This eposide of the Headset Advisor Tech Review Podcast will help you to better understand sidetone; what it is, and why it's something you'll want in your next headset. You'll also find out about two excellent headset models that have sidetone, and how both differ in how they provide it. The Podcast is a short 8 minutes, so make sure to listen to the entire show because there's some golden nuggets at the end.
This episode is narrated by Doug Merritt, Founder and CEO of Headset Advisor.
You know, sidetone is one of those headset features that really never gets talked about. In fact, most people really don't know what it is. But the truth of the matter is sidetone plays an important role in allowing us to have a natural sounding, free flowing conversation. And without a certain amount of sidetone, you won't be liking life when on calls.
So a good starting point is to define what sidetone is.
Sidetone is the sound of your voice that's picked up by a microphone, and redirected to the ear speakers. When this happens, it allows you to hear your voice, so you can regulate it when talking to others.
When you can't hear yourself talk, it leaves you uncertain as to the audio level to talk at. You'll probably end up talking louder than necessary because you simply can't guage how loud to talk.
This is where sidetone plays its important role. It gives you instant feedback as to how loud you're talking. And when you get that immediate feedback, it allows you adjust the volume at which you talk.
There's no shortage of double ear headsets to choose from. Even within specific brands you have a very wide selection of models. So, how do you choose one that might be best for you? That's a hard one to answer honestly. You can read reviews, or talk to vendors, but my advice would be to try the headset BEFORE you buy it. And if your vendor won't give you a unit to try before you buy, then you should really find a new vendor.
There's absolutely no substitute for trying out the product before buying it. You can test the sidetone to make sure it's acceptable, but you can also test the headset for comfort, sound quality and more.
Two headsets that I think you should consider include:
Orsound Tilde Pro. This is a premium grade Bluetooth headset with a 28 hour battery, a mic boom that's magnetic, and removable when not needed. And, you can continue using it via the include wire even when the battery is recharging.
The sidetone is adjusted through the Orosound App, which is a download. If you aren't allow to download software, then you should consider my other recommendation; the Discover D722U
The D722U is a wired USB, double ear headset that has a sidetone button in the inline controller. You're able to activate, or deactive it when you like. The inline controller also includes a speaker for those who don't have a speaker in their computer. So, you can listen to music, or hear when your softphone is ringing.
Use coupon code BLOG for a nice discount on either of these headsets. Trade in yoru old headsets to save even more. And if the budget's tight, ask us about our VERY affordable monthly headset lease program.
Just go to www.headsetadvisor.com and click on the "contact us" tab.