17 ms·

Why don't more people use throat mics?

258 points by hardwaresofton 4y ago

mei0nnaise 4y ago
seems uncomfortable idk and constricting?
saralily 4y ago
Functional alternative to a choker!
GekkePrutser 4y ago
I tried one before but I had difficulties registering hissing sounds like the letter 'S', making the audio hard to understand. I understand this is part of how a conduction microphone works, as these sounds are not generated in the throat but the mouth. I'm surprised not to read about this in the article. Perhaps I did it wrong or I had a really bad microphone.
serverlessmom 4y ago
Until saying this article I never even heard about throat mic, much less seen one before. Now I'm really curious about trying one out
flobosg 4y ago
Speaking of contact microphones: The saxophonist Colin Stetson makes extensive use of them, including one on his throat. To see (or rather hear) them in action check out this video of one of his tracks[1] along with an explanation of his technique[2]. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkYF2vJjzI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkYF2vJjzI [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UejNbSrJIuA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UejNbSrJIuA
gbraad 4y ago
Sounds too muffled in the sample to be a convincing alternative.
fallingfrog 4y ago
Because they look like some kind of bdsm device?
mattparcens 4y ago
For the love of God, if you have one of these don't drink liquids while you're unmuted.
DigitallyFidget 4y ago
I couldn't understand any of what was said in that recording. If anything, it served to show it's absolutely not useful for me at all.
test1235 4y ago
"but I’m going to look into whether" article unfinished ... ?
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  Thanks, I forgot to put in the last couple sentences! Just added -- should be deployed in a couple mins.
AllegedAlec 4y ago
Holy fuck that looks horrible. I don't want some elastic band around my neck constantly very slightly constricting me.
- ALotOfBees 4y ago
  My thoughts exactly. When reading the title my first instinct was "because it's a THROAT MIC"
beanjuice 4y ago
One of the most Hacker News articles ever written. A bad solution (wearing a choker) to a self-generated problem (using Arch) that costs a lot of money. In summary: this generates more problems than it solves (unless you're a navy seal).
- e-dt 4y ago
  - jgrahamc 4y ago
    I have no idea what you are talking about but you should take this type of comment to some other forum.
  - baisq 4y ago
    - jgrahamc 4y ago
      See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31932399 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31932399
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- antiterra 4y ago
  It definitely reads as a personal project and not one claiming a superior solution (“People can hear me gulp”)
  - Cthulhu_ 4y ago
    > People can hear me gulp Some people are into that <_<
    - bitxbitxbitcoin 4y ago
saberience 4y ago
Because they're annoying to wear and unsightly. Simple as that.
- heffer 4y ago
  Also: > People can hear me gulp Imagine being on a video call with people constantly gulping. That and people looking like they are wearing some kinky gear.
  - Bayart 4y ago
    So the ASMR directory of Twitch.
sometimez 4y ago
I think the bad outweighs the good here. I'd also add aesthetic, comfort, price, and availability to his "bad" list.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  Do want to note that the price was pretty good on the ones I bought! So 1/4 of those legitimate concerns is handled at least.
tristor 4y ago
I have a pretty serious audio setup for WFH. I assessed throat mics and bone conduction headphones and IEMs, I then ultimately decided against these options and instead went for a front-address microphone on a boom and open circumaural headphones. In my testing, all of these technologies intended for stealth (primarily) were uncomfortable for long periods of wear/use, and traditional options were massively more comfortable. I wear headphones all day, for instance, as I listen to music when I’m not in meetings.
- Bayart 4y ago
  The headphones thing is very much a matter of morphology and personal preference. I know for instance anything other than IEMs is intolerable over any significant period of time for myself.
  - Anderkent 4y ago
    And choice of headphone! Open versus closed headphones lie much different on your head; clamp strength and weight vary hugely as well. I'm on my third set of AKG k702s as the only headphones I can wear for hours; finding the right pair for anyone takes time.
    - wongarsu 4y ago
      Absolutely. I'm a fan of the SteelSeries Arctis 5, but the wireless version (Arctis 7) has too much clamp strength to be comfortable for me. Sony's WH-1000XM4 is a good wireless option on the go, but because it uses bluetooth it murders the quality of incoming audio if you use the mic. It's a series of tradeoffs, and finding a headphone that is right for you and your situation is far from trivial.
      - juki 4y ago
        > Sony's WH-1000XM4 is a good wireless option on the go, but because it uses bluetooth it murders the quality of incoming audio if you use the mic. In my experience they work well if you only connect it to a single device, but if you use the two device mode then the mic is useless.
rr888 4y ago
I'm open to this. I can't believe after 2 years of work from home zoom calls are so bad. Headsets really arent as good as they should be. I'm experimenting with regular shotgun mics but they aren't ideal either. How come if you sit in a room its easy to talk to someone but online people are muffled or too loud or just hard to understand.
- ARandumGuy 4y ago
  Part of the issue is bandwidth. Most online call software limits the bandwidth based on the user with the slowest internet. So if one person on the call is on crappy wifi, the quality goes down for everyone.
  - lstodd 4y ago
    Seriously? Voice requires 1-1.5Kb/s to be perfectly legible with ancient codecs. It's when everyone insists on video that it all breaks down.
- beanjuice 4y ago
  The segment of the population which is both interested enough in what their colleagues are saying, and are interested enough in what their colleagues experience to required change is minimal.
- falcolas 4y ago
  > online people are muffled or too loud or just hard to understand Crappy (i.e. cheap) microphones and wireless connections. I use a Sennheiser EPOS headset - wired USB connection and a microphone with a passive background noise rejection - and it's all but perfect. The quality is high, and it was under $100. Non-headset mics, even shotgun mics, are going to be sensitive to background noise. That's just how they are. They have a lot of rejection around them, but it's not 0. Headset mics put the mic close enough to your mouth that rejecting other noise becomes a lot simpler. Oh, and Google et.al. try too hard sometimes to "fix" audio that they'll screw a decent audio setup up by "fixing" the gain dynamically.
rexreed 4y ago
Isn't it obvious? They look and feel very uncomfortable, and they don't offer any significant advantages over the alternatives. Sometimes being different isn't necessarily better.
cube00 4y ago
I can't wait for the enterprise version that gets tighter when my code output drops.
jgrahamc 4y ago
I went down this path once. For normal life everything about throat mikes is awful: the sound quality, discomfort, difficult to get positioned correctly, and get to transmit your swallowing sounds to the world.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  But what if it had bluetooth though? There's a kickstarter in here, I know it! I just need someone on HN that is crazy about hardware to see this post.
  - jgrahamc 4y ago
    You want to make it even worse?
    - hardwaresofton 4y ago
      Well it'd be an improvement for me since the other things are not such deal breakers. Forget v1, I'm more excited for v5 though -- would love to see people push the boundaries on throat mics.
  - aidenn0 4y ago
    https://iasus-concepts.com/wireless-headsets/stealth/ https://iasus-concepts.com/wireless-headsets/stealth/
    - hardwaresofton 4y ago
      That link is in the post :)
  - spamuel 4y ago
    Bluetooth is a good idea, but you need to be wary of the emissions you're relying on for critical comms. If you have a whole formation using a piece of the spectrum, that piece of the spectrum is now a target.
- 4y ago
catchclose8919 4y ago
gulping sounds & chokers... boy that would make for some fun team calls...
tleilaxu 4y ago
> pulseaudio would sometimes stop working, and periodically be broken after upgrades Some things never change!
hnbad 4y ago
> People can hear me gulp That's one of the biggest reasons you don't see them in business settings apart from the tacticool tackiness. The point of a good microphone is not just to clearly hear the voice and to cancel out outside noise but also not to pick up the meat sounds. Especially when using headphones, other people don't want to hear your meat sounds. They don't want to be constantly reminded that you're made of meat because they're trying their best to pretend that they aren't either.
- spockz 4y ago
  I’m using a good headset/microphone setup + krisp.Ai and the result is amazing. Good clear voice and krisp removes all the noise. I can even eat chips without it being transmitted.
  - hardwaresofton 4y ago
    Thanks for pointing out krisp.ai -- was wondering how it was possible so many youtubers complain about not using A/C while streaming to avoid noise... Does everyone simply not know about krisp.ai?
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  > Especially when using headphones, other people don't want to hear your meat sounds. They don't want to be constantly reminded that you're made of meat because they're trying their best to pretend that they aren't either. A reference for people who just think this is worded weird: https://www.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/thinkingMeat.html https://www.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/think...
  - hnbad 4y ago
    I was thinking of the amazing short film adaptation but yes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6JFTmQCFHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6JFTmQCFHg
ecmascript 4y ago
The problem is not people using shitty external mics, the problem is people using internal laptop mics that is horrible. Any external mic would be a huge upgrade, just don't work from a noisy environment or at least don't take calls from one. People appreciate good sound when they have to listen, but rarely when other people have to listen to them. Just buy an dynamic mic if you want a mic that work well even when there is people around you.
- almog 4y ago
  To that I'll add another common problem: people don't monitor their own mic, thus even if they invest in a decent dynamic mic, it's easy to fall into bad mic technique, too much gain that results in clipping or insufficient gain (+ bad mic technique) that either result in low volume or as in many conferencing apps triggers some sort of make-up gain compressor which end up amplifying background noise as well.
pavel_lishin 4y ago
> Could Throat mics be the ultimate in high quality audio for cheap? (not really). Awesome. I'm glad OP wrote this up, though. I've always wondered how well those work.
mindvirus 4y ago
