Ask HN: Remote workers, what headphone/mic combo do you use for video calls?

Apple headphones that comes with iPhone, the sound quality is really good and portable to carry.

I use the EarPods that came with my old iPhone 6. Any reason that wouldn't work for you? Planning to get AirPods for the wireless-ness once they hit the stores.

I tried to find a good wireless headset for my remote meetings. My discovery was:

- Bluetooth microphones are of general terrible quality. After recording and playing back my different attempts at a nice wireless mic, the build in omni directional mic on my MBP always shockingly came out ahead. It really didn't make any sense to me. - Long pair programming or brainstorming sessions with co-workers can outlast the headsets.

In the end, I just plug in my earbuds that came with my phone, which give me audio, and the built-in mic pics up my voice.

That being said, appreciate this question, maybe someone else has found something better.

I tried various Logitech and other bluetooth headsets made for cell phones, I also tried Beats Powerbeats. So maybe I was just going in the wrong direction.

I just use my laptop built in mic (hp 6470b). Headphones are Sennheiser hd 380 pro or Panasonic RP-HJE125-K.

I went to a brick-and-mortar and tried on several. I went with skull candy aviators. Comfortable for hours. Has a cable, which is a downside. I can't do the Apple ear buds, they ache after half an hour or so.

I use this: http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/stereo-headset-h390?cr... (Logitech H390). It's quite good.

I had a plantronic C210 for a while. It was getting worn (After 4 years), so I've recently upgraded to a Plantronic C310.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007JURP2A

Can't recommend it highly enough, and I spend at least an hour a day speaking on it. Some days I forget to take it off. For phone calls, Monoaural is fine sound wise, and it's IMO more comfortable for long stretches of use.

As others have said, Bluetooth headsets are generally bad for consistent quality in my experience. I tend towards a wired gaming headset (turtle Beach) with a long cable just because it is simple and works with my phone or laptop. Of course most of the quality is dependent on the conferencing solutions your company uses.

Sennheiser 363d, really comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Headphone sound quality and microphone quality are both great.

I use the Logitech H820e (DECT Headset) with 300ft range, so I can walk around while on the phone.

For audio I use the MEE M6 earphones with Comply foam tips (the tips really make a world of difference).

For video and microphone, I use the Logitech ConferenceCam Connect and consistently get complemented on my video and audio quality, but I wouldn't recommmend it to others due to the price – I only use it because I was able to get it for free through a promotion.

I'm currently enjoying the Thomson WHP3311BK wireless headphones. Their quality is superb and I feel comfortable wearing them for 15 hours at a time (they even don't run out of power!). For a headset, I actually use the Blue Yeti microphone, large (2/3rds the size of my monitor), but incredibly high quality (I can be 30 meters away yet can still be heard clearly by customers, helpful when I'm running around looking for papers). I used to own a ProSound YU-37, much smaller microphone and about 1/10th of the price, would highly recommend that if you work in a loud environment. It's uni-directional and doesn't pick up much background noise at all, downside with that is of course you can't run around the room and still be heard.

I discovered that wearing headphones (even earbuds) for hours is pretty tiresome, so I strongly prefer using my macbook's built-in mic and external speakers. Obviously, this wouldn't work in a coffeeshop situation, but it's not a good work environment anyway.

After reading many reviews complaining about wireless headsets, I went with a wired one: Sennheiser U 320 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008VQ68C4. It's a gaming headset, but I use it for video conf calls and listening to music. Great quality and haven't had a single issue with it (other than being less convenient than a wireless headset).

In my company, everybody uses Jabra gear (because the company pays for it). I own some Bose Noise Cancelling headset, because I had it before, and everybody complains that there is no noise cancelling on my mic, what the Jabras have. Evolve 80, that's what everybody got and people are quite happy with it, despite the gamer look: http://www.jabra.com/business/office-headsets/jabra-evolve/j...

Blue Yeti microphone + semi open sennheiser headphones.

What are you looking for---something mobile or something for your desk?

At my desk I use a Plantronics Savi 700 series. It integrates well with a wide variety of Windows phone apps---e.g., grabbing the headset will auto-answer, replacing it or pressing the button on the side will hang up---and since it's multi-line and supports Bluetooth, I can use it with my mobile phone, too. Mac phone app integration is less than stellar and mostly limited to Skype (not Lync) and whatever Cisco's softphone is called. (Older versions of Lync for Mac integrated with the headset, so I'm not sure if I broke something or Apple/Microsoft/Plantronics just dropped the ball.)

Audio quality is fantastic and with the default config, I can let the dog out and walk around the house without any issues. I don't recall how long the battery lasted with the default configuration, but I don't really remember running out of battery except on days where I have back-to-back-to-back meetings. I ended up switching on some power conservation settings that reduced its range, and since then I haven't had any issues running out of battery. (I just schedule meeting breaks to take care of the dog.)

I've been using the bose quiet comfort series. They're expensive, but they've got good active noise cancellation, if needed in loud areas. They do support the Apple microphone cable, so you can do phone calls with them. When at my desk, though, I use a Blue Yeti mic.

Simply the ones built into my macbook or my headphones (depending on how much privacy I have). I use basic Skull Candy earbuds when I need them. I do 3 to 5 meetings a day and some pair programming.

I have a USB headset (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091F8F7A ) hooked into my Macbook, that I use for calls with Skype, Google Hangouts, and UberConference (the last two via Chrome).

Fairly regularly, the USB-C jack slips out, and the call switches to the MacBook's speaker and microphone. When I reinsert, and then switch back to the headset's speaker and microphone (by selecting them after option-clicking on the volume icon), the call stays on the MacBook's speaker and microphone. I then need to hang up and redial to get the headset working again.

Any ideas on how to switch to a headset mid-call?

It seems ridiculous, but I've solved for now by switching to this headset that hooks into the 3.5mm jack instead: https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Analog-Stereo-Headset-Microp...

Sennheiser ME3 microphone connected via a USB audio "pod".

When having more than one person in the room, I'm using the Samson Go Mic¹.

When I'm alone, for calls and everything else really: listening to music or just cancelling the noise (AC, on flights etc.), I'm using BOSE QC35².

Both products I would highly recommend. But the headphones in particular are probably the best investment I've made to boost my productivity.

1. http://www.samsontech.com/samson/products/microphones/usb-mi...

2. https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/over_ear_head...

I use Sennheiser headphones (don't remember the model and it doesn't seem to be on them; I bought these 3-5 years ago).

My rMacbook Pro 2015 sits on my desk under a monitor, right side toward me, with the lid closed. Because I've never really had a problem with people hearing me clearly (as long as the connection was okay), I haven't bothered to buy a mic. This is true even when the laptop's fans are racing due to, say, Docker for Mac struggling, as it does.

Sennheiser PC31, I'm not sure if the speakers on those are shared with the PX headphones, which sound by the way very nice for music.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-31-II-Binaural-Headset-Mic...

and in case your laptop/desk doesn't have mic and headphone jack you can use

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-M...

that works with Linux, not sure about windows/mac.

for the cellphone plantronics voyager legend, which is expensive but works every time very well.