Samson Stage X1U USB with Dragon Medical

 

 

Samson just released the Stage X1U USB  wireless TableMike which is designed for vocalists but additionally doubles for speech recognition and VoIP use. The only downside is that the X1U is a little bulky and requires 2 AA batteries. The reason we are featuring the new Stage X1U is because it includes a tripod, USB soundcard, wireless (a TableMike 1^st) and best of all, costs less than $90 which is considerably less than other professional TableMikes.

Note: Our version of the X1U has been tweaked for speech recognition and includes a 24+ inch vocal range. The original model, offered by music stores, only includes a 5 inch range. The KnowBrainer tweak is covered under the 1 year manufacturer warranty and is ideally suited to Far Field user profile use. See KnowBrainer TableMike Face-Off to compare the Stage X1U to other TableMikes.

Tom Hamilton
Nuance Gold Certified & BBB Accredited
KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums http://www.knowbrainer.com/forums/forum
KnowBrainer.com http://www.knowbrainer.com
support@knowbrainer.com

AirLine Micro - Camera Edition for Dragon Medical

KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Perspective of the AirLine Micro - Camera Edition

The Samson Airline Micro Camera Edition is a new wrinkle on the Samson Airline Micro which is a popular small portable wireless microphone with one limitation; it includes a non-replaceable wireless microphone. The biggest advantage of the new Samson Airline Micro Camera is that it will allow you to convert any analog microphone (terminating in a standard 1/8 inch plug) into a wireless microphone. Our favorite microphones, to pair with the AirLine Micro are the FlexyMike SE and FlexyMike DE headsets because they're very lightweight and comfortable, as well as accurate. The Samson AirLine Micro Camera is a completely self-contained wireless unit which includes built-in rechargeable NiMH batteries in the transmitter and receiver. It has professional look and feel, is very small and doesn’t require an AC outlet. The transmitter includes a belt clip but it is so small, we prefer to drop it into any available pocket.

Tom Hamilton - KnowBrainer.com http://www.knowbrainer.com/
 KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums - http://www.knowbrainer.com/forums/forum/index.cfm

SpeechWare FlexyMike - Physicians Review

The following is a Physicians Review of the SpeechWare FlexyMike http://www.knowbrainer.com/NewStore/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=58 from the KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums http://www.knowbrainer.com/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=17573&enterthread=y


Today was my first full day of using a SpeechWare FlexyMike SE (single ear) microphone in the office and in exam rooms. I used it with a Buddy 7G. I was very impressed with its design and build quality. Even with glasses, it was very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and did well staying in the position set. It was quick to place on and remove. The travel case was very nice. Subjectively I perceived accuracy as excellent. I felt it was even more accurate than my audio-technica PRO8HEmW. In my opinion this microphone is a bargain for what you get. I highly recommend the SpeechWare FlexyMike.
Kudos to SpeechWare!


-------------------------
DMPE2 [BestMatch V, Large Vocabulary], KnowBrainer 2012 D, VoiceComputer 64-bit v12, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Lenovo T520 [i7-2620M, 8GB DDR3-1333, SSD]. Work & Home Office: Sound Devices USBPre 2; DPA d:fine omnidirectional, Audio-Technica BP892, Shure WH30XLR, Earthworks SR40V, Sennheiser MD431 II & ME65/K6P, Samson AirLine 77/QV10e. Exam rooms: SpeechWare TravelMike or Buddy 7G/Audio-Technica PRO8HEmW or FlexyMike SE

_________________________
Tom Hamilton
Nuance Gold Certified & BBB Accredited
KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums http://www.knowbrainer.com/forums/forum
KnowBrainer.com http://www.knowbrainer.com
TheMicrophoneStore.com http://www.themicrophonestore.com
support@knowbrainer.com

SpeechWare TravelMike - Physicians Review

The following is a Physicians Review of the SpeechWare TravelMike http://www.knowbrainer.com/NewStore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=459&idcategory=58 from the KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums http://www.knowbrainer.com/forums/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=17494&enterthread=y


