Those who like to keep things minimal when it comes to portable headgear probably won’t like the showy, opulent design of the Focal Stellia (and they can feel a little chunky on the commute),but if luxury is your thing, the aesthetic might appeal –and the sound definitely will. Windscreen: This is a metallic mesh or grid on top of the input side of the microphone (where you speak into it) that protects the components from the elements. The biggest variation inside a microphone is in the design of the transducer. Microphone tech is largely split into two main types: dynamic and condenser.

While wireless headsets don’t come with the confusion of wires and ports, it’s still not as simple as flipping a switch in your settings. Additionally, wireless headsets often need some setup to ensure they’re functioning at peak performance.

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Unlike the 3.5mm connector, USB-type headsets have their own systems for processing sound. Because of this, even if the sound card on your PC isn’t up to par, a USB headset can still produce clear and high-quality sound. Yes, they're pricey and yes, they probably don't scream "money" on the outside, but once you get them playing you'll see where your money's gone.

Some people dislike the intrusive nature of in-ears and find the experience a little claustrophobic, while for others it opens up sonic realms as yet uncharted. Our advice? Weigh up the priorities we've mentioned above, head down to a local dealership to try out some headphones – and of course, use our ' how to choose your next headphones guide'. What about planar magnetic designs vs. dynamic drivers? Gaming headsets with a 3.5mm plug cannot process audio on their own and have to use the sound card in your device. So, the sound quality highly depends on the quality of the PC’s sound card, which is often not of a high standard. Older headsets often have two different audio plugs: one to transmit the game audio and the other for your mic. These plugs are known as TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) plugs. TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) plug. Choose Hardware and Sound, then select Device Manager. You should be presented with an alphabetical list of functions and devices. There are many reasons why some prefer to use single-plug headsets, but at the end of the day, it generally comes down to preference. Here are some of them: Convenience

Tips

Some plugs come with a ‘right way up’ sign on the rubber sleeve of the plug, but if yours doesn’t, then you can inspect the inside of the plug and the port to figure out which way up it goes. How to Connect Your Wireless Headset to PC Some of the mics on this list offer different options for audio patterns: Bidirectional, cardioid, omnidirectional and stereo. Others offer only cardioid. Here's a brief explanation of each pattern, to help you decide which one to use: Sound recordings are a good indicator for measuring the clarity and amplitude of the sound recorded from the microphone. Based on the quality of the recording, you can make the adjustments to your PC settings accordingly.

Splitter (TRRS to TRS): If you have a single-plug headset, but your PC requires separate mic and audio plugs, then the splitter will convert one plug into two. Keep in mind that these audio ports are only compatible with TRS plugs, which support stereo sound.

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OK, let's do this: a planar magnetic driver is different to the more typically-used dynamic drivers in headphones in that it uses a flat diaphragm rather than the traditional cone or dome shaped membrane. This is then sandwiched between an array of magnets to create an evenly-suspended diaphragm in between permanent magnetic fields. Why is that good? Planar magnetic drivers make the headphones that use themextremely resistant to various types of audio and electronic distortion – aka clearer, more detailed, bettermusic. If you’re using a Bluetooth recording device then all the solutions will be helpful, but pay extra attention to solution 5. You’d usually have to pay much more for a pair of audiophile-grade headphones such as these. Design-wise, everything about them – how they look as well as how they feel – makes the SR80x headphones seem more expensive than they are. They have a relatively simple headband with a silent adjustable slider and super soft padding inside. The cups are constructed from plastic, and the set is pleasingly light at just 245g. Y-adapter (TRS to TRRS): If you have a double-plug headset but only one 3.5mm port on your PC, the Y-adapter will convert the two plugs into one without losing any functionality. Capsule: The heart of the microphone, the capsule contains the diaphragm and transducer components that convert sound waves into an electrical signal.

Of course, the default mic settings on your Windows PC may not be enough to please everyone. That’s why Windows allows users to finetune the mic volume manually. This is great for when the headphones are working, but your teammates still can’t hear you properly. We've been using the Westone Mach 70 for a while, and are just putting the finishing touches to our full star-rated review – but until then, know that this co-flagship set of IEMs, which come with the flagship Linum Estron ULTRABaX quad-twisted cable from Denmark, is well worth a spot on this –and your – list. To do this, you can connect other sets of headphones to your computer to confirm that it’s a headphone issue. Or, try the same pair of headphones on a different device. ConclusionUnder the “Input” section, select “Choose your input device”, and then select the microphone or recording device you want to use. Before getting into your gaming, you’ll need to test your headset first. This will ensure everything is functioning properly and nothing will break unexpectedly. How to test headset connection on PC However, because most of Apple’s hardware is specifically designed for Macbook and other Apple products, it isn’t surprising that you’ll run into some compatibility issues connecting with non-Apple products.