We just finished testing the Olympus ME-31 Compact Gun Microphone. This is not an array microphone that will pick up up sound from all directions. It is like the shotgun microphone used by newscasters on site to pick up sound from just a specific narrow direction. It has standard 1/8" analog connectors. We tested with and recommend the Andrea USB-SA USB sound pod to assure the best audio input.

Frankly, I've never met an array or shotgun microphone that was really great for speech recognition. They just seem to pick up too much noise. Although I try to set my prejudices aside when testing a microphone, I have to say I really had no illusions this would be any good.

With no backgroound noise, I ran the Audio Setup Wizard in Dragon 10 and received 19 signal to noise ratio. There also seems to be a fairly low noise floor in a quiet environment. I then dictated the 313 word/commands standard selection, "The Rainbow Passage." When testing, I never look up as I wish to concentrate on enunciation. This is because I can routinely achieve 100% accuracy with the best microphones even with background noise. This is not a perfect method of testing, but over the years has worked well.

To my surprise, there were only five errors, a 98.4% accuracy rate with only ambient noise, no obvious noise. The microphone sits under my monitor, just under 2 feet away, pointing at a 45° up angle directly at my mouth. My keyboard is on the desk between my mouth and the microphone. With the up pointing angle the keyboard clicks when making corrections did not introduce extraneous words.

The next part of the test was in moderate noise. The radio was playing in the background and I had my product manager Matthew ring the phone. Although the microphone is directional, I suspect it was picking up reflections and reverberations as accuracy dropped to 94%.

In a quiet environment this is a convenient microphone. You need not put on or take off the microphone. In a quiet office it can sit up to 2 feet away and not be in your face like some desktop mounted microphones. http://www.emicrophones.com/microphones/prod_details.asp?prodID=253 - CLICK HERE to see the Olympus ME-31. Click the, "click image to see larger version" link to see the microphone without the supplied windscreen.

Marty Markoe, eMicrophones, Inc.

Marty,

The Olympus ME31 Compact Gun Microphone made for a desktop sounds very impressive by the way you describe it.

I am especially interested that you mention that it is very noise cancelling coupled with the Andrea USB –SA Sound Pod.

I have are a few questions for you: -

As you know, I have a Buddy Desktop Mic which I am reasonably pleased with but, it does have a habit of picking up other sounds around me.

I will give you an example.  I will be dictating and then the wife walks in the room and starts talking to me from about 2 feet away.  My dictation will go berserk with a lot of old gobbledygook coming up on the screen and so she has to press the red button so that the orange light is flashing telling me it is temporarily off.

First question: would you say the Olympus ME31 is more noise cancelling than either my Buddy Desktop Mic or the Senneheiser ME3 Headset when coupled with a Buddy USB 6G Sound Adaptor?

Second question: Does the Olympus ME31 have a Jack on the end of its lead that connects straight into the Andrea USB –SA Sound Pod much like the Senneheiser ME3 Headset’s lead which has a Jack on the end which plugs straight into the Buddy USB 6G Sound Adaptor?

Third question: Is the Andrea USB –SA Sound Pod “Full Duplex” like the Buddy Desktop Mic is?

Thanks for the advice Marty.

It is just that I am willing now to trade my Buddy Desktop Mic to something that is more noise cancelling.

You mention that the “Senneheiser ME3 Headset” is the most noise cancelling out of the three I picked.

Let me ask you another question on the model.

As you know I am disabled from a car accident.  If I have the headset on my head, then I have no way of taking it off myself so I was wondering, if someone walks in the room, if I say “Stop Listening”, will it notice the noises around me like the Buddy does or if anybody comes into the room and starts talking will this affect it like the Buddy does or will I noticed a marked difference between the two?

As you know Marty, I am from the UK and I have been purchasing my microphone equipment from Graham from ITSpeaking, you probably know of him?  I suppose it would be too much trouble for me to get it abroad.

Now I sort of know the answer to this one but I just want you to confirm this. The desktop option microphone is obviously best for me because of my situation.

Eventually, I want to cut to the chase and get the best desktop option possible.  If I went for the “Senneheiser MD 431ll” which I believe does come with a 6 inch base so that you can use it as a desktop, would I be right in saying that this microphone is the best noise cancelling of the lot?

I have looked on Graham’s website and he does not show it so he may not stock it.

Could you give me a price Marty on that model complete with its base and convert it to £ Sterling?

Does the lead on that model have a “Jack plug”?

What would be the best sound pod to use with that model so that it would connect to my USB Port on the laptop?  Could you give me an idea also in pounds Sterling for this item?

Cheers