headset. Plus it can pair with 2 devices at once, and sounds surprisingly decent when I'm listening to music.

[1] https://smile.amazon.com/MEE-audio-Bluetooth-Headphones-Micr...

Sennheiser MB Pro 2 UC.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/mb-pro-1-uc-and-mb-pro-2-uc

This page shows them all.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/business-bluetooth-headsets

The Bluetooth is excellent to both computer (using included dongle) and cell phone (which I use all the time). The microphone is extremely good; filtering out all background noise. The sound is adequate for speech and loud enough for speech. They are not good with music and the maximum volume is just over adequate. (plenty enough volume for most environments, but not enough to blast music) The headset is light and the charge lasts for hours and hours.

I'm currently enjoying the Thomson WHP3311BK wireless headphones. Their quality is superb and I feel comfortable wearing them for 15 hours at a time (they even don't run out of power!). For a headset, I actually use the Blue Yeti microphone, large (2/3rds the size of my monitor), but incredibly high quality (I can be 30 meters away yet can still be heard clearly by customers, helpful when I'm running around looking for papers). I used to own a ProSound YU-37, much smaller microphone and about 1/10th of the price, would highly recommend that if you work in a loud environment. It's uni-directional and doesn't pick up much background noise at all, downside with that is of course you can't run around the room and still be heard.

I've been using the bose quiet comfort series. They're expensive, but they've got good active noise cancellation, if needed in loud areas. They do support the Apple microphone cable, so you can do phone calls with them. When at my desk, though, I use a Blue Yeti mic.

Sennheiser PC31, I'm not sure if the speakers on those are shared with the PX headphones, which sound by the way very nice for music.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-31-II-Binaural-Headset-Mic...

and in case your laptop/desk doesn't have mic and headphone jack you can use

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-M...

that works with Linux, not sure about windows/mac.

for the cellphone plantronics voyager legend, which is expensive but works every time very well.

For intensive use I'd recommend against use of headsets.

We've found the Jabra Speak 410 (USB) and Jabra 510 (Bluetooth) speakerphones to be much more comfortable and microphone and noise cancelling are excellent.

IMO speakerphones are much more natural to use than headsets for a daily use.

Jabra 410: http://www.jabra.com/business/speakerphones/jabra-speak-seri...

Jabra 510: http://www.jabra.com/business/speakerphones/jabra-speak-seri...

I used to use a Jabra freestanding mic/speaker, and it's still a great choice -- they have excellent separation and no echo problem at all.

I recently upgraded to a Logitech BCC950 freestanding conference camera, and it is also excellent.

Note that both of these solutions are much more expensive than an ordinary headset or webcam (~£200 range).

https://secure.logitech.com/en-gb/product/conferencecam-bcc9...

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-headset-h800

I had a plantronic C210 for a while. It was getting worn (After 4 years), so I've recently upgraded to a Plantronic C310.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007JURP2A

Can't recommend it highly enough, and I spend at least an hour a day speaking on it. Some days I forget to take it off. For phone calls, Monoaural is fine sound wise, and it's IMO more comfortable for long stretches of use.

I use Sennheiser headphones (don't remember the model and it doesn't seem to be on them; I bought these 3-5 years ago).

My rMacbook Pro 2015 sits on my desk under a monitor, right side toward me, with the lid closed. Because I've never really had a problem with people hearing me clearly (as long as the connection was okay), I haven't bothered to buy a mic. This is true even when the laptop's fans are racing due to, say, Docker for Mac struggling, as it does.

After reading many reviews complaining about wireless headsets, I went with a wired one: Sennheiser U 320 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008VQ68C4. It's a gaming headset, but I use it for video conf calls and listening to music. Great quality and haven't had a single issue with it (other than being less convenient than a wireless headset).

For audio I use the MEE M6 earphones with Comply foam tips (the tips really make a world of difference).