After an initial rough start (defective TravelMike mini gooseneck microphone - a rare occurence; and Dragon User Profile set up issues - my fault), I am pleased to have the SpeechWare TravelMike doing extraordinarily well on its own User Profile in green mode. I am amazed at how well DMPE2/TravelMike does at learning pronounciation and new vocabulary; it usually needs only one correction to learn my pronounciation or new vocabulary. It seems to me to do better at many of the common troublesome words I have struggled with on several other sound systems such as "fibrillation, voltages, spironolactone, hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, electrocardiographically, electocardiogram, echocardiogram, wander, etc.. In other words, it has been the fastest to train sound system I have ever used. Perhaps some of this is due to more experience on my part at training new words and phrases (or maybe Dragon training me).
I never thought it would be possible for a small speech recognition sound pod to rival or equal the accuracy of a much more expensive pro-audio system, but subjectively it is my experiece that the SpeechWare TravelMike has done it.
The smaller form factor makes it even easier to carry around than the Buddy 7G/audio-technica PRO 8HEmW when going from exam room to exam room. More comfortable and faster than a headset too. The TravelMike has become my new favorate for use in exam rooms. The addition of a pivoting 90 degree USB elbow connector would make it perfect.
I just recently placed an order for a SpeechWare FlexyMike single ear from Lunis. The design and specifications suggest this microphone will be fantastic for those times I will be beyond the useable distance of the TravelMike.
Happy dictating,

David


-------------------------
DMPE2 [BestMatch V, Large Vocabulary], KnowBrainer 2012 D, VoiceComputer 64-bit v12, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Lenovo T520 [i7-2620M, 8GB DDR3-1333, SSD]. Work & Home Office: Sound Devices USBPre 2; DPA d:fine omnidirectional, Audio-Technica BP892, Shure WH30XLR, Earthworks SR40V, Sennheiser MD431 II & ME65/K6P, Samson AirLine 77/QV10e. Exam rooms: SpeechWare TravelMike or Buddy 7G/Audio-Technica PRO8HEmW or FlexyMike SE

Dragon Medical Hardware

Dragon Medical Hardware Overview, If you would like more information on these products visit http://www.knowbrainer.com/ or call 615-884-4558

Dragon Medical 12 Microphones / Dragon Medical Practice Edition 2 Microphones

Dragon Medical 12 Microphones / Dragon Medical Practice Edition 2 Microphones

Dragon Medical and Handheld Microphones

HANDHELD MICROPHONE FACE-OFF Dictaphone PowerMic II, Philips Premium SpeechMike, Grundig Digta SonicMic II & Olympus DirectTrec

October 8, 2012

 

Introduction:

While preparing to review the new Philips Premium SpeechMike LFH-3500, it occurred to me that the most effective way to do so would be in the context of the top rated handheld speech recognition microphones. The following review consists of 3 parts: (1) My personal take on the evolution of speech recognition microphones (2) A general consensus of 8 we went with speech recognition experts on the pros and cons of what we believe to be the top 5 handheld microphones (3) My personal assessment of what the numbers mean If you wish to skip past the brief microphone history, click Pros and Cons. If you wish to skip further ahead to my conclusions, click recommendations.

Evolution of Speech Recognition Microphones

 

When we first began using DragonDictate speech recognition software in the 1980’s it seemed to be incredibly impressive technology. Never minding the very deliberate pause after each and every word, we waited with baited breath to see another (hopefully correct) word miraculously appear on our somewhat blurry little screens. It was fun! It was frustrating! It was not very practical. Back then, the couple of wired headset microphone choices available to us were more than adequate. In 1996, NaturallySpeaking continuous speech recognition was released. With the emergence of this new technology, we had a viable tool for professional as well as personal use. That being the case, we needed microphones designed to better utilize this increasingly more sophisticated software and microphone manufacturers have responded.

