I am an emergency physician.  I plan to dictate all my notes with DNS9.  I am hesitating between these 2 microphones.  I've seen your comments about the CS55 but is it worth the price?  I won't use the telephone option.  Should I get the CS50 in the place?

Thanks for the answers,

Jeff Noel

If you don't need the telephone option then the CS50-USB is definitely the way to go.  Both microphones are almost identical but as an additional bonus, you get a built-in soundcard with the CS50-USB.

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Thanks.  And is the difference between the CS50 and the Sennheiser ME3 worth the price?

jfnoel,

And how important is accuracy to you? If you are doing professional dictation where you must stand by your words legally and have the most accuracy in terms of having the fewest corrections, the Sennheiser Headset and maybe one or two other microphones is at the top of the list for accuracy and noise canceling.

If you need the convenience of the wireless microphone, then the Plantronics will serve you well.

Martin

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Martin Markoe - BANNED USER: This user has been banned from these forums

I work in an emergency room so accuracy is very important to me. I don't want to have to correct my notes every now and then.  The wireless system is apealing though because I'm always running everywhere...Hard to choose...

If you work in an ED, then you probably go to a computer somewhere in the Department to dictate, right?  Why don't you consider a mic on a boom - fastened on the desk that holds the computer?  This way there is nothing to take off (i.e., no headset, no lapel mic) - you can just get up and go.  When you want to dictate, you just sit down at the desk, pull the mic/boom over - and dictate! 

I have the Sennheiser MD431 II on a boom fastened to my desk - and that also leaves both my hands free to look at my notes, the chart, etc. (I'm a Registered Nurse and I maintain a medical malpractice claims database for hospitals and physicians).  My accuracy is usually 99%-100% almost all the time.  The mic needs to be positioned so it is right below your mouth, and slightly off to the side in a vertical position so that when you talk, you are talking down on to the top of the mic.  I swear by the MD431 II - and wouldn't have any other!  Sure - it's more costly - but it's a once-only price and is WELL WORTH the cost.  I've had mine now for about 6 years - how much does that come out to - per year?  I would like to try the lapel Sennheiser - but really can't justify paying another $500 + or - for a second Sennheiser.....

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Dana Joan - Vero Beach, FL  - 

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical, Version 10.1; General Medical Large Vocabulary; Windows 7 Ultimate (on desktop); Windows XP Professional SR 3 (on laptop) and Sennheiser MD 431 II mic with the Andrea USB pod on both computers; LAPTOP: HP Compaq 8710p; Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T7300 @ 2.00 GHz 2.00 GHz; 2.00 GB RAM; DESKTOP: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU @ 2.66 GHz 2.67 GHz; 2.00 GB RAM.

I dictate my notes on my notebook connected to hospital network.  I bring my laptop everywhere I go: ER, office, ICU,...My mike can't be boomed on a desk.  It has to be easy to bring everywhere.

Jeff-

 Perhaps you've heard all you want, but I would vote for the ME3.  I use one reguarly in the context of a busy nursing unit in an academic medical center where the noise, the phones, and other distracting and contaminating noises are non-stop and loud!  The ME3 works incredibly well in this environment.

 Good luck!

 Jon

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Jon Wahrenberger, MD
Speech Recognition Solutions
www.speechrecsolutions.com

 

Thanks Jon. But don't you find it annoying always having to wear on and wear off the mike with wires?  What would you think about always keeping the mike on your head (like the CS50)?

 I'm still hesitating...thanks again

Jeff

Jeff,

> But don't you find it annoying always having to wear on and wear off the mike with wires?

See point 5 below. You can quick disconnect from the computer without taking the microphone on and off.

In a noisy/busy medical environment, we have been recommending the equally accurate and noise canceling microphone called theBoom. This is because:
1. It is extremely lightweight and unobtrusively hangs over your ear.
2. It is as accurate and noise canceling as the Sennheiser ME3.
3. It has an earphone for playback.
4. It has a push to mute switch which is useful if someone comes over to talk to you while you're dictating.
5. It has a quick disconnect connector at the 2 1/2 foot point, not like at the 5 foot point on an unmodified ME3 or at 8 feet with the new improved 8' cable and connector specially manufactured for eMicrophones, Inc. Sennheiser ME3.

Martin

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Martin Markoe - BANNED USER: This user has been banned from these forums

Jeff-

 I've never thought of it being annoying per se, but agree that it would be ideal if there was a way to avoid putting a mic off and on between patients.  A couple of years back I built a "hybrid" between a handheld Philips SpeechMike and a Sennheiser ME3.  It's a little strange looking and is expensive but combines the convenience and programability of the SpeechMike and accuracy/noise canceling abilities of the Sennheiser ME3.  Two of my colleagues use one of these regularly.

I notice that a number of my colleagues see patients with laptop in hand, typing as they interact with patients.   Somehow I find this a bit impersonal.  Maybe for the same reason I'd be reluctant to see patients with a microphone attached to my head or ear.  I'm afraid it might be distracting for the patient, but who knows.  Once of my sisters told me her doctor types in a laptop as he sees patients and she thought this was way high-tech and "cool".

I'll be interested to hear what you finally decide upon.

Good luck in your explorations!

 Jon

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Jon Wahrenberger, MD
Speech Recognition Solutions
www.speechrecsolutions.com