Headsets: anyone using them?

[FrankF]

I mean, to record vocals. I like the idea of a cheap, imperfect, deeply compromised mike (ooh er, missus) and a variable proximity effect, and all the possibilities of moving the mike-arm up, down, and oops! upside your head.
I'm also doing a lot of language work at the mo, and my 20-year old cheapo headset is disintegrating as we speak, so any recommendations for COMFORTABLE headsets would be appreciated.
All the gamer headsets i see on Taxdodgeazon just look flashy (not per se a bad thing), but not really comfortable.

Obviously, I'm not interested in "perfect sound", whatever that is. I'm interested in weird, quirky, and er, did I mention comfortable?

I tried this Behringer, but it annoyed me, for some obscure reason that now escapes my Caberneted brain. It's a BH47OU:

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B093WPSSYP?psc ... ct_details

Is this an unholy grail that is not worth pursuing, or should I, like brave brave Sir Robin, just run away...and er, get a Leffe?

[Drew Stephenson]

I have used one as part of our band's busking rig. Not this model but something very similar: https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Li ... NC4wLjAuMA..
It did the job of making my voice louder and freeing up an input to the PA. Light enough to be comfortable but actually you kind of have to relearn your mic technique, because there's no backing off or leaning in and you can't say anything 'off mic' in between tracks.
I've not tried recording with it, I have other mics for lo-fi recording already.

[resistorman]

The Rode headphones can mount a mic. Not cheap, but they've turned into my favorite headphones.

[ef37a]

B*****r! I thought I had copied a link. Anyway, I have used a Sennheiser headset for over a year to Skype son in France, around £20.

The set terminates in two 3.5mm TRS plugs and since this laptop does not have a mic input I used a really useful bit of kit called a "TECKNET" (the ad uses upper case) about a tenner it A/Ds the mic into the lappy and D/As the laptop digitals to the cans.

The results are really rather good IMHO. Maybe a bit TOO good for your application Frank?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sennheiser-PC- ... 0246&psc=1

Dave.

[FrankF]

Thanks for the links, chaps.
The Sennheisers look cheap and cheerful, I must say. I usually prefer a bit of padding on the top of the head bit, for comfort and grip.

Do they slip off your head easily, Dave? I have an old pair of Beyers that have a similar, bare plastic crown, and they slide all over the place.
Which is why I rarely wear them: they're too dynamic. (Boom boom!)

[FrankF]

I've just seen this wireless headset from Behringer, and it looks great: padded, foldable, etc. And no cables!
https://www.bax-shop.fr/casques-audio/ ... nformation

Would I need to buy a bluetooth adapter to connect it to my 12-year old PC?
Something like this?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Rec ... 107&sr=1-5

I already use a wireless keyboard, but I don't think it's bluetooth, just "wireless" (no, I don't understand the difference either).

[ef37a]

Thanks for the links, chaps.
The Sennheisers look cheap and cheerful, I must say. I usually prefer a bit of padding on the top of the head bit, for comfort and grip.

Do they slip off your head easily, Dave? I have an old pair of Beyers that have a similar, bare plastic crown, and they slide all over the place.
Which is why I rarely wear them: they're too dynamic. (Boom boom!)

No mine stay in place but then even at 77 I have a thick growth of 'grippy' hair (YMMV!) The headset is so light that I forget I have it on and son and I often chat for 2hrs +

Just a thought...bit of sponge, bit of Copydex?
Dave.

[FrankF]

Any bluetooth gurus out there?

[Sam Spoons]

Not a Bluetooth guru as such but I do know a little about it. What do you need to know?

[Wonks]

Unless the transmitter and receiver use the latest low-latency aptX Bluetooth technology, standard Bluetooth is very laggy.

There seems to quite a few aptX headphones available, but full headsets are scarce (at least on an initial search).

[FrankF]

Sam, please see my post above re Behringer wireless cans and a BT transceiver.

Wonks, you make BT sound rather mediocre - could you expand a little, please? Would there be a delay with the sound, for example, if I were using skype or zoom with the above BT cans?
What if I bought the latest USB transceiver, one with the APTXLGBT tech. that you mentioned?

For info, I have BT on my laptop, which I've never used, and I don't think I have it on my PC, so I guess I'd have to buy a transceiver.
I know nowt about it, whence my questions.

[Wonks]

Standard Bluetooth has a latency between 30ms and 110ms IIRC, generally towards the upper end, so OK for simple listening, but useless for recording.

Video conferencing used to be very laggy, but these days it’s a lot better, so using slow Bluetooth is a step backwards. Not impossible, but there’s that removal of the greater sense of reality that low latency brings.