Hand Held Microphone History:

Around the turn of the century, Philips dominated the handheld microphone market by introducing the 1^st non-USB SpeechMike which combined programmable buttons with a rollerball handheld mouse/microphone. The 1^st units even included a 3 level volume control for various environments (a feature we really could have used on the SpeechMike II and III). One of the main problems with the SpeechMike II was the daily necessity of having to remove oil from the plastic rollerball with rubbing alcohol. Some end-users even resorted to cutting off the thumb from a pair of latex gloves so that they didn’t have to clean the ball so often. Eventually Philips replaced the SpeechMike with several USB models of the SpeechMike II which kicked everything up a notch. The plastic ball was coated with mother-of-pearl to resist oily fingers. A number of other handheld microphone manufacturers, like Grundig and Olympus, additionally took a shot at the handheld market which remained firmly in Philips grasp until about 4 years ago when Nuance upped the ante by releasing the Dictaphone PowerMic II. As the manufacturer of both Dragon Medical and the PowerMic II, Nuance enjoyed the advantage of being able to embed the PowerMic II application right into Dragon Medical but another advantage was the introduction of idiot proof programmable buttons that not only allowed you to program the usual dozen or so NaturallySpeaking hotkey commands but additionally permit the end-user to program any NaturallySpeaking, personal or even a third-party macro by simply typing the name of the command into the button field. Within a few months after the PowerMic II’s introduction, it literally took over the market that Philips had dominated for over a decade. Philips answered that challenge by introducing the SpeechMike Air and the SpeechMike III about 2 years ago. Although Philips didn’t market the 1^st wireless handheld microphone (that distinction belongs to the Grundig Digta CordEx) Philips made it work. Although the SpeechMike III introduced a new look and feel, including an antibiotic housing, it was unable to recover the market share it lost to Nuance so Philips went back to the drawing board and came up with the SpeechMike Premium LFH 3500 (think of it as the SpeechMike IV) which introduced additional programmable buttons, large playback speaker, automatic mute (when you lay the microphone down on a flat surface), integrated pop filter, precision stainless steel laser scanned self lubricating removable trackball, improved signal-to-noise ratio, completely redesigned more sensitive extended-range jar proof microphone element, higher accuracy, polished surface (to reduce unwanted fingertip noises), motion sensor, ergonomically improved and most importantly… SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED noise filtering. This is the 1^st handheld microphone that can effectively be used in a crowded Emergency Room. In my opinion, the greatest problem with other handheld microphones is noise filtering. Fortunately, Philips seems to have found a solution. A handheld microphone just might be your best option if:

• You find headset microphones to be uncomfortable
• You are self-conscious about wearing a headset in front of others
• You like the idea of using a hand-held microphone with programmable buttons that additionally doubles as a mouse controller
• You dislike having to continuously don and remove your headset
• You need an easily portable microphone that you can take from place to place
• You take the time to arrange your hair just the way you like it and THAT IS HOW YOU WANT TO KEEP IT!

Below is given a general consensus of 8 speech recognition experts on the pros and cons of what we believe to be the top 5 hand held microphones, followed by our ratings.

Pros & Cons

Dictaphone PowerMic II Pros: MSRP: $499/$399 Street Accuracy: 99% Noise Cancellation: 7 out of 10 Overall Rating: 9 out of 10

• 99% Accuracy
• Official Nuance Dragon Medical Practice Edition microphone
• Rugged construction and extra thick cabling
• No other handheld microphone comes close when it comes to the ease and flexibility of programming the buttons. The PowerMic II is also the first model to introduce the ability to program any NaturallySpeaking macro, third-party macro or personal command. Note that this feature is now included with the Philips SpeechMikes
• The perfect microphone for network deployments because the PowerMic II application is automatically installed with Dragon Medical
• 90 day manufacturer warranty

Dictaphone PowerMic II Cons:

• 90 day warranty
• Only works with Dragon Medical
• More expensive than competitive units
• Barcode Reader option is high priced

Philips SpeechMike Air Pros: MSRP: $499 (wireless) & $309+ (wired) Accuracy:99% Noise Cancellation: 7 out of 10 Overall Rating: 10 out of 10

• 99% Accuracy
• Very well constructed including lots of informative lights
• The only handheld WIRELESS microphone in this group
• Vibrates to signal when you were wondering out of range and chirps if you go completely out of range
• Doubles as a desktop microphone and can be used from a distance of up to 14 inches
• Includes AC adapters for use in other countries
• Use on multiple computers by leaving the base station and relocating the removable Bluetooth dongle
• LFH-3200 & LFH-3215 are lower priced wired versions of the SpeechMike Air that additionally include a micro antimicrobial skin
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Philips SpeechMike Air Cons:

