Skype Headset Reviews

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When I first decided to buy a Skype headset I really struggled to find any decent online reviews that could help me purchase the right one. Having now tested several headsets I thought I would try to help other people by reviewing them in this article. What is Skype and VOIP? Most people have probably heard of Skype but may not know what it is. Skype is the name of a company (now owned by ebay) which uses a technology called Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to offer free or low-cost telephone calls using the Internet. All you need is a broadband Internet connection, a Skype headset or telephone and the free software that is provided when you create your Skype account. Different Types of Calls If you and a friend both of you have Skype phones you can call each other for as long as you like for free (that's called a Skype to Skype call). If you have Skype but your friend doesn't, you can call their landline or mobile phone using Skype, usually at a much lower rate than it would normally cost you if you were calling from your landline or mobile. This type of call is called Skype Out. For this kind of call you buy credit and it works in a similar way to the Pay As You Go mobile phone tariffs. In addition to these two methods there is also another type of call: Skype In. With Skype In you purchase a telephone number from Skype - other people can then call this number from any landline or mobile and you take the call on your Skype phone. Headset or Phone? Whether you decide to buy a headset or a traditional phone is purely a matter of choice. As somebody who spends long hours working on a computer, I wanted to buy a headset because I could see how useful it would be to be able to make and receive calls and still have both hands free to operate the computer. Now that I have been using a headset for several months I am very glad I chose this option. It's such a big advantage to be able to continue working whilst talking. If you don't mind holding a phone to your ear and you don't need to keep your hands free whilst you are talking then you may choose a standard Skype phone. I can't say anything about these because I have not tried any of them. USB or Mini-Jack? Headsets and phones for use with VOIP need to plug into your computer, either using a USB connection or two 3.5mm mini-jack inputs. I have heard some people say that USB is better quality but equally I have heard other people say the opposite. Personally I don't think it makes much difference. I think the quality of the phone or headset is what matters. Whether you choose USB or mini-jack is up to you. The important things to consider are: a)Whether or not you have a spare USB socket (preferably on the front of your computer, or at least in an accessible place). b)Whether or not you have the necessary 3.5mm mini-jack headphone and microphone sockets in an accessible place. Which Headset To Buy? The first headset I tried was the Plantronics Audio 60. In the reviews I had found this had been highly recommended. I have since tried two other headsets and have stuck with this one. I like it! What's so good about the Plantronics Audio 60? Well, it's comfortable, the sound quality is good, it has a nice long lead and it has a very useful inline volume control and mute button. NB The mute button on this model mutes the microphone and not the headphones, which is exactly as it should be (in my humble opinion). If you want to mute the sound in the earphones, turn the sound right down on the volume control. The only thing I didn't like was that plugging in the headset muted the speakers. If I unplugged the headset I could hear the ring of an incoming call and listen to music on the speakers - but then I would have to rush to plug the headset in to take the call. Some people get around this by leaving the microphone jack plugged in continuously whilst leaving the headphone jack slightly unplugged so they can quickly plug it in when they get a call. Although this is probably OK, it is a bit of a nuisance and repeated use may eventually damage the connection. If I left the headset plugged in all the time, I couldn't listen to music on the speakers and I couldn't hear the incoming ring tone. There is an option in the Skype software to have the internal computer speaker ring when you get an incoming call but personally I don't like the noise that this makes - it's too startling a sound for my liking. The next headset I tried was the Ipevo Smart-2. This headset has mini-jack inputs and has a very useful feature: a nice little switch that allows you to have both your speakers and the headset plugged in at the same time. When you get an incoming call you just flick the switch to turn off the speakers and turn on the headset. I loved the switch and the quality of the headset seemed to be OK but I couldn't get on with the design of the headset because it is not a traditional design that fits over the top of the head. The Ipevo Smart-2 is designed to fit over the top of the ears and go around the back of the head. As a spectacle wearer I found this uncomfortable. The third headset I tried was the Trust HS-4050. This one has a USB connection and a 'digital' inline volume control and mute button. Although the sound quality was OK, I did get occasional echoes of my own voice coming back at me (which was quite disconcerting) and I didn't like the volume and mute control. Although the controls are described as 'digital', what that actually means is they are operated by pressing a button rather than turning a wheel or flicking a switch. The big downside of the digital control is that the volume is stepped - with the 'wheel' volume control on the Plantronics Audio 60 you can set the volume to whatever level you like, whereas with the digital control on the Trust HS-4050 you have to choose a preset level. In other words, if it's too loud you have to turn it down by one step. If it's then too quiet you can't do anything about it. With the 'wheel' control you have more flexibility and control. Remember, 'digital' does not always mean 'better'. The other thing I don't like about this headset is that the mute button appears to mute the headphones and not the microphone. Having tested all three Skype headsets I went back to the first one I bought, but I still hadn't solved the problem of not being able to use the speakers. I was sure that somebody somewhere must have made a switch into which I could plug my speakers and headset and lo and behold I was fortunate enough to find one (in an electronics shop called Maplin). The switch works beautifully and I can now enjoy free calls to my friends and clients whilst keeping both hands free! If anyone else is looking for a similar switch, the item I bought is called a Media Hub and the Maplin reference is A94AR - their website is www.maplin.co.uk - sorry but I don't know of any suppliers in other countries.