Do you want the best headset? 
If you work in a busy office, at home, or all points in between, you probably know how noise can be distracting. And for some unexplained reasons, noise seems to always find its way into your business calls.
Most of us have had the experience of getting on an important voice or video call when some unexpected noise pops up. If you work from home, that could be the sudden sound of your dog barking, or children's noise. In a busy office it could easily be the sound of chatty coworkers, or coffee shop patrons if you’re working remotely. Whatever it is that’s distracting you, noise causes several things;
- Frustration
- Annoyance
- A negative impact on your productivity
- The risk of your message not being heard
- And a knock on your professional image
Sound Familiar?
If you’re reading this blog, I’m betting that you’re dealing with some of the types of noise I just mentioned. If so, I’m also guessing that you’re looking for a solution because noise is probably getting the best of you. If this sounds familiar, then you’ve come to the right place because I have some simple advice on how you can resolve the noise issues you’re dealing with once and for all. And no, I’m not going to suggest you overhaul your office, or workspace with acoustic, sound absorbing materials. For the vast majority of us, these approaches are too costly, disruptive to our daily workflow, and many don’t fully address the problem anyway.
I’m also not going to suggest that you install privacy booths, relocate yourself to quiet spaces like a vacant conference room whenever you need to get on a business call, or schedule your calls around those times when your office is known to be quieter. And though many of these things might work, they can be disruptive and the results aren’t guaranteed.
So rather than doing any or all of these things, I’m going to instead ask you to consider a simpler, very affordable, and easier approach to dealing with the nightmare called noise. This solution is hardware and software based. And no, I’m not going to suggest you install white noise machines or noise monitoring devices.
So now that I've mentioned the things I won't be recommending, let's get on with the business of what I do recommend.
Adios To Noise - A Two-Pronged Approach
If you’re serious about silencing the noise, here are two things you can do to regain control, and regain your focus when noise becomes distracting.
First Line of Attack - Wearing Your Way To Better Sound
When noise ramps up, it may be at a time when you're on an active voice or video call, or you may be wanting some peace and quiet while working on a project.
You could use noise isolating headphones if you’re wanting to dampen down the background noise so you can concentrate better, but taking this approach doesn’t address the noise problem when you’re on a live call. In my opinion, it’s better to have one device that addresses both situations, which is a professional grade, noise canceling headset. A headset like this would include these things;
- A professional sounding microphone
- Comfort features
- Passive noise canceling design
- Active Noise Cancellation technology
- Noise canceling microphone
The Choices Can Be Confusing
Searching for five minutes on Google for business headsets, you’ll quickly see that there are a lot of headset options available. Admittedly that does make it difficult to know which headset offers these features, and which is a good one to select. That’s where doing your research comes into play, and the value of verified reviews. And if you spend too much time, you may just end up with a headache and find your eyes crossing. Still, once you narrow things down, you’ll probably find some that checks all the boxes. And if you want to make sure it's the right choice, you can always request a free trial from the headset vendor. If they won’t allow you to try the headset before buying it, then my advice would be for you to find a different vendor.
5 Reasons You Want a Headset Configured This Way:
Professional sound: When you’re making important calls, you want to sound as professional as possible. You don’t want your callers to struggle to hear you, and you don’t want to continuously repeat yourself. Clean, crisp and consistently good sound quality is what you’re after.
Comfort: A headset is a device that’s up close and personal, and something that’s worn for hours on end. So it stands to reason that you want a headset that provides you with comfort, so that you’re not left struggling with the things that an uncomfortable headset can create, such as headaches, migraines, soreness and more. Look for things like memory foam ear pads, adjustable headband, padded headband, rotating ear speakers and a lightweight design.
Passive noise cancellation: This speaks to the design of the headset. Some headsets are specifically designed in such a way to refract noise. Headsets designed this way will use materials and a design known to cause sound to bounce rather than absorb. Add to this, ear pads that fully encircle the ear, helps to keep out even more noise.
Active Noise Cancellation: This takes passive noise cancellation to a higher level. Essentially, ANC utilizes microphones to listen for noise, and once detected, it sends out a countermeasure to negate it, often referred to as anti-noise. Something to keep in mind when it comes to this feature is some headsets will offer ANC on/off, ANC high/low, or ANC adjustable. The better choice is adjustable because it gives you more control over how much noise you eliminate. Also, remember, ANC removes the noise in your background for you, not your callers.
Noise canceling microphone. This is an important feature for your callers. A noise canceling microphone will remove noise from your background so your callers hear less of it. Even though you may not be able to control the noise coming from your background, a good quality noise canceling microphone will help to dampen much of it down. And as you might imagine, headsets with noise canceling microphones vary in their ability to remove noise. If this is an important consideration, then you’d be wise to try the headset before deciding to buy it. This way, you can ask your callers about the noise they’re hearing in your background. Worth noting is no headset will remove all the background noise.
Second Line of Attack - Software That Finishes The Job
At this point, you have a headset that removes noise so your callers aren’t overly distracted, and a headset with Active Noise Cancellation so you don’t hear the noise going on around you. But in spite of this, noise may still be problematic, and that’s where neep noise canceling software steps in to finish the job.
Why Use neep Noise Canceling Software Together With a Good Quality Headset:
Voice enhancement. neep learns your voice, and will isolate it from other voices or noise, and then work to enhance your voice audio quality. Headsets cannot do this, and when you want to sound your best, present your best image and make sure your message is being heard, this is a great feature.
Two-way noise reduction: When you use neep, your callers won’t hear your background noise, and surprisingly, you won’t hear theirs either. That’s because neep can also eliminate the noise in your callers background, which again, headsets can’t do.
Audio file cleanup: neep will improve the sound quality of your audio files. So if you do podcasts for example, and would like them to sound better, there’s no need to employ the use of third party software because neep can handle the task.
Cross compatibility: neep works with Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems, and whatever audio device(s) you’re currently using, such as conference phones, AirPods, headsets, computer mic and speakers, webcam etc. Though we highly recommend using a professional grade business headset as noted earlier, neep will work well with your current devices while enhancing their performance.
Total noise solution: When you employ a professional grade headset with neep noise canceling software, you get the total solution. You're shielded from distracting sounds from your environment via the headset ANC feature, and you're protected from the distractions from your callers background via neep. And your callers won't hear the noise thanks to neep.
Like to Know More About neep? Check Out This Overview Video to Learn More.
You can also try neep for free, by going to neep.com. Test it under your noise conditions and decide for yourself if neep is right for you.
Bottom Line:
If you’re serious about eliminating noise for you and your callers while on voice or video calls, following these simple tips will provide you with the solution you've probably been looking for.
A good quality headset with Active Noise Cancellation is your first step, and the job completes when you match that up with neep noise canceling software. Both of these are affordable, and within the financial reach of anyone making this the perfect noise eliminating solution you really need to consider.
Have Questions or Need Some Help?
At Headset Advisor, we understand the importance of clear communication in today's busy world. That's why we're here to help you find the perfect, compatible communication solution for your needs. Whether you're looking for a professional-grade headset, neep noise canceling software, or both, our team of experts is here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more and take the first step toward conquering workplace noise for good.