• Cannot be pared to more than 1 Bluetooth adapter

Philips SpeechMike Premium LFH 3500 Pros: MSRP: $335 Accuracy:100% Noise Cancellation: 9 out of 10 Overall Rating: 10 out of 10

• 100% Accuracy
• Doubles as a desktop TableMike that can be used from a distance of up to 16 inches when combined with the complementary KnowBrainer TableMike adapter (KnowBrainer Website Store Exclusive)
• Recipient of Nuance’s highest 6 Dragon rating
• Very well constructed including lots of informative lights
• More sensitive than any other handheld microphone (longer-range)
• Improved signal-to-noise ratio over other Philips handhelds
• 2 additional programmable buttons over the LFH 3200 series
• Jar/bump free-floating decoupled microphone element
• Antimicrobial housing
• Like the PowerMic II, the LFH 3500 allows you to program any NaturallySpeaking factory or end-user commands into the programmable buttons but extends this functionality to all versions of NaturallySpeaking. The PowerMic II limits this functionality to Dragon Medical
• Built-in high precision “CLICKABLE” stainless steel laser scanned self lubricating removable trackball
• Largest playback speaker in its class
• Automatic microphone mute when setting on a flat surface
• Integrated pop filter
• Programmable buttons can be used to program any NaturallySpeaking factory or end-user personal macro (like the PowerMic II)
• Auto volume control (increases or decreases volume input as you move in or away from the microphone)
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Philips SpeechMike Premium LFH 3500 Cons: n/a
Grundig SonicMic II Pros & Digta CordEx: MSRP: $299 (wired) & $499 (wireless) Accuracy: 99% Noise Cancellation: 7 out of 10 Overall Rating: 9 out of 10

• 99% Accuracy
• Includes weighted desktop stand
• Digta CordEx model is wireless
• Doubles as a desktop microphone with a 15 inch range
• Doesn't need to be held close to your mouth like most handheld microphones
• You can program 3 functions into each button (single click, double-click and long click)
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Grundig SonicMic II Cons:

• Included configuration utility may not be obvious to new end users but we include a KnowBrainer pictorial step-by-step guide

Olympus DR-2300/2200/1200 Pros: MSRP: $249+ Accuracy: 98% Noise Cancellation: 7 out of 10 Overall Rating: 8 out of 10

• DR-1200 is push button. DR-2200 includes a slider control and the DR-2300 adds a barcode scanner to the DR-2200
• Very well constructed and durable
• High quality metal rollerball
• Auto volume control (increases or decreases volume input as you move in or away from the microphone)
• Considerably less expen$ive than the competition
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Olympus DR-2300/2200/1200 Cons:

• Doesn’t include the usual DVD to install the button configuration utility
• No manufacturer user guide

Note:
 We felt that the absence of a user guide and configuration utility were unacceptable so we are including a complimentary DVD with the DirectTrec configuration utility along with a pictorial step-by-step on how to program the buttons along with setting up your microphone for use with NaturallySpeaking.

Conclusions: 1st Place ~ Philips SpeechMike LFH-3500 (Click to See) Philips and Nuance currently dominate the handheld microphone market but Philips raised the bar by introducing significantly improved noise filtering (far beyond any other handheld microphone), antimicrobial housing, automatic mute, the best accuracy of any handheld microphone, flexible long range jar proof microphone element, largest playback speaker, desktop stand for hands-free use (KnowBrainer exclusive) and an integrated pop filter. The LFH 3500 is also less expensive than the Nuance PowerMic II. Additional manufacturer information available at www.dictation.philips.com

2nd Place ~ Dictaphone PowerMic II (Click to See) Unlike other handheld microphones, the PowMic II doesn’t require installing a configuration utility because it is already built into the Medical versions of Dragon. Our favorite feature is the idiot proof button programming tab. Programming is as easy as typing the name of the command you wish to deploy and you are not limited to a handful of Dragon functions or hotkeys, as with all other handheld microphones. While we appreciated the versatility of the programmable buttons, we had to subtract points for Nuance limiting this microphone to just the medical versions of NaturallySpeaking along with a 90 day warranty. Additional manufacturer information available at www.nuance.com

3rd Place ~ Philips SpeechMike Air (Click to See) Philips introduced the 1^st wireless handheld microphone that can double as a desktop microphone with a 14 inch reach range. This microphone even warns you if you move the microphone too far from the base. Additional manufacturer information available at www.dictation.philips.com

