What is an amplifier or switcher?

Answer: It's the "box” thing that connects a headset to a telephone.

Amplifiers

I recall when I first started in headsets, asking: "why is this box gizmo necessary?”

It didn't make sense to me that a headset wouldn't work just like the handset on the telephone does. The scenario should be; walk up, plug in the headset and go!

Why doesn't it?

Surely, getting a small microphone and speaker to work the same way, as the handset shouldn't be that hard?

Well, evidently it is, and even though the number of phones that support headsets has increased, there's still quite a few phones that definitely require the use of an amplifier, and also a number phones that certainly benefit from having the extra power and options that an amplifier provides.

Telephones are all doing the same thing - just they mostly tend to go about it slightly different from each other and this is where the problems lay. They may use varying kinds of microphone standards. Electret condenser, dynamic or carbon.

An amplifier allows the matching of a telephone and headset. The amplifier attempts to allow the headset to 'get on the same level', adopting the telephone's microphone standard and what is known, as 'impedance'. Unfortunately, some amps do it better than others, and there are various phones that I would use a particular type of amp on, simply because I have found them to work better than another make or model, irrespective of what the phone maker may recommend (if they do at all).

I recommend the use of amplifiers for certain kinds of headset/phone combinations and working environments.

Noise and overear don't mix - I've referred to this aspect elsewhere, but some overear headsets, can't work well without being connected to an amp. This is because the air gap between the headset's speaker and the user's ear dissipates the sound energy, and often, simply not enough sound reaches the ear. This aspect is further compounded in noisy environments, where the output of the headset has difficulty competing with background noise. An earbud or in-the-ear style could be considered, but only if the user can tolerate that wearing style.

Additionally, some users just don't have good hearing. They need an amplifier to hear a call properly. This is often picked up when trials are done. A headset maybe passed around within a group of users to assess its suitability, just using a switcher or directly connected. It's at this time that certain individuals will indicate that they can't hear very well, so provision must be made for their situation.

Sometimes poorly performing phone systems and / or bad lines result in inadequate transmission, making it hard for the other party to hear. This can be experienced even without the headset being connected, just using the phone normally: It sounds low. In instances such as this, only an amplifier can compensate for these deficiencies.

The typical features of an amplifier are:

· Microphone gain adjustment

· Receiver volume control

· Microphone type selector

· Mute function

· Headset / handset selector

Switchers

The switcher is a relative newcomer, and its advent came about with the introduction of headsets that could connect directly to phones without amplification.

The problem was that although the headset had caught up with the phone - many phones still only have one socket or port for the connection of the handset - so the headset would have to share this socket with the handset.

Two had to go into one, if the user wanted the benefit of having the option of using either the headset or handset without the need to unplug one and connect the other.Switchers had existed earlier elsewhere, but the first one I saw that was widely promoted was the SB-100 from the Australian company,Claria.

This device worked in concert with the Claria headsets of the day and its fair to say that this revolutionised the headset market in Australia, as up until that time, the amplifier reigned supreme. Other than the advantage of not having batteries to consider - there was a substantial cost benefit; switchers cost much less and took up less space. This still holds true today.

Switchers can also have other important functions. They enable the configuration between the headset and phone without having to cut cables and re-wire the plugs to suit the particular phone that the user wanted to set up on.

The typical features of a switcher are:

· Microphone and receiver polarity switching

· Mute function

· Headset / handset selector

· Receiver volume control (on some)

Lastly, the best approach in determining whether or not you would be advantaged in adopting an amplifier or switcher is simply to try them both with the headset style of your choice.