looking for the perfect telephone headset for conference calls
July 31, 2015 9:49 AM   Subscribe

I'm in a different location than most of my co-workers and spend a lot of time on conference calls. I have a problem with different participants being at different volume levels. I'm constantly adjusting the volume but still end up missing what the quieter participants say (generally those calling in using office phones in other locations) and getting my ears blasted by the louder participants (generally those calling using their personal cell phones). What I need is a headset with that will normalize the volumes of the different callers. Is there such a thing? Any recommendations?

Other things that may be relevant: The headset would need to connect to my desk phone (Aastra 9133i) and I should be able to still use the handset when I prefer. Our office uses a VOIP system that no one likes but that will not be replaced anytime soon. I do not need to move around while on the calls; it's fine if I'm tethered to the desk by a cord. A good quality microphone is also desirable so the rest of the call can hear me clearly without it echoing their voices back to them. I don't have a specific budget -- just an admonition to not go too crazy.
posted by maurice to Technology (3 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
HelloDirect.com offers a wide variety of options. Their sales people seem to be well informed about the capabilities of their products. You might try them.
posted by John Borrowman at 10:39 AM on July 31, 2015


I use something like these, by Cyber Acoustics. I like it because it works on my cell phone and my computer. My coworkers and I fell like the ear bluetooth types never seem to fit right. The headset also provides a strong clue to others that I am busy and probably can't hear you.
posted by Gor-ella at 11:01 AM on July 31, 2015


If you're on a Mac, you might consider running Audio Hijack, hijacking system audio, and applying some compression.

For win/*nix, Jack might allow for the same thing.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 2:34 PM on August 1, 2015


« Older She leaned across the counter and said, "Gimme the...   |   I thought the insanity was just about the prices! Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.