For video and microphone, I use the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect and consistently get complemented on my video and audio quality, but I wouldn't recommmend it to others due to the price – I only use it because I was able to get it for free through a promotion.

As others have said, Bluetooth headsets are generally bad for consistent quality in my experience. I tend towards a wired gaming headset (turtle Beach) with a long cable just because it is simple and works with my phone or laptop. Of course most of the quality is dependent on the conferencing solutions your company uses.

I use a Samson C01U condenser mic for calls. Not cheap but it also gets used for professional voice recording, and it's also not that expensive.

I tend to use speakers and rely on echo cancellation. It appears to work pretty well as I rarely get complaints. My current speakers are Harmon/Kardon ones, but I got them as a gift.

I use a pair of Plantronics BackBeat Pros. Some Mac software prefers me to use them wired in, which I expect to be true of all Bluetooth headsets.

The sound is really great, the headphones are really comfortable and I don't get complaints about sound quality from the mic -- coming from Plantronics I expect the mic to be good :).

Decent quality earbuds for hearing, and the built-in stereo mic on my Logitech webcam (I'm usually docked when conferencing). Never heard any complaints about clarity of my voice.

* Used this for 4 years a a remote developer with multiple meetings per day. The conferencing software is where everything usually falls apart.

AKG K240 studio headphones ($70). Super comfy, amazing audio and fully over ear. Open back so your can hear some ambient noise.

Aphex Microphone X ($200) USB mic with boom arm. Sound like the golden god that you are. They make amazing pro audio gear and have condensed that from a rack of gear to a single mic and USB interface.

I discovered that wearing headphones (even earbuds) for hours is pretty tiresome, so I strongly prefer using my macbook's built-in mic and external speakers. Obviously, this wouldn't work in a coffeeshop situation, but it's not a good work environment anyway.

I use this: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/stereo-headset-h390?cr... (Logitech H390). It's quite good.

Sennheiser PXC 550 WIRELESS - https://en-us.sennheiser.com/wireless-headphone-headset-blue...

Microsoft's LS-6000. I liked it so much I bought a second for my spouse. The outgoing sound quality is very good, the ear cups are tolerable for hours, and it doesn't keep me from hearing a phone ring in the next room.

For use with my phone, QC-20i's.

I went to a brick-and-mortar and tried on several. I went with skull candy aviators. Comfortable for hours. Has a cable, which is a downside. I can't do the Apple ear buds, they ache after half an hour or so.

Simply the ones built into my macbook or my headphones (depending on how much privacy I have). I use basic Skull Candy earbuds when I need them. I do 3 to 5 meetings a day and some pair programming.

I'm using Beyerdynamic DT 797 PV. The sound quality of both the headphones and the mic are excellent. It needs 48V phantom power, so I feed it with a Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interface.

I use the EarPods that came with my old iPhone 6. Any reason that wouldn't work for you? Planning to get AirPods for the wireless-ness once they hit the stores.

Blue Yeti microphone + semi open sennheiser headphones.

This is exactly what I do. Surprised to find such a specific combo already in the comments.

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2 - the first near-audiophile quality Bluetooth headphones I've ever heard, and they also have decent mic quality.

Sennheiser 363d, really comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Headphone sound quality and microphone quality are both great.

for my mic, I use http://www.bluemic.com/products/snowball/ really good and takes care of the background noise for you.

then for my headphones, I use JBL Bluetooth headphones or mpow wolverine ear buds.

the combination works pretty well

I just use my laptop built in mic (hp 6470b). Headphones are Sennheiser hd 380 pro or Panasonic RP-HJE125-K.

I use the Logitech H820e (DECT Headset) with 300ft range, so I can walk around while on the phone.

Just a set of urban ears I got "for free" when I bought an iPad. Works like a charm

Sennheiser ME3 microphone connected via a USB audio "pod".

2012 27" iMac built in mic/camera

Sennheiser earbuds with inline microphone

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