Some users at a new Asterisk installation with Polycom IP330 phones are complaining about echo with the amplified headsets they used to use with their Nortel phones. I listened myself, and I here my own voice annoyingly loudly, and no headset/phone combination of volume control manipulation produces a very good experience. I've avoided messing with the Polycom internal settings for gain. So I tried a Plantronics M10 device with the phone, and I think it works fine. I'm going to bring this to the client tomorrow. They've been using the headsets by unplugging the handsets and putting the headset box between the handset and the phone. So I'm also going to bring an IP430 phone which has an extra RJ11 jack for a more elegant wiring setup and intelligent mode control directly from the phone (trying to stroke a fickle user). This all leads to the general question: The IP330 has a subminiature jack for headset/mic combos. Are there quality headsets anyone would recommend for in-office use for heavy users with these phones? Using any wiring path? I've tried a cell phone earphone/mic, and it sounds OK, but it's flimsy for this application. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: smime.p7s Type: application/x-pkcs7-signature Size: 3234 bytes Desc: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature Url : http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-users/attachments/20081005/a67ca5b9/attachment.bin
----- "Bill Michaelson" <bill at cosi.com> wrote:> The IP330 has a subminiature jack for headset/mic combos. Are there > quality headsets anyone would recommend for in-office use for heavy > users with these phones? Using any wiring path? I've tried a cell > phone earphone/mic, and it sounds OK, but it's flimsy for this > application.In our call center (250 agents), we use Panasonic KX-TCA60 headsets, which I think we get for 7 or 8 bucks apiece, and sell to the agents at cost. They have covered gooseneck tubes, decent padding on the earpiece, and are fairly sturdy. Turnover being what it is, we don't have to replace too many of them for breakage. They have 2.5mm plugs, and really good audio -- I've plugged mine into my Nextel/RIM BlackBerry 7100i, and called my best friend, who is almost as picky as I am... his opinion is that it not only sounds better than my Plantronics Voyager 510, it sounds better than the mic inside the phone. My opinion is the converse: receive audio is nice too. Recommended. Cheers, -- jra -- Jay R. Ashworth Baylink jra at baylink.com Designer The Things I Think RFC 2100 Ashworth & Associates http://baylink.pitas.com '87 e24 St Petersburg FL USA http://photo.imageinc.us +1 727 647 1274 Those who cast the vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything. -- (Josef Stalin)
Jay R. Ashworth wrote:>In our call center (250 agents), we use Panasonic KX-TCA60 headsets, which >I think we get for 7 or 8 bucks apiece, and sell to the agents at cost.Thanks for that - they look good, and I found several recommendations for them after I got yours and started looking for them. Further to this, I'm in the client office today and dealing directly with the users who are reporters and editors for a periodical and conduct many telephone interviews. They want to use their old recording devices with the new phones, but are finding unpleasant audio experiences when they switch them over from the Nortel meridians to the Polycom IP330s. So I'm looking for kit to use here as well. Recommendations most welcome. And in the case of one user, she is adamant she not be required to use a different recording device. I don't know how to approach this except to try a different telephone or mess with Polycom gain settings that the manual advises not to touch. Anybody been down this road - have any wisdom?
On Sun, Oct 5, 2008 at 3:30 PM, Bill Michaelson <bill at cosi.com> wrote:> The IP330 has a subminiature jack for headset/mic combos. Are there quality > headsets anyone would recommend for in-office use for heavy users with these > phones? Using any wiring path? I've tried a cell phone earphone/mic, and > it sounds OK, but it's flimsy for this application.We've started switching out our Plantronics M-series amplifiers and headsets with headsets from Jabra. Some of our agents have a problem with their M-series amps where they get no audio when they pick up using the phone's headset button, and they have to quickly go on-hook and off-hook again with the amp. We also had some S11 sets, with which we experienced horrible echo. The main upshot for us is that the Jabra headsets don't require an external amp, so they're simpler to install and cost less. We're using them on Polycom 330, 550, and 650 sets, and the audio quality is great. The have the usual quick-disconnect, so they're appropriate for a call center (though the connector is not compatible with Plantronics). They have adapters for both 2.5mm and RJ-8 modular plugs, so they can be used on any Polycom IP phone with a dedicated headset jack. Feel free to contact me off-list if you'd like the part numbers we're using. -James