Another Headphones Thread....

[Koldov]

Looking at headphones for the ICT suites.

 

Not sure whether to go with pound shop jobs that will be a tangled mess after the first day and only last a week anyway or spending a bit more...

 

Something like these:

 

https://wishtrac.com/robust-stereo-school-headphones-red-black-1-1-1

 

Does anybody have any experience with these 'robust' headphones or the supplier?

 

Not sure if I can justify the £20 plus ones from TTS (unless they literally last forever - even so I think I will get some pushback from the BM), but at roughly £10 each these seem to be good amongst other similar ones at that price point.

[TechMonkey]

We go for the rugged ones that were available from Hills but now imported by Crusader.

Available as:

Double plug

4 pole plug

 

Give them a buzz as they can do classroom sets for differing numbers than shown on the website. I got a couple of sets of 20, come in a tub and with bags.

[StevieM]

We go for the rugged ones that were available from Hills but now imported by Crusader.

 

Crusader! That's it! (I was thinking Centurion, but I knew that wasn't right.)

 

Saw those headphones at EDIT, last year, and was very impressed*. Good to get feedback from someone who's used them with actual children.

 

*Just after I'd spent a load of money on inferior models.

[Koldov]

We go for the rugged ones that were available from Hills but now imported by Crusader.

 

Thanks for that. A couple of queries if I may (as they are actually in use at your school)...

 

They look like they are uncomfortable with that headband and who thought of red as a good idea for the ear pads (they will look dirty within a couple of uses - you know some kids hygeine isn't the best) - not sure I want it to be my job to clean them... Also, do you find they get detached/go missing easily?

 

Also microphone could come in handy occasionally, but it's unlikely that in a class of 30 that any of them will be able to record anything useful! Is it really robust enough not to get snapped off?

 

Not sure I like the idea of a volume control either (just another thing to go wrong/kids to fiddle with)...

 

I'm really looking for something basic and virtually unbreakable (but aren't we all), anyone got any feedback on these:

 

https://www.crusaderav.co.uk/flexible-almost-unbreakable-childrens-headphones/black/p-1000088/c-11685

 

I guess not as hygienic and also a little more expensive (not sure if the detachable cable is a plus or minus either)...

 

Next is to decide if the teachers can be trusted to get them out of the box and then return them all tidied and in a bag at the end of the lesson, or just to leave them out...

EDIT: Just read a bit further into the description and it is one of those 'microphone built in the cable types'... I wonder if this could be mitigated by supplying our own cables... The sharing 'port' option looks like a bonus though!

Edited January 9, 2020 by Koldov

[TechMonkey]

They look like they are uncomfortable with that headband and who thought of red as a good idea for the ear pads (they will look dirty within a couple of uses - you know some kids hygeine isn't the best) - not sure I want it to be my job to clean them... Also, do you find they get detached/go missing easily?

Never had any complaints about being uncomfortable and they do adjust, but I'm sure for an hour lesson they will suffice. Never noticed the ear pads getting dirty but they are silicone so a quick wipe should bring them up nicely. They need some effort to be taken off but they are meant to be removable so you can get them back on and you can buy replacements so you don't have to bin the whole headphone because you have no ear pads.

 

Also microphone could come in handy occasionally, but it's unlikely that in a class of 30 that any of them will be able to record anything useful! Is it really robust enough not to get snapped off?

We got the mic to cover all bases. I doubt they get made majorly but at one point the pupils were doing voice overs so they could at least do it. The mics are in solid booms so you would have to purposely try and bend it off or stamp on them to break. But this does mean no adjustment to get the best clarity

Not sure I like the idea of a volume control either (just another thing to go wrong/kids to fiddle with)...

Again never had an issue with the volume being broken, but we aren't a high breakage school. The biggest issue is getting called up because there is no sound and it is because the headphones volume is all the way down. You just get into a habit of turning the wheel at least a turn and most of the teachers now know to try this.

[Foresthippy]

We go for the rugged ones that were available from Hills but now imported by Crusader.

 

I've had experience of these in a primary school ICT suite. After a short time, all the red ear pads were ripped off and they're then unusably uncomfortable. The kids are not a particularly destructive bunch either.

[Sonic007]

We purchased cheap in ear headphones and gave them free to all the students. Since they were now their own they cared for them a lot better and it was their responsability then to turn up to lessons with them.

[hallb15]

We've got two sets of these

https://www.crusaderav.co.uk/classroom-headphone-set-your-choice-of-32/p-1000091

Crusader were easy to deal with and very quick to setup an account and ship our order out same day.

I've had zero complaints from staff so they must be good or I would know about it.

[Koldov]

We purchased cheap in ear headphones and gave them free to all the students. Since they were now their own they cared for them a lot better and it was their responsability then to turn up to lessons with them.

 

Yes, it would be a good 'life lesson' and I can see the reasoning, unfortunately as we are a Primary school (with children that can't even remember their own password from one day to the next) I think it's going to be a no.

 

We've got two sets of these

https://www.crusaderav.co.uk/classroom-headphone-set-your-choice-of-32/p-1000091

Crusader were easy to deal with and very quick to setup an account and ship our order out same day.

I've had zero complaints from staff so they must be good or I would know about it.

 

I think these are the ones I'm going to suggest.

[TechMonkey]

I've had experience of these in a primary school ICT suite. After a short time, all the red ear pads were ripped off and they're then unusably uncomfortable. The kids are not a particularly destructive bunch either.

Kids are different I guess. 2 different schools and not had an issue with the ear pads. If they are going to rip the ear pads off then they are going to do that with any headphones. Personally I see that as a classroom management issue.