Best Video Call Accessories (for Meetings, Online Classes, Podcasting etc.)
Video calling family, friends, work colleagues or tutor? We've found the best accessories to make your online chats rock
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There's a boatload of great free video chat software out there today. So whether you want to connect with your loved ones, hop on a meeting with colleagues or enjoy virtual tuition, you're spoilt for choice.
One thing is for sure though - you can improve the quality of video calls tenfold by treating yourself to some essential add-ons.
From the best headsets to help reduce background noise to the best webcams that'll be a good upgrade from your lame laptop camera, we've found the best video call tools with flexible easy to use features.
Best Headsets
A no-brainer way to improve your video call experience is to use a headset. The best headsets for Zoom, Google Hangouts and Co not only improve the audio sound of your calls and prevent annoying feedback, but they add a more private and personal vibe.
All in all, investing in a headset that offers decent background noise cancellation would be a wise move. Here are some of the best on the market we found:
1. Jabra Evolve 40 (Wired Headset)
- UC Headset for VOIP applications
- USB controller unit
- Premium noise cancellation
- USB adapter with 3.5mm jack
The Jabra Evolve 40 offers excellent sound quality and impressive noise cancellation. The integrated busy light means, as a bonus, you'll not be bothered by anyone because they'll know you're on a call.
The USB connection allows you to change the headset lights when you're in the middle of your video chat via the Jabra Evolve software. Couple this feature with the clear, crisp sound, and this headset is a winner to help you drown out the noise when you're working.
You'll love: The plush leather-feel ear cushions that'll make your video chats a breeze as you'll forget you have headphones on.
- Rotating noise cancelling microphone design
- In-line volume and mute control with LED mute indicator
- Plug-and-play convenience
- Advanced digital USB
- Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X
The Logitech H390 USB headset is your safe bet if you're on a leaner budget. Used for gaming, taking lessons, listening to audio or making video conference calls, the H390s are a versatile and reliable headset.
You won't get stunning surround sound or deep bass at this price, but you'll get clear, bright audio that'll make your video chats a much more enjoyable experience.
You'll love: Out the box noise-cancelling that's designed explicitly for Skype use.
- 40ft/12m range Lag-free 2.4 GHz wireless audio
- 24-hours battery life
- Exclusive ClearCast background noise cancellation
- S1 speaker drivers with 7.1 surround sound on PC
The SteelSeries Arctis 7 headset is a premium choice for video chat software users who demand the best audio quality. The addition of a built-in equaliser means you can adjust the sound to your taste, and the retractable mic is a clever feature too.
With lag-free 2.4 GHz wireless audio, the range on these cans is 40ft/12m. And if you're a musician, I know you'll agree - the fewer wires, the better! Comfortable, stylish and cracking sound quality, you need to check these cans for yourself.
You'll love: The 'live mic preview' feature, which allows you to hear your own voice volume during setup.
Good To Know For Music Students: Because your tutor needs to hear your instrument on a video call lesson clearly, relying solely on a headsets microphone may or may not be adequate for clearly picking up your guitar/bass/piano.
Don't stress though; as part of your introduction lesson, a good music tutor should help you tweak your setup to get the ideal sound to ensure you have the best lesson experience.
Best USB Microphone
If you want to improve the sound quality of your video calls, one of your first add-on choices should be a decent microphone. Whether you've got the latest Macbook Pro or a tired old PC, an external mic is guaranteed to be an immense improvement to your current set-up.
Check out these 3 top-rated USB mics:
- Plug and play on Mac or PC
- Skype certified improves call sound quality tenfold
- Desktop mic stand and USB cable included
- Record vocals, guitar, or a band
Are you looking for a high-quality sounding microphone for your computer you can use for things such as video chat, recording and streaming? Snowball iCE gives you pro-sounding audio that'll blow your laptop microphone out of the water. It's even Skype certified for those of you using the flagship VoIP.
Simple to use, you just plug and play. You also can use a suspended boom arm or the inbuilt tripod arms.
You'll love: The clear directional sound that ensures the mic just picks up your voice and/or instrument and not the background room noise.
