Every Man, Woman or Child on Skype Needs an Everyman Headset

Filed under: gadgets, headphones, mobile phones, software, voip - 18 Aug 2009 12:40
EVERYMAN headset - Share on Ovi

Yes, this headset from In Store Solutions is that good. It’s also surprisingly affordable at just under $23 shipped to your door from the Skype store! I’d be buying one right now if I didn’t get a review unit.

As a long time user of Skype, I’ve used many a headset over the years. You want to use a headset so you can hear the other party better and the other party can hear you better.

The problem is that PCs weren’t always equipped to do proper sound. I remember the days of the Apple ][ with a very simple speaker that you could coax into playing music. I also remember building my first PC and having to put in a Soundblaster card!

If you've bought a PC in the past 6 or 7 years, though, you know that sound cards are pretty much standard equipment these days. Actually, they're just included on the motherboard, you rarely even buy an extra sound card these days! Unfortunately, what isn't standard is the quality of said included audio. It varies widely. Not to mention having to remember to switch between speakers and headsets.

One of the ways to eliminate any issues with onboard audio is to use a USB headset. Audio is processed on the USB device itself. It shows up as a different audio device, which you can easily switch between in applications or the operating system.

I've been using a Logitech USB Headset for a while now. It's fairly comfortable, the audio quality is acceptable. But it's not very portable. And it wasn't cheap.

The folks from In Store Solutions have made a comfortable headset that is portable, sounds fantastic, and is very inexpensive. It's quite an impressive engineering feat.

As shown, the Everyman USB headset folds up flat so it can more easily fit into your bag. It is also quite comfortable, which is also important for someone who spends a lot of time using Skype on their computer. The boom mic is not rigid, allowing you to place it in the most optimal position: at the corner of your mouth! Since the earphones unplug from the USB dongle, the headphones can also be used on your MP3 player/iPod/iPhone.

While all of those are nice features, what sets the Everyman apart from all the others is the audio quality. Both the microphone and the speakers take full advantage of Skype's new SILK_V3 codec, which operates at 12Khz. When SILK_V3 is being used along with these headsets, it's quite literally like you're in the same room with the other person. There is nothing like it! Other reviewers are saying similar things.

The headset arrives in a very compact, easy to open box made out of recyclable cardboard and paper. You open it up, plug the headset into an open USB port on your computer, and you're ready to make calls on Skype.

When you consider the price: under $23 shipped to your door, purchasing this headset is absolutely a no-brainer. It will be one of the best investments you can make to improve your calling experience with Skype.

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5 Comments

  1. Comment by edythemighty

    Thanks for pointing this out. I’m actually in need of a new headset, I’ll see about ordering these in a few weeks.

  2. Pingback by FREETALK® Everyman: The Bloggers Speak Out | Voice on the Web

    [...] (PhoneBoy) Welch-Abernathy, in Every Man, Woman or Child on Skype Needs an Everyman Headset, provides a brief background on the evolution of audio support on PC’s and outlines why FREETALK [...]

  3. Comment by Michael

    It’s an affordable USB headset… nothing more, nothing less. The impact of onboard soundcards on speech is completely negligible and ever since version 3 Skype is actually much nicer to use over speakers. I rarely have any echo effects even if both parties use this combination and the conversation sounds much more natural when not wearing a headset. You don’t get the “in the room” effect using anything else but your speakers. As for the microphone, unless you are using the worst webcams available you shouldn’t have any problems on that side either. The Everyman headset is certainly not a bad purchase for what it costs, but in times of Skype 4 it’s not going to improve your sound quality all that much either.

  4. Comment by YardSale

    They sure have taken some shortcuts on this one. There is no volume control, for example. If someone screams in my ear I have to fiddle with the software in order to lower or mute the volume: I might get deaf in the process.

  5. Comment by Hero

    They sure have taken some shortcuts on this one. There is no volume control, for example. If someone screams in my ear I have to fiddle with the software in order to lower or mute the volume: I might get deaf in the process.

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