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The idea behind any speech reproduction system
(telephone, voice over IP, chat, radio, web audio) is to create
the illusion that you the speaker are actually in the room
sitting next to your listener. Modern headset-style computer
microphones keep the microphone close to your mouth like a
telephone, and do a great job reproducing your voice with
high fidelity.
# When making your selection, pay attention
to the frequency response of the microphone, not the headphones.
Look for a microphone response of 100 Hz to 8 kHz minimum.
# Make sure the microphone is unidirectional (not omnidirectional).
# If choosing a headset microphone, choose a stereo headset.
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Desktop Computer Microphones
Desktop computer microphones, like the one
that might have come with your computer, seem like a good
first choice for capturing the sound of your voice. I agree
that they are a good solution of you're doing internet chat,
or perhaps even using a webcam and don't want to be tethered
to your computer.
However, in the long run, desktop computer
microphones are not a good choice for creating good voice
audio, especially recorded messages. There are two main reasons
why:
First, desktop computer microphones usually
(but not always) contain an omni-directional microphone. This
means they pickup sound in all directions. Therefore, in addition
to capturing the sound of your voice, they also pick up the
sounds of rustling papers in front of you, noises in another
room, and barking dogs outside.
Second, it's just plain difficult to record
good vocal audio from desktop microphones. Even if the microphone
is unidirectional, you have to be close to the actual microphone
element (close = within 4 to 6 inches) to minimize background
noises. Since they are typically placed on a tabletop or desktop,
you usually have to lean forward or hunch forward to talk
into desktop computer microphones. This results in bad positioning
of your body for good sound production, so your voice sounds
weaker than normal. (I suppose you could hold the microphone
up to your mouth with a free hand, but then you risk recording
the "thump-thump" sound of the mic being handled.)
In my recommendation, if you are looking to
sound professional, stay away from desktop computer microphones.
They really do not do your voice any justice, especially for
recorded audio. There are better solutions.
Analog Headset Microphones
Headset computer microphones come in two versions:
Non-USB models and USB models. To help to make a clearer understanding
between the two types, I'll call the non-USB model an "analog"
headset.
All analog headset computer microphones consist
of a wearable microphone which terminates into two 3.5 mm
plugs. One plug is for the microphone, and one plug is for
the headphones. You insert the plugs into the microphone and
headphone jacks on your computer's sound card.
There are several advantages associated with
headset computer microphones. First, you don't have to worry
about consuming table space as you would with a desktop model.
Second, no matter where you move your head, you will always
be "on mic" and your voice will be picked up clearly.
Third, a headset frees you up to gesture as you speak, or
even stand up for better voice projection and voice quality.
This flexibility really brings out the best qualities in your
voice.
An analog microphone can also be used in other
ways besides being connected to your computer. I use mine
for both computer work and as a direct connect to my portable
minidisc recorder.
The microphone on almost every headset model
is a unidirectional mic with noise cancelling features. Therefore,
it will capture your voice very well and won't capture other
sounds nearby that might be distracting to your listeners.
Analog headset microphones are made by companies
such as Plantronics, Logitech, Altec Lansing and Labtec and
others.
USB Headsets
The most convenient feature of a USB headset
microphone is that you don't really need a sound card to record
your audio! Instead of terminating in two plugs, a USB headset
terminates in a single USB plug which you plug into an open
USB jack on your computer. This makes the microphones great
for both PCs and Macs.
USB microphones are usually headset models.
In general, the microphone on a USB headset tends to be a
unidirectional mic with noise cancelling as found on analog
headset microphones. However, USB computer microphones tend
to have a better frequency response and capture your voice
more accurately than an analog model. They also feature "digital
signal processing" which means that the convert your
voice into a digital format before it enters the computer.
The only potential downside with a USB headset
is that you can only use it with a computer that has a USB
jack. This makes the headset less suitable for use with a
portable minidisk recorder, though you could use it with a
laptop computer.
USB headset microphones are made by companies
such as Plantronics, Logitech, Altec Lansing and Labtec and
others.
I've found that the Plantronics models have
a mic response of 100 Hz - 10 kHz and come with special equalizing
software for you computer that lets you further tweak the
sound of your voice. There are also good models from Labtec
and Logitech.
USB
Headset
| How
to choose between computer microphones | Headset
Installation Guide |
Analog
(non-USB) headset microphones | Logitech
USB 350 Headset | Reviews
of Plantronics Headsets
|