Love it. Throat mics and subvocalization are a place that I think would really change how we use devices. Genuinely surprised there's not more investment in this area. Imagine being able to use an audio interface without speaking, just by subvocalizing. It'd be like magic, you could basically think something and get the answer.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  > Love it. Throat mics and subvocalization are a place that I think would really change how we use devices. Genuinely surprised there's not more investment in this area. I'm more and more seriously hoping someone who is of the right bent will see this on HN and go make a better one... > Imagine being able to use an audio interface without speaking, just by subvocalizing. It'd be like magic, you could basically think something and get the answer. Love this.
  - noctrine 4y ago
    There was a subvocalization mic project out of MIT back in 2018.
chrismorgan 4y ago
On Bluetooth audio issues: try switching from PulseAudio to PipeWire; it’s better in every way now save perhaps for one or two remaining tiny niches, and pipewire-pulse lets it act as a drop-in replacement for pulseaudio. The usual installation experience is completely uneventful: you install it, restart your session, and everything works at least as well as before. On the throat mic itself: what does it sound like? I need a sample. I’m having difficulty finding any not-obviously-bad audio samples (e.g. not recording the microphone, but rather the output of a speaker after radio transmission!). > Good mic sound quality, switch was not detectable to people on the other end, and was clear. From the impressions I’m getting, I’d be surprised if “not detectable” was accurate—rather, people are used to lousy audio and are not likely to comment on it unless you ask them or it’s just too bad. But yeah, I’d rather like a sample to judge myself.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  > On Bluetooth audio issues: try switching from PulseAudio to PipeWire; it’s better in every way now save perhaps for one or two remaining tiny niches, and pipewire-pulse lets it act as a drop-in replacement for pulseaudio. The usual installation experience is completely uneventful: you install it, restart your session, and everything works at least as well as before. I did! Pipewire is working awesome -- I'm using pipewire-pulseaudio actually, there's a package on arch that IIRC bridges the two so I can use pavucontrol etc. > On the throat mic itself: what does it sound like? I need a sample. I’m having difficulty finding any not-obviously-bad audio samples (e.g. not recording the microphone, but rather the output of a speaker after radio transmission!). Just put up a I'm going to put one up right now -- just updated the blog and it's deploying, should be up within 3 min or so. > From the impressions I’m getting, I’d be surprised if “not detectable” was accurate—rather, people are used to lousy audio and are not likely to comment on it unless you ask them or it’s just too bad. But yeah, I’d rather like a sample to judge myself. This definitely might have been the case, but the friend I was talking with I most certainly have run bad audio by before -- so he's seen worse and better.
  - chrismorgan 4y ago
    Thanks for the sample. That sounds very bad. Not quite as bad as any samples I had found, and still reasonably understandable, which some lousy device microphones (especially laptops’) aren’t—it’s bad in a somewhat different way. But I would strongly dislike having to talk to you with that as your microphone, especially if you were in a context where you could have used almost any other microphone. If I knew that you had put me through such a thing for no good reason (which could be context, physical disability, lack of possession of an alternative), I would be very likely to resent that fact. Frankly, even if others don’t comment on it, you’re making talking with you far more stressful (whether consciously or subconsciously), because people are having to put a lot more effort into understanding you. > Could Throat mics be the ultimate in high quality audio for cheap? (not really). No. Absolutely not. Any podcast using such a microphone will bomb hard.
javajosh 4y ago
I should write up my solution using a parabolic dish that focuses sound from a relatively small zone where my head (usually) is, into a good cheap mic. You get good isolation (even from keyboard sounds) requires nothing on your head or throat, and ... physics! (You just need to accept a big dish in your field of view, and you also can't pace, walk around, as with bluetooth solutions.)
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  This actually sounds sick :) You know what is crazy, those microphone guns[0] mics might actually be amazing. I know that people (youtubers) actually have problems with being able to turn their A/Cs on because of the background noise... Rather than trying to remove that noise with AI/post processing or turning the A/C off maybe people should be looking into microphone guns. [0] https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMGZ1M-Zoom-Microphone-Black/dp/B00HPM0826 https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMGZ1M-Zoom-Microphone-Black/dp...
  - dawnerd 4y ago
    Also known as shotgun mics.
  - digitallyfree 4y ago
    Marketing has pushed a lot of Youtubers towards LDCs like the Blue Yeti, which are great in a studio setting but pick up lots of background noise. For some reason everyone considers the SM7B as the way around that (despite being overkill and overpriced for their applications), which is a broadcast dynamic. Dynamics can handle fan noise and busy streets no problem. There are less expensive handheld dynamics which are suitable for Youtubers, like the SM58 (very few of them use that, but it's ubiquitious in live sound and with processing can sound very decent). Sennheiser and AKG also make good stuff. If those don't provide enough isolation there are ENG dynamics that are designed to handle interviews in the middle of loud protests and such.
    - fire 4y ago
      > If those don't provide enough isolation there are ENG dynamics that are designed to handle interviews in the middle of loud protests and such. Do you have a link? "ENG dynamic microphone" doesn't bring anything useful up for me
c1sc0 4y ago
I've been wondering about exactly the same thing, but for a different reason: wouldn't it be great if I could summon Siri / Alexa by subvocalisation? Does anyone know if it's feasible to reduce throat mike size, make them convenient, actually wearable & just have then listen to subvocalised commands?
ARandumGuy 4y ago
I'm curious as to why the author even thought that a throat mic would have good audio quality. Throat mics are designed for loud, high intensity situations. For the use case of a throat mic, "good audio quality" means the receiver can actually understand what you're saying, something that is pretty easy to achieve in a home office environment. And I'm sure that it's possible to make a throat mic that has great audio quality. But I think the overlap of "people who want throat mics" and "people who want good audio quality" consists solely of the author of this article.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  > I'm curious as to why the author even thought that a throat mic would have good audio quality. Throat mics are designed for loud, high intensity situations. For the use case of a throat mic, "good audio quality" means the receiver can actually understand what you're saying, something that is pretty easy to achieve in a home office environment. The good audio quality I thought would come from it being viable in a "loud, high intensity situation". I thought quite simplistically that there must be something there if people are depending on throat mics in warzones. To be clear though, the throat mic certainly has "good audio quality" -- I use it on most of my calls now, and I don't get any complaints -- tested with a friend beforehand and he didn't know the difference until I asked. > And I'm sure that it's possible to make a throat mic that has great audio quality. But I think the overlap of "people who want throat mics" and "people who want good audio quality" consists solely of the author of this article. Would sure like to find some more people (maybe ones that like to do kickstarters or have manufacturing connections) because I'd sure like to expand this niche!
  - drath 4y ago
    Could you provide samples? Maybe it works for you in particular, but all the throat mic tests I've seen on youtube have absolutely abysmal sound quality.
    - falcolas 4y ago
      The position of the mic on your throat changes how it sounds. The further away from your throat, the better (more natural) the sound, but the more ambient noise you get because the signal is lower. If you're right over the throat, the noise issue goes away, but you lose the qualities of your voice that the mouth adds. In general, you'll get better sound from something like an Antlion mic with its passive rejection from a built-in omnidirectional mic opposite the cardiod mic pointed at your mouth.
digitallyfree 4y ago
If you care about aesthetics and sound go with the gear that broadcast professionals use - a headset/earset. There are carotid models that work pretty well in noisy conditions, though they don't isolate as well as a dynamic handheld. You can get ones with a shorter boom that match your skin tone, and those aren't that noticeable on camera. That's what they use in musicals and concerts and they certainly sound much better than a throat mike. Lavs are also an option but they do pick up more background noise due to the fact that the mic is much farther from the mouth. For computer use you may need an external preamp as most soundcards I've seen do not have adequate clean gain to drive a lav to acceptable levels. Depending on your situation a shotgun mic above the monitor or a gooseneck (podium) mic are options as well. The gooseneck is basically a ECM on a flexible boom, and is relatively unobstructive. Note that these are starting to go into the more pricey territory, and you will need a preamp to drive them.
- dawnerd 4y ago
  I agree, if you want to go pro and not have much of a visible mic, headworm mics are a great option.
arnaudsm 4y ago
Avatar (2009) displayed a lot of throat mics, I didn't know the tech was real!
daneel_w 4y ago
Because they produce poor low-fidelity sound and they're terrible to wear for an extended time.
maep 4y ago
> Could Throat mics be the ultimate in high quality audio for cheap? How can those microphones even capture fricatives or plosives in decent quality? Most of the vocal tract lies behind the throat. I looked for some examlpes and they all sound terrible. If you want good and cheap audio, get an off-brand USB large diaphragm condenser mic, for example this: https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_sc_450_usb_b_stock.htm https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_sc_450_usb_b_stock.htm
vehemenz 4y ago
Why not use a clip-on (lapel) mic? A standalone battery pack is somewhat portable and seems less annoying than wearing a choker would be.
moralestapia 4y ago
>Why don't more people use throat mics? Speaking for myself, because that looks uncomfortable as f.... Why would I use that if the one on my desktop works really well and I don't have to do anything but sit on my desk and start talking naturally?
rob_c 4y ago
> People can hear me gulp... here's a clue that's probably not all they get exposed to. please don't inflict this on co-workers
bitcurious 4y ago
Question for the microphone specialists here: what's your recommendation for the best pro-sounding microphone which can stay off camera? I think I'm looking for something direction with a ~2.5 foot sweet spot.
- robga 4y ago