- 3 condenser capsules to choose from
- Gain control, mute button, zero-latency headphone output
- Multiple pattern options inc cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional & stereo
- Desktop mic stand and USB cable included
- Record vocals, guitar, MSN, Youtube, Facetime, Skype etc
The Blue Yeti is the industry standard USB microphone. It's the No 1 choice for recording vocals, instruments, podcasting, voiceovers, field recordings, and taking conference calls. If you're serious about your Skype lessons and want an enviable home set-up, the Yeti is for you.
Built like a tank and sturdy, this great mic is perfect for home, office, and studio use and less for mobile use we'd say.
You'll love: The super cool looking colour options. From Aztec Copper, Lunar Grey, Platinum, Slate to Teal.
- Switchable cardioid or omnidirectional pickup patterns
- Custom compact design that clips to a laptop or sits on a desk
- Plug and play compatible with Mac + PC
- Affordable price
- USB digital output
The Samson Go is a genuinely portable clip-on condenser mic that'll give you the option of making video calls, recording, podcasting or whatever you feel like, both at home and on the move.
The Go offers a solid build quality with a stable base the microphone can be folded away into- very handy. You can also mount the Samson Go on a tripod purchased separately. A protective travel case is also included with the mic.
You'll love: The retro styling and small size of this microphone make it a winner for those looking for a convenient plug and play mic option.
Best Bluetooth Speaker
Hey, Music students: Sorry to say this, but your laptop, tablet or smartphone won't give you good enough sound quality to enjoy the full benefits of a music lesson over Skype.
Thankfully, Bluetooth speakers are a clever cost-effective way of upgrading your sound system if you don't want to use headphones to solve this problem. Have a little peek at these 3 highly-rated Bluetooth speakers we found for you:
1. Anker SoundCore Bluetooth Stereo Speaker
- Impressive Battery Life of 24-hours
- Bluetooth 4.0 with instant pairing to your smartphone, tablet or computer
- 6W Dual-Driver
- Patented bass port and built-in microphone for calls
- 18-month warranty included
Be it your laptop or smartphone you use on your Skype lessons, whatever your Bluetooth enabled device is, the Anker SoundCore portable Bluetooth speaker works flawlessly with all. It also packs a real audio punch for a modest price.
You get lossless CD-quality sound delivered from up to 66 feet away with this speaker meaning you'll hear everything your teacher plays in stunning clarity during your online lessons.
You'll love: The speaker's solid build and zero sound distortion even when pushed to higher volumes.
2. JBL Flip 5 Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker
- 3000 mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery with 12 hour life
- IPX7 waterproof speaker you can submerge in water
- JBL Connect+ technology
- Wirelessly connect up to 2 bluetooth enabled devices
The JPL Flip 5 waterproof Bluetooth speaker delivers phenomenal bass-rich sound for its size. From listening to music on your smartphone to watching Youtube and taking video calls on your laptop, the JBL will make you wonder why you waited so long to ditch your device's tinny built-in speakers.
And with the Flip 5's handy portable dimensions, those on-the-go hotel rooms Skype lessons never sounded so good.
You'll love: The epic colour choice, including Teal, Blue, Grey, Red, Black, White and Camo.
3. Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker
- Lithium-ion battery with 16 hours of playtime
- Rocking Bose technology
- Water-resistant
- Bose Connect app available to add bluetooth connections
- Wireless range up to 9 m (30 ft)
It's not the cheapest speaker on our list, but thanks to the trusty Bose technology, the Soundlink Bluetooth Speaker sounds fantastic and connects easily to any of your Bluetooth devices.
The deep sound and impressive volume capabilities make the Soundlink an ideal choice for amplifying the audio from any tutorial video call from Skype to Facetime to Google Hangouts.
You'll love: The lush, velvety matte finish on the speaker's soft-touch silicone exterior.
Best Webcam
Many modern internal computer cameras are good, but you're more likely to get much better results from spending a little extra on an external webcam.
And because It's crucial you and your tutor can clearly see each other, particularly during a music Skype lesson, adding a USB webcam to your home studio rig may be the best move you make all year. Check out 3 of the best webcams for Skype right here:
1. Logitech C920 HD Pro USB 1080p Webcam
- Full HD 1080p video calling up to 1920 x 1080 pixels
- Integrated H.264 compression giving fluid HD videos and fast, smooth uploads
- Mac and PC compatible
- Great budget option for Skype, Google Hangout, Zoom etc.
