Logitech ClearChat Comfort/USB Headset H390 (Black) by Logitech
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Digital camera reviews of Logitech ClearChat Comfort/USB Headset H390 (Black)
Digital camera Review: Clearly a Good Headset
Summary: 4 Stars
I've had this model headset for around a year now. It has been dropped several times, stepped on once, and used to record hours upon hours of material. To this day despite its wear and tear it performs the same as it did from day one. Below I will give you an idea of the well executed features of this headset as well as the poorly executed ones...
(To skip to the main points, simply read the headers of each section.)
THE GOODS:
Crystal Clear Audio & Speakers-
I mainly use this headset for recording rather than listening but I am quite glad it can do both extremely well. When it comes to recording audio, I barely have to speak into the mic for it to pick up what I'm saying. I could not detect any annoying microphone hiss or tin can distortion. A few complaints regarding this though is the lack of bass in the recordings I do and sometimes I get an ever random "popping p" (this is easily remedied, see the solution for this later). As far as listening to the speakers of this headset, I can say its quite satisfying and sounds remarkably crisp. I cannot tell you how many times this headset has saved me in strategy games when I can hear an oncoming enemy ready to strike.
Decent Adjustable Mouth Piece-
The mouth piece on this headset slides anywhere within the area of the face. True it does not have 360 degrees of rotation but it does well nevertheless. I have noticed over time that it has started to become a bit looser than it was before but that thankfully this has not affected the audio quality. The best part is no matter what location I position the mouthpiece, I still get a great a recording out of it. The two major flaws in the design of this mouth piece are the rigid design as opposed to a flexible one and the lack of a windscreen slipped over the external part of it (more on this later).
Handy Controls-
While the controls only amount to three buttons on this device, I must say, they are incredibly useful! I have this headset plugged into a laptop that does not have any external volume buttons. It gets pretty annoying to constantly have to open up the volume control on the task bar any time I want to adjust it. I love that I can simply adjust the audio volume by pressing the +/- buttons on the device. It is equally convenient that I can mute my mic while recording by pressing the large center button (which flashes to indicate that the mic is muted).
THE BADS:
Touchy USB Connection-
This headset is one that uses a USB connection rather than a typical aux connection. Therefore the speakers of the headset may not function on just any USB drive. I've had luck with all the computers I've tested it on fortunately. However, I have heard of some select cases that could only use the microphone and not the speakers on the device itself. Sometimes the solution was as simple as downloading a new set of drivers. So do not despair if you happen to run into this issue as there may be a very easy fix for it.
No Windscreen!-
No matter what kind of microphone or headset you get, it is always advisable to attach an external windscreen to it. As I mentioned earlier, I would very rarely run into the "popping p" problem but when I did it was extremely significant. To solve this dilemma I bought a Plantronics Foam Windscreen. Though it is not designed specifically for this product, it works like a charm! Now my recordings are always pristinely perfect and I haven't had one hint of a "puh" or a "pop" ever since.
Minor Discomfort-
The one part of this device that feels a tad uncomfortable are the speakers. I've always preferred over-the-ear speakers as they cover the entire ear and you can wear them much longer without feeling discomfort. These speakers rest on the ear which means after a long period of use your ears will start to feel achey and tender. However, almost all standard headsets have these kind of speakers and therefore this is pretty much an expected drawback. So if you want an over-the-ear headset, you might as well invest in something that is prosumer grade rather than consumer grade.
All in all, I love this headset and I'm pleasantly surprised to see how well it has stood the test of time. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
Digital camera Review: Comfort
Summary: 4 Stars
I really like the Logitech brand of quality products. This headset is a top performer for the price. Very comfortable. One thing... the switch
should be improved.
WEG
Digital camera Review: Comfortable and easy to use
Summary: 5 Stars
It took me 3 years to finally get a private head set for my laptop. Now I can't live without it. It is great for practicing a foreign language too with the microphone attached to the head set. I am a nursing student. Enjoy!Digital camera Review: Comfortable headset vexed by Vista device switching issues
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this with a Logitech QuickCam Pro 9000 (Black) for Skype communications.
It installed on my HP computer with Vista flawlessly and works great. I wear a one ear piece headset for regular phone calls but like the ClearChat's two ear pieces with soft foam even better - it blocks outside noise making it easier to hear the person I'm talking to.
The mic is easy to adjust and according to people listening to me sound quality is good.
The longest I've worn it is about 2 1/2 hours and it was comfortable.
The only problem is one that I can't blame on Logitech...but I'd sure be grateful for a solution. And I'd think it would worth their while to consider creating one:
It is ***very*** difficult to switch sound output devices between my Logitech USB headset and my BOSE (R) Companion 3G Multimedia Speaker System - Graphite / Silver, which is also a USB device.
You need a headset for Skype phone calls - I've tried to use speakers and my camera's mic a few times and always end up with feedback. But during the day I like to have speakers on to play videos or music clips.
Logically, you would think Vista would make it easy to toggle between different sound output devices...But it doesn't. OK, so then you'd think someone (like Logitech) would have created a simple software app to do the job...they haven't.
The only way I've found to switch involves unplugging the headset, rebooting the computer and plugging into a different USB (or not plugging it back in to use the speakers). Even this cumbersome process has its quirks and doesn't always work.
Naturally, this issue won't come up for someone who wants to use their headset 100% of the time. Bottom line is that it's a great headset for the money.
Digital camera Review: Comfortable, Clear Communication
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this after considering several options for headsets. After having used it heavily, I can confidently say Logitech has impressed me with this one.
Pros:
1. Crystal clear sound,
2. Quick, automatic driver installation,
3. Simple and accurate mic configuration instructions,
4. Solid compatibility with Vista,
5. Works perfectly with Skype, and
6. Has a very comfortable fit (feels great even after using it for hours at a time).
Cons:
1. Nothing yet, but I'll keep you posted. :)
Strongly recommended. It may cost a little more than the average headset, but it's definitely worth it.