  +1 to the Ask. I had a trawl across HN for this just yesterday without great success. There are a couple of podcast-popular mics which sound good but not if you are more than a foot away.
- jonathanstrange 4y ago
  This is really hard to answer without knowing more about the room you want to use it in, how much you intend to move while speaking, whether it also has to be able to record other people present in the room or just your voice, and, most importantly, how much you're willing to pay for it. You want it to be off camera. This means that a dynamic broadcast microphone is not a good choice. However, a condenser microphone might still work. They do pick up a lot of room noise, though. For your requirements (which you might want to reconsider), the usual choices would be: - A shotgun mic directed at your mouth from outside the camera. For example, the Sennheiser MKH 416 is often used ($800-$1000), the Rode NTG5 would be a cheaper but still expensive option. - A hidden or hard to spot Lavalier microphone. These are the little microphones you see on TV that are clipped to the clothes. Good ones are rather expensive, too. That being said, if it is for Skype calls, then I wouldn't recommend spending more than about $100-$150 on a mic, and I'd recommend either a dynamic microphone or a condenser microphone and getting as close to it as possible. I used a Rode M3 outside the camera angle for a long time and it had quite good quality, although spoken voice is certainly not it's primary use. If you want higher quality, then you really need to say more about the purpose, your budget, and the room situation. Some reporters used to literally speak their voiceovers inside a closet full of clothes, which makes for excellent echo cancellation. Even a very cheap microphone can sound excellent without background noise and without room reverb (or in a room with good natural reverb). Since you ask "best sounding" by the way: At a certain level this also depends a lot on your voice. The same mic can flatter one speaker's voice and make another speaker's voice sound ugly. Final advice: Microphones are similar to headphones. Below $80 most of the stuff is crap. There are a few exceptions but be careful. Then there is a mid category between $100 to $300 that is a sort of sweet spot for non-professional users, and above that prices go up indefinitely. Once you know your price range and requirements, you can find some more affordable and even better alternatives to the well-known brands and choices with a bit of research, but you generally get what you pay for.
hardwaresofton 4y ago
OP here -- this article isn't a recommendation to ditch whatever you use and get at throat mic! I just think they're interesting and finally scratched my own itch so figured I'd my experience (and leave some hints if anyone wanted to go make a bluetooth version). The tl;dr: > tl;dr - Don’t chuck the Sony 1000XMs/AirPods just yet. Throat mics are an improvement over a standalone wired microphone (if that’s what you are using), and have better background noise reduction but in a quiet room your usual bluetooth headset is still way more convenient.
lelo_tp 4y ago
Imagine the reaction of your teammates after you join a Zoom call wearing this.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  I've actually done it! People mostly don't care, but it's a somewhat small team... Most people just see a wire protruding from below the chin, as my camera is positioned above my face/head and pointing downwards at me
devonallie 4y ago
Messing with Bluetooth and Arch? Are you trying to hurt yourself? I also use Arch btw.
- sgtnoodle 4y ago
  One you follow the fourteen step instructions, it's as reliable as any non-Android Linux Bluetooth stack. I've been using Arch at home for half a decade now, and it's been absolutely boring in a good way. I had a glitch plaguing me for a week on my work laptop. The left mouse click would get stuck. It turns out a Bluetooth mouse was powered on in my backpack! At least Ubuntu was reliably connecting with it...
  - omnicognate 4y ago
    I have a 7 year old laptop running the same installation of Arch I put on it when I first bought it. Bang up to date and solid as a rock.
    - sgtnoodle 4y ago
      About 7 years ago I built an Intel Baytrail based server with no moving parts other than two hotswap HDD bays. I keep it in my garage and synchronize other computers' storage to it. Same deal, I put Arch on it and I just SSH in every few months and update it. The rolling release is great exactly because there's never a disruptive distribution update. Of course there's the occasional update glitch that requires manual intervention, but the community is very quick to document the solution. I just wish pacman was smart enough to update the keyring package before trying to validate signatures on other packages.
alricb 4y ago
The biggest use case of a throat microphone is to do an accurate version of "Ich liebst dich nicht du liebst mich nicht" part of "Da da da" by Trio (you also need a mini casio for the "tut-tut-tut tut-tut-tut-tut" beepy riff)
beardyw 4y ago
I had one when I was a kid in the 60s from an army surplus store. I hooked it up to something somehow. Sound quality was appalling, but I guess that wasn't it's main goal. Thanks for the reminder.
micromacrofoot 4y ago
I don't even like wearing turtlenecks and you want me to strap on something around my neck that is a cross between fetish wear and military cosplay? hard pass.
- gorjusborg 4y ago
  Think of it this way: cyberpunk choker
Brajeshwar 4y ago
I thought this was a satire. It looks like this is not. I like the fact that the author loves experimentation and tried this setup. I'm someone who still thinks Apple has not even solved the design of the AirPods/Pro. So, anything else that makes us like "Batman with a utility belt" is something I would find a more aesthetic alternative. For most of the video call needs, I have tried boom/condenser and XLR microphones. Right now, an XLR is the best that stays away from my desk (mounted on an extended arm) while I continue to keep a desk Microphone as a backup. The last resort is the trusty Bose Quietcomfort 35-II. While on the move, a wireless bud such as the AirPods would be OK. I have been working remotely since the early 00s, and have used the early Jabra Bluetooth with phones, and now, if I can take back that flaunt, I would. These days, I drive past busy social hangout areas or visit diners with the family; I see people wearing AirPods or AirPod-like knockoffs as an always-on ornamental addition even while not talking (on phone). My brain always cries in silence, "Batman." I don't see this throat mic fitting in any sensible scenario, and from the article, the ROI of audio quality over anything else is not worth the roll-eyes that will you will gain from your audience. Nonetheless, I would love to try this with a walkie-talkie in the jungles when I'm working with the planters for the natural decarbonization projects I'm involved with.
- closewith 4y ago
  > These days, I drive past busy social hangout areas or visit diners with the family; I see people wearing AirPods or AirPod-like knockoffs as an always-on ornamental addition even while not talking (on phone). My brain always cries in silence, "Batman." Could they be listening to something?
  - cpuguy83 4y ago
    Or just dampening the ambient sound?
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- ip26 4y ago
  Who sees a Jabra set as flaunt? Aren't they more blackberry than iphone?
nunez 4y ago
because it looks like a BDSM collar?
floor_ 4y ago
A guide on how to spot a Metal Gear fan:
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  Snake? Snake? Snaaaaaaake?!
Ekaros 4y ago
Because they are pretty annoying. One possibility is tank helmet, but in this head inside it is really not that preferable to wear... Then again outside in winter it isn't too bad option.
philliphaydon 4y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rk79-Y6Nag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rk79-Y6Nag Found this video which demonstrates the usage of a throat mic in an operating room. It's not perfect but it works quite well. I had never heard of this thing before but it's rather cool!
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  Awesome thanks for finding this -- One of the pictures on the ASUS site was of people in an operating room... but none of them were wearing the throat mic so I was wondering... Another use case that's almost the polar opposite of the other use case.
- closewith 4y ago
  I suspect the OP's throat mics weren't actual laryngophones like the one in use by the surgeon.
- newaccount74 4y ago
  But the sound quality is really really bad! Every phone/laptop built-in mic or headset boom mic sounds better.
  - philliphaydon 4y ago
    It actually sounds better than I was expecting. And cuts out a lot of background noise.
- robga 4y ago
  Here is a positive 4.6/5 review of it being used on a motorbike https://www.webbikeworld.com/iasus-stealth-throat-microphone/ https://www.webbikeworld.com/iasus-stealth-throat-microphone...
nashashmi 4y ago
no one mentioned jawbone mics? they are a real product.
teeray 4y ago
> People can hear me gulp Part of this is video chat applications insisting on VOX operation for the most part, leading to the totally unnecessary “you’re muted” problem. Push-to-talk is an afterthought in many of these products, but it’s absolutely the correct UX to avoid most of these problems.
fourneau 4y ago
The answer to the question is "because we also use cameras". That said, if this tech was made smaller and didn't give off cat-collar vibes, people might consider it. Technically better is not always sufficient, but it's interesting to see what's out there.
upupandup 4y ago
Peak HN submission here. Fails to realize people are not like the author and have an issue with wearing a collar that applies not so subtle pressure on the throat to optimize for a problem that really isn't a problem that needs to be solved. Oh wait I'm also suscepti-
stakkur 4y ago
Because they're uncomfortable and I don't want to wear a collar (or take one off and on repeatedly throughout the day)?
gonehome 4y ago
> “ Throat mics are an improvement over a standalone wired microphone (if that’s what you are using), and have better background noise reduction” Do they? The audio sample sounds a lot worse than the high quality standalone mics. Does he mean something else?
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pinum 4y ago
Honestly, your sample doesn't sound very good. It's a bit better than the other samples that have been linked in this thread, and you're perfectly audible, but it's very muffled and there are noises that sound like the throat-mic equivalent of cable noise. If I head this on a call I'd assume you were using a particularly bad laptop mic or gaming headset. Not bad enough that I'd comment on it, but if I knew you'd gone to the trouble of a custom setup with elaborate extra adapters etc, I'd expect it to sound excellent (like a podcast mic or similar).
- tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
  It's bad compared to normal microphones, but it's much better than I expected (especially if you turn the volume up a bit). If it actually avoids capturing background noise regardless of level, it's great as soon as you can't get a quiet environment.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  Yeah it's definitely not very good -- there are tons of good solutions in this thread now though. > Not bad enough that I'd comment on it, but if I knew you'd gone to the trouble of a custom setup with elaborate extra adapters etc, I'd expect it to sound excellent (like a podcast mic or similar). That (used to be) the best part! No one knew how much trouble I went through for this subpar setup!
