Speaker/speakerphone for Teams/video calls?

[anonymous-user]

Hi all,

Probably like most people working from home, I have my laptop open on my desk below my dual screens purely because I need the webcam, mic, and speakers, as Teams meetings, and being called on Teams, is a regular occurrence during the working day.

But, I'm fed up of the clutter now, and want the laptop off my desk, shut, and into a vertical stand. I use a wireless keyboard and mouse anyway.

I've solved the webcam problem by buying an Aukey LM1E which is a fantastic quality 1080p webcam for about £20, which also has a mic built into it, and again, the mic is really good, but I'm left with needing a speaker for the calls as using the laptop speakers is no good as they are muffled when the laptop is shut.

What do you use for speakers/mics on video calls? Do you just use a speaker or do you use a conference style mic/speaker unit?

(The speaker(s) will only be used for calls. Not music or anything else)

Thanks!

[Harpoon]

I use a Jabra Speak 510.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jabra-Bluetooth-Portable-...

Edit to say there is a MS Teams Certified version which is the flavour I have.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jabra-Bluetooth-Portable-...

Having one-touch access to mute / un-mute and answer / drop is great, it saves scrambling for a mouse pointer to find an icon or remembering which keyboard shortcut is needed.

Downside compared to a headset is you can't sneak to the toilet mid-call...

[Scrump]

I use a set of small PC desktop speakers plugged into the headphone socket on the laptop.

[anonymous-user]

Harpoon said:

I use a Jabra Speak 510.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jabra-Bluetooth-Portable-...

Edit to say there is a MS Teams Certified version which is the flavour I have.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jabra-Bluetooth-Portable-...

Having one-touch access to mute / un-mute and answer / drop is great, it saves scrambling for a mouse pointer to find an icon or remembering which keyboard shortcut is needed.

Downside compared to a headset is you can't sneak to the toilet mid-call...

Thanks! I shall take a look at the Jabra. As long as I don't have to turn it on/off etc? I just want it to turn on/connect with the laptop automatically when I log on in the mornings, not have to pair Bluetooth stuff each time. If you see what I mean. I may have no meetings scheduled, but someone might just call me at random and I don't want to be fumbling around turning stuff on when it happens.

I never have and never will wear a headset mic at home! I don't want to look like some kind of older and out of shape boy band member...

Scrump said:

I use a set of small PC desktop speakers plugged into the headphone socket on the laptop.

Any recommendations? I saw that the Creative Pebble V2 are on Amazon for £23 at the moment.

What do you use for a Mic? Built into a webcam? If so, which webcam?

[Harpoon]

Lord Marylebone said:

Thanks! I shall take a look at the Jabra. As long as I don't have to turn it on/off etc? I just want it to turn on/connect with the laptop automatically when I log on in the mornings, not have to pair Bluetooth stuff each time. If you see what I mean. I may have no meetings scheduled, but someone might just call me at random and I don't want to be fumbling around turning stuff on when it happens.

I never have and never will wear a headset mic at home! hehe I don't want to look like some kind of older and out of shape boy band member...

I have my 510 connected via USB, so no BlueTooth faffing at all in the morning. If somebody rings me on Teams, I can answer by just tapping the green button on it. When I shutdown my laptop at night, I guess the 510 will switch to the built-in battery but then goes to sleep. The next morning, it's ready as soon as my laptop has booted. I never use the power button on the unit.

I take my laptop between home and work, and Teams happily switches between a Plantronics BT headset in the office and the 510 at home (without me having to change default devices).

[anonymous-user]

Harpoon said:

Lord Marylebone said:

Thanks! I shall take a look at the Jabra. As long as I don't have to turn it on/off etc? I just want it to turn on/connect with the laptop automatically when I log on in the mornings, not have to pair Bluetooth stuff each time. If you see what I mean. I may have no meetings scheduled, but someone might just call me at random and I don't want to be fumbling around turning stuff on when it happens.

I never have and never will wear a headset mic at home! hehe I don't want to look like some kind of older and out of shape boy band member...

I have my 510 connected via USB, so no BlueTooth faffing at all in the morning. If somebody rings me on Teams, I can answer by just tapping the green button on it. When I shutdown my laptop at night, I guess the 510 will switch to the built-in battery but then goes to sleep. The next morning, it's ready as soon as my laptop has booted. I never use the power button on the unit.

I take my laptop between home and work, and Teams happily switches between a Plantronics BT headset in the office and the 510 at home (without me having to change default devices).

Great, that is very useful. Thank you!

[Harpoon]

No problem.

One more thing, if you're hiding your laptop, you might need a USB extension or monitor/desktop hub as the native cable on the 510 isn't that long. I can measure it later if it helps.

[anonymous-user]

Harpoon said:

No problem.

One more thing, if you're hiding your laptop, you might need a USB extension or monitor/desktop hub as the native cable on the 510 isn't that long. I can measure it later if it helps.