4th Place ~ Grundig Digta SonicMic II (Click to See) The 2 most compelling reasons for choosing the SonicMic II over other handheld microphones was price (although slightly higher than the Olympus DR-2200) and the fact that the Grundig microphone doubles as a desktop microphone with a 15 inch range. The notably more expensive SpeechMike Air is the only other microphone that can double as a desktop microphone. Even though the SonicMic II only has 3 programmable buttons, we liked the fact that all 3 buttons can be programmed with single click, double-click and long click functionality enabling you to program up to 9 functions. Additional manufacturer information available at www.grundig.de

5th Place ~ Olympus DR-2200 (Click to See) Although not quite as accurate as other handheld microphones, we were impressed by construction and pricing of the DR-2200. If you're looking for high quality and affordability, you'll get the best bang for your buck with the Olympus DR-1200 but if you require a barcode reader, nothing comes close to the price break on the DR-2300 model. Although it's common for microphone manufacturers to omit proper instructional guides, I was surprised that Olympus didn't include a button programming utility. Fortunately, I was able to download the Olympus Directrec configuration utility from the Olympus website. Note that if you decide to purchase this microphone from KnowBrainer, we additionally include the Olympus Directrec configuration utility on DVD along with pictorial step-by-step instructions. Additional manufacturer information available at www.olympusamerica.com I feel it's important to point out that all 5 of these microphones worked exceedingly well in Dragon with the only limitation being that the PowerMic II can only be used in the medical versions of Dragon. This review was dictated with the new Philips SpeechMike III LFH 3500

Previous Reviews: If you would like to see some of our previous reviews check out the following: KnowBrainer TableMike Face-Off KnowBrainer Headset Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer Telephone Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer Digital Recorder Face-Off KnowBrainer Wireless Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer USB Soundcard Face-Off (coming soon)

  Current Gold Standards: The following is a list of microphones that we consider to be #1 in their microphone categories we: Best Wireless Microphone = Samson Airline 77 Best Combo Telephone Wireless Microphone = Jabra Pro 9470 Best Handheld USB Microphone = Dictaphone PowerMic II Best USB TableMike =Speechware 3-in-1, 6-in-1 & 9-in-1 Best Wired Headset Microphone = Audio-Technica Pro 8HEmW Best Bluetooth Wireless Microphone = VXi BlueParrott Xpressway Best Digital Recorder = Olympus DS-7000 Best Speech Recognition Application = NaturallySpeaking 12 & DMPE Lunis Orcutt - Developer of KnowBrainer 2012 and founder of KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums (the world's largest speech recognition forum) Chat Live w/a Nuance Gold Certified Speech Recognition Solutions Provider

Choosing a Microphone for Dragon Medical

Speech Recognition Microphone Selection Comparative Review If you would like more information about these products visit us at http://www.knowbrainer.com or give us a call at 615-884-4558

Dragon Medical and DeskTop Microphones

TABLEMIKE FACE-OFF SpeechWare Desktop,     Sennheiser MD 431 II, Buddy Desktop DSP, Olympus ME 31 & Audix

January 22, 2012

 

Introduction:

While preparing to review the new SpeechWare 3-in-1, it occurred to me that the most effective way to do so would be in the context of the top rated speech microphones. The following review consists of 3 parts: (1) My personal take on the evolution of speech recognition microphones (2) A general consensus of 12 of the world’s leading speech recognition experts on the pros and cons of what we believe to be the top 5 desktop microphones (TableMikes) (3) My personal assessment of what the numbers mean If you wish to skip past the brief microphone history, click Pros and Cons. If you wish to skip further ahead to my conclusions, click recommendations. Note that while only one of these microphones could achieve the 1^st place overall rating, each is still an excellent choice for speech recognition.