- sails 4y ago
  It sounds really bad. I'd definitely comment that you need to move your mic from your clothes or something if I was on a call with you and had to suffer that cable noise.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- comradesmith 4y ago
  To me it just sounds bad, like he’s coming in over a poor cellphone connection. If I was in a call I’d find that I’d have to put some effort in to listen.
koofdoof 4y ago
Interesting piece, I am curious about how well the throat mic picks up whispered speech. I recall a gaming oriented throat microphone being sold once under the premise that it would let you communicate without disturbing other people late at night.
coding123 4y ago
I couldn't understand the sample very well at all. It sounded muffled. If I were on a call with someone with that, I would ask if they are having audio issues. edit: Yeah dude - your co-workers are being NICE man. I listened to it again. I am seriously telling you - that sounds really really bad and muffled. I can barely make out what you're saying. I'm spending more time trying to understand you than getting your drift.
plasticchris 4y ago
I once made a throat mic out of a cheap consumer grade accelerometer switched at a few kHz in ac mode, that was a fun hack.
smiddereens 4y ago
frillkill 4y ago
yellow_lead 4y ago
Someone on hacker news recommended this mic before and it's much better than this sample (and sounds closer to podcast quality). https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Comm... I use it with ATH-M50x which can be modded to use it if you add a 3.5mm female to 2.5mm male adapter.
- dolmen 4y ago
  This product has been released in 2013. I hope that the market has improved since.
some_random 4y ago
Because modern mics are good at cutting out background noise, so the only people who make tactical chokers these days are chinese companies doing it for larpers. As everyone has already said, they sound horrible as a result. They made sense for people who need to talk over gunfire and explosions back in the day, but even they have moved onto normal microphones. Edit: Shockingly 3M makes a thoat mic. That said, I've never heard of anyone using it, and the only reason to use it they state is for when you physically can't use a boom mic due to PPE. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000083105/ https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000083105/
vzaliva 4y ago
I wonder if these would be a good choice for motorcycle riders. Regular helmet mics are noisy.
HL33tibCe7 4y ago
The audio sample sounds absolutely terrible - it’s muddy, there are constant shuffling noises, gulping. I get 100x cleaner mic input out of a pair of wired Apple EarPods, which are cheap and Just Work TM.
deleted 4y ago
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cpuguy83 4y ago
If all you are looking for is noise reduction, use a dynamic mic instead of a condenser. Example condenser mic: Blue Yeti You'll see a lot of streamers use these kinds of mics because you don't need to be right up on it. Example dynamic mic: Shure SM58 Typically you'd see these kind of mics in performances or radio. They do require a pre-amp. I got a used ElectroVoice RE-20 (oft used in radio). Nobody can hear my kids yelling/playing/watching tv right behind me. Sound is phenomenal.
jasonpeacock 4y ago
For WFH, if you have your own space for working, then get a desktop conference speaker/mic, like the Plantronics Calisto 7200: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCDKB2C https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCDKB2C (Jabra makes something similar). It has HW buttons for volume, answer, hangup, and mute - no hunting for the correct window to click a button. It has noise filtering, good mic, and decent speaker quality. I've had many compliments on the audio quality. My keyboard sits 6" from the unit and nobody can hear me typing during calls (I'm a heavy-handed typist!). Being free of a headset is wonderful. It can be BT or USB, I used USB so there's never any connection issues.
- blamazon 4y ago
  Also, these things are usually battery powered and work great in a pinch to turn any space into a conference room. If you've ever tried to have 4 people in a room on headphones or laptop speakers having a remote-inclusive meeting, you know it's challenging - such a device solves this problem.
- majc2 4y ago
  I agree the desktop conference speaker/mic setups are really good - not just for your own space - but also for huddling with others. I've been using the Poly Sync line and I'm really happy with there performance.
- deepspace 4y ago
  Totally concur. I have been using a generic/cheap "USB Conference Boundary Microphone" from Amazon for a few years, and the results are excellent. The thing is chucked away under my monitor, about 2-3 feet away, and yet the sound quality is about the same as what I get with my semi-pro boom mike. My (clicky mechanical) keyboard is also about 6: from the unit, and I have had no issues with typing sounds. The only downside is that the mike does not have any control buttons. For use in a group setting in a conference room, I use the Anker Powerconf Bluetooth speakerphone, which does a fine job.
babypuncher 4y ago
Everything about that looks horribly uncomfortable and inconvenient.
reversengineer 4y ago
Did anyone else laugh out loud after scrolling down the page a bit and seeing the actual device, which is a literal collar? The appearance of the device itself evokes hilarity. Who would willingly put that onto themselves? If your job requires you to attend meetings on-camera, what might your coworkers think if you wore such a device?
mic260 4y ago
Look, here's two recordings, spur of the moment, just sitting at a table. The first is taken on an iPhone in Voice Memos with the built-in mic, as a reference. The second is taken on the same iPhone in Voice Memos, using a Jabra headset w/ boom over bluetooth. http://sndup.net/f86h http://sndup.net/f86h http://sndup.net/qpw9 http://sndup.net/qpw9 (The voice quality of the headset is better when the background is quiet)
izzydata 4y ago
People don't communicate by listening to each others throats so I would have to imagine that is not the way people expect voice audio to sound.
mtn_nerd 4y ago
Sounds like crap and looks uncomfortable to use.
deleted 4y ago
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Grustaf 4y ago
We used them in the army in the 90s, I guess one big advantage is that you can use them with a gas mask on.
- spamuel 4y ago
  We have voice modulators on the newer CBRN masks. Tiny mike plugs into the inside, speaker plugs on the outside.
nsxwolf 4y ago
I'm sorry, what? What did I just hear? It was noisy, the volume kept changing, and I had trouble understanding it. Throat mic? Seriously? Everyone at work sounds better than that. Everyone. Most people just use the built in mics in their MacBooks and it sounds fine. Worlds better than whatever I just heard.
clint 4y ago
Best headphones/mic combo I've used for running AND video meetings are the AfterShokz (now "Shokz") AeroPex/OpenRun. I've not tried the `OpenComm` but its probably also good too. Bone conduction so there's nothing touching your ears, long ~8hr battery life, super duper light (26g).
- nomel 4y ago
  > Bone conduction so there's nothing touching your ears I have a, possibly irrational, fear of bone conduction. I don't like the concept of the outer layer of my brain being subjected to the significant vibrations.
krnlpnc 4y ago
Why not? Because it sounds sh*t and requires wearing a collar. A decent dynamic mic on a boom and a bit of compression will approach broadcast quality sound and can be done using affordable commodity parts (that will hold their value at resale if selected wiesely) Arguably a good mic setup adds credibility to the speaker. Partly because they sound clearer and more professional, and part because it looks like a professional pod/broadcast setup.
post_break 4y ago
This would be perfect for zoom calls conducted at the gun range.
luxuryballs 4y ago
The idea of wearing a choker to attend meetings in my home office makes me smile.
elliekelly 4y ago
I'm really bummed to see so much shade in this thread. I didn't even know throat mics were a thing and I learned a lot from the linked post. > People can hear me gulp Is it weird I'd have liked to hear a clip of this? Does it sound like the "gulp" noise from a cartoon? Or just like a regular old swallow? I have so many questions...
spamuel 4y ago
We had them in the military and we preferred the boom mics. Throat mics, the exact ones pictured, did not pick up low-talking or whispering, which is a large amount of pre-contact traffic. The new thing the DOD has spent an UNGODLY amount of time and money on is called TCAPS. They were even worse. They're noise-canceling earbuds with a bone-conducting microphone that sits inside of your ear. Sounds great - but when you start shooting and moving (and pouring sweat) the earbuds slip out slightly, breaking contact with your ear. Every. Damn. Time. And you can't feel it happen. The way you find out is you key up to speak and no one responds to you. All anyone hears is dead air. After a while someone figures it out and says "last station, check your mic". They went straight into the pile of useless "good idea fairy" nonsense we keep in the arms room, only pulling it out for inventories. And there is a lot if that. We have monocular eye pieces in there that have a heads-up display. Some nerd thought they would be a good idea. Put it on an actual fighter and it is of no added benefit. The only headset I have used that consistently works are Peltor COMTACs and their recent competitors. Over-the-ear noise cancelling ear muffs with a boom mike. Never had a problem with wind noise. Biggest issue was the mike being pulled away from your mouth when it gets snagged, or people who think they need to yell into the mike. They also had a compatibility issue with PRC-119Fs/ASIPs/RT-1523s where you need to keep the volume setting at 8 or below otherwise you get a high pitched squeal when you key up and no traffic goes out.
- hackernewds 4y ago
  Just wanted to say Hackernews is such a robust source of content and expertise. Perhaps almost as much as that-which-shall-not-be-named (reddit)
  - GenerocUsername 4y ago
    I'm a 10+ year Reddit account holder, and I get more informative info from here than Reddit these days. Eternal September is eternal
  - m463 4y ago
    I block reddit and have this firefox bookmark: javascript: (location.hostname="teddit.net") it takes a reddit url and loads it on teddit
prometheus76 4y ago
It sounds like you either have a head cold, or you have the microphone under a pillow.
dwighttk 4y ago
>sound quality is good Sound quality was possibly better than some other options
swiftcoder 4y ago
Are we sure this isn't satire? The sample sounds considerably worse than the stock wired earbuds+mic that come with every smartphone...
turnsout 4y ago
Professional sound engineers prefer to place small mics (lavaliers) on the speaker's chest. The reason is that sound comes not just from your vocal chords, but also from your chest and diaphragm. There's a reason lavs are sometimes called "lapel mics," as they sound significantly better there, as opposed to clipped to the top of a sweater or shirt collar.
netik 4y ago
Because the lips, tongue, and face make up a filter circuit which makes sound intelligible. Throat mics sound like garbage.
Gordonjcp 4y ago
They sound bloody awful and they're incredibly uncomfortable, mainly.

