[Elecraft] Yamaha CM500 Headset

[Jim Brown]

On 2/17/2012 10:23 AM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> There's a premium price on it (USD $84.95)

It's important to realize that one reason that the Yamaha is inexpensive 
is because it is sold to a much higher volume customer base than the 
Heil. There are other good companies playing in that field, and there's 
a good chance that one that sells in the UK will be just as good. One of 
the guys on the Ten Tec list found a Koss model that he likes as well as 
Yamaha CM500s he's used at a contest station.

If it were me in the UK looking for boom headphones, I would make sure 
that I could try them on, and that they had 1/8-in (3.5mm) plugs on both 
mic and phones.  The K3 is quite versatile, and can easily be made to 
sound good with almost any decent mic and phones. There's nothing 
"magic" about the CM500 headset -- it's simply a very well designed and 
decently built headset at a very good price.

What I strongly suggest that you avoid are CHEAP computer headsets with 
boom mics -- I've tried a few in the $10-$20 range, including some with 
big ear pads that looked like they might be comfortable, and while they 
"work," they are all pretty UNcomfortable.

Stick with known real audio companies though -- that includes 
Sennheiser, AKG, Audio Technica, Shure, Beyer, Sony, Panasonic. Avoid 
the computer companies and other phonys, including Altec-Lansing and 
RCA, which are el cheapo marketing companies that bought the names and 
put them on cheap junk.

73, Jim K9YC