Evolution of Speech Recognition Microphones

 

When we first began using DragonDictate speech recognition software in the 1980’s it seemed to be incredibly impressive technology. Never minding the very deliberate pause after each and every word, we waited with baited breath to see another (hopefully correct) word miraculously appear on our somewhat blurry little screens. It was fun! It was frustrating! It was not very practical. Back then, the couple of wired headset microphone choices available to us were more than adequate. In 1996, NaturallySpeaking continuous speech recognition was released. With the emergence of this new technology, we had a viable tool for professional as well as personal use. That being the case, we needed microphones designed to better utilize this increasingly more sophisticated software. Microphone manufacturers responded. They designed wireless systems. They designed combination headset microphones that could additionally be used with cell phones, landlines and even hydraulic lifters which picked up our handsets for us. While noise canceling and accuracy continued to improve, ultimately many of us still were not happy with our headset microphones, finding them to be rather inconvenient and/or uncomfortable. Physicians and other professionals were often forced to don and then remove their headsets every few minutes, between patients or clients. Other end users, needing to take verbal notes while talking on the phone, put their callers on hold, which was both inefficient and impolite. While handheld microphones such as the Philips SpeechMike Air now allow concurrent use of both a microphone and a telephone, they don’t solve all problems for all end users. Some of us simply need to keep both hands free. Fortunately, microphone manufacturers have also been busily designing high quality desktop microphones. A desktop microphone just might be your best option if:

• You find headset microphones to be uncomfortable
• You like to listen to music through high fidelity headphones while working
• You are physically disabled
• You are self-conscious about wearing a headset in front of others
• You don’t need to be wireless
• You NEED to keep both hands free
• You dislike having to continuously don and remove your headset
• You take the time to arrange your hair just the way you like it and THAT IS HOW YOU WANT TO KEEP IT!

Below is a general consensus of 12 of the world's top speech recognition experts on the pros and cons of what they believe to be the top 5 desktop microphones, followed by our recommendations (rating them from 1^st through 5^th place).

Pros & Cons

Speechware 3-in-1 Pros: MSRP: $279 Accuracy: 100% Noise Cancellation: 9 out of 10 Overall Rating: 10 out of 10

• 100% Accuracy
• Belgian engineering (think Mercedes)
• The most accurate desktop microphone we have tested
• NEW "De Clicking" algorithm (2nd-generation exclusive) ~ The"De Clicking" algorithm filters out keystroke taps, table thumps etc. (clicking) from reaching NaturallySpeaking
• Recipient of Nuance's highest (5 Dragon “Best of Class”) rating
• Detachable microphone boom for easier storage and transport
• Unusually high noise cancellation for desktop microphone
• End-user Programmable On/Off/ momentary switch
• Includes an option to bypass the built-in gooseneck microphone with a headset microphone (for working in noisier environments) which allows you to use the base as a noise filtering USB soundcard.
• The only desktop microphone that can be preset to turn on when booting your computer. This can be especially important to the physically disabled.
• Includes headphone jack and volume controls
• The 1st microphone to include separate specialized settings for speech recognition mode and VoIP/Skype mode
• Speech recognition mode includes a specialized Adaptive Noise Canceling algorithm
• 1st desktop microphone to include Automatic Gain Control
• Only desktop microphone to feature 2 dedicated volume controls for sound playback
• Only desktop microphone to feature a dedicated mic sensitivity control to reject unwanted background noise
• Built-in exclusive audio filtering USB soundcard
• Extremely accurate up to 24 inches (that’s no typo) but can be utilized at even further distances thanks to the built-in Automatic Gain Control feature
• The upcoming 6-in-1 unit (due to be released in early April of 2012) additionally adds a foot pedal option to toggle the microphone on and off, playback speaker and an extra USB port.
• The upcoming 9-in-1 unit (due to be released in early May of 2012) additionally adds a 2nd USB port, telescoping (adjustable) gooseneck, SD card reader and a programmable button to control other applications.
• 2 year manufacturer warranty

SpeechWare 3-in-1 Cons:

• Slightly more expensive than competitive units

Buddy Desktop DSP Pros: MSRP: $170 Accuracy: 98% Noise Cancellation: 7 out of 10 Overall Rating: 8 out of 10 Note that we did not include other types of Buddy microphones, such as the Buddy Gooseneck and Buddy Flamingo, in our testing because they incorporate the same microphone element (without a base).  

