The advantages of the PRESENCETM headset and the new SpeakFocusTM and WindSafeTM technologies

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In the modern office, employees tend to move around the workplace a lot more freely. Conferences, collaborative groups, flexible seating and working from home require a new level of mobility. Technology has not only changed the behavior and the expectations of the workforce. It is also changing the
Challenges of modern business communication
A phone is not just a phone anymore. Calls can be received via mobile phones, PC and other channels enabling the user to be accessible wherever and whenever while simultaneously providing maximum comfort. This is only possible when the chosen technological communication platform allows the user to switch quickly and effortlessly from one type of call to another.
 
Finally, the users of modern communication devices expect perfect sound quality and ease-of-use. The days of thick manuals and lengthy instructions are long gone. Add this to the above-mentioned challenges, and the time has come for new products that are tailor-made for the age of Unified Communications.
 
Hear and be heard with PRESENCETM
Imagine a product that addresses all the challenges of modern, mobile communication in today’s corporate environment. Imagine a product that works seamlessly across communication platforms at the office, at home, at the client or on the road. Now, add superior sound quality and ease-of-use to the mix.
 usbMicrophone.jpgThis was the challenge facing the researchers and engineers at Sennheiser. In order to create a headset for modern enterprises and for a rapidly changing workforce it was necessary to rethink existing technologies and to come up with innovative solutions.
 
Sennheiser PRESENCETM is the result – a headset made especially to suit the needs of Unified Communications. A headset for efficient working that does not tie the user to a particular desk or office space. The uncompromising sound quality can be enjoyed wherever and whenever the user’s presence is required.
 
Optimized for ease-of-use
In a Unified Communications environment the user typically switches between mobile phone calls and calls via softphone. In order to provide the user with the best of both worlds, Sennheiser’s new PRESENCETM headset boasts multi-connectivity to make that switch as easy as possible.
 
PRESENCETM comes with a dongle for the PC to connect the headset with the softphone (UC client). Users will also appreciate extended performance which, with up to 10 hours talk time between charges, allows for a full day’s uninterrupted talking at work. Furthermore, for maximum convenience and efficiency, the user can monitor battery status via an iPhone.
 
Plug and play compatibility with all leading UC platforms. Sennheiser PRESENCETM integrates seamlessly with the chosen UC-setup and offers employees mobility, comfort and sound quality in addition to the existing tools they have at their disposal.
 
Increased range is another useful feature. The Bluetooth 4.0 class 1 standard enables the user to receive calls up to 25 meters from the softphone. The result is increased mobility at the office and fewer missed calls from customers.
 
Distinctive premium “look and feel” with the boom arm made of aluminium and integrated on/off function also makes wearing PRESENCETM a daily pleasure. The voice prompts have been reworked as well and these provide the user with relevant information that is easy to understand in the workday bustle.
 
In short, PRESENCETM is a lightweight, well-built headset designed for the efficient workforce of today. True multi-connectivity, increased range, extended talk time and maximized UC plug and play performance add up to an all-round solution.
 
Superior sound quality with SpeakFocusTM and WindSafeTM technologies
The engineers at Sennheiser have been dedicated to sound quality for decades. The Pursuit of Perfect Sound is the credo that has provided the brand with global leadership in sound technology. The Sennheiser qualities are more prominent than ever in the new headset because the latest research has provided product developers with new options.
 
This time, the engineers and developers did not stop at the HD voice clarity that has characterized Sennheiser products for years. From the ground up, they built a new design that features 3 digital microphones in 1 headset. This is a world premiere from Sennheiser’s side that provides the user with ground breaking advantages.
 voice_graph.jpgThe advantages of unique 3 digital microphone system
Sennheiser has produced a unique system with the advantage of three digital microphones. To achieve the best possible audio performance
it is important to have microphones that match each other in terms of sensitivity and frequency response.
 
The reason why Sennheiser uses digital microphones is because they perform more equally compared to analogue microphones. When combined they are also more robust and less prone to drift over time. This is a big advantage in terms of the beam-forming functionality of the PRESENCETM microphone array.
 