mei0nnaise 4y ago

seems uncomfortable idk and constricting?

saralily 4y ago

Functional alternative to a choker!

GekkePrutser 4y ago

I tried one before but I had difficulties registering hissing sounds like the letter 'S', making the audio hard to understand. I understand this is part of how a conduction microphone works, as these sounds are not generated in the throat but the mouth. I'm surprised not to read about this in the article. Perhaps I did it wrong or I had a really bad microphone.

serverlessmom 4y ago

Until saying this article I never even heard about throat mic, much less seen one before. Now I'm really curious about trying one out

flobosg 4y ago

Speaking of contact microphones: The saxophonist Colin Stetson makes extensive use of them, including one on his throat. To see (or rather hear) them in action check out this video of one of his tracks[1] along with an explanation of his technique[2]. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkYF2vJjzI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkYF2vJjzI [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UejNbSrJIuA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UejNbSrJIuA

gbraad 4y ago

Sounds too muffled in the sample to be a convincing alternative.

fallingfrog 4y ago

Because they look like some kind of bdsm device?

mattparcens 4y ago

For the love of God, if you have one of these don't drink liquids while you're unmuted.

DigitallyFidget 4y ago

I couldn't understand any of what was said in that recording. If anything, it served to show it's absolutely not useful for me at all.

test1235 4y ago

"but I’m going to look into whether" article unfinished ... ?

hardwaresofton 4y ago
Thanks, I forgot to put in the last couple sentences! Just added -- should be deployed in a couple mins.

AllegedAlec 4y ago

Holy fuck that looks horrible. I don't want some elastic band around my neck constantly very slightly constricting me.

ALotOfBees 4y ago
My thoughts exactly. When reading the title my first instinct was "because it's a THROAT MIC"

beanjuice 4y ago

One of the most Hacker News articles ever written. A bad solution (wearing a choker) to a self-generated problem (using Arch) that costs a lot of money. In summary: this generates more problems than it solves (unless you're a navy seal).

e-dt 4y ago
- jgrahamc 4y ago
  I have no idea what you are talking about but you should take this type of comment to some other forum.
- baisq 4y ago
  - jgrahamc 4y ago
    See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31932399 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31932399
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antiterra 4y ago
It definitely reads as a personal project and not one claiming a superior solution (“People can hear me gulp”)
- Cthulhu_ 4y ago
  > People can hear me gulp Some people are into that <_<
  - bitxbitxbitcoin 4y ago

saberience 4y ago

Because they're annoying to wear and unsightly. Simple as that.

heffer 4y ago
Also: > People can hear me gulp Imagine being on a video call with people constantly gulping. That and people looking like they are wearing some kinky gear.
- Bayart 4y ago
  So the ASMR directory of Twitch.

sometimez 4y ago

I think the bad outweighs the good here. I'd also add aesthetic, comfort, price, and availability to his "bad" list.

hardwaresofton 4y ago
Do want to note that the price was pretty good on the ones I bought! So 1/4 of those legitimate concerns is handled at least.

tristor 4y ago

I have a pretty serious audio setup for WFH. I assessed throat mics and bone conduction headphones and IEMs, I then ultimately decided against these options and instead went for a front-address microphone on a boom and open circumaural headphones. In my testing, all of these technologies intended for stealth (primarily) were uncomfortable for long periods of wear/use, and traditional options were massively more comfortable. I wear headphones all day, for instance, as I listen to music when I’m not in meetings.

Bayart 4y ago
The headphones thing is very much a matter of morphology and personal preference. I know for instance anything other than IEMs is intolerable over any significant period of time for myself.
- Anderkent 4y ago
  And choice of headphone! Open versus closed headphones lie much different on your head; clamp strength and weight vary hugely as well. I'm on my third set of AKG k702s as the only headphones I can wear for hours; finding the right pair for anyone takes time.
  - wongarsu 4y ago
    Absolutely. I'm a fan of the SteelSeries Arctis 5, but the wireless version (Arctis 7) has too much clamp strength to be comfortable for me. Sony's WH-1000XM4 is a good wireless option on the go, but because it uses bluetooth it murders the quality of incoming audio if you use the mic. It's a series of tradeoffs, and finding a headphone that is right for you and your situation is far from trivial.
    - juki 4y ago
      > Sony's WH-1000XM4 is a good wireless option on the go, but because it uses bluetooth it murders the quality of incoming audio if you use the mic. In my experience they work well if you only connect it to a single device, but if you use the two device mode then the mic is useless.

rr888 4y ago

I'm open to this. I can't believe after 2 years of work from home zoom calls are so bad. Headsets really arent as good as they should be. I'm experimenting with regular shotgun mics but they aren't ideal either. How come if you sit in a room its easy to talk to someone but online people are muffled or too loud or just hard to understand.

ARandumGuy 4y ago
Part of the issue is bandwidth. Most online call software limits the bandwidth based on the user with the slowest internet. So if one person on the call is on crappy wifi, the quality goes down for everyone.
- lstodd 4y ago
  Seriously? Voice requires 1-1.5Kb/s to be perfectly legible with ancient codecs. It's when everyone insists on video that it all breaks down.
beanjuice 4y ago
The segment of the population which is both interested enough in what their colleagues are saying, and are interested enough in what their colleagues experience to required change is minimal.
falcolas 4y ago
> online people are muffled or too loud or just hard to understand Crappy (i.e. cheap) microphones and wireless connections. I use a Sennheiser EPOS headset - wired USB connection and a microphone with a passive background noise rejection - and it's all but perfect. The quality is high, and it was under $100. Non-headset mics, even shotgun mics, are going to be sensitive to background noise. That's just how they are. They have a lot of rejection around them, but it's not 0. Headset mics put the mic close enough to your mouth that rejecting other noise becomes a lot simpler. Oh, and Google et.al. try too hard sometimes to "fix" audio that they'll screw a decent audio setup up by "fixing" the gain dynamically.

rexreed 4y ago

Isn't it obvious? They look and feel very uncomfortable, and they don't offer any significant advantages over the alternatives. Sometimes being different isn't necessarily better.

cube00 4y ago

I can't wait for the enterprise version that gets tighter when my code output drops.

jgrahamc 4y ago

I went down this path once. For normal life everything about throat mikes is awful: the sound quality, discomfort, difficult to get positioned correctly, and get to transmit your swallowing sounds to the world.

hardwaresofton 4y ago
But what if it had bluetooth though? There's a kickstarter in here, I know it! I just need someone on HN that is crazy about hardware to see this post.
- jgrahamc 4y ago
  You want to make it even worse?
  - hardwaresofton 4y ago
    Well it'd be an improvement for me since the other things are not such deal breakers. Forget v1, I'm more excited for v5 though -- would love to see people push the boundaries on throat mics.
- aidenn0 4y ago
  https://iasus-concepts.com/wireless-headsets/stealth/ https://iasus-concepts.com/wireless-headsets/stealth/
  - hardwaresofton 4y ago
    That link is in the post :)
- spamuel 4y ago
  Bluetooth is a good idea, but you need to be wary of the emissions you're relying on for critical comms. If you have a whole formation using a piece of the spectrum, that piece of the spectrum is now a target.
4y ago

catchclose8919 4y ago

gulping sounds & chokers... boy that would make for some fun team calls...

tleilaxu 4y ago

> pulseaudio would sometimes stop working, and periodically be broken after upgrades Some things never change!

hnbad 4y ago

> People can hear me gulp That's one of the biggest reasons you don't see them in business settings apart from the tacticool tackiness. The point of a good microphone is not just to clearly hear the voice and to cancel out outside noise but also not to pick up the meat sounds. Especially when using headphones, other people don't want to hear your meat sounds. They don't want to be constantly reminded that you're made of meat because they're trying their best to pretend that they aren't either.

spockz 4y ago
I’m using a good headset/microphone setup + krisp.Ai and the result is amazing. Good clear voice and krisp removes all the noise. I can even eat chips without it being transmitted.
- hardwaresofton 4y ago
  Thanks for pointing out krisp.ai -- was wondering how it was possible so many youtubers complain about not using A/C while streaming to avoid noise... Does everyone simply not know about krisp.ai?
hardwaresofton 4y ago
> Especially when using headphones, other people don't want to hear your meat sounds. They don't want to be constantly reminded that you're made of meat because they're trying their best to pretend that they aren't either. A reference for people who just think this is worded weird: https://www.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/thinkingMeat.html https://www.mit.edu/people/dpolicar/writing/prose/text/think...
- hnbad 4y ago
  I was thinking of the amazing short film adaptation but yes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6JFTmQCFHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6JFTmQCFHg

ecmascript 4y ago

The problem is not people using shitty external mics, the problem is people using internal laptop mics that is horrible. Any external mic would be a huge upgrade, just don't work from a noisy environment or at least don't take calls from one. People appreciate good sound when they have to listen, but rarely when other people have to listen to them. Just buy an dynamic mic if you want a mic that work well even when there is people around you.

almog 4y ago
To that I'll add another common problem: people don't monitor their own mic, thus even if they invest in a decent dynamic mic, it's easy to fall into bad mic technique, too much gain that results in clipping or insufficient gain (+ bad mic technique) that either result in low volume or as in many conferencing apps triggers some sort of make-up gain compressor which end up amplifying background noise as well.

pavel_lishin 4y ago

> Could Throat mics be the ultimate in high quality audio for cheap? (not really). Awesome. I'm glad OP wrote this up, though. I've always wondered how well those work.

mindvirus 4y ago

Love it. Throat mics and subvocalization are a place that I think would really change how we use devices. Genuinely surprised there's not more investment in this area. Imagine being able to use an audio interface without speaking, just by subvocalizing. It'd be like magic, you could basically think something and get the answer.

