[SOLVED] Should I enable "Mono" in sound settings when using headphones ?

[ShangWang]

I have a laptop and am using the Razer Blackshark V2 X to connect to a single headphone jack. This is my first headset I'm dealing with.

Should I turn mono audio on when using the headset and turn it off when I'm using my laptop speakers? What is the quality difference?



On a side note, is it ok to blow/breathe/yell into a headset microphone? Can the moisture or wind significantly damage a product like the Blackshark, or is it ok? Will having a fuzzy microphone protect it from such things, or does it just reduce the sound? Is there any real microphone quality difference with this fuzzy thing on or not?

Can they be cleaned with a quick alcohol wipe?

 

[hang-the-9]

Not sure if you know what the mono setting does, but it turns off stereo separation so all the audio signal is the same in L and R ears. That is a bad idea to do except in some very specific cases. Where did you get the idea to enable that? Don't think I ever ran across any audio guides that said to do that with a headset.

If it was not OK to breath or yell into a mic that would be one badly made mic. Of course a cover would protect it more than not having one, but unless you are always yelling and spitting up on the thing it's not an issue.

Yes you can clean it with an alcohol wipe, just not a really wet one so nothing seeps inside.

 

[ShangWang]

Not sure if you know what the mono setting does, but it turns off stereo separation so all the audio signal is the same in L and R ears. That is a bad idea to do except in some very specific cases. Where did you get the idea to enable that? Don't think I ever ran across any audio guides that said to do that with a headset.

If it was not OK to breath or yell into a mic that would be one badly made mic. Of course a cover would protect it more than not having one, but unless you are always yelling and spitting up on the thing it's not an issue.

Yes you can clean it with an alcohol wipe, just not a really wet one so nothing seeps inside.

Thank you, was just more curious about mono audio since it's an option.
So breathing/yelling/blowing would be ok generally on all mics and any moisture would evaporate fast enough to not cause damage?

Would you also say evaporation rate is about the same with a windshield and it's much safer to do what I described with them on? You're saying alcohol is fine to clean both the mic itself and the windshield material? I'm pretty sure alcohol will degrade the foam they're made of.

 

[hang-the-9]

Thank you, was just more curious about mono audio since it's an option.
So breathing/yelling/blowing would be ok generally on all mics and any moisture would evaporate fast enough to not cause damage?

Would you also say evaporation rate is about the same with a windshield and it's much safer to do what I described with them on? You're saying alcohol is fine to clean both the mic itself and the windshield material? I'm pretty sure alcohol will degrade the foam they're made of.

No don't use alchohol on the foam windscreen of the mic, and it all will be fine with normal use. You need to look like those anime people yelling and spitting up stuff before you get close to damaging a mic.

 

[ShangWang]

No don't use alchohol on the foam windscreen of the mic, and it all will be fine with normal use. You need to look like those anime people yelling and spitting up stuff before you get close to damaging a mic.

I see, I'll just use water/soap to wipe down the foam if needed. Soap won't damage it?