Headset for iPhone 4

[leachboy]

I'm trying to find a good headset for my iPhone 4, but it seems like every time I find a headset that I like, I read something that says it doesn't work with the iPhone 4 for some reason. My search would probably be easier if not for one requirement--I want a boom microphone.

I don't mind a wired headset, but I haven't found any with a boom mic that have an iPhone plug on the end. There are a couple of adapters out there. I've looked at this (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SK66OY/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0V5ER7JBKC6YF6H4ERRN&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846) one and this (http://www.amazon.com/Headset-Buddy-Adapter-Convert-Blackberry/dp/B002SKAP46/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1294928994&sr=1-2) one. The problem I ran into here was that multiple customer reviews say that the second one doesn't work with the iPhone 4. There's no mention of iPhone 4 in the reviews of the first adapter, but both only list iPhone first generation, 3G, and 3GS as compatible in the manufacturer's description. I thought that the headset jack was the same on all iphones, but if multiple people are having trouble, I figure something must be different.

So I thought about getting a bluetooth headset, either this Emerson (http://www.amazon.com/Emerson-Over-Head-Bluetooth-Headset/dp/B002U1N84C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=mobile&qid=1294929299&sr=8-1-catcorr) or this BlueParrott (http://www.amazon.com/VXI-BlueParrott-202524-Roadwarrior-Bluetooth/dp/B0017H88XG/ref=sr_1_4?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1294929325&sr=1-4). The BlueParrott gets great reviews, except for I found some that say that it has issues with the iPhone 4. I've read that the iPhone 4 has problems with Bluetooth in general, and surmised that this is the reason that the BlueParrott (and a few other headsets that I've looked at) have issues with the iPhone 4. Then again, there was the whole big iPhone 4 antenna issue, which I never had any trouble with, so maybe I should just ignore others and buy one of these two headsets.

So I was hoping that I could get some advice here on what to do. Do any of you have experience using an adapter with the iPhone 4, or know of a headset with a boom mic that is known to work well with the iPhone 4? Any help would be apprecaited.

[leachboy]

Okay, so it's been a day, and no one had any advice, so I'll ask a more broad question: Can anyone give a recommendation based on personal experience of a good headset of any kind to use with the iPhone 4?

[torifile]

I use a pair of earbuds with an inline mic. The klipsch s4i. It's not a boom mic but it works well and they're good headphones too.

[drewprops]

I'll tell you that I really, honestly miss my old Jabra bluetooth earphones. Of ALL the models out there the Jabra behind-the-ear models were a brilliant design because people kept telling me "Oh, I didn't know you had something in your ear!!!" -- I heard this ALL the time. ALL the damn time.

But somehow, the "Giant Matchbox Car Glued to Your Ear" became the winning design, possibly because the Jawbone bluetooth headsets became the "best" option?

As far as these "Operator" style headsets, I have no experience or advice. Reading the reviews of products has become de rigueur for online shopping and I would read each review and weigh it for veracity and relevance to your situation.

Once you DO make a decision please do come back and post a review in this thread so we'll all be a little more informed about this topic!!

[drewprops]

I use a pair of earbuds with an inline mic. The klipsch s4i. It's not a boom mic but it works well and they're good headphones too.

I only use my Klipsch s4i's when I'm mowing the lawn... I can't afford to have that much ambient noise blocked out because that's when the ninjas sneak up and steal your rum.

[leachboy]

Once you DO make a decision please do come back and post a review in this thread so we'll all be a little more informed about this topic!!

I've done a good bit of research, and I've learned that there's not a lot out there. I only found one wired over-the-head headset with a boom mic. It was a GE all-in-one universal headset. The package said that it worked with the iphone, but I had a lot of trouble with it.

I wound up building my own adapter and using this headset (http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-KX-TCA60-Hands-Free-Headset-Headband/dp/B00007M1TZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1297131704&sr=8-1), which is cheap and gets great reviews. Making the adapter was more complicated than I realized it would be. I thought I could just run the wires from a 3.5mm plug to a 2.5mm jack and be done with it, but that didn't work. After doing some reading, I learned that it needed resistors in parallel with the mic in order for the iPhone to recognize it. I just finished it today, and it seems to work quite well. I only had a panel-mount jack, so I put it in a LEGO brick as a case. I like the looks of it, but I may redo it and just put the 3.5mm plug on the panasonic headset, with the resistors on the wire.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/leachboy/jack2.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/leachboy/jack1.jpg

[rabbitfufu]

leachboy that is a great looking solution. do you have details on the components in that build ? i would like to build such a thing but need some directions.

thank you

[leachboy]

Sure. I'm attaching a picture of the circuit that I used. I used two resistors in parallel (a 10K and 100K) to get the resistance that's needed. If you want to add an answer/pause button, put a normally open momentary pushbutton switch between the mic and ground wires. Volume controls are a LOT more complicated.

The pinout for the headset is the same as for an XBOX headset, which you can see here (http://pinoutsguide.com/HeadsetsHeadphones/xbox_live_headset_pinout.shtml).

The pinout for the iPhone's headphone jack is here (http://pinouts.ru/PortableDevices/iphone_headphone_pinout.shtml).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/leachboy/PhotoSep1512024PM.jpg

[adamoka]

I've been looking for the same--a wired boom headset. I don't care about the quality of the headphones; I just need this for phone conversations. Everyone complains they can't hear me with the tiny mics on the wire. I don't have the technical ability to create the adapter you built. Are there any other options for me? Can I hire you to build me an adapter??

[drewprops]

I don't know how I missed seeing your solution leachboy, but it's brilliant!!! kudos to you.... now get busy building them for other people. I figure you can make some mad money on the side with this cute design!


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