13920 A headset is an almost indispensibly convenient accessory to have for your cellphone, or for that matter a landline telephone, freeing up your hands for multitasking and eliminating arm and hand muscle fatigue during long conversations. Recently I needed to listen to an hour-long taped transcript of a debate in preparation for appearing on a radio political panel, and it would have been extremely tedious holding the phone up to my ear for that long. With the headset, I could listen and talk while continuing to use my computer.

There are a variety of Bluetooth wireless headsets available for use with iPhones and other mobile phones, and one of the newest is the Plantronics Voyager PRO, which is an update and successor to the very popular Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset that has been marketed for several years, and which it resembles in appearance.

Plantronics makes excellent voice products, and the (wired) Plantronics headset that came bundled with MacSpeech Dictate is one of the best -- if not the best -- mic setup I've used for dictation. In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” Plantronics products are also a popular choice of equipment for mission-critical applications like air traffic control, 911 dispatch and at the New York Stock Exchange.

The Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth headset sells for $100.00 and is targeted especially at mobile business and institutional users who need all-day wearing comfort and high-quality audio on the go. It features state-of-the-art AudioIQ digital signal processing (DSP) and WindSmart technology providing sophisticated superior noise and wind cancellation, with dual external stainless steel microphone screens and acoustic fabrics surrounding the microphones that provide physical barriers to wind noise. and there is a tone alert when wind noise becomes excessive.

For enhanced incoming audio quality the Voyager PRO features a full-spectrum audio speaker with an adaptive 20-band equalizer to minimize distortion and work in conjunction with AudioIQ to automatically adjust sound levels based on environmental noise levels, cancelling up to 80dB of background noise.

At 1.8" wide (though or about 4 inches with the boom mic extended) by 2.3" long by 0.4" thick with a battery pack that bulks it up behind the ear, the Voyager PRO is a bit larger and bulkier than some competitive Bluetooth headsets, but that adjustable, three inch long, dual-microphone boom helps enhance audio fidelity, and while it's not the most unobtrusive configuration, the upside is that it evenly distributes its 0.6 ounce (17.5 grams) of counterbalanced weight efficiently enough that all-day wearing is a practical proposition without discomfort. The headset unit's ear contact surfaces are of a soft, flexible, rubber-like material, which contributes to user comfort but can also withstand eight pounds of stretch force. Plantronics says the Voyager PRO has undergone 24 rounds of human comfort and fit testing to achieve extended wearing comfort, and has been tested onthousands of ear shapes and sizes.

Another thing I like about the Voyager PRO is that the gel eartips are designed to not have to insert deeply into your ear, but rather rest comfortably on the opening of the ear canal. A selection of three sizes of gel tips is provided, along with two foam eartip covers if you prefer even more softness. The gel tips can be changed easily, attaching with a quick but secure mini-bayonet mount.

Once I had the Voyager PRO headset ensconced on my ear, I found it reasonably secure, but I did find that putting the unit on was easier if I first removed my eyeglasses. Once the headset was seated in place, I could put my glasses back on with no problem, but I do have titanium frames that are about as un-bulky as you can find, and I can't vouch for what it would be like wearing thicker eyeglass frames.

Before you use the headset, the unit's lithium polymer battery must be charged using the included AC charger, which supports 100v - 240v input. A full charge takes 1.5 hours, and the minimum charge time before using it 30 minutes. It is also necessary to pair the Bluetooth connection, which was quick and easy, simply requiring entry of the "0000" Pass code. The Voyager PRO can can seamlessly connect with two separate mobile phones with its multipoint technology, although I did not test that function.

There are battery charge level indicator lights, and tone alerts with both tone and voice prompts that notify you when you have 30 and 10 minutes talk time remaining. Talk time per charge is rated at up to six hours with up to five days of stand-by time, and the unit has a wireless range of up to 33 feet.

Functions supported include call reject, last number redial, voice-activated dialing (the latter two only If supported by your phone and phone service provider), and voice prompts for mute status on/off

The Voyager PRO's controls are situated on the headset in a way that one is unlikely to hit the wrong function by mistake. The multifunction power button is behind the ear, low on the outer periphery, while the tactile volume buttons are at the top of the unit above the ear, and the call answer and end/reject call control button on the hub of the mic boom facing outward.

Construction materials quality and workmanship seem first rate. The manufacturer says the mic boom has been tested to withstand at least 20,000 swivels and the control buttons 200,000 presses to simulate a lifetine's worth of use.

There is a small and concise but well-written and usefully illustrated user guide.

The Plantronics Voyager PRO is available in the U.S. and Canada at Best Buy and http://www.bestbuy.com for $99.99, at other major consumer retail and wireless carrier stores and also at http://www.plantronics.com . Availability in Asia and Europe is to follow in late June and late July, respectively.

The Voyager PRO has a one-year service and support warranty. If you're looking for a moderately-priced serious worktool headset that offers both wearer comfort and superior sound quality, you'll want to check this one out.

For more information about the Plantronics Voyager PRO, visit:
http://www.plantronics.com/voyagerpro


Charles W. Moore

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