No needs to measure it thanks, my laptop is docked via one USB-C cable to a Dell D6000 hub/charger, and the hub links to my monitors, printer, webcam, and it has spare USB and speaker/mic ports etc. I would just plug whatever speaker I buy into the hub

[Harpoon]

Sorted then as it's just a single USB 2.0 connection cable from the Jabra.

[Mr Pointy]

The Jabra 510 is brilliant. The 410 is the USB wired only version which may be adequate if you don't need BT connection to a phone. They frequently pop up brand new on ebay for a good saving but the ones on there at the moment are silly money - nearly more than new from Amazon. If you are using Teams get the MS version not the UC one.

[sjg]

+1 for Jabra Speak. I have an old pre-BT one that is still doing fine.

There are alternatives from other vendors though too, EPOS, Yealink, Poly, Lenovo, Microsoft all do them. Get a Teams (or if older Lync/SfB) certified one and all the call controls, mute, etc will work how you expect.

[jimmytheone]

+1 jabra 510

the only negative is that sometimes it tells me its a JARBRA in a horrid american accent. But I forgive it as its v good at everything else!

[anonymous-user]

Thanks everyone.

I had a look on eBay and there seems plenty of Jabra 410 or 510 available at very reasonable prices, so I think I will pick one of those up.

I just find that having the right tech for home working, even at your own expense, makes life far easier.

[sgrimshaw]

Another Jabra 510 recommendation here ... also, it's not too shabby as a speaker for YouTube videos etc.

[Alorotom]

I’ve got a Sennheiser SP30 with was co-designed with MS for Skype and Teams

I picked mine up from CEX for £20 about 5yrs ago now and it’s never missed a beat

It has an internal battery, usb and 3.5mm plugs and is great for teams on the go when you’re dialling in on your phone etc.

It’s been invaluable for adhoc conference calls on client sites too

[aberdeeneuan]

I paid £20 for my Jabra 510 from CEX at the start of the pandemic - it was brand new.

Well worth it. Been trying to convince the guy in my team who has awful speakers and microphone to get one but he's not done it yet. Most annoying!

[anonymous-user]

aberdeeneuan said:

I paid £20 for my Jabra 510 from CEX at the start of the pandemic - it was brand new.

Well worth it. Been trying to convince the guy in my team who has awful speakers and microphone to get one but he's not done it yet. Most annoying!

I feel your pain. Some people just don't care.

I have always used a newish MacBook which has a really good mic and speakers, and a good camera, but when I was recently given a HP work laptop I found the mic, speakers, and camera to be very poor, and hence why I am putting time, effort, and my own money into making sure I have a good camera, crystal clear mic, and good speakers, just for my work calls.

If people are happy to sound muffled, distant, or hard to understand in meetings, or be almost invisible due to terrible lighting and camera, then thats up to them, but personally I think it's just sloppy/lazy, or somewhat ignorant towards colleagues and others.

[Scrump]

Lord Marylebone said:

Scrump said:

I use a set of small PC desktop speakers plugged into the headphone socket on the laptop.

Any recommendations? I saw that the Creative Pebble V2 are on Amazon for £23 at the moment.

What do you use for a Mic? Built into a webcam? If so, which webcam?

I use the mic built into the webcam, Logitech 270. Speakers are just two billy basic ones, also happen to be made by Logitech (I just brought these home from the office at the start of lockdown).

[anonymous-user]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Lord Marylebone said:

If people are happy to sound muffled, distant, or hard to understand in meetings, or be almost invisible due to terrible lighting and camera, then thats up to them, but personally I think it's just sloppy/lazy, or somewhat ignorant towards colleagues and others.

I’ve given up being polite about poor audio from others on calls now. It’s how we work a lot of the time, so if someone’s audio is st, I’ll tell them so publicly on every call. As an organisation we’ll provide people with the hardware they need (for example we can expense a Jabra 510), so there’s no excuse.

Amen to that.

Our meeting rooms in the office have the best of stuff. 75"-85" Samsung TV's, top end Samsung conference call cameras and speaker mics, all that kind of thing, brand new only 12 months ago, to make our Teams calls clearer and more pleasant for people in the office and for those calling in from home.

Yet there's always one person who you can't hear properly and who doesn't seem to give a toss. Despite, as you say, the option to be reimbursed for IT/tech, or to simply ask for it to be given to you.

[jimmytheone]

sgrimshaw said:

Another Jabra 510 recommendation here ... also, it's not too shabby as a speaker for YouTube videos etc.

I didnt think it was too bad as a YT speaker until someone sent me a link for La Roux In for the kill (Skrillex lets get ravey remix) and i wondered what the fuss was about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjnFJa3wMWk

Somewhat better on a Logitech Z5500
Damn, WFH has been good. Sorry, i digress..