[RNLD] noise-cancelling headset mikes

[Mat Bettinson]

> Does anyone have recommendations for wireless noise-cancelling headset
> microphones?


I have a set of Plantronics Backbeat Pro headphones. Notionally they are a
headset also but they don't have a microphone boom on them but rather it's
integrated into one of the ear pads. They are noise cancelling, and very
very good at it.

More broadly I've spent a fair bit of time looking at Bluetooth audio
because it might be helpful in the context of using mobile phones as
fieldwork tools. Without blasting you with technicals, here's some
observations:

The microphone aspect of the Bluetooth headset profile allows for
low-latency audio but the quality is diabolical. It's designed for phones.

The high quality Bluetooth audio profile (A2DP) allows for quite good
quality audio. It's unidirectional, usually it appears as a headphone
profile on a paired device. It's designed for streaming music. If you take
a call, that happens via the headset profile.

The high quality audio is high latency, sometimes really high latency. If
equipment supports the proprietary AptX codec then the quality can be very
good and the latency moderately low. It's a bit of a pain making sure this
happens. Forget anything Apple related for a start.

Bottom line, if you want to do work with it, e.g. record what people are
saying, I think Bluetooth is inappropriate.

If you want a wireless headset that plays music well, does noise cancelling
for travelling, and also allows you to make phone calls then the
Plantronics Backbeat Pros are excellent. You can also jack in an audio
cable for a wired connection for playback but not recording.

-- 
Regards,

Mat Bettinson
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