usb headset vs headset with two separate plugs--better qual?

Posts: 31 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: Dec 14, 2004 Posts: 31

i am using softphone right now and it seems that the quality of calls is intermittent. i have an altec headset that has the two separate plugs that plug into the mic jack and the headphone jack. I am wondering if the quality of my call is going to be any better with a usb headset.

i guess one of the things to clarify is this: people sound great on my end, but i am told that i sound like i am on my cell phone with marginal reception from their end. calls using my regular Vonage line are crystal clear and do not give me this issue.

other thing to mention is that due to the fact that my internal soundcard puked on me a couple of weeks ago, my existing headset is plugged into an external creative extigy soundcard. I am assuming that is a big cause of the issue?

Posts: 2 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 21, 2005 Posts: 2

according to what I have read the USB headset will be much better quality. The soundcard connection converts from analog to digital while the USB is already digital. I have had same experience with other Voip services using an old headset plugged into soundcard.

Posts: 318 · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:57 pm Post subject:

I tried out Soft Phone and I noticed that, for some reason, quality on the Soft Phone wasn't anywhere near the type of quality I got on my regular Vonage line. I was using a Logitech USB headset (which, BTW, is a great headset). I think the quality may have something to do with your computer having to process the stuff. I don't think a Soft Phone connection would ever be quite as clear as a regular Vonage line.

Having said that, I would definitely recommend a USB headset. The Soft Phone software will allow you to direct audio to the separate headset, allowing regular audio (like beeps, receiving IMs, etc.) to go through your normal speaker output (assuming you only have one sound card). Mine works really well with WinXP and gave me pretty good quality with the Soft Phone software (good quality for Soft Phone).

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Jul 07, 2005 Posts: 1

I use a Cisco softphone at work all day long with the Plantronics DSP-400 USB headset. Great quality and it has an inline little box that houses the DSP processing, offloading that work from the computer CPU time. They do have larger and smaller versions of this product, but with travel, this one collapses for packing. I would look for a headset that offers more than just a USB plug, such as the inline processing capability.

Posts: 1 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 26, 2005 Posts: 1

I would really like to have a headset (preferably wirelss, but not essential) that had only ONE earpiece. I do not like the idea of listening to a telephone conversation through both ears. In fact, I find it very peculiar. I have only been able to track down non-USB headsets that have 1 earpiece. Does anyone know of any USB models?