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Broadcasting forms a very large segment of mass media. Broadcasting involves the simultaneous transmission of the same message to numerous receivers. In networking, broadcasting occurs when a transmitted data packet is received by all network devices. Radio programs are generally live broadcast. As such, it is important to create a studio environment that allows announcers and guests to talk comfortably.
In non-networking or electronic broadcasting, the term broadcasting denotes the transfer of audio and video between nodes and devices. One of the devices needed in broadcasting is headphones. Setting aside the obvious need for a microphone to record on, the one thing in your podcast kit that you can’t live without is a pair of broadcast headphones. If you have never recorded your voice or worked in a radio or podcasting, the only way you’ve heard yourself is through your cheekbones and since everyone is standing in front of you when you speak, you will never hear yourself the way other people do unless you wear a headphone.
In this article, I will share with you why you need to start a broadcast, how to choose a broadcast headphone and the best broadcast headphone.
Why Do You Really Need To Start a Broadcast?
Broadcasting as a career is very lucrative and highly rewarding. Aside from standing in front of the camera, there are numerous opportunities that are available in this career field. A career like broadcasting requires time and patient, and it is not achieved overnight.
A broadcast journalism program gives you the opportunity to learn the production and editing of clips, record and also work as a team. There are numerous positions available within the broadcast industry, knowing your path early will make a tremendous difference in what you studied.
Aside from sitting in front of Camera and gaining popularity, there are other jobs opportunity within this field and they include
- Radio broadcasting
- Sport journalism
- Directing
- Social media
- Photojournalism
- Promotion
- Production
What to Look For In Broadcast Headphone
If you host a video broadcast, then a big pair of headphones will be distracting and it could seem unprofessional. If you really need to put on a headset for broadcast, the smaller headphones are best broadcast headphones.
The best way to sound leaking out of your headphone is getting a headphone that blocks noise completely from coming into your ears.
The normal thing to do is to close your door and prevent the surrounding sound while you are recording and editing. But this might not be ideal especially if you have a noisy computer. This is where good isolation is helpful so you know whether the noise you hear e.g. fan noise is actually in your recording or it’s in the room.
For broadcasting, I recommend noise isolation headphones. These headphones will capture surrounding sound, invert the sound and thus cancel out the sound.
When sound leaks out your headphones when you are recording, this may present a problem for recording, or simple annoyance for nearby people.
If you record with a professional headphone, there might be a minor leak that will be so quiet that it wouldn’t risk a feedback loop.
- Accuracy (frequency response)
The way your headphone reproduces sound is very important. You need to make sure that what you recorded is exactly what your ear.
Most of the consumers’ headphones available are designed with music and another entertainment-listening mind. These headphones will enhance certain frequencies and will sound great for entertainment. But for recording, you will need a more accurate headphone for the production of your audio.
Professional headphones labeled as studio or monitor headphones will try to maintain a flat frequency response.
Bone conduction:
Unfortunately, headphones that have great leak protection and isolation prevent you from hearing your own voice. The outcome of this is that your own voice comes back to your ears through bone conduction, and this can cause a headache.
If you want the same headphones for recording and editing, then you will need to compromise on the leak and isolation. The better the leak and isolation, the more bone conduction; or the worse the leak and isolation, the less the bone conduction. It is a balance only you can decide.
The only way you will know is to try the headphone yourself with a microphone connected directly to the headphone and you then go with the best broadcast headset microphone
How to Choose a Broadcast Headset
To choose the best broadcasting headphone so that you can enjoy your broadcasting career, here are the things to look out for.
Comfort and fit are a very important factors to consider when picking headphones for your broadcasting job. Most of the headphones will feel fine if worn for a short period of time, but when worn for a long period, they become uncomfortable. Wear the headphone for about 20 minutes before concluding that it is comfortable. For a job like broadcasting, a very comfortable headphone is very important as broadcasting might take a long period of time.
Weight is a determinant in long-term comfort. In most cases, light headphones are more comfortable. For long listening periods, the super-light portable headphones with foam are perfect. The Headband also influences comfort. Most headphones have an over-eye-head style headband, but behind-the-neck style is also available.
You want the headphone you use for your broadcast job to last. But unfortunately, durability corresponds to a heavier weight. The light headphone can be sat on or snapped into half more easily than a solid and heavy headphone. You have to be careful with them and put them in a protective case when they are not in use. If they can be folded up, check the hinges for sturdiness. Also, check the cable if they are delicate or substantial. If you are buying a very expensive headphone, check if replacement parts are readily available. It is cheaper and more economical to replace a cable or the ear pads than to replace an entire headset.
