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Written by Chris Tangora
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Wednesday, 02 August 2006 |
Hello, computer
 If you've jumped on the Voice Over Internet Protocol bandwagon, you already know that the lack of good microphone really slows you down. Programs like Gizmo , Skype and iChat are great, but using the built in iMac microphone sounds horrible and lacks some critical features. Having also recently jumped on the VOIP wave, I decided that being stuck with an inflexible stock microphone wasn't an option. After doing a little bit of shopping around in the limited Mac market, I settled on Logitech's USB Dekstop Microphone.
The Logitech USB Microphone comes with a concave square stand, a vertically positionable 8" microphone arm and a lighted on-off button. The base is lightly weighted and holds the 8" positionable boom in any vertical position. It has clean lines and can be used with a Mac as a plug-and-play microphone; no drivers needed. After plugging in the microphone I was able to immediately make a phone call with Skype and a conference call with the Gizmo Project. Then I did one of the nerdiest thing I could do: I talked to my computer (and I loved it!). I guess it is a throw back to when I saw Star Trek IV in the theatre, but I love being able to tell my Mac what to do. The speech recognition power of the Mac had me up getting my mail, switching apps and setting up a speech command to go to my favorite website with a, "Go To MacMod".
The choice to go with a microphone instead of a headset was based on my use of the microphone. I wanted an input wwwice that allowed my family to use VOIP, without the hassle of trying to get my family to use, understand and share a headset. I also wanted a microphone that could pick up my voice without me yelling and intelligent enough to cancel out the background noises of a busy home. If you plan on using your microphone mainly for conference calls, a headset microphone might suit your needs better.
For the true techies:
• Frequency Response: 100-16kHz
• Input Sensitivity: -67dBV/ubar, -47dBV/Pascal +/-4dB
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The two biggest features of the Microphone are the lighted on-off switch and the digital clarity. The microphone comes with a large lighted button to tell you if it is on or off. There's no chance of making a George Bush oops, I-forgot-to-turn-my-microphone-off mistake. The digital aspect of the microphone was clear when used. The background noise of the television on in the other room, the monitor's hum and the fans in the background were nicely quieted. The noise cancelation was good for personal use and might pass with some prosumer, but not professional grade.
The only areas where the Logitech USB Microphone lacked were features and feedback. There is no hardware volume control and the microphone boom only moved vertically. It also had some problems with feedback. I had to reposition the microphone away from the external speakers on the desk to get the feedback reduced when conducting a test. This would be a general problem with any external microphone.
A microphone is quickly becoming a computing necessity for the next generation. The Logitech USB Microphone provides a simple digital interface (USB 1.1), small enough to not hog your desk space, and good enough for video conferencing and simple voice-over dubbing. If you need more features you can move up to a headset, a more advanced microphone, or a camera with a built-in microphone. I prefer the simple, clean lines of the Logitech.
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The Good: Lighted on-off switch, digital clarity, noise cancelation and audio command capability.
The Bad: Missing some key features, such as analog volume control and boom maneuverability.
The Skinny: Though not a pro tool, it will work for most of us. Great for the family!
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