Pros: inexpensive, comfortable, good audio quality, works on OSX and XP without additional drivers
Cons: leatherette earpads may feel 'sweaty' after extended usage
The Bottom Line: I really like the quality of these headphones. While they may not be professional grade I would certainly recommend them for casual use, skype calling and gaming.
There was a time not too long ago where if you, as a non-professional, wanted to record audio on your computer you had to put up with annoying mini-boom microphones that plugged directly into your audio card. They always required the proper drivers to be loaded and picked up more of the sounds around you than your actual voice.
We've come a fairly long way since then. The audio market has boomed and the everyday user has plenty of high quality options to choose from.
The Skinny
The increasing popularity of podcasting has helped drive the audio device market to a level where the 'everyday user' can get near professional quality on a budget. I have been a regular listener to podcasts since early 2005 and had wanted to find an easy way for me to create my own MP3 recordings to send in as audio submissions. Additionally I was going to be interviewed by a few podcasters and needed an easy way to conduct the interview.
The Goods
I had few requirements that I needed to be met:
1. Cost was a factor. I was trying to be "budget minded" and although I know that alot of podcasters can spend a pretty penny on their microphone, I wasn't planning on using this for high quality, professional sounding recordings. Just a simple, clean, decent sound will do.
2. A USB headset was a must. As I have 2 laptops and a desktop, USB would be a simple common denominator and preferred over a standard 'audio in' jack.
3. It had to be OS independent. I use both Windows and OSX and would like the flexibility to use it in either environment.
4. Comfort. If it wasn't going to be a comfortable headset, then I wouldn't wear it it much.
5. Audio quality. Now I'm NOT an 'audiophile' but there's a big difference between horrible audio quality and good audio quality.
After doing some research online, I decided that an old favorite would do: Logitech. Logitech has long been a producer of computer peripherals making everything from mice & keyboards to joysticks to webcams and speakers.
I narrowed my choices down to the Logitech USB Headset 350 or the Logitech USB Headset 250.
What's the difference? Well initially it appeared only to be a mere $10, however after reading the specs it appears that the 350 comes with:
"Convenient soft-touch controls let you adjust volume precisely and mute the microphone quickly."
Upon further review, it appears that many people had reported problems with these controls where it is TOO sensitive and quite often they found themselves on mute while chatting with people.
The two headsets appear nearly identical otherwise so I saved the extra $10 and went with the 250 instead.
First impressions
My first impression of the Logitech USB Headset 250 after unpacking it and putting it on my head and adjusting it accordingly was that it was fairly comfortable. The "fake leather" feeling earpads felt good and while they weren't completely 'noise canceling', the room certainly did appear much quieter once I put them on.
I quickly plugged them into my Macbook Pro and they were immediately detected. OSX does a great job of hardware detection. The sound control applet immediately detect the 'Logitech USB Headset' under my Input and Output settings. One thing to note however if you're using a Mac... plug the headphones in before opening the application that you're going to use. I had read this before and made sure to do so.
I immediately launched iTunes and played a few songs. Again, I'm not an audiophile and won't get into the technical details of the sound quality, but it did sound VERY GOOD to me. Everything was crisp and clean sounding.
Next I launched Audacity; a freeware audio recorder and editor. Recording was a snap. My voice (as bad as I think it sounds) came across perfectly without any hissing or external noise. Now I will admit though that my desktop was turned off at the time so the fans weren't generating their normal whirrrrring sound. After playback I couldn't notice any outside noises (and my kids were playing in the next room).
My interviews were conducted over Skype on OSX and came across perfectly although I was instructed at one time to lower the volume via the sound control panel as my voice was coming in loud. Loud and clear is good when trying to get a message across to a crowd of people, but not so much when trying to record a podcast.
Complaints
The headset to me was quite comfortable, but they don't seem to have a huge range of adjustments. If you have a fairly large head then you might find the fit a bit snug. It was perfectly fine for me. The one complaint I do have is with the earpads. They were VERY comfortable at first... however after using them for an extended period of time they started to feel a bit stuffy. My ears felt hot and sweaty. This wouldn't be a problem for those users who are just going to throw the headphones on for short Skype calls or listen to short audio tracks, but for gamers or those using it while watching a movie, you may need to take a break and let your ears cool off.
Conclusion
I really like the quality of these headphones. While they may not be professional grade I would certainly recommend them for casual use, skype calling and gaming.
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