WFH headphones/microphone

[ThePurpleOctopus]

I can't seem to find the right key words to use for search for what I need.

I've been using a standard set of wired earbud headphones into my laptop. But now me and DH are sharing our office space a couple of days each week, and my colleagues/clients can hear him talking if he's on a call too.

What do I need that means I can put headphones on for my calls, but also dampens background noise behind me. Is that a thing?

Sony XM4 or 5 or Bose quiet comfort are great for this. Cheaper versions are Anker Soundcore Q30s or similar. Active noise cancelling or hybrid are what you need.

I’m not sure anything will accurately do this. I’ve got AirPod Pros with really good active noise cancelling; they blocked out my toddler shouting right in my ear 😅 but they don’t block out my husband talking, I guess they can’t differentiate between my call and his.

I’ve got some Bose headphones which are the same, but I prefer the AirPods!

Can you be in separate rooms for calls?

I use a Jabra headset (expensive but I got it on ebay - I could have expensed one but wanted to be able to try different ones) and that works incredibly well. My builders were drilling walls in the room below me the other day and on the call no one could tell

I also have Jabra, provided by work.

I work in our garage and when my neighbours Gardner I'd hear the noise is quite loud as petrol mower etc.

However no one else can hear it if I'm on a call etc.

Thanks all! Massively appreciate the fast responses.

@YouveGotAFastCar - for 'big/important' client calls we can do that (and will), but we both have a fair few internal calls, sometimes spontaneous, that seem to be problematic. Or at least, I don't want to wait until it IS problematic for anyone.

The Jabra suggestion is interesting, and they do look good. I can see 'noise isolating' and 'noise cancelling', so assume perhaps the latter is better?

These are £50, which is totally affordable (the £200 ones less so!) - amazon.co.uk/Jabra-Wireless-Bluetooth-Earbuds-Built-Dark-Grey/dp/B099BPTP7S/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2IUQPZSQCUH3U&keywords=jabra&qid=1694518074&sprefix=jabra%2Caps%2C72&sr=8-4&th=1

Would these be ok?

I have this one but with usb connection. It has a noise cancelling microphone which I assume means it cancels out background noise/voices.

amzn.eu/d/igoD4kx

I'm not sure how the earbuds would perform

I live in these headphones:

Go for second hand Jabra evolves - the boom mike means that it is much better at filtering out speech than earbud type ones can be where they are relatively far from your mouth

Yep you need a directional mic I think. I have these - I have never actually used them with someone else talking in the same room (as I don't think I could cope with this) but they're very good for background noise.

That's not a headphones / earbuds issue.

You might need a cardioid mic if you only want it to pick up your voice speaking directly into the mic.

Noise cancelling headphones will help you by reducing the background noise you hear but they won't help the people on the other end of your call who are hearing what your mic picks up.