• 98% Accuracy with new integrated 7G USB soundcard
• Built-in noise filtering USB soundcard
• Includes microphone mute button
• Accurate up to 8 inches away
• Excellent price value
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Buddy Desktop & Buddy Desktop DSP Cons:

• Currently requires sending the unit to Canada for service and warranty repairs
• Limited (2 to 5 inch) microphone range (9 to 11 inches with the Buddy Desktop DSP)

Audix USB 12 Pros: MSRP: $179 Accuracy: 97% Noise Cancellation: 6 out of 10 Overall Rating: 6 out of 10

• Lowest priced USB desktop microphone
• Headphone jack for optional sound out
• Similar accuracy to the higher-priced discontinued Buddy Desktop 6G
• Button can be programmed to work as an on-off switch or push to talk
• Smallest footprint of any desktop microphone, requiring the least amount of table space
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Audix USB 12 Cons:

• Not quite as accurate as the new Buddy 7G which has replaced the 6G
• We experienced some unwanted pops and plosives when dictating within the limited 2 inch range. We were able to remedy this by speaking off to the side of the microphone.
• This microphone had a limited 2 inch range, but was actually slightly more accurate from within 1 inch. This concerned us.
• We found the 12 inch boom to be a little shorter than we would like in some situations.
• We do not like membrane buttons at all. We prefer a true hardware button with more of a click feel like the other desktop microphones.

Olympus ME31 Pros: MSRP: $200 Accuracy: 97% Noise Cancellation: 7 out of 10 Overall Rating: 8 out of 10

• Perfect for digital recorders when recording seminars
• Accurate to within 3 feet and can be used from as far away as 4
• Gun style long-distance directional pickup pattern
• Very small footprint; similar to the Audix
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Olympus ME31 Cons:

• No built-in USB soundcard
• Slightly high priced for a microphone with no built-in USB soundcard
• No actual noise cancellation but because this microphone is highly directional, it marginally rejects sound from the sides and back
• This microphone should only be used in a quiet environment and may occasionally pick up keyboard key clicks

Sennheiser MD 431 II Pros: MSRP: $675 Accuracy: 100% Noise Cancellation: 10 out of 10 Overall Rating: 10 out of 10 Note: The Sennheiser MD 431 II is not really a desktop microphone but we included it in this comparison because of its popularity and the fact that is commonly used as a desktop speech recognition microphone.

• 100% Accuracy
• Stunning noise cancellation (Super cardioid microphone element works great for rejecting unwanted sound)
• Includes on/off slider switch
• 1 year manufacturer warranty

Sennheiser MD 431 II Cons:

• Roughly triple the price of the competition
• Limited 2 to 3 inch range
• This microphone’s unwieldy length makes it difficult to utilize as a desktop microphone because it was primarily designed for vocalists/musicians

Conclusions:

1st Place ~ SpeechWare 3-in-1, 6-in-1 and 9-in-1 (Click to See) The 3-in-1 simply blew our socks off (along with the competition) with devastating accuracy from within 21 inches, and was quite usable from as far away as 40 inches! The 3-in-1 introduces several new technologies built into the world's only speech recognition microphone that contains a circuit board with amenities like de-clicking (specialized filters that prevent NaturallySpeaking from hearing chair squeaks, keystrokes, lip smacks and coffee cup clinks) along with specialized NaturallySpeaking 11 algorithms for higher accuracy. This microphone additionally includes a bypass setting so that you can use it for podcasts, VoIP applications or earlier versions of NaturallySpeaking/DragonDictate. We also fell in love with the additional perks which include the option to add an external headset microphone, headphones, volume controls and a noise filtering USB soundcard. The MD 431 II was unbeatable from 2 to 3 inches but if you spend a significant amount of time dictating, it is all but impossible to comfortably maintain a 2 inch distance from your microphone over any given period of time. Most of us are working with larger monitors, taking phone calls, sorting or referring to papers, and dealing with interruptions and distractions of various sorts. We like to lean back in our chairs. We turn. We fidget. We stretch. Because of the extended range of the 3-in-1 microphone, we have found nothing to match its accuracy when dictating beyond 3 inches. Additional manufacturer information available at www.TableMike.com This review was dictated with the SpeechWare 3-in-1 microphone and by the time I finished testing, I made the SpeechWare 3-in-1 my personal microphone of choice. I informed the fine folks at SpeechWare that the only way they would get back their 3-in-1 prototype was if they “pried it from my cold dead fingers” to quote someone, none of us will ever forget... They wisely elected to let me keep it J