The Logitech C920 features a 15-megapixel camera for capturing still images. The webcam shoots and streams in Full HD at 1080p, and users report it also records natural-sounding stereo audio.
Perfect for any Skype students who fancy splashing out and treating themselves, this 1080p webcam is a worthy upgrade to many devices' standard 720p camera.
You'll love: The built-in dual stereo mics with automatic noise reduction.
- 720 p at 60 fps, visual fidelity during streaming
- 5600K daylight-balanced ring light
- Foldable small design
This broadcasting camera comes complete with an inbuilt Ringlight. Perfect for anything from Zoom and Skype meetings to live streaming on Twitch, the Razor Keyo webcam streams at high rates.
The top-notch ring light offers different levels of light output. While the microphone is ideal for most users' needs, you'll want to go for an external mic if you're streaming video content.
You'll love: The helpful green LED mic light that lets you know you're live - no more embarrassing conversations about what's for dinner being heard by work colleagues then.
3. Logitech C270 HD Webcam
- 1280 x 720 screen resolution
- HD 720p video calling and HD video recording
- Mac and PC compatible
- Good cheap option from Logitech
If you want to maximise your Zoom or Google Hangout user experience but don't want to fork out too much money on a webcam, you won't go wrong with the Logitech C270.
The 720p video calling on the C270, whilst not as high as two other 1080p cameras on our list, still allows your online teacher to see you clearly. Don't expect the internal mic to be of great quality at this price. Therefore purchasing a separate microphone is your safest bet if you decide to go for this webcam.
You'll love: The small portable size that won't take up too much real-estate sat on top of your computer.
Best Headphones
Headphones optimise the sound quality for you and the other person on video calls. Also, sometimes when making a video call over software like Zoom or Teams, your speakers can feed back into your microphone, resulting in you hearing your voice or instrument echoed back.
Whilst the software does a decent job of preventing this, a pair of headphones will fully eradicate it.
1. Sony MDR-ZX110NA Overhead Noise Cancelling Headphones
- 30mm Neodymium Driver
- Up To 80 Hours Of Battery Life
- Smartphone capable headphones with in-line remote mic
- Noise-isolating design
The Sony MDRs are a stellar choice for those on a budget but want to get some noise-cancelling headphones to make VoIP calls a breeze.
Sony claim you get a 95% reduction in ambient noise with these lightweight headphones, and many online reviewers agree that's not far off the mark. All in all, these cans have decent bass and treble, making them great value for money.
You'll love: The small price tag compared to other noise-cancelling headphones on the market.
2. AKG (N60) Noise Cancelling Headphones
- 40 mm Drivers
- 30 hours battery life
- High-performance, active noise-cancelling
- Bluetooth enabled for audio and calls
With flawless Bluetooth connectivity, the AKG N60s solve the issue of annoying wires when you're trying to enjoy your online lesson.
You'll get deep rich sound from these overhead headphones, and many users report the sound quality is equally as good over wired or wireless connection. What more excuses do you need to take Skype lessons?
You'll love: The premium build quality makes these AKG headphones feel like they're considerably more expensive than they are.
3. Sennheiser HD 599 Closed Back Headphones
- Noise isolating closed back design
- Compatible with many audio devices including phones, tablets and computer
- In-line remote and microphone for controlling music and calls
- 115 dB SPL Sound level
An important feature that headphones you intend to use for your online lessons must have is comfort. After all, they're going to be sat on your head sometimes for hours at a time. Introducing then - the Sennheiser HD 599's.
Yes, they're pricey, but you not only get hi-fi sound quality but comfy thick pads that make these premier headphones a joy to wear and a joy to experience audio through. If you're after a joyous audio experience on both video calls and when listening to your tunes, these bad boys are for you.
You'll love: The powerful bass balanced with sweet mids and highs combine to make the sound quality night and day above your usual cheap headphones.
Summing It Up
It doesn't matter if you're making video calls for work meetings, hanging out virtually with friends or live streaming; it's worth investing in some accessories to make your experience stress-free.
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