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Why don't more people use throat mics?

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Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#171

Post by hackerlight »

jaywalk wrote: post #169
csee wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do these IEMs with their passive seal compare to active noise cancelling headphones for the purposes of unwanted noise attenuation

They are definitely better. ANC can't beat physically blocking the soundwaves from hitting your eardrums.

Is this based on your experience having tried both? Because that reasoning is questionable. IEMs don't block all sound from hitting your eardrum, some of that sound will hit your eardrum via bone conduction. And ANC headphones do block some sound passively, the inner ear ANCs can often create an airtight seal.

Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#172

Post by hackerlight »

numpad0 wrote: post #163
csee wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do these IEMs with their passive seal compare to active noise cancelling headphones for the purposes of unwanted noise attenuation

Passive IEMs are better, ANC is always weaker and more selective. I was once using Etymotic IEM and frantically searched for the source of a loud wind noise that hit my ears upon removing the earphones, only to realize it's just an air conditioner on the ceiling. That don't happen with ANC headphones, partly due to technology and partly for product safety concerns.

Have you compared passive IEMs to Apple's noise cancelling headphones? I compared Apple's products to properly inserted earplugs and Apple's ANC was better for low to medium frequency sound, so I wonder how you arrived at the opposite conclusion when it comes to IEMs

Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#173

Post by coding123 »

I couldn't understand the sample very well at all. It sounded muffled. If I were on a call with someone with that, I would ask if they are having audio issues.

edit: Yeah dude - your co-workers are being NICE man. I listened to it again. I am seriously telling you - that sounds really really bad and muffled. I can barely make out what you're saying. I'm spending more time trying to understand you than getting your drift.

Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#174

Post by [deleted] »

soared wrote: post #119
remram wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The TLDR says: > Throat mics are an improvement over a standalone wired microphone Seems like a claim to me!

You pulled out a sentence fragment to completely change the meaning, not really a cool thing to do. > > tl;dr - Don’t chuck the Sony 1000XMs/AirPods just yet. Throat mics are an improvement over a standalone wired microphone (if that’s what you are using), and have better background noise reduction but in a quiet room your usual bluetooth headset is still way more convenient

[deleted]

Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#175

Post by beanjuice »

nend wrote: post #54
beanjuice wrote: post #3

One of the most Hacker News articles ever written. A bad solution (wearing a choker) to a self-generated problem (using Arch) that costs a lot of money. In summary: this generates more problems than it solves (unless you're a navy seal).

One of the most Hacker News comments every written. A dismissive comment about a diy home project because you'd rather be critical of someone else than build something yourself.

In hindsight, i didn't write into that comment as much merriment and cheer as I originally intended. This article contains many staples about this community which i find incredibly endearing, including focusing on a strange problem and trying to solve it with the most roundabout method.

I would disagree with you though on the 'DIY' nature of the article, it is certainly a creative solution but the author hasn't necessarily built anything.

Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#176

Post by andrewaylett »

falcolas wrote: post #154
javajosh wrote: post #25

I should write up my solution using a parabolic dish that focuses sound from a relatively small zone where my head (usually) is, into a good cheap mic. You get good isolation (even from keyboard sounds) requires nothing on your head or throat, and ... physics! (You just need to accept a big dish in your field of view, and you also can't pace, walk around, as with bluetooth solutions.)

So, to go even more nerdy on this idea, create a microphone array and steer the input precisely at your mouth. Bonus, you can program the FPGAs to do this yourself!

This is what some "conference phones" do -- I have an Anker powerconf, which has an array of six microphones and is very good at beamforming. It sits on my desk for general use, and I also use it for meetings with multiple local participants. It's better than the much-more-expensive conference room mic setups we have in the office.

Re: Why don't more people use throat mics?

#178

Post by hardwaresofton »

pinum wrote: post #165

Honestly, your sample doesn't sound very good. It's a bit better than the other samples that have been linked in this thread, and you're perfectly audible, but it's very muffled and there are noises that sound like the throat-mic equivalent of cable noise. If I head this on a call I'd assume you were using a particularly bad laptop mic or gaming headset. Not bad enough that I'd comment on it, but if I knew you'd gone…

Yeah it's definitely not very good -- there are tons of good solutions in this thread now though.

> Not bad enough that I'd comment on it, but if I knew you'd gone to the trouble of a custom setup with elaborate extra adapters etc, I'd expect it to sound excellent (like a podcast mic or similar).

That (used to be) the best part! No one knew how much trouble I went through for this subpar setup!

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