What are Headsets? Why use one. What are the different type of Headsets

What is a Headset?

According to Plantronics (now HP/Poly), a headset is a communication tool available in a variety of wearing styles allowing you to make and receive telephone calls more easily, leaving your hands free to carry on working whilst you are on a call. Headsets today are not heavy as they once were when worn by telephone operators. They’re lighter in weight and are used as a combination of both microphone and headphone. More than that, headsets leave our hands free to do whatever we want.

The basics of headsets fall in to these styles and categories:

Over-the-Head – Binaural (over both ears) or Monaural (over one ear) Much like a standard headphone, over-the-head headsets are worn as such.

Monaural (over one ear): This type of headset has one earpiece with a microphone attachment on that same side. On the other side of the headset, resides a flat piece for merely providing better hold of the headset. Some Popular Monaural Headsets:  Plantronics HW510 ,Poly Savi 7210, Poly Savi 7310

Binaural (over both ears): This type of headset has an earpiece covering both ears with a microphone attachment on one side. The adjustments to make the headphone smaller or larger are normally on either side of the earpieces Some Common Binaural Headsets: Plantronics HW520,Plantronics HW720,Poly Savi 7220, Plantronics Savi 8220

On-the-Ear – Monaural (over one ear) Over-the-ear headsets are like clip-on headphones. The only difference between this headset and the headphone is that it comes with only one earpiece with a microphone on that same side. There is no band that runs across the top of the head because there is a built-on clip with the earpiece to provide a better hold. Check out: Plantronics H31CD Headset for Dispatch, Controllers* ,Plantronics HW530 ,Plantronics H81N-CD , Poly Voyager 5200 Office 2-way Base 

*Note: Some of these headsets come in voice tube and noise cancellation models, see below for explanations

Convertible – monaural (over one ear only) Convertible monaural (over one ear) is a headset that gives you the best of both worlds by giving you the choice of wearing the headset either over-the-head or over-the-ear. In most cases you received both Check out: Plantronics HW540 (convertible) ,Plantronics CS540 Wireless Headset, Convertible Headset  (Our most popular wireless headset), Poly Voyager 4245 Office Convertible Bluetooth Headset

Voice Tube Headsets – Binaural (over both ears) or Monaural (over one ear) These headsets are either Binaural (covering both ears) or Monaural (covering one ear) and the microphone has NO Noise Cancellation technology.

Noise Canceling – Binaural (over both ears) or Monaural (over one ear) These headsets are either Binaural (over both ears) or Monaural (over one ear) and the microphone has Noise Cancellation technology. If you’re in a “extremely” noisy environment, there is the Plantronics SHR2083-01 Industrial Noise-Canceling Headset, which eliminates about 20dB of background noise through its extra large size ear cups.

Note: There are also some headsets that go behind-the-neck when purchase with the added behind-the-head accessory.

Some of our headset have features such as:

• Convertible from “over the ear” to “over the head” for maximum versatility
• Noise canceling microphone for optimum clarity even in noisy environments
• Microphone volume adjustability
• Volume and mute controls
• Compatible with telecoil equipped hearing aids
• Direct connect RJ-9 headsets for desktop telephones with headset ready jacks such as Cisco, Polycom, Nortel, etc.
• Standard 2.5mm headset jack, which makes this unit compatible with most of today’s cell phones
• headsets with 3.5mm jack compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy and almost all of the smart phones out there today.