2nd Place ~ Sennheiser MD 431 II (Click to See) This microphone is the measuring stick used against all other microphones. From within 2 inches, no microphone we have ever tested is more accurate or more noise canceling. The Sennheiser was significantly more noise canceling than any other desktop microphone. However, negative aspects include a sticker shock price tag of $500 (MAP pricing), unwieldy length for positioning as a desktop microphone and the limited 2 inch range (requiring users to lock their bodies into one position over long periods of time). You can optionally purchase a swing-arm for this microphone, allowing you to change positions, but that increases the price even more. Although this is the most noise canceling and accurate desktop microphone we've ever tested, the 3 negative aspects dropped it down to 4th place. Additional manufacturer information available at www.sennheiserusa.com

3rd Place ~ Buddy Desktop 7G DSP (Click to See) What can we say other than this is the classic desktop microphone that all other manufacturers mimic, and it has recently been improved with the 7G USB soundcard and the introduction of a new process called FilteredAudio (exclusive to the DSP model) . We felt this was a great microphone and continue to carry it on our website because of the price (only slightly higher than the Audix USB 12) and quality. Additional manufacturer information available at www.insyncspeech.com

4th Place ~ Olympus ME31 (Click to See) This is a great microphone with good accuracy for long distance dictation of up to 4 feet and quite accurate within 3 feet. If you need long-distance, this is your best choice but the noise canceling aspects and price lower this microphone to 5th place. Additional manufacturer information available at www.olympusamerica.com

  5th Place ~ Audix USB 12 (Nothing to See) Although this is a reasonable speech recognition microphone, it is only included in the “top 6” because of the lower price. We personally didn't feel the slightly lower price justified offering it on our website, considering how much better the other units scored. Additional manufacturer information available at www.audixusa.com

Previous Reviews:
If you would like to see some of our previous reviews check out the following: KnowBrainer TableMike Face-Off KnowBrainer Handheld Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer Headset Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer Telephone Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer Digital Recorder Face-Off KnowBrainer Wireless Microphone Face-Off KnowBrainer USB Soundcard Face-Off (coming soon)

Current Gold Standards: The following is a list of microphones that we consider to be #1 in their microphone categories we: Best Wireless Microphone = Samson Airline 77 Best Combo Telephone Wireless Microphone = Jabra Pro 9470 Best Handheld USB Microphone = Dictaphone PowerMic II Best USB TableMike = SpeechWare 3-in-1 / SpeechWare 6-in-1 Best Wired Headset Microphone = Audio-Technica Pro 8HEmW Best Bluetooth “like” Wireless Microphone = Plantronics Savi 440* Best Digital Recorder = Olympus DS-7000 Best Speech Recognition Application = NaturallySpeaking 11.5 & DMPE

  *Bluetooth Note: The Plantronics Savi 440 is not a Bluetooth microphone but comes seemingly close by emulating the features of a Bluetooth microphone because it includes a completely wireless headset and wireless receiver. We do not recommend any Bluetooth microphones for use with Dragon Medical 11, NaturallySpeaking 11, DragonDictate 2.5 or WSR because Bluetooth microphones are limited to a 4 kHz frequency response while the previously mentioned speech recognition applications can process frequencies as high as 11 kHz. Bluetooth also suffers from syncing issues and that's why we no longer offer or rate Bluetooth microphones. Lunis Orcutt - Developer of KnowBrainer 2011 and founder of KnowBrainer Speech Recognition Forums (the world's largest speech recognition forum) Chat Live w/a Nuance Gold Certified Speech Recognition Solutions Provider

Philips Premium SpeechMike LFH 3500 with Dragon Medical

Philips Premium SpeechMike LFH 3500 as a DeskTop Microphone and product overview
If you would like a complete review visit http://www.knowbrainer.com/NewStore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=450&idcategory=54 or give us a call at 615-884-4558

Buddy StylusMic 7G with Dragon Medical

Buddy StylusMic 7G Product Overview

Dictaphone Powermic II

Dictaphone Powermic II Product Overview If you would like more information about this product visit us at http://www.knowbrainer.com or give us a call at 615-884-4558