How To Pick The Best Headset
No matter if you’re using them for work purposes or gaming with your friends, selecting a good headset is key to success. Headsets can come with many different features and it is important to consider what you’re looking for before going to purchase your new headset.
The most important features to consider in a headset are:
This article will teach you about the advantages and disadvantages of each feature so you can decide which are must-haves in your next headset.
Wired or Wireless
One of the first decisions that you’ll need to make when shopping for your new headset is whether you want a wired or wireless headset.
Wired
The benefit of choosing a wired headset is that you won’t have to worry about the Bluetooth connection failing. You will have a steadier connection that way and it is a good choice if your internet connection isn’t the strongest.
Choosing a wired headset will also keep you from worrying about your battery life. Most wired headsets will get power from the same wire used to connect them to the sound system of the computer. This means that you will never have to worry about your headphones dying during the middle of an important meeting or call.
The main downside of choosing a wireless headset is that you are limited in movement. You will always have to be right beside the computer that they’re connected to for them to work. Some computer companies are also moving toward only wireless audio connections so you may find that some devices don’t have a headphone jack.
Wireless
Wireless headphones are relatively new compared to wired headphones and they use a Bluetooth connection to transfer sound.
The main benefit of using a wireless headset is that it will allow you to move around freely while using the headset.
The downside of using wireless headphones is that you’ll need to rely on the strength of your Bluetooth connection which can fail at any time. Wireless headphones are also battery powered which means that they can die while you’re using them.
Sound Quality
After you’ve decided if you’re looking for a wired or wireless headset, there are several other factors you should consider, one of which is sound quality.
Sound quality is typically expressed in kilobits which show the amount of data that can be processed each second. The higher the number, the more data can be processed each second which will translate to better sound quality.
With this feature, wired headsets are typically able to support a higher speed than wireless headphones.
Noise Canceling
If you work in a noisy environment, it will likely be worth the extra cost to purchase noise-canceling headphones. Noise-canceling headsets have noise-canceling features both on the earpiece and the mouthpiece.
The foam of the earpieces will be thicker which helps to block outside noise from reaching the user's ears. The microphone will only be sensitive on one side, the side that the user is speaking on, that way it does not pick up the background noise.
Even if you do not have to worry about a loud, distracting environment, noise-canceling headsets can be great for maintaining privacy. With the noise-canceling technology, people around you will not be able to hear what you’re listening to and people on the other side won’t be able to hear what’s going on around you.
Over-Ear vs. On-Ear
If you are wearing headphones for long periods of time, it is best to purchase over-ear headphones. Since they fully cover the ear, you will not have to deal with discomfort from having your ear pressed down on for many hours at a time. They are also typically better at blocking out outside sound.
On-ear headphones are smaller than over-ear headphones which makes them more transportable. Since they do not block sound out as well, they are a great option if you want high-quality sound while still being able to interact with what’s going on around you.