[ef37a]

Standard Bluetooth has a latency between 30ms and 110ms IIRC, generally towards the upper end, so OK for simple listening, but useless for recording.

Video conferencing used to be very laggy, but these days it’s a lot better, so using slow Bluetooth is a step backwards. Not impossible, but there’s that removal of the greater sense of reality that low latency brings.

My NHS digital aid is BTh'ed to my smart phone and I never notice any lag when talking to daughter 4 miles away nor son in France but that of course is only half the conversation. Also, is it likely the NHS kit is the latest BTh technology?

Dave.

[Wonks]

Is that audio or video calls?

[Wonks]

Your phone may well delay the video if it knows the audio is over bluetooth.

Hearing aids aren’t cheap, so will probably have the latest Bluetooth version at time if design. But you’d still need both the transmitter and receiver to be the very low latency versions otherwise you get the latency dictated by the slowest technology.

[ef37a]

Is that audio or video calls?

WAPs video calls Wonks.

Dave.

[FrankF]

Blimey, I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition.

So Wonks, if a smartphone syncs audio and video using delay, I imagine zoom and skype would do the same on a Windows desktop/laptop.

The recording bit I mentioned isn't that important: I'd just be messing about with vocals in Audacity, for example, so latency would not be Terminus Mundi.

I really like the idea of a cable-free headset, now.

[ef37a]

Blimey, I didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition.

So Wonks, if a smartphone syncs audio and video using delay, I imagine zoom and skype would do the same on a Windows desktop/laptop.

The recording bit I mentioned isn't that important: I'd just be messing about with vocals in Audacity, for example, so latency would not be Terminus Mundi.

I really like the idea of a cable-free headset, now.

Careful Frank. You could end up wearing it in Tescos!

Dave.

[Wonks]

I was only suggesting it could, so don’t bank on it. But it’s not rocket science for the programmers to have thought about it and implemented it.

Wifi would be more reliable than Bluetooth for low latency.

[FrankF]

The nearest Tesco's is about 7 hours away, unless I jump on a ferry to Jersey. Mind you, I am running a tad low on stocks of Viscount mint biscuits, and as for Tunnock's, well, I think I'm OK for the weekend, thank you.

Re wireless, yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. A lot of the gamer headsets seem to use wifi.
This one even sells itself as "better than Bluetooth":
https://www.amazon.co.uk/NUBWO-Wireles ... 96&sr=8-21

[ef37a]

The nearest Tesco's is about 7 hours away, unless I jump on a ferry to Jersey. Mind you, I am running a tad low on stocks of Viscount mint biscuits, and as for Tunnock's, well, I think I'm OK for the weekend, thank you.

Re wireless, yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. A lot of the gamer headsets seem to use wifi.
This one even sells itself as "better than Bluetooth":
https://www.amazon.co.uk/NUBWO-Wireles ... 96&sr=8-21

OoooweeeoooOO! I like the look of that. Might get one for Skyping, my Sennheisers are a bit broke (but can't complain at the price and I am a clumsy old sod) Also this Lenovo laptop does not have Blu Tooth and I find the dongles seem to insinuate their way into lots of areas I would rather they didn't? Same with Drop box. I now have something called "Pocket" that I have to keep deleting. Not a clue what it is? Came from Firefox I think.

Sorry for the slight Hijack!

Dave.

[Wonks]

What is Pocket?

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/what-pocket

[tea for two]

I mean, to record vocals. I like the idea of a cheap, imperfect, deeply compromised mike (ooh er, missus) and a variable proximity effect, and all the possibilities of moving the mike-arm up, down, and oops! upside your head.

usually prefer a bit of padding on the top of the head bit, for comfort and grip.

I really like the idea of a cable-free headset, now.

I have these Wired £17 jobbee Gamemax G200.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Max-G200- ... 165&sr=8-4

I got them coz they are RGB phoaaarrr in the autumn winter months 4.30pm dark I just keep them plugged in for the changing lights I find them quite nice to see same as I like seeing changing lights in funfairs.
Also because they have a Static mic,
Don't have moving mic arm which bothers me so close to my face.
Comfort is alright. Got padding at top of head.
Recording voice through it could be described as being underwater a few miles away from shore lol.

[FrankF]

Well, I'm more old-school, I prefer lava lamps.
How about this for the "merry" month of June?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Global-Gizmos- ... 121&sr=8-5

OK, OK, you want a USB lava lamp, I get it!
Now this is one pretty piece of tat:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lamp-USB-Rocke ... 122&sr=8-7