Screaming To Be Heard? Not With UmeVoice's theBoom Quiet...

As I have written about on a number of occasions (see My New Treo Travel Companion) one of the most trusted travel accessories for my Treo is the Bose Quiet Comfort 2 (QC2) noise cancelling headphones which I typically use to sleep, listen to music and watch movies while on an airplane or train journey.

Although I would rate the comfort and performance of the QC2’s as ‘spectacular’ they nonetheless suffer from one flaw.  Namely, I can only use them to ‘listen’ and not to ‘speak out’ for calling as there is no built-in microphone…  I was extremely disappointed when Bose did eventually release a limited edition set of QC2’s with a special corded microphone but these were only available in the UK for Motorola phones…

Nevertheless, I did not give up my search for another headset that would be as comfortable and efficient at noise cancellation as the QC2’s – albeit one that I could use to not only listen to audio but also make and receive calls while leaving out all unwanted external noises.  I finally did find one that is a worthy contender – namely the new UmeVoice theBoom Quiet Noise Reduction Headset (pictured above).

Like the QC2’s, theBoom Quiet headsets come in an elegant and sturdy moulded case which opens to reveal the folded headsets.   The case also contains a microphone arm as well as two separate pockets with audio cables – one with a 2.5mm jack and Call Answer button for use with your Treo and another with a 3.5mm jack for use with standard audio equipment or your PC with Skype or other VoIP client (missing is a 2.5mm stereo adapter which needs to be purchased separately).  There are also two other adapters – one for use on airplanes and the other a 5mm jack for your stereo – as well as a leather pouch for the headset.

UmeVoice’s noise cancellation technology has won numerous awards, is often described as ‘astounding’ and has been specifically developed to help people in ‘extreme’ noise environments – whether for use by the military, a Wall Street trading floor, call centers or outdoor workers.  Perhaps the best way to truly appreciate the performance of theBoom technology is to actually listen to a live audio sample from inside a Black Hawk helicopter generating 110dB or greater of ambient noise.

After simply unfolding the headset above then plugging the microphone and ‘cellular’ cable, switching the headset on and plugging the cable into your Treo audio jack you’ll be ready to make your first ‘noise cancelled’ call.  You may need to adjust the position of the microphone a little but once you have found the right placement in front of your my callers have reported excellent call quality.

Whether it is for noise cancellation in an airplane or train and listening to music with Pocket Tunes (above left) or to make a call from your Treo, UmeVoice’s theBoom Quiet Noise Reduction Headset truly makes a huge difference if you seek to keep unwanted noises out.  Although it is competitively priced with other noise cancelling headsets, the $275 price tag will evidently not be for everyone but it has the added benefit of being the only one that also offers a microphone for calling from your Treo.

Finally, aside from the ‘Quiet’ full noise cancellation model, UmeVoice also offers the standard ‘theBoom’ and ‘O’ headsets priced at $149.95 and $99.95 respectively.  While the ‘O’ proved excellent (even though I would prefer a backphone instead of an over-the-head model) I strangely experienced very poor call quality with ‘theBoom’ which I have to attribute to a defective unit.

BTW: If you are having trouble with the volume on your Treo when making and receiving calls please read my “Loud & Clear With VolumeCare” post which many Treonauts have found to be an essential application.

Treonauts don’t need to scream to be heard…