Be sure the cable is long enough and suitable for the job purpose you are using it for. But exceptionally long headphone should be avoided because it can affect the sound quality negatively by reducing the volume and introduction noise which is the last thing you want while broadcasting. Also, headphones with long cable are more easily entangled. A better quality of headphones will most likely have a shielded cable which minimizes noise. If you buy a headphone with a short cable, you can always add an extension, but you need to make sure you get an extension of equal quality to the cable from the headphone. There are two types of cables, single-sided and double-sided. Single-sided designs have internal circuitry to carry the signal to the appropriate earpieces. Most consider one-sided design preferable as the double-sided type can be more easily tangled.
For broadcasting, the in-ear broadcast headset is the best. You might also want to consider a set of active noise isolating headphones for broadcasting. That way, you won’t get distracted from your activity and you will do a perfect job.
This is another important factor to consider when choosing headphones for your broadcasting job. The sound quality of the headphone is judged based on three parameters.
#1- Sensitivity: This refers to how loud your headphone can get. For your safety, you should ensure that your headphone is not very loud. Any device that can go as high as 102 decibels is great.
#2- Driver size: The bigger the driver size, the better the bass. Most people enjoy the richness of lows and hence prefer larger drivers. This choice is entirely dependent on your preference.
#3- Resistance: This determines the volume range of your headphone. Ensure that you get a respectable ohm rating headphone. An ohm rating of 30 is good and will serve you well.
Earbuds are very portable. But there is numerous professional podcast headphone that can be folded into compact sizes. If you want or plan to broadcast remotely, then consider a pair of headphones that won’t take a lot of space and are very easy to transport.
Price is a consideration! Not everyone is filthy rich!
I recommend a budget of $55 to $100 per pair, which is typical for great studio headphones. All the pairs I tried are within this range.
The Right Broadcast Headset You Can Pick
If you want to enjoy broadcasting, the headphone is an important accessory to possess Therefore; you need to buy the right broadcast headphone.
Here is a list of some of the best broadcast headphone you can get
#1 – Audio-Technica BPHS1 Broadcast Stereo Headset:
This headphone is designed especially for on-air and sports broadcasting, announcing and interviews. It has the boom-mounted microphone that can be positioned on the left or right side. This headphone has the best broadcast headset amplifier and also the best headphone mic that has a cardioid polar pattern tailored to pick up the speech with maximum voice intelligibility over a wide range of frequency.
This headphone also has an adjustable cushion headband and lightweight design for long-wearing comfort with a user-replaceable cable and ear pads detachable cable. Also, this amazing broadcast headphone has a neodymium magnet in the microphone and headphones for high output and detailed sound reproduction. It has a closed-back circumaural ear cups that help seal out crowd noise and other background distractions.
#2 – Bose Quiet Comfort Broadcast Headphone:
This headphone is designed with world-class noise cancellation that makes quiet sound quieter and music sound better. This headphone is also ideal for broadcasting. It has a lithium-ion battery that gives you up to 20 hours of wireless playtime per charge. Wired mode gives you up to 40 hours of playtime per time. With a noise rejecting dual-microphone system for clear calls even in a windy environment, this headphone also has volume optimized EQ for balanced audio performance at any volume.
#3 – Sennheiser HMD 26-11-600-X3K1 Broadcast Headset:
This professional headphone has an impedance of 600 ohms, with a dynamic hyper-cardioid microphone. It also poses a headband padding that makes it very comfortable. This top-notch is accurate and has a linear sound reproduction for professional radio and TV applications. It is light and has extra soft cushions for excellent wearing comfort. Sennheiser broadcast headphone also has a microphone that provides transmission in broadcast quality and an ActiveGard for protected hearing.
#4 – Shure BRH440M-LC Dual-Sided Broadcast Headphone:
This top-notch broadcasting has amazing features that make it one of the best broadcast headphones. This broadcast stereo headset was designed specifically for broadcast and media production. It has a circumaural ear cup that blocks out background noise, and a cardioid microphone that delivers a natural vocal reproduction. This headphone has an ergonomic design with an adjustable headband with premium padding and an optimum coupling force for comfortable extended wear. It also has the single-sided detachable cable with unterminated ends and a flexible boom microphone that pivots 70 degrees for left or right side wear and precise positioning. Legendary Shure broadcast headphone is of good quality, and it is very durable. It can withstand everyday professional stress.
In Conclusion
Podcast headphone is an important asset in broadcasting. The best ones now incorporate many advanced features to help you broadcast even better. Apart from the obvious features, some of these cool broadcast headphones work with your mobile applications. With constant innovation and technological advancements, there will be more features to enjoy in the coming years.
If you feel I have left out any detail in this article or I left out your favorite broadcast headphone that should appear here, kindly drop a comment below.
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