Extreme Professional Throat Mic - ArniesAirsoft

Author

R22Master

Dionysus

Registered: September 2004
Location: Static in the UK, but wishing I was motorbiking around the world - UK > Europe > Russia > Alaska > USA > UK.
Posts: 3,372

Review Date: 15/8/05

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: �45.00 | Rating: 9

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	VERY clear sound quality - both talking and listening, easy to use, never get in the way, very useful push-to-talk button, weatherproof
Cons:	Microphone modules sometimes slip down when sweating

I was aprehensive. I mean, how could a microphone that takes the sound from your throat, before your teeth and tongue had formed words, send your message clearly and concisely to your recipient(s)?

Well, I was wrong.

First Impressions

I got my Firefox Extreme throat mic from Airsoftmart at the Arnie-Geddon 2005 event (they were the official Airsoft retailer at the event), and I am glad I did. I wanted something that would not get in the way, be ever-ready for my barked commands, and simply do the job without me having to pander to their technical niggles. Well, the Firefox Extreme throat mic set did exactly that.

After opening up the shrink wrap (and being amazed by how small the product actually was), I connected it to my newly acquired Motorola Talkabout radio set (also procured by Airsoftmart), and started using it - it really was that simple.

Sound Quality

First thing I noticed was that incoming communications were crystal clear and VERY loud, thanks to the sound-tubes used by this model. Sound tubes are a different arrangement from the traditional ear-phones you find on most auxilliary headsets. On normal headsets, you wear the earphones (mini-speakers) in or next to your ear. Sound tubes are different. They use a special speaker which is actually located at the back of your neck and the sound reverberates down hollow rubber tubes until it reaches the earpieces that are plugged directly in to your ear. This made for excellent sound quality - far better than I am normally used to and a very pleasant surprise. The sound was as loud as I want it, and with the volume turned all the way up, more than enough for any noisey background I care to wander through.

Now the test that I was sure this device was going to fail - the transmission of my voice clearly to other radio users. I transmitted with gay abandon and was continually asking other marshals at the event if they could hear me ok. The response always came back "Yeah mate, loud and clear". This surprised me, so later at the event, I used a second radio set to listen to the quality that I was actually sending. It really was clear - VERY clear. I was quite frankly shocked. I figured that at best, this mic set would transmit a sort of garbled mumble, but it didn't. It was as clear as if I had been holding a good quality microphone in front of my mouth.

So, it is easy to set up out of the box, the sound received is great and the sound transmitted is great. What next?

Wearing the Throat Mic

The throat mic is basically an elasticated plastic semi-circle that wraps around your throat, and two transparent rubber tubes that lead to each ear. Together with the cable that runs to the radio and the Push-To-Talk button, this makes up the entire set.

For best results when transmitting your voice, the microphones must be aligned to your throat, NOT your lower neck. This is an error I made early on in the tests, as I just slung the microphone module around the base of my neck and realised my speech was not all that clear. After moving the microphones up towards my 'adam's-apple' (voice-box) the sound I was transmitting became crystal clear.

The throat section is actually VERY comfortable. I had reservations before I had tried this as I figured it would feel like a kitten trying to strangle me, but it was actually very comfortable and I wore it for several 12 hour sessions without it feeling uncomfortable in the slightest.

However, when under extreme physical exertion, sweat that accumulates on the neck and throat can cause the microphones to slip lower than they should be and the transmitted voice quality can suffer as a result. It is easy to feel when this has happened though and it only takes one hand and two seconds to re-adjust the mics back in to position.

This set also comes with an auxiliary weatherproof Push-To-Talk switch which has a velcro mount and strap. The strap is very small - too small to fit round your wrist and most rifle foregrips. However, it fits round collar-straps, pistol-grips, PMR radios, your belt and many other things you are likely to have on your person during a skirmish. Plus, as it is velcro, you can attach it to most other velcro surfaces such as tac-vests and holsters. Basically, you can put this switch wherever you want it for easy access. It has a long enough cable to go anywhere and isn't going to be phased by rain or mud, so the sky is the limit.

Conclusion

Wow! I am impressed. I got this set thinking it would never be more than a fun novelty, but how wrong I was. These function VERY well, are very comfortable, are reliable, very clear both for sending and receiving comms, and will accompany me on every future skirmish I attend.

If you take your radio communications seriously, I at least ask that you try the Firefox extreme as it surprised the hell out of me.

Future Tests

To thoroughly put this Firefox Extreme throat mic set though its paces, I intend to put it through the following tests in the near future.

Firstly, I will test this set while wearing an S-10 respirator. This will be a good test to see if the restricted airflow has any effect on the clarity of my transmitted voice.

Secondly, I will test this set while flying a helicopter. I am a helicopter pilot and there is a HUGE amount of background noise while piloting these beasts, so this will give the ultimate test of how background noise will affect the clarity of my voice while flying.

I will edit this review and add the results as I perform each test.

So far though, in Airsoft skirmish conditions, I give this set a resounding 9 out of 10. Smile

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rallymad_nad

Registered: January 2005
Location: Sussex
Posts: 561

Review Date: 10/2/06

Would you recommend the product? Yes | Price you paid?: �43.00 | Rating: 10

Positive aspects of the product (pros):	Silent incoming comms
Cons:	Cost

Had a few teething troubles with this when I got it, like the mics wouldnt work but then one day it just worked!

Main reason I brought it was to silent incoming comms to stop giving away my position. It does that just fine, also with the ability with the PTT to send msgs in the heat of the action a lot easier, know full well that everyone can hear me, even when whispering.

Cant really add much more that hasnt been said. I went for this over the other Firefox products because in the event of faliure of either tube or mic there is still another backup.

Recommended to the rest of my team who have done and are purchasing.