Pliant Technologies Tempest Headset PHS-SB100-5M

The PHS-SB100-5M is the single-ear SmartBoom PRO from Pliant, meant for the operator who needs one ear on the intercom and one ear on what is actually happening around them. A cardioid dynamic microphone tuned for speech holds off the noise arriving from the sides, so stage wash, crowd, and machinery stay out of the channel. The boom itself is the mute switch - flip it up and the mic is off, drop it and you are talking - which beats reaching for a button on a beltpack you cannot see. The boom is flexible and ambidextrous, swiveling to either side, and the foam padding and adjustable headband are sized for a long call rather than a short one.

This version terminates in a 5-pin male XLR, the connector used by dual-channel beltpacks and stations. The 5 ft cable detaches at the earcup for a quick field replacement, and the 8.5 in. mic boom sets the capsule close without putting it in the way.