Headsets...

[TechnicalRunner]

Hey.....I'm sorry if this is posted somewhere else already....I've been having a lot of trouble with our headsets lately (basically they're all broken except 2 at this point - I just discovered this tonight and we have a show next week), and I was wondering if anyone knows of any good kinds? Thanks!

- Lisa

[Peter]

My most recent pair of headphones are sony's MDR-V6000 model. They go for about $100 (high for the cheap end of headphones, low for the good end). They have good over all sound (from my ears), they are not the BEST headphones I have ever heard (but those were THOUSANDS of dolars) but they are certainly not the worst by a long shot. I also like the fact they are very durable. Mine are still in pristine condition even after more then 2 years of heavy use. Talking to a friend from Grove City College (they use the same headphones in their theator), they used to go through at least one pair of headphones a year, but when I talked to him these had been in their third year and were still in decent shape.

I am sure others will have their suggestions too, but that's just my experience.

If you dont mind, can I expand on the question asked here too? What would people suggest for good noise canceling headphones? Is it practical to use them to aid in recording a live concert (to help block out the outside sound and just hear what you are recording)?

[Andy_Leviss]

Well, Lisa said headsets, not headphones. That still leaves the question, however, whether you're talking about ClearCom headsets, or headset microphones, or announcer style headset microphones (ie, headphones with a mic boom). Which do you need? :o)

As for noise-cancelling, I cannot recommend ANY. They all add artifacts to the sound and are not at all accurate. If noise reduction is a must, you want noise BLOCKING in-ear phones, such as the Shure E-series or those from Etymotic Research.

--Andy

[bdesmond]

If you're thinking alogn the lines of Clearrcom headsets, Lisa, I personally like the lightweight one that Clearcom sells for something like $40 SRP I think. I've never used one in a very loud environment (e.g. FOH at a concert)

There are the skull crushers too, those will probably block some ambient noise out, but, you're going to have less usable volume in your head when you take the things off after a show.

[Peter]

ah ok, my bad. I must have read Lisa's post too quickly.

[ricc0luke]

Production Intercom- easy to use, lightwieght, never fails.

www.beltpack.com

[cutlunch]

Originally Posted by TechnicalRunner

Hey.....I'm sorry if this is posted somewhere else already....I've been having a lot of trouble with our headsets lately (basically they're all broken except 2 at this point - I just discovered this tonight and we have a show next week), and I was wondering if anyone knows of any good kinds? Thanks!

- Lisa

There have been posts about buying new headsets but I want to ask is what do you mean by "broken"?

Are they physicaly broken as in someone has snapped off the mike, ear piece etc. or do they just not work. As well as the actual headsets have you tested the beltpacks as also. Sometimes the fault can be in the belt packs eg broken plug etc.

Lisa if you have already done the following please accept my apologies for teaching you to suck eggs. If you haven't it might be worth trying.

If you haven't already I would find a headset that works with a working beltpack. I would then swap that headset for all the other headsets noting the faults on the ones that don't go eg. no sound at all, sound but mike not working etc. This will give you a list that will maybe allow you to swap parts to make up some good ones from the broken bits. I would next confirm using the good headset with all the beltpacks to make sure there is no problem with the beltpacks themselves. Have you checked all the leads that go to the belt packs.

If the headsets look all right you can check the plugs for missing/ damaged pins or disconnected wires. Also check around the earpieces as sometimes those wires can come loose too. If you can solder you could do the repairs else you'll need to find someone else. A multimeter would help to check for open circuits.

Once again my apologies if you have done this already. When you answer posts you don't always know what level that person is at skillwise.

[TechnicalRunner]

sorry for the confusion - i was thinking more along this lines of a clearcom type headset. we had ones from radio shack before, and they aren't that old (2 years or something), but people don't store them properly and drop them all the time etc. so they've been pretty beat up.

- Lisa

[TechnicalRunner]

no i haven't check everything about the headsets yet, i didn't really have time the other day (it was a rehearsal and the director decided she wanted a headset with about 5 minutes to go so i was digging around to find some working ones). what i meant by "broken" was some hum when you turn them on, others are just static when someone talks, some don't go on (could be the battery, again i haven't checked all of them yet), and some are apart in hopes of being fixed (someone else took them apart and never finished fixing them). so now we're down to 2 working headsets at them moment. i'm going to try to go in early for our next rehearsal and look at them more closely, but so many of them are apart i think we're going to need some more anyway.

-Lisa

[Andy_Leviss]

IF you're using RadioShack, I'm guessing you're not actually using ClearCom type wired intercoms, but two-way radios with headsets, yes? If so, are you looking to stay with wireless, and if so, what's your budget and is being able to talk simultaneously a need, or are you cool staying with push-to-talk radios?

If you don't want/need wireless, are you actually looking for a ClearCom or other brand party-line wired system?

The headset is only one part of the equation, and literally refers to just the actual headset itself, not the device that allows the user of the headset to actually communicate with anybody else. Without a radio or intercom device of some sort to connect the headset to, it's just a weird fashion accessory! :-)