HACKER Q&A
📣 herodoturtle

Headset whose microphone blocks out dog barking?


Hi folks,

I work from home, loving it. Neighbour’s dog barks sometimes. I don’t mind too much, but when I’m in online meetings, the barking is audible to clients - which isn’t ideal if we’re in the middle of recording a workshop.

Is there a headset / microphone / technology I can use to “block out” the barking on the microphone input?

I’m not an audiophile (hence the newbie phrasing of this question).

Thanks!

  👤 smoldesu Accepted Answer ✓
Look around for microphones advertising both "dynamic" pickup and a "cardioid" response pattern. I use a Shure SM57 with a small desktop amp to achieve this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM57--shure-sm57-car...

Dynamic microphones only pick up what is recorded directly in front of them; you have to stay close (<3 feet) and probably amp the signal to be audible. I'd also recommend a microphone arm or shock mount to hold it someplace convenient.

👤 stop50
My dedicated microphone consists of muliple ones: One to capture me others to capture the ambient sound the microphone reduces the ambient sound and promotes my own voice. Since i have it, my voice has been clearer than never when i am using it.
👤 simonblack
Borrow an aircraft headset and try it out. They are deliberately designed to block out aircraft engine noise and emphasise the speaker's voice. The microphone should be sited about half an inch (1 cm) away from the lips.

The problem with dog barks and other transient noises like that is that they come at random times and can't be predicted beforehand.

Aviation headsets are expensive, hence the advice to borrow one first. This ad is from an Australian website - prices where you are would vary a lot.

https://www.flightstore.com.au/headsets/david-clark/?gclid=C...