hardwaresofton 4y ago
> Love it. Throat mics and subvocalization are a place that I think would really change how we use devices. Genuinely surprised there's not more investment in this area. I'm more and more seriously hoping someone who is of the right bent will see this on HN and go make a better one... > Imagine being able to use an audio interface without speaking, just by subvocalizing. It'd be like magic, you could basically think something and get the answer. Love this.
- noctrine 4y ago
  There was a subvocalization mic project out of MIT back in 2018.

chrismorgan 4y ago

On Bluetooth audio issues: try switching from PulseAudio to PipeWire; it’s better in every way now save perhaps for one or two remaining tiny niches, and pipewire-pulse lets it act as a drop-in replacement for pulseaudio. The usual installation experience is completely uneventful: you install it, restart your session, and everything works at least as well as before. On the throat mic itself: what does it sound like? I need a sample. I’m having difficulty finding any not-obviously-bad audio samples (e.g. not recording the microphone, but rather the output of a speaker after radio transmission!). > Good mic sound quality, switch was not detectable to people on the other end, and was clear. From the impressions I’m getting, I’d be surprised if “not detectable” was accurate—rather, people are used to lousy audio and are not likely to comment on it unless you ask them or it’s just too bad. But yeah, I’d rather like a sample to judge myself.

hardwaresofton 4y ago
> On Bluetooth audio issues: try switching from PulseAudio to PipeWire; it’s better in every way now save perhaps for one or two remaining tiny niches, and pipewire-pulse lets it act as a drop-in replacement for pulseaudio. The usual installation experience is completely uneventful: you install it, restart your session, and everything works at least as well as before. I did! Pipewire is working awesome -- I'm using pipewire-pulseaudio actually, there's a package on arch that IIRC bridges the two so I can use pavucontrol etc. > On the throat mic itself: what does it sound like? I need a sample. I’m having difficulty finding any not-obviously-bad audio samples (e.g. not recording the microphone, but rather the output of a speaker after radio transmission!). Just put up a I'm going to put one up right now -- just updated the blog and it's deploying, should be up within 3 min or so. > From the impressions I’m getting, I’d be surprised if “not detectable” was accurate—rather, people are used to lousy audio and are not likely to comment on it unless you ask them or it’s just too bad. But yeah, I’d rather like a sample to judge myself. This definitely might have been the case, but the friend I was talking with I most certainly have run bad audio by before -- so he's seen worse and better.
- chrismorgan 4y ago
  Thanks for the sample. That sounds very bad. Not quite as bad as any samples I had found, and still reasonably understandable, which some lousy device microphones (especially laptops’) aren’t—it’s bad in a somewhat different way. But I would strongly dislike having to talk to you with that as your microphone, especially if you were in a context where you could have used almost any other microphone. If I knew that you had put me through such a thing for no good reason (which could be context, physical disability, lack of possession of an alternative), I would be very likely to resent that fact. Frankly, even if others don’t comment on it, you’re making talking with you far more stressful (whether consciously or subconsciously), because people are having to put a lot more effort into understanding you. > Could Throat mics be the ultimate in high quality audio for cheap? (not really). No. Absolutely not. Any podcast using such a microphone will bomb hard.

javajosh 4y ago

I should write up my solution using a parabolic dish that focuses sound from a relatively small zone where my head (usually) is, into a good cheap mic. You get good isolation (even from keyboard sounds) requires nothing on your head or throat, and ... physics! (You just need to accept a big dish in your field of view, and you also can't pace, walk around, as with bluetooth solutions.)

hardwaresofton 4y ago
This actually sounds sick :) You know what is crazy, those microphone guns[0] mics might actually be amazing. I know that people (youtubers) actually have problems with being able to turn their A/Cs on because of the background noise... Rather than trying to remove that noise with AI/post processing or turning the A/C off maybe people should be looking into microphone guns. [0] https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMGZ1M-Zoom-Microphone-Black/dp/B00HPM0826 https://www.amazon.com/Sony-ECMGZ1M-Zoom-Microphone-Black/dp...
- dawnerd 4y ago
  Also known as shotgun mics.
- digitallyfree 4y ago
  Marketing has pushed a lot of Youtubers towards LDCs like the Blue Yeti, which are great in a studio setting but pick up lots of background noise. For some reason everyone considers the SM7B as the way around that (despite being overkill and overpriced for their applications), which is a broadcast dynamic. Dynamics can handle fan noise and busy streets no problem. There are less expensive handheld dynamics which are suitable for Youtubers, like the SM58 (very few of them use that, but it's ubiquitious in live sound and with processing can sound very decent). Sennheiser and AKG also make good stuff. If those don't provide enough isolation there are ENG dynamics that are designed to handle interviews in the middle of loud protests and such.
  - fire 4y ago
    > If those don't provide enough isolation there are ENG dynamics that are designed to handle interviews in the middle of loud protests and such. Do you have a link? "ENG dynamic microphone" doesn't bring anything useful up for me

c1sc0 4y ago

I've been wondering about exactly the same thing, but for a different reason: wouldn't it be great if I could summon Siri / Alexa by subvocalisation? Does anyone know if it's feasible to reduce throat mike size, make them convenient, actually wearable & just have then listen to subvocalised commands?

ARandumGuy 4y ago

I'm curious as to why the author even thought that a throat mic would have good audio quality. Throat mics are designed for loud, high intensity situations. For the use case of a throat mic, "good audio quality" means the receiver can actually understand what you're saying, something that is pretty easy to achieve in a home office environment. And I'm sure that it's possible to make a throat mic that has great audio quality. But I think the overlap of "people who want throat mics" and "people who want good audio quality" consists solely of the author of this article.

hardwaresofton 4y ago
> I'm curious as to why the author even thought that a throat mic would have good audio quality. Throat mics are designed for loud, high intensity situations. For the use case of a throat mic, "good audio quality" means the receiver can actually understand what you're saying, something that is pretty easy to achieve in a home office environment. The good audio quality I thought would come from it being viable in a "loud, high intensity situation". I thought quite simplistically that there must be something there if people are depending on throat mics in warzones. To be clear though, the throat mic certainly has "good audio quality" -- I use it on most of my calls now, and I don't get any complaints -- tested with a friend beforehand and he didn't know the difference until I asked. > And I'm sure that it's possible to make a throat mic that has great audio quality. But I think the overlap of "people who want throat mics" and "people who want good audio quality" consists solely of the author of this article. Would sure like to find some more people (maybe ones that like to do kickstarters or have manufacturing connections) because I'd sure like to expand this niche!
- drath 4y ago
  Could you provide samples? Maybe it works for you in particular, but all the throat mic tests I've seen on youtube have absolutely abysmal sound quality.
  - falcolas 4y ago
    The position of the mic on your throat changes how it sounds. The further away from your throat, the better (more natural) the sound, but the more ambient noise you get because the signal is lower. If you're right over the throat, the noise issue goes away, but you lose the qualities of your voice that the mouth adds. In general, you'll get better sound from something like an Antlion mic with its passive rejection from a built-in omnidirectional mic opposite the cardiod mic pointed at your mouth.

digitallyfree 4y ago

If you care about aesthetics and sound go with the gear that broadcast professionals use - a headset/earset. There are carotid models that work pretty well in noisy conditions, though they don't isolate as well as a dynamic handheld. You can get ones with a shorter boom that match your skin tone, and those aren't that noticeable on camera. That's what they use in musicals and concerts and they certainly sound much better than a throat mike. Lavs are also an option but they do pick up more background noise due to the fact that the mic is much farther from the mouth. For computer use you may need an external preamp as most soundcards I've seen do not have adequate clean gain to drive a lav to acceptable levels. Depending on your situation a shotgun mic above the monitor or a gooseneck (podium) mic are options as well. The gooseneck is basically a ECM on a flexible boom, and is relatively unobstructive. Note that these are starting to go into the more pricey territory, and you will need a preamp to drive them.

dawnerd 4y ago
I agree, if you want to go pro and not have much of a visible mic, headworm mics are a great option.

arnaudsm 4y ago

Avatar (2009) displayed a lot of throat mics, I didn't know the tech was real!

daneel_w 4y ago

Because they produce poor low-fidelity sound and they're terrible to wear for an extended time.

maep 4y ago

> Could Throat mics be the ultimate in high quality audio for cheap? How can those microphones even capture fricatives or plosives in decent quality? Most of the vocal tract lies behind the throat. I looked for some examlpes and they all sound terrible. If you want good and cheap audio, get an off-brand USB large diaphragm condenser mic, for example this: https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_sc_450_usb_b_stock.htm https://www.thomann.de/gb/the_tbone_sc_450_usb_b_stock.htm

vehemenz 4y ago

Why not use a clip-on (lapel) mic? A standalone battery pack is somewhat portable and seems less annoying than wearing a choker would be.

moralestapia 4y ago

>Why don't more people use throat mics? Speaking for myself, because that looks uncomfortable as f.... Why would I use that if the one on my desktop works really well and I don't have to do anything but sit on my desk and start talking naturally?

rob_c 4y ago

> People can hear me gulp... here's a clue that's probably not all they get exposed to. please don't inflict this on co-workers

bitcurious 4y ago

Question for the microphone specialists here: what's your recommendation for the best pro-sounding microphone which can stay off camera? I think I'm looking for something direction with a ~2.5 foot sweet spot.

