The Headset App's "how-to" guide
to purchasing hardware & headsets
Overview
You’ve just purchased (or are thinking about purchasing) The Headset App. The beauty about The Headset App is that this app is compatible with ANY headphones or earbuds you might already have, Bluetooth or wired. The Headset App is hardware-neutral as long as your headphones or earbuds have a mic. Coaches right now are using everything from the earbuds they were provided when they purchased their Apple or Android phone, to high-end over-ear headphones with ANC (noise cancelling) technology.
The mission of the headset app is to focus on our software and build features our customers (you!) want. We don’t want to waste our time trying to compete with hardware technology that already exists in the market.
When over-ear headsets with a "mic boom" make sense
If you are working in loud environments with a lot of noise around you, such as a sports stadium, concert venue or public arena, investing in a headset with a good mic boom is as important as the headset itself. An over-ear headset with a boom, is designed to to provide you the highest quality audio while minimizing others hearing the noise & bustle around you. You may also consider in-ear with mic boom options depending on your preference.
When earbuds make sense
If you are in an environment that has relatively low background noise, or you’re able to quickly un-mute and re-mute yourself, in-ear earbuds may be best for you. Additionally if you are in an environment that doesn’t require your mic to be turned “on” at all times (such as sports practice situations or an electrician team), earbuds may be a great and cost-effective option for you. ANC (active noise cancelling) has really improved in in-ear earbuds as of late. These do a great job at shutting out noise around you, but again, will struggle suppressing what your mic picks up and shares to others.
Below are some of our favorite ANC earbud options without a mic boom.
Still have questions about earbuds vs. headsets with mic booms? Check out our blog that breaks these two down even further.
Three (3) most important things to consider about your hardware
#1
Noise Cancelling Ability
Without a doubt in our testing, the ability to minimize the noise around you is The number one thing to consider when using a headset as a coach on the sidelines of a loud environment.
There are two (2) ways to cancel nose, 1: reducing unwanted noise around you that you hear, which is called ANC (or active noise cancelling) feature, which suppresses noise around you to allow you to hear the person on the other side of the channel. If you want to nerd out on this, check out this website. and 2: reducing the unwanted noise around you that others hear on the call, what we’ll call a “noise cancellation microphone.”
ANC technology has been showing up on the scene in the last year in almost every new earbud or headset. Your Apple Airpods or your Samsung Earbuds most likely have ANC at this point. There are a multitude of ANC options online and with a quick google search, you can find plenty to choose from.
Noise cancelling microphones are a little bit of a different story. This technology continues to get better over the years and there are many different variations and qualities of noise cancelling microphone options. It’s important you find a noise cancelling microphone that fits your needs. If you’re in a loud stadium, this feature is easily the most important thing to consider for the sake of all the other coaches in your channel. Through our research & testing, the below list is a cumulative ranking taking into account our top 3 things to consider. i
#2
Weatherability
The second most important thing to consider is weatherability. If you’re playing in the elements, you want a headset that can withstand poor weather, rain, etc.
There is a rating system on electronic headset systems called an “IPX Rating.” At the end of the day, these are sort of like SPF ratings for sunscreen, anyone can rate their product however they like, no real rules… Perhaps the easiest way to explain this is: IPX:0 = bad, IPX: 8 Great. (if you want to nerd out on this, check out this website.) Through our research & testing, the below list is a cumulative ranking taking into account our top 3 things to consider.
#3
Comfort & Preference
It’s important to consider the environment you are using The Headset App. For example, if you are a football coach and you are using The Headset App for practices & games, it’s important to consider what you might need from a hardware perspective. While a football coach will most likely be able to use earbuds for practice, it’s important to consider the game-day environment and prepare accordingly. High-noise situations call for different hardware, and anyone in a high-noise environment will want to consider a headset with a mic boom.
Top three (3) headsets w/ a mic boom
Here are the top three (3) headsets we recommend coaches use based on the categories above.
#1
BlueParrott S650-XT Bluetooth – 2-in-1 Convertible with Activate Noise Cancellation
PRICE: $170 - $250
This is our #1 over-ear headset option far and away. It is the only over-ear headset on the market that has a weather-resistant rating. It also has 96% noise-cancelling mic with a windscreen (for those who are in loud game-day environments).
There are convertible and single-muff purchase options.
ANC Capability: YES
Noise Cancelling Mic Rating: 96% mic
Weatherability Rating: IP54-rated durability against dust and water
Comfort Rating: 10/10
Battery Life: Up to 36 hours of talk time
Mute Button: YES
Website overview: https://www.blueparrott.com/on-the-road-headsets/blueparrott-s650-xt##204292
#2
TECKNET Bluetooth Headset with Microphone Noise Canceling Wireless On Ear Headphones
PRICE: $40-70
The Tecknet bluetooth headset is another (and more affordable) option with a noise-cancelling mic boom with a windscreen. While this does not have a weather resistant rating, it is a more affordable option for our users while still providing great surround noise suppression.
ANC capability: ENC technology
Noise Cancelling Mic Rating: Up to 99.6%
Weatherability Rating: NO
Comfort Rating: 7/10
Battery life: Up to 32 hours
Mute Button: YES
#3
HyperX Cloud II Headset
PRICE: $70-90
The HyperX Cloud II Headset is a great wired option that has a control pad with buttons built into the wired headset. This is a great option for users looking for quick control options. While this is also not a weather rated headset, it proves high quality at an affordable price.
ANC Rating: 7/10
Noise Cancelling Mic: YES
Weatherability Rating: NO
Comfort Rating: 10/10
Battery life: Wired
Website Overview: https://hyperx.com/products/hyperx-cloud-ii?variant=40998813794461
Top Rated Earbuds
Here are the top-rated earbuds we recommend coaches use based on the categories above.
#1
BlueParrott M300-XT SE
PRICE: $80
Without a doubt, the BlueParrott M300-XT SE is our top-rated in-ear microphone. The mic-boom provides 80% background noise reduction which is why it tops our list. Additionally it has a weather resistant rating as well as boasts a 300ft range.
ANC Rating: 8/10
Noise Cancelling Mic: YES
Weatherability Rating: IP54 Weather Rating
Comfort Rating: 10/10
Battery life: Up to 14 hours
You're all set!
We’re excited to hear about your experience and we’re always looking for customer feedback. We are a customer feedback driven product so if you have a feature idea, or want to run an experiment or two with us, we’d love to partner with you. Feel free to connect with us at our Contact Us page anytime!
Thinking about hardware?
Are you interested in finding some headsets or earbuds for your staff? Check out our blog where we break down the different types of headsets other coaches are using and their favorites. We’ll even have them linked for you so you don’t have to waste a bunch of time searching on your own! Check out our Blog Page for more on preferred hardware providers.
Co-Founder The Headset App