Desktop Microphone (980240-0403)

I have been using it with yahoo messenger and skype for voice chat and calling phones.Initially i had problems , it would not record my volume if i spoke from more than 6 inches away from the microphone. But after i enabled 'microphone boost' my DELL windows desktop (go to control panel , Sound and Audio Devices, select audio tab ,select the input line, click on advanced , select 'enable volume boost') it works from even 2 feet away.The sound is very clear.I see no reason why one should spend more money on a USB microphone.

I had a Logitech microphone similar to this one for about two years before the cat finally knocked it over and broke it. It had been a good mic, so I thought I'd get another one which looked almost identical from Logitech as a replacement. When the item arrived, the first thing I noticed was that its base had this disgusting gummy texture which immediately started collecting dust and hair and was impossible to clean. The base left a horrible sticky residue on my hands and everything it touched. When I plugged it in and called my boyfriend on Skype, he said he could barely hear me, and that it sounded like I was standing next to the ocean. We tried to mess with his audio settings, my mic settings, and everything we could think of (my boyfriend is an experienced computer technician who can fix almost everything) and the audio was still very low quality and gargled, with lots of strange background noise. Absolutely would not recommend this product.

It came, covered in some "protective" (?) coating which we had to wipe off. No good in noisy rooms. Must be very close to speaker.

This product is the analog version of Logitech's USB microphone, except that it has a standard jack rather than a USB connector. I've owned one for a couple of years and am quite satisfied with it. I use Skype/SkypeOut, and callers tell me that the sound quality is excellent. I've also used it for language courses (Rosetta Stone), and it works very well for pronounciation training. The mic does a good job of suppressing background noise.It does take some experimentation to get good sound quality: you must position the mic so that it is about 12 inches from your mouth. Too close, and it picks up the sound of your breathing. Too far, and you will sound muddled and faint (probably because of noise suppression). You need to place it at least a couple of feet from your speakers and pointed away, or else your callers will hear an echo of themselves.So summarize: This is a good analog microphone that requires some practice to get good results. To see what it really looks like, look up "Logitech USB Desktop Microphone" on Amazon.

I bought this one thinking it was Logitech's USB version, as I had one of those for several years, and got exemplary results out of it until I broke it carrying it in a laptop bag. When I received this one, I was initially dismayed to realize I had ordered one that plugged into the mic in jack instead, but after using it for a bit, it has turned out to be very satisfactory.The USB version broke because the wire passes through the boom and base pivot, with the wire passing through the middle of everything, and when the boom is bent down, it can only go so far without breaking, and I accidentally broke it. This one has the wire coming out of the boom just above the base pivot, and you can detach the boom from the base and there is no danger of breaking anything.One problem I had with this mic is that there is an off/on switch on the bottom of the boom. I plan to glue or tape this into the on position, as on a couple occasions I have puzzled as to why nothing was happening, and then realized the switch had inadvertently been turned off.Fidelity is very good, background noise and hiss is very minimal. This is an excellent product at a reasonable price.

The only decent thing about this mic is that it looks alright and is easy to use. However, I usually had to keep the mic directly next to my mouth in order to be heard and the quality wasn't that great. The base of it is also very light so it moves around easily and often tips over. I'd highly suggest the Logitech USB Desktop Mic, which I've also used, and is much better for less than $10 more.

The plastic on the base is chemically breaking down and very sticky as others have indicated. I am usually really happy with Logitech equipment, but this is either really old, or not properly stored for it to be in the condition it's in.

I switched to this when my headset/boom microphone died, and was surprised to find that it worked better. I've got a soft voice, but I was even able to turn off the mic boost/gain in Windows' volume controls.The mic sits 18-24" from my mouth (in front of the monitor, overhanging the keyboard) and picks me up loud and clear. I've hears nothing but positive comments from other Ventrilo/Teamspeak/Skype users. If I raise my voice I can talk at it from a few feet away.