robga 4y ago
+1 to the Ask. I had a trawl across HN for this just yesterday without great success. There are a couple of podcast-popular mics which sound good but not if you are more than a foot away.
jonathanstrange 4y ago
This is really hard to answer without knowing more about the room you want to use it in, how much you intend to move while speaking, whether it also has to be able to record other people present in the room or just your voice, and, most importantly, how much you're willing to pay for it. You want it to be off camera. This means that a dynamic broadcast microphone is not a good choice. However, a condenser microphone might still work. They do pick up a lot of room noise, though. For your requirements (which you might want to reconsider), the usual choices would be: - A shotgun mic directed at your mouth from outside the camera. For example, the Sennheiser MKH 416 is often used ($800-$1000), the Rode NTG5 would be a cheaper but still expensive option. - A hidden or hard to spot Lavalier microphone. These are the little microphones you see on TV that are clipped to the clothes. Good ones are rather expensive, too. That being said, if it is for Skype calls, then I wouldn't recommend spending more than about $100-$150 on a mic, and I'd recommend either a dynamic microphone or a condenser microphone and getting as close to it as possible. I used a Rode M3 outside the camera angle for a long time and it had quite good quality, although spoken voice is certainly not it's primary use. If you want higher quality, then you really need to say more about the purpose, your budget, and the room situation. Some reporters used to literally speak their voiceovers inside a closet full of clothes, which makes for excellent echo cancellation. Even a very cheap microphone can sound excellent without background noise and without room reverb (or in a room with good natural reverb). Since you ask "best sounding" by the way: At a certain level this also depends a lot on your voice. The same mic can flatter one speaker's voice and make another speaker's voice sound ugly. Final advice: Microphones are similar to headphones. Below $80 most of the stuff is crap. There are a few exceptions but be careful. Then there is a mid category between $100 to $300 that is a sort of sweet spot for non-professional users, and above that prices go up indefinitely. Once you know your price range and requirements, you can find some more affordable and even better alternatives to the well-known brands and choices with a bit of research, but you generally get what you pay for.

hardwaresofton 4y ago

OP here -- this article isn't a recommendation to ditch whatever you use and get at throat mic! I just think they're interesting and finally scratched my own itch so figured I'd my experience (and leave some hints if anyone wanted to go make a bluetooth version). The tl;dr: > tl;dr - Don’t chuck the Sony 1000XMs/AirPods just yet. Throat mics are an improvement over a standalone wired microphone (if that’s what you are using), and have better background noise reduction but in a quiet room your usual bluetooth headset is still way more convenient.

lelo_tp 4y ago

Imagine the reaction of your teammates after you join a Zoom call wearing this.

hardwaresofton 4y ago
I've actually done it! People mostly don't care, but it's a somewhat small team... Most people just see a wire protruding from below the chin, as my camera is positioned above my face/head and pointing downwards at me

devonallie 4y ago

Messing with Bluetooth and Arch? Are you trying to hurt yourself? I also use Arch btw.

sgtnoodle 4y ago
One you follow the fourteen step instructions, it's as reliable as any non-Android Linux Bluetooth stack. I've been using Arch at home for half a decade now, and it's been absolutely boring in a good way. I had a glitch plaguing me for a week on my work laptop. The left mouse click would get stuck. It turns out a Bluetooth mouse was powered on in my backpack! At least Ubuntu was reliably connecting with it...
- omnicognate 4y ago
  I have a 7 year old laptop running the same installation of Arch I put on it when I first bought it. Bang up to date and solid as a rock.
  - sgtnoodle 4y ago
    About 7 years ago I built an Intel Baytrail based server with no moving parts other than two hotswap HDD bays. I keep it in my garage and synchronize other computers' storage to it. Same deal, I put Arch on it and I just SSH in every few months and update it. The rolling release is great exactly because there's never a disruptive distribution update. Of course there's the occasional update glitch that requires manual intervention, but the community is very quick to document the solution. I just wish pacman was smart enough to update the keyring package before trying to validate signatures on other packages.

alricb 4y ago

The biggest use case of a throat microphone is to do an accurate version of "Ich liebst dich nicht du liebst mich nicht" part of "Da da da" by Trio (you also need a mini casio for the "tut-tut-tut tut-tut-tut-tut" beepy riff)

beardyw 4y ago

I had one when I was a kid in the 60s from an army surplus store. I hooked it up to something somehow. Sound quality was appalling, but I guess that wasn't it's main goal. Thanks for the reminder.

micromacrofoot 4y ago

I don't even like wearing turtlenecks and you want me to strap on something around my neck that is a cross between fetish wear and military cosplay? hard pass.

gorjusborg 4y ago
Think of it this way: cyberpunk choker

Brajeshwar 4y ago

I thought this was a satire. It looks like this is not. I like the fact that the author loves experimentation and tried this setup. I'm someone who still thinks Apple has not even solved the design of the AirPods/Pro. So, anything else that makes us like "Batman with a utility belt" is something I would find a more aesthetic alternative. For most of the video call needs, I have tried boom/condenser and XLR microphones. Right now, an XLR is the best that stays away from my desk (mounted on an extended arm) while I continue to keep a desk Microphone as a backup. The last resort is the trusty Bose Quietcomfort 35-II. While on the move, a wireless bud such as the AirPods would be OK. I have been working remotely since the early 00s, and have used the early Jabra Bluetooth with phones, and now, if I can take back that flaunt, I would. These days, I drive past busy social hangout areas or visit diners with the family; I see people wearing AirPods or AirPod-like knockoffs as an always-on ornamental addition even while not talking (on phone). My brain always cries in silence, "Batman." I don't see this throat mic fitting in any sensible scenario, and from the article, the ROI of audio quality over anything else is not worth the roll-eyes that will you will gain from your audience. Nonetheless, I would love to try this with a walkie-talkie in the jungles when I'm working with the planters for the natural decarbonization projects I'm involved with.

closewith 4y ago
> These days, I drive past busy social hangout areas or visit diners with the family; I see people wearing AirPods or AirPod-like knockoffs as an always-on ornamental addition even while not talking (on phone). My brain always cries in silence, "Batman." Could they be listening to something?
- cpuguy83 4y ago
  Or just dampening the ambient sound?
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
ip26 4y ago
Who sees a Jabra set as flaunt? Aren't they more blackberry than iphone?

nunez 4y ago

because it looks like a BDSM collar?

floor_ 4y ago

A guide on how to spot a Metal Gear fan:

hardwaresofton 4y ago
Snake? Snake? Snaaaaaaake?!

Ekaros 4y ago

Because they are pretty annoying. One possibility is tank helmet, but in this head inside it is really not that preferable to wear... Then again outside in winter it isn't too bad option.

philliphaydon 4y ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rk79-Y6Nag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rk79-Y6Nag Found this video which demonstrates the usage of a throat mic in an operating room. It's not perfect but it works quite well. I had never heard of this thing before but it's rather cool!

hardwaresofton 4y ago
Awesome thanks for finding this -- One of the pictures on the ASUS site was of people in an operating room... but none of them were wearing the throat mic so I was wondering... Another use case that's almost the polar opposite of the other use case.
closewith 4y ago
I suspect the OP's throat mics weren't actual laryngophones like the one in use by the surgeon.
newaccount74 4y ago
But the sound quality is really really bad! Every phone/laptop built-in mic or headset boom mic sounds better.
- philliphaydon 4y ago
  It actually sounds better than I was expecting. And cuts out a lot of background noise.
robga 4y ago
Here is a positive 4.6/5 review of it being used on a motorbike https://www.webbikeworld.com/iasus-stealth-throat-microphone/ https://www.webbikeworld.com/iasus-stealth-throat-microphone...

nashashmi 4y ago

no one mentioned jawbone mics? they are a real product.

teeray 4y ago

> People can hear me gulp Part of this is video chat applications insisting on VOX operation for the most part, leading to the totally unnecessary “you’re muted” problem. Push-to-talk is an afterthought in many of these products, but it’s absolutely the correct UX to avoid most of these problems.

fourneau 4y ago

The answer to the question is "because we also use cameras". That said, if this tech was made smaller and didn't give off cat-collar vibes, people might consider it. Technically better is not always sufficient, but it's interesting to see what's out there.

upupandup 4y ago

Peak HN submission here. Fails to realize people are not like the author and have an issue with wearing a collar that applies not so subtle pressure on the throat to optimize for a problem that really isn't a problem that needs to be solved. Oh wait I'm also suscepti-

stakkur 4y ago

Because they're uncomfortable and I don't want to wear a collar (or take one off and on repeatedly throughout the day)?

gonehome 4y ago

> “ Throat mics are an improvement over a standalone wired microphone (if that’s what you are using), and have better background noise reduction” Do they? The audio sample sounds a lot worse than the high quality standalone mics. Does he mean something else?

