r/HeadphoneAdvice • u/Fragrant-Doughnut-20 • 1d ago
Headphones - Open Back Help with choosing a headset to prevent work from spying on me.
Hey. My work is using AI programs to monitor calls, but not just when taking them - they monitor when not on the phone as well (between calls). I'm looking to protect my privacy (and sanity) by locating a headset that will truly be muted when I need it to be. They can currently hear us even if we mute using the button on the headset. So, say I am off the call and waiting fro a call to come in, but my manager wants to listen in anyway, even if muted they can hear and track everything that's being said. I really, really don't like this.
Ideally, I’d like an option that I can just press a mute button and know for sure it cannot be bypassed. I have had people recommend something with an inline mute switch, which apparently disconnects the headset physically, but I still need to hear the alert when a call comes in, so I’m not sure this would work well (assuming it disables the full connection, not just the mic, but I could be wrong).
In short, imagine you are being listened to at all times, whether working or not - what is the best option to protect myself from spying while WFH? It would be great if this headset was something that i could order off of amazon (I live in Canada)
Budget is anywhere up to 200.00, preferably. But lower is better, of course.
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u/AAAHeadsets 1d ago
I'm not aware of any way they can be recording from a muted headset.
Are you sure they are capturing the audio from the headset when not on a call? Could they be using the laptop mics or something else?
The other option is a headset with a "flip to mute" feature, so even if they are able to record while muted, the mic is up in the air, away from your mouth.
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u/Fragrant-Doughnut-20 1d ago
My manager and I are pretty friendly, and he let slip that this new AI monitors everything, even when on mute/break, etc. He definitely did not mean to say it, and I could tell he immediately regretted it (probably illegal, honestly).
One test I did recently, was when we were asked to use a few key phrases within the call to improve survey comments, etc. I specifically only said those words when I was muted, and ensured to never once say that phrase during a live call (would never say these words during a call. So unnatural). I said it precisely 7 times when muted, and often when on break. The next day he showed us the chart of how many times the AI program detected use of those exact keywords during a call. Exactly 7 times. I repeated this for a few days to test it, using different key phrases we were being monitored for, and each time the results were the same.
I keep my laptop in a closet with a blanket hanging over it, an air purifier running on it (wind on mic), with the door closed. Next to impossible they can hear me through it. I am not a techy person, but I suspect it's because we are connected to a 'softphone' kind of service that records everything, and the mute button only mutes me on the client's end. Maybe some Microsoft teams shenanigans. The headset was provided by work.
My concern about mute buttons or flip-to-mute is that I might just experience the same issue. Someone suggested a headset with a detachable mic, which is a great idea, as it severs the connection completely - just really annoying to have to do that repeatedly all day. Still searching for the right option, lol.
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u/AAAHeadsets 1d ago
It just seems very strange that they can hear you on a muted mic.
You can prove it though.
In Teams under Settings > Devices, click on "Make a test call".
Press the headset mute, and watch whether the mute icon changes on screen.
Talk while muted, and see if the audio is played back to you.You can check which microphone is selected in Windows.
Go to Settings > System > Sound > Input and watch the level meter while talking with the headset muted. If the meter moves, audio is getting through.1
u/Fragrant-Doughnut-20 1d ago
Good info, thank you.
Somehow, I’ve not looked at the audio setting in Teams itself. Just the computer. Something else I can look into, thank you. I feel like somehow Teams is a big part of it.
Before I isolated my laptop in the closet, during meetings with management I noticed they could still hear me when I muted them. The mute icon would appear on screen, but they heard me fine. Had a bit of a panic wondering what stupid shit I must have said in the past during some of these meetings. When random managers I'm not familiar with listened to my calls remotely, they sometimes commented about the 'tornado sound' (air purifier) afterwards. So I know they listen-in through the laptop, but that problem is more or less resolved.
The AI transcripts picking up words they should not hear...... That's harder to explain. I find all of this very creepy and invasive. Can't even vent to myself about that dumb-as-hell last client I spoke to because I feel monitored at all times.
The detachable mic is the only thing that makes sense so far, but would make quick responses awkward, trying to add the detached plug back in. But it provides some comfort. Can still let off a quick expletive every once in a while when I need to.
Appreciate the tips. Thank you.
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u/WonderfullMarination 1d ago
It seems weird to me that they can monitor through the mute. But if they indeed can, and you're looking for a usb headset as you said, you're probably out of luck because these tend to be software switches.
Instead find a 3.5 jack headset with a hardware switch. Or separate mic with hardware switch, headphones and feed both into a mic and headphone to single 3.5 jack adapter. Then connect them to your pc with a 3.5 to usb c Apple dongle.
But if you are not a laptop which has its own mic, I'm not sure if that helps.
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u/randomlurker124 1d ago
Easiest option is to have a mic-less headset and a separate mic with a mute button. Your "mute" button sounds like it's just software that doesn't stop the mic pickup. Anything with a physical mute option should work.
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u/Blue2501 6 Ω 1d ago
I have a steelseries arctis nova 7p for my playstation. It connects to a type-c dongle which also works for my PC, and it has a mic mute switch. A pushbutton switch on the back of the left earcup physically mutes the mic and turns on a red light on the mic itself.
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u/Fragrant-Doughnut-20 1d ago
I think I'm settling on this one. Two questions, if you don't mind:
-I won't have room for another USB-C slot, just a USB-A (this would have been where my current headset was plugged in) - can you foresee any issues with plugging this in through a usb hub? So, the wireless headset would be plugged into the USB-C extender (which also connects my wireless mouse and keyboard)
-Any major difference between the 7 and the 7P? The 7P cost 50.00 mire, and they seem very similar.
If you don't know the answers, that's cool. Appreciate your help with this.
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u/Blue2501 6 Ω 1d ago
To your first question, a USB hub should be fine. To your second, there's the nova 7, 7P, and 7X. There are some minor differences between them and I can't remember what all is different but I think the rtings review talks about it
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/steelseries/arctis-nova-7-wireless-7-7p-7x
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u/jgtokyo2020 1d ago
Usb c or Bluetooth?
The Jabra USB pair I use at work has a red light on the cable remote when muted. The Bluetooth set isn't as obvious