Hi Margo: Most so-called "language lab" headphones are sturdy, heavy and have ear cups , which all helps with sound insulation. More helpful still may be the "sidetone" feature of the digital audio lab software that feeds your own voice, from a directional microphone back, into your headphone speakers. No doubt our interpreting teacher would still prefer interpreter booths. However, while I don't have any hard data on the acoustic attributes, we are just ordering a 2nd batch of Sanako SLH-07. Other digital audio lab vendors offer similar headphones (I know SANS does: http://thomasplagwitz.com/2013/10/28/a-few-thoughts-on-headphones-for-the-language-lab/). The price seems worth the time one can save troubleshooting lesser options. Good luck, thomas--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Thomas Plagwitz |Director, Language Resource Center UNC Charlotte | Dept. of Languages and Culture Studies 9201 University City Blvd. | Charlotte, NC 28223 Phone: 704-687-8762 | Fax: 704-687-3496 http://plagwitz.org | http://lrc.uncc.edu --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are not the intended recipient of this transmission or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or other use of any of the information in this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please notify me immediately by reply e-mail or by telephone at 704-687-8762. Thank you Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2014 22:28:53 +0000 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: #10210 Ambient-noise-blocking headsets? To: [log in to unmask] From: Margo Burns <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Ambient-noise-blocking headsets? Date: April 8, 2014 1:30:23 PM CDT To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]> My department head wants me to look for headset options for our lab that will block out ambient noise from the other students. I can find many (expensive) headphones with good ratings that way, but I need headsets with microphones. Gaming and call-center headsets come to mind. Any and all suggestions are welcomed. Cheers, Margo -- Margo Burns Director of The Language Center St. Paul's School Concord, NH 03301 Office: Schoolhouse, Room 14/15 Phone: 229-4666 Email: [log in to unmask] ************************************************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning Technologies (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org<http://iallt.org/>. Subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives at http://listserv.dartmouth.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A0=LLTI Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>) **************************************************************************