How to chose the right product

• PERFORMANCE •

No matter which type of microphone you choose to use, the performance must be excellent. Achieving below 95% accuracy is unacceptable when you can do better. Unfortunately, there is no science to which microphone performs the best with a given computer, a user's voice and different noise environments.

Therefore, we've done our own testing and compiled only the most accurate products for use with voice recognition applications. All of our microphones perform with very high accuracy (all above 95%) using popular voice recognition systems such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking, IBM ViaVoice and Philips SpeechMagic.

Be sure to use the legend of Quiet, Moderately and Noisy Environments. This legend marks the type of noise environments the given microphone performs best in. We've used a measure of decibels to mark which environment a given microphone may work in.

Quiet environments = 0 - 25 Decibels
Moderately Noisy = 25 - 50 Decibels
Noisy = > 50 Decibels

Quiet environments usually consists of home environments (small amounts of background noise) or a closed / secluded office or room with limited telephone ring interruptions.

Moderately Noisy = A somewhat busy home with radios or tvs in the background. A shared office / busy office. A user which has a busy telephone. A user who likes to listen to music or television while doing dictation.

Noisy = A very noisy environment. Outside home noise such as landscaping, dogs barking. A busy office environment where there is more than one person in a given area.

• CONSIDERING USB DEVICES •

The majority of computer microphones sold today are being connected via USB devices. In fact, new Apple computers don't even have a microphone port. You must connect via USB. USB connectivity offers many benefits..

Why USB? USB devices are essentially external sound cards for your microphone. Many of today's computers come with mediocre or onboard sound systems. While the sound output may sound great, the input may be substandard. Desktops with integrated soundcards on the motherboard and laptop computers tend to have these problems. Our recommendation is to use a high end Soundblaster Live, Turtle Beach Santa Cruz or another high quality soundcard, or a high-end Pro Audio soundcard may be used. Otherwise, USB is the best connection. The easiest and most convenient way to achieve USB connectivity is simply to get a USB microphone or a USB Adapter and a microphone which has the regular 3.5 mm jacks.

USB Adapters are also known as USB Pods or USB Converters. These devices accept microphones with 3.5 mm jacks. This means you can connect virtually any computer microphone through a USB port by using a USB adapter. In many cases, the best headsets and microphones do not natively end in USB connections. Therefore, the combination of a USB Adapter with a microphone may give you the best possible solution given your needs.

• COMFORT •

Headset microphones usually give the best accuracy although, given the right environment, any handheld or desktop microphone can achieve high accuracy. In today's world, headsets are not always the product of choice. Many physicians and attorneys are used to using handheld devices. Many users simply want or need to use desktop devices. All this because of the comfort and ergonomics.

So, which style is right for you?

There are several styles to choose from. When wearing headsets or earworn devices, you should think about how long are you going to wear the unit throughout the day. Is it ergonomic for your work environment? How about heavy headsets. Does it matter? Absolutely. Many people call our shop because they have tried a few headsets and need something different. For this reason, our convertible units are very popular.

$ PRICE $

Here goes one for you. We suggest you purchase the highest priced items on our site. Just kidding, however, not that far off.

Simply put, you get what you pay for. The more expensive the product (usually), the better the features. For example, you can get a cheap $19.95 monaural headset for internet telephony and it may do the job. Or, you can get highly advanced devices such as the Claritel 750 or the GN Ultra USB which incorporate DSP to make internet telephony better. Echo Cancellation, packet monitoring, convertible wearing styles and other features make these systems with the extra $60 - $100. When you buy cheap, chances are you'll be buying again. Sometimes it is best to buy cheap if you won't use your system much, or if you feel like it will have a short life span. However, the more expensive products will give you better QOS (Quality Of Service). Shop wisely and find something that will fit with both your budget and your needs.