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

pinum 4y ago

Honestly, your sample doesn't sound very good. It's a bit better than the other samples that have been linked in this thread, and you're perfectly audible, but it's very muffled and there are noises that sound like the throat-mic equivalent of cable noise. If I head this on a call I'd assume you were using a particularly bad laptop mic or gaming headset. Not bad enough that I'd comment on it, but if I knew you'd gone to the trouble of a custom setup with elaborate extra adapters etc, I'd expect it to sound excellent (like a podcast mic or similar).

tgsovlerkhgsel 4y ago
It's bad compared to normal microphones, but it's much better than I expected (especially if you turn the volume up a bit). If it actually avoids capturing background noise regardless of level, it's great as soon as you can't get a quiet environment.
hardwaresofton 4y ago
Yeah it's definitely not very good -- there are tons of good solutions in this thread now though. > Not bad enough that I'd comment on it, but if I knew you'd gone to the trouble of a custom setup with elaborate extra adapters etc, I'd expect it to sound excellent (like a podcast mic or similar). That (used to be) the best part! No one knew how much trouble I went through for this subpar setup!
sails 4y ago
It sounds really bad. I'd definitely comment that you need to move your mic from your clothes or something if I was on a call with you and had to suffer that cable noise.
deleted 4y ago
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comradesmith 4y ago
To me it just sounds bad, like he’s coming in over a poor cellphone connection. If I was in a call I’d find that I’d have to put some effort in to listen.

koofdoof 4y ago

Interesting piece, I am curious about how well the throat mic picks up whispered speech. I recall a gaming oriented throat microphone being sold once under the premise that it would let you communicate without disturbing other people late at night.

coding123 4y ago

I couldn't understand the sample very well at all. It sounded muffled. If I were on a call with someone with that, I would ask if they are having audio issues. edit: Yeah dude - your co-workers are being NICE man. I listened to it again. I am seriously telling you - that sounds really really bad and muffled. I can barely make out what you're saying. I'm spending more time trying to understand you than getting your drift.

plasticchris 4y ago

I once made a throat mic out of a cheap consumer grade accelerometer switched at a few kHz in ac mode, that was a fun hack.

smiddereens 4y ago

frillkill 4y ago

yellow_lead 4y ago

Someone on hacker news recommended this mic before and it's much better than this sample (and sounds closer to podcast quality). https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Communication/dp/B00BJ17WKK https://www.amazon.com/V-MODA-BoomPro-Microphone-Gaming-Comm... I use it with ATH-M50x which can be modded to use it if you add a 3.5mm female to 2.5mm male adapter.

dolmen 4y ago
This product has been released in 2013. I hope that the market has improved since.

some_random 4y ago

Because modern mics are good at cutting out background noise, so the only people who make tactical chokers these days are chinese companies doing it for larpers. As everyone has already said, they sound horrible as a result. They made sense for people who need to talk over gunfire and explosions back in the day, but even they have moved onto normal microphones. Edit: Shockingly 3M makes a thoat mic. That said, I've never heard of anyone using it, and the only reason to use it they state is for when you physically can't use a boom mic due to PPE. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000083105/ https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000083105/

vzaliva 4y ago

I wonder if these would be a good choice for motorcycle riders. Regular helmet mics are noisy.

HL33tibCe7 4y ago

The audio sample sounds absolutely terrible - it’s muddy, there are constant shuffling noises, gulping. I get 100x cleaner mic input out of a pair of wired Apple EarPods, which are cheap and Just Work TM.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

cpuguy83 4y ago

If all you are looking for is noise reduction, use a dynamic mic instead of a condenser. Example condenser mic: Blue Yeti You'll see a lot of streamers use these kinds of mics because you don't need to be right up on it. Example dynamic mic: Shure SM58 Typically you'd see these kind of mics in performances or radio. They do require a pre-amp. I got a used ElectroVoice RE-20 (oft used in radio). Nobody can hear my kids yelling/playing/watching tv right behind me. Sound is phenomenal.

jasonpeacock 4y ago

For WFH, if you have your own space for working, then get a desktop conference speaker/mic, like the Plantronics Calisto 7200: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCDKB2C https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DCDKB2C (Jabra makes something similar). It has HW buttons for volume, answer, hangup, and mute - no hunting for the correct window to click a button. It has noise filtering, good mic, and decent speaker quality. I've had many compliments on the audio quality. My keyboard sits 6" from the unit and nobody can hear me typing during calls (I'm a heavy-handed typist!). Being free of a headset is wonderful. It can be BT or USB, I used USB so there's never any connection issues.

blamazon 4y ago
Also, these things are usually battery powered and work great in a pinch to turn any space into a conference room. If you've ever tried to have 4 people in a room on headphones or laptop speakers having a remote-inclusive meeting, you know it's challenging - such a device solves this problem.
majc2 4y ago
I agree the desktop conference speaker/mic setups are really good - not just for your own space - but also for huddling with others. I've been using the Poly Sync line and I'm really happy with there performance.
deepspace 4y ago
Totally concur. I have been using a generic/cheap "USB Conference Boundary Microphone" from Amazon for a few years, and the results are excellent. The thing is chucked away under my monitor, about 2-3 feet away, and yet the sound quality is about the same as what I get with my semi-pro boom mike. My (clicky mechanical) keyboard is also about 6: from the unit, and I have had no issues with typing sounds. The only downside is that the mike does not have any control buttons. For use in a group setting in a conference room, I use the Anker Powerconf Bluetooth speakerphone, which does a fine job.

babypuncher 4y ago

Everything about that looks horribly uncomfortable and inconvenient.

reversengineer 4y ago

Did anyone else laugh out loud after scrolling down the page a bit and seeing the actual device, which is a literal collar? The appearance of the device itself evokes hilarity. Who would willingly put that onto themselves? If your job requires you to attend meetings on-camera, what might your coworkers think if you wore such a device?

mic260 4y ago

Look, here's two recordings, spur of the moment, just sitting at a table. The first is taken on an iPhone in Voice Memos with the built-in mic, as a reference. The second is taken on the same iPhone in Voice Memos, using a Jabra headset w/ boom over bluetooth. http://sndup.net/f86h http://sndup.net/f86h http://sndup.net/qpw9 http://sndup.net/qpw9 (The voice quality of the headset is better when the background is quiet)

izzydata 4y ago

People don't communicate by listening to each others throats so I would have to imagine that is not the way people expect voice audio to sound.

mtn_nerd 4y ago

Sounds like crap and looks uncomfortable to use.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

Grustaf 4y ago

We used them in the army in the 90s, I guess one big advantage is that you can use them with a gas mask on.

spamuel 4y ago
We have voice modulators on the newer CBRN masks. Tiny mike plugs into the inside, speaker plugs on the outside.

nsxwolf 4y ago

I'm sorry, what? What did I just hear? It was noisy, the volume kept changing, and I had trouble understanding it. Throat mic? Seriously? Everyone at work sounds better than that. Everyone. Most people just use the built in mics in their MacBooks and it sounds fine. Worlds better than whatever I just heard.

clint 4y ago

Best headphones/mic combo I've used for running AND video meetings are the AfterShokz (now "Shokz") AeroPex/OpenRun. I've not tried the `OpenComm` but its probably also good too. Bone conduction so there's nothing touching your ears, long ~8hr battery life, super duper light (26g).

nomel 4y ago
> Bone conduction so there's nothing touching your ears I have a, possibly irrational, fear of bone conduction. I don't like the concept of the outer layer of my brain being subjected to the significant vibrations.

krnlpnc 4y ago

Why not? Because it sounds sh*t and requires wearing a collar. A decent dynamic mic on a boom and a bit of compression will approach broadcast quality sound and can be done using affordable commodity parts (that will hold their value at resale if selected wiesely) Arguably a good mic setup adds credibility to the speaker. Partly because they sound clearer and more professional, and part because it looks like a professional pod/broadcast setup.

post_break 4y ago

This would be perfect for zoom calls conducted at the gun range.

luxuryballs 4y ago

The idea of wearing a choker to attend meetings in my home office makes me smile.

elliekelly 4y ago

I'm really bummed to see so much shade in this thread. I didn't even know throat mics were a thing and I learned a lot from the linked post. > People can hear me gulp Is it weird I'd have liked to hear a clip of this? Does it sound like the "gulp" noise from a cartoon? Or just like a regular old swallow? I have so many questions...

spamuel 4y ago

We had them in the military and we preferred the boom mics. Throat mics, the exact ones pictured, did not pick up low-talking or whispering, which is a large amount of pre-contact traffic. The new thing the DOD has spent an UNGODLY amount of time and money on is called TCAPS. They were even worse. They're noise-canceling earbuds with a bone-conducting microphone that sits inside of your ear. Sounds great - but when you start shooting and moving (and pouring sweat) the earbuds slip out slightly, breaking contact with your ear. Every. Damn. Time. And you can't feel it happen. The way you find out is you key up to speak and no one responds to you. All anyone hears is dead air. After a while someone figures it out and says "last station, check your mic". They went straight into the pile of useless "good idea fairy" nonsense we keep in the arms room, only pulling it out for inventories. And there is a lot if that. We have monocular eye pieces in there that have a heads-up display. Some nerd thought they would be a good idea. Put it on an actual fighter and it is of no added benefit. The only headset I have used that consistently works are Peltor COMTACs and their recent competitors. Over-the-ear noise cancelling ear muffs with a boom mike. Never had a problem with wind noise. Biggest issue was the mike being pulled away from your mouth when it gets snagged, or people who think they need to yell into the mike. They also had a compatibility issue with PRC-119Fs/ASIPs/RT-1523s where you need to keep the volume setting at 8 or below otherwise you get a high pitched squeal when you key up and no traffic goes out.

hackernewds 4y ago
Just wanted to say Hackernews is such a robust source of content and expertise. Perhaps almost as much as that-which-shall-not-be-named (reddit)
- GenerocUsername 4y ago
  I'm a 10+ year Reddit account holder, and I get more informative info from here than Reddit these days. Eternal September is eternal
- m463 4y ago
  I block reddit and have this firefox bookmark: javascript: (location.hostname="teddit.net") it takes a reddit url and loads it on teddit

prometheus76 4y ago

It sounds like you either have a head cold, or you have the microphone under a pillow.

dwighttk 4y ago

>sound quality is good Sound quality was possibly better than some other options

swiftcoder 4y ago

Are we sure this isn't satire? The sample sounds considerably worse than the stock wired earbuds+mic that come with every smartphone...

turnsout 4y ago

Professional sound engineers prefer to place small mics (lavaliers) on the speaker's chest. The reason is that sound comes not just from your vocal chords, but also from your chest and diaphragm. There's a reason lavs are sometimes called "lapel mics," as they sound significantly better there, as opposed to clipped to the top of a sweater or shirt collar.

netik 4y ago

Because the lips, tongue, and face make up a filter circuit which makes sound intelligible. Throat mics sound like garbage.

Gordonjcp 4y ago

They sound bloody awful and they're incredibly uncomfortable, mainly.