--- Forwarded Message from "David Flores" <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:57:44 -0400 >From: "David Flores" <[log in to unmask]> >To: "Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum" <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Review: Cheapest Closed-Ear Headset on Earth So the other day I was browsing Amazon for some inexpensive computer headsets for our faculty when I came across the following closed ear "professional" headsets: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YML1IE (Note Amazon does not identify them by Manufacturer or model number, but elsewhere on the web they are identified as FOA Designs LM-750 Professional Headsets.) They looked a whole lot like the Koss SB40's that we have in one of our Language Labs, but were priced at a mere $5.99. I have to confess that curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to order a pair to see if they could serve as a suitable substitute should we need to replace some of the SB40's in the future. Well, the headset arrived today, and I've had a chance to play with it, and so I thought I'd give my impressions for the group: Construction: while they look good in the picture, once you take the actual units out of their box, it becomes immediately apparent that you're dealing with a set of $6.00 headsets. While the band and ear cups are nicely padded, the plastic is cheap and look somewhat poorly assembled. Adjustability is limited. The ear cups themselves don't pivot in any direction, and only the head band can be extended. The microphone does swivel, and the boom itself is an adjustable wire type that feels sturdy enough. These units weigh a lot less than the SB40's. That is apparent when you hold them at the same time, a testament to the cheap materials of the generic headset. Of more concern is the cabling. The cables on the Koss units are noticeably more robust, and indeed, have survived 6 years at our lab without developing shorts. I do not feel nearly as confident of the durability of the cabling on the cheapies. The padding on the ear pieces feels similar to that on the Koss units. We are seeing some wear and tears, though on the material, after 6 years. Performance: I tested these headsets out both on my desktop using Audacity and on the Lab computers using the Sanako media assistant. In both cases audio quality was, in my view, perfectly acceptable for language learning purposes, both in terms of sound reproduction as well as recording. I wouldn't necessarily want to listen to music with these things, but for the sort of thing we do in the lab, they were perfectly fine. Voices did not sound muddy or bass heavy, which tends to cause the most difficulty for comprehension. Verdict: Even if you are willing to overlook the cheapness of their construction (which isn't necessarily a deal breaker, IMHO) it is difficult to recommend these headsets due to the apparent fragility of the cabling. In a typical lab environment I suspect they might hold out for a year, maybe two, tops. On the other hand, these units could potentially be useful as a holdover if you need to get a lab up and running quickly but won't have the funds for a proper set of headsets until the next budget cycle. They are closed ear type, so that makes them more suitable to a lab environment than most other cheap headsets which tend to be open-ear. Their sound quality is very acceptable, so I doubt you'll be disappointed in their performance. And finally, you can also pick up five of these units for the cost of just one set of Koss SB40s (which run about $30.00 each). So you could conceivable populate a 25 station lab with these for just $150.00. If you can't spare the $750.00 it would cost to buy the Koss units, these might do in a pinch. David Flores Director: Language Learning Center Loyola College in Maryland 4501 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21210 Ph: (410) 617-5230 Fax: (410) 617 2859 *********************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) ***********************************************