PRESENCETM blocks out surrounding noise by using the 3 digital microphones to zoom in (beam forming) on the mouth (the user’s voice). After beam forming, PRESENCETM utilizes various noise reduction algorithms for dealing with stationary noise (same sound over time, e.g. a fan), non-stationary (different types of sound over time, e.g. a person walking on high heels, the sound of someone typing on their PC, etc.), and wind noise. In any given situation, the system will use intelligent environmental estimators to mix the best possible combination of sources to a single output signal.
 
In the past products have not been that intelligent and have only been capable of handling one environment at a time. What’s new about the PRESENCETM system is its use of intelligent environmental estimators that not only identify a single environment (e.g. a car, a windy car park or the sound of an office) but also combine the different environments (e.g. driving a cabriolet (car environment + wind environment) to maximize sound quality and deliver the best possible audio performance.  PRESENCETM provides a seamless audio transition from one environment (or a combination of environments) to another.
 
PRESENCETM also has its own user voice detector that supports the noise reduction algorithms. When the user speaks, the algorithms operate differently and optimize the trade-off between speech quality and noise reduction. Conversely, noise reduction is prioritized when the user is not talking.
 
The noise reduction algorithms, intelligent environmental estimators and signal mixing have all come from Sennheiser’s 70 years of audio knowledge. The result is PRESENCETM, a unique product with superior audio performance for professionals who require the best.
 
The 3 digital microphones provide the listener with a consistently clear sound and enhance the Sennheiser HD voice quality. Furthermore, they help pave the way for innovative use of new noise-cancelling technologies like SpeakFocusTM and WindSafeTM that contribute to an even higher level of user comfort and a greater degree of mobility.
 
SpeakFocusTM technology is a remarkable improvement for both the user and listener. The listener receives all important details of the call and there are fewer misunderstandings no matter where the user is. The technology zooms in on the user’s voice, works in all sound environments and adapts intelligently whatever the environment - for instance in the car, in the office, at a seminar or at the airport.
 
WindSafeTM technology reduces the wind noise effectively and thus reduces one of the biggest sources of annoyance for the listener at the other end of the line. It does so by choosing the best mix of the three microphones and processes the sound to find the best way to balance and enhance the user’s voice.
 microphones.jpgThe combination of WindSafeTM and SpeakFocusTM provides the user with an unprecedented freedom of movement and a remarkably clear sound quality that both colleagues and customers at the receiving end will benefit from through fewer misunderstandings and interruptions.
 
Furthermore, PRESENCETM is equipped with ActiveGard® technology that protects the user from an acoustic shock by reducing sudden surges in sound. The reduction of acoustic bursts limits the sound pressure and keeps the volume of sound peaks at a safe and comfortable level.
 
All in all, the innovative features of PRESENCETM from Sennheiser take user comfort to a new level. One by one, the ground-breaking sound technologies eliminate some of the drawbacks associated with traditional headsets, replacing them with crystal-clear voice quality. By designing the ideal tool for the efficient workforce of today, Sennheiser is able to provide users with a new level of mobile freedom, allowing them to be understood by listeners in all kinds of environments.
 
PRESENCETM – the flexible communication solution
Both the modern workforce and the workplace are changing rapidly. The percentage of employees who sit at a desk with both a corded phone and a desktop PC at their disposal is decreasing. Today, employees move around the office more freely, work from home and are often at a meeting or on the road.
 
Unified Communications is the communication platform of the future because it unites all the communication technologies in one solution and enables a modern workforce to switch effortlessly between the various work environments. With PRESENCETM you can finally choose a premium headset that is tailor-made for these new challenges.
 
PRESENCETM – benefits
Be heard: SpeakFocusTM technology provides the listener with a rich communication experience
 
  • Wind noise reduction: WindSafeTM technology reduces wind noise
           dramatically
  • 3 in 1 innovation: 3 digital microphones in 1 headset is a world premiere
  • Multimedia: high quality audio for podcasts and music
  • Efficiency: extended talk time of up to 10 hours
  • Mobility: increased range of up to 25 m depending on device and
           environment
  • Ease of use: plug and play compatibility with all leading UC platforms
  • Multi-connectivity: seamlessly switch between calls from softphone and mobile phone
  • Hearing protection: ActiveGard® for efficient acoustic shock protection
 
PRESENCETM is an innovative premium headset designed for the efficient workforce of today. True multi-connectivity, increased range, extended talk time and groundbreaking sound technologies add up to an all-round solution for mobile professionals.
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