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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?

#241

Post by larrywright »

Anderkent wrote: post #24
Bayart wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The headphones thing is very much a matter of morphology and personal preference. I know for instance anything other than IEMs is intolerable over any significant period of time for myself.

And choice of headphone! Open versus closed headphones lie much different on your head; clamp strength and weight vary hugely as well. I'm on my third set of AKG k702s as the only headphones I can wear for hours; finding the right pair for anyone takes time.

The most comfortable headphones I have are my open ear Hifiman He-400i. Minimal clamping pressure, and they’re more breathable due to being open backed. I can wear them for hours without issue. The downside is that they only work if you can get away with open backed headphones. They’re useless if sound leak is an issue or if you’re on an airplane or something. But for working at home in my office by myself they’re ideal. And they sound way better than anything else I’ve tried.

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

#242

Post by eropple »

falcolas wrote: post #146
eropple wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tend to agree with you in the main - I use MDR-7506's and a sE Dynacaster as my normal setup - but you absolutely can get comfortable IEMs. But they really aren't cheap. If I need to do something that looks "cans free" at my desk I keep a set of Shure SE215s, which aren't super comfortable but they're tolerable for an hour or two. To me, reasonably affordable throat mics sound terrible, which is a big factor.

Comply foam tips make all IEMs all-day wearable in my experience. It's surprising how much of a difference in comfort they can make.

I haven't tried that brand, but I agree that foam tips do help. Still not comfortable for me though. I'm picky about headphones in general--I literally can't wear closed-back headphones for too long before I get uncomfortable. Not physically, but it's something about the isolation effect that makes my skin crawl.

Ear protection in the wood shop doesn't give me the same vibe, but I'm also not listening to anything through it.

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

#243

Post by Terretta »

GuB-42 wrote: post #204
tristor wrote: post #6

I have a pretty serious audio setup for WFH. I assessed throat mics and bone conduction headphones and IEMs, I then ultimately decided against these options and instead went for a front-address microphone on a boom and open circumaural headphones. In my testing, all of these technologies intended for stealth (primarily) were uncomfortable for long periods of wear/use, and traditional options were massively more comfo…

I love bone conduction headphone. I am currently using the Aftershokz Opencomm. The good thing is that they don't obstruct your ears, and you maintain full awareness of the outside world. Great when you are on the streets. If that't not what you want, and when you are working from home, it is usually the case, then bone conduction headphones are not for you. When working from home, I am using a more traditional heads…

I suggest the Aftershokz Opencomm for anyone who wants to hear what’s going on in the home (parents hearing children, adults hearing pets, etc.).

Also for anyone in an office who doesn’t want to put headphones on/off or in/out to interact with present people interspersed with remote people.

The all day “nothing on or in your ears” aspect is comfortable and healthy too.

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

#244

Post by turnsout »

Professional sound engineers prefer to place small mics (lavaliers) on the speaker's chest. The reason is that sound comes not just from your vocal chords, but also from your chest and diaphragm. There's a reason lavs are sometimes called "lapel mics," as they sound significantly better there, as opposed to clipped to the top of a sweater or shirt collar.

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

#245

Post by [deleted] »

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…

[deleted]

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

#246

Post by comradesmith »

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…

To me it just sounds bad, like he’s coming in over a poor cellphone connection. If I was in a call I’d find that I’d have to put some effort in to listen.

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

#249

Post by juki »

wongarsu wrote: post #65
Anderkent wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And choice of headphone! Open versus closed headphones lie much different on your head; clamp strength and weight vary hugely as well. I'm on my third set of AKG k702s as the only headphones I can wear for hours; finding the right pair for anyone takes time.

Absolutely. I'm a fan of the SteelSeries Arctis 5, but the wireless version (Arctis 7) has too much clamp strength to be comfortable for me. Sony's WH-1000XM4 is a good wireless option on the go, but because it uses bluetooth it murders the quality of incoming audio if you use the mic. It's a series of tradeoffs, and finding a headphone that is right for you and your situation is far from trivial.

> Sony's WH-1000XM4 is a good wireless option on the go, but because it uses bluetooth it murders the quality of incoming audio if you use the mic.

In my experience they work well if you only connect it to a single device, but if you use the two device mode then the mic is useless.

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

#250

Post by hackernewds »

spamuel wrote: post #233

We had them in the military and we preferred the boom mics. Throat mics, the exact ones pictured, did not pick up low-talking or whispering, which is a large amount of pre-contact traffic. The new thing the DOD has spent an UNGODLY amount of time and money on is called TCAPS. They were even worse. They're noise-canceling earbuds with a bone-conducting microphone that sits inside of your ear. Sounds great - but when y…

Just wanted to say Hackernews is such a robust source of content and expertise. Perhaps almost as much as that-which-shall-not-be-named (reddit)
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