Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 Headset
by Microsoft
List Price:
Our Price: $19.99
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Category: CE
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for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: MicrosoftAudio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: CD-ROM
Release Date: 2011-12-14
Platform: Windows
Model: JUG-00001
Product features:
- Optimized for Windows Live Messenger
- Noise-canceling microphone
- Leatherette ear pads
- Flexible six-foot cable
- In-line volume controls
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 Headset
Customer Review: A decent headset for the average user
Summary: 3 Stars
As a pair of headphones the LifeChat LX-3000 is pretty decent. Good, clear response across all frequencies. Notably, the bass range is beefy without being too muddy. They are comfortable and don't make my head sore after extended use, compared to some other headphones I own. (Your mileage may vary.)
The microphone is my favorite component of these headphones. It is responsive and doesn't pick up very much background noise. The windscreen (the foamy thing) eliminates some of the effect of breath sound, and pops and plosives to a certain extent, giving one's voice a more polished sound. You might think of it as a minor feature, and perhaps a little ugly or bulky, but it adds a tremendous value to the headphones in my opinion.
In addition to Automated Gain Control (AGC), there seems to be the option in the Sound & Audio Properties control panel of applying effects to the incoming signal. Maybe it has something to do with the sAPO technology in Windows Vista, but I'm using the headphones on Windows XP exclusively at the moment. There aren't any effects included with the installation CD that comes with the LifeChat headphones, but the idea is intriguing. At least I know that since this headset comes from Microsoft, if the technology develops further I'll be able to take advantage of it. It would be good to apply some effects such as a compressor or equalizer to one's voice, even for something as simple as chatting or making calls online, in order to give one's voice more clarity and punch. In any case, that's all a side point to actually reviewing the product.
I've tried recording my voice (both speaking and singing) into Audacity (a wave editor) and Ableton Live (a music/audio production package) and the results are favorable. I can see using this for some quick voiceover work or demo vocals if you happen to be a music production enthusiast as I am. Granted, an actual studio quality dynamic or compressor mic in the right environment is ideal, but this headset functions as a good tool to use a "notepad" for my voice.
The "remote" with the volume, mute, and livechat controls is definitely handy. Only thing is it weighs down the cord. It's placed about a foot and a half down the cord from the headset itself, which makes it possible to place it on the desk; however if you tend to move around while working at your computer (and I would hope you do) you'll pull it off. I don't imagine it's heavy enough to cause any sort of neck strain or such thing, but the weight is noticeable.
Another thing to note is that the headset uses the USB interface exclusively. There are no analog jacks to fall back on. This is a problem since it uses USB bandwidth, which can be a problem if you have many devices hooked up to your computer (and especially if they are hooked up to the same controller by way of a USB hub). I'm not using a hub on this computer currently, and I only have three other devices hooked up. Nevertheless, I ran into a problem with my audio recording interface (a Digidesign Mbox 2) and the headset competing for bandwidth. Windows produced an error message to this effect. The end result is that I can't use the interface and the headphones concurrently; I have to have one or the other plugged in. Granted, this isn't that big of a deal, since I use the headset for "consumer-grade" activities like watching movies and chatting, and use hardware and a microphone plugged in to the recording interface when I am working on a music or audio project. Unfortunately though I can't use the headphones with my recording interface to do quick vocal demos or voiceovers (one of the handy features of a headset I alluded to earlier). Granted, I don't need the recording interface since the headset isn't being run through it, but the latency issues with my onboard sound card makes monitoring my voice while recording untenable.
The takeaway from all this is that the LifeChat LX-3000 headset is great for normal recreational use, although I would caution that if you have a lot of USB devices hooked up to your system you may run into some problems, and in that case I'd suggest a headset with analog microphone/audio jacks.
Description of Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 Headset
Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000 Stereo Headset JUG-00001 Headsets & EarsetsDigital Cameras & Photo Categories
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