Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Does product evolution improve the breed? That was my question when this new Plantronics Bluetooth headset appeared here on Amazon. For one who has owned a few of the Plantronics Voyager PRO-series products, it seemed to be a logical question, yet what may be an improvement in one person's eyes (and ears) may not be better for another. The new Plantronics Voyager Legend Bluetooth Headset at first glance seems to be an evolved product, more than anything. It has the basic lines that were started with the original Voyager PRO headset, yet there's a certain refinement in it's newer, more streamlined design. Boom-style headsets are not for everyone, but out of those on the market, it appears that Plantronics has chosen wisely to evolve a popular and respected design and take it to a higher level. But first let me tackle both the good and bad from the perspective of an owner of a number of these over the years. ◆ Likes: + Voice commands: being able to say "answer" when your hands are busy is good + Mute button; excellent for when you want privacy + Improved ergonomics; actually more comfortable and functional that PRO-series + Nano-coating; moisture protection against the elements in inclement weather + Multi-point connection; allows pairing of two phones, answers from either + Greatly improved noise cancellation; a welcome improvement + Comfortable in extended use; can "wear" it for hours + Superb sound quality; triple-mike technology works + First-rate controls; power, volume and call control + Automatic voice prompts alert battery & mute status + Excellent and clearly written instructions + Single charge standby up to 11 days + Talk time; up to 7 hours, verified ◆ Dislikes: - Rechargeable battery is non-replaceable ◆ First Impressions: Having owned both the original Voyager PRO and the Voyager PRO+, I generally knew what to expect. But this new one is supposed to be an improved product, so I was interested to see if it was that much better. Upon arrival, I opened it immediately; the packaging was excellent, though care is suggested when removing it from the ingenious box. The instruction manual is written in a very clear and concise fashion, with easy-to-follow text and good illustrations. Followed the directions and charged the unit for the suggested 90 minutes using the new-style charger. ◆ Note on the New Charger: The prior Voyager PRO-series had used a microUSB connector, which had been a strong plus, and this new proprietary magnetic snap-fit charger was a surprise. But this really isn't new technology, as my MacBook Pro uses a proprietary `MagSafe' power connector that they introduced in 2006. The concept is that if it's tugged or snagged, it will disconnect from the socket safely, without damaging the connector or the computer power socket. It just takes getting used to. ◆ In Use: One might think that when looking at this Bluetooth headset it might be uncomfortable, especially if one wears glasses as I do, but that's not the case. Though the battery pack portion which rests behind the ear appears larger than many on the market, it is quite comfortable, as I had found from earlier experiences with the original Voyager PRO series, but this one is slightly smaller and more compact. The pairing couldn't be simpler, and was a non-issue with my BlackBerry. Tried it later with an iPhone as well, and again there were no problems. Found that the standard medium ear tips were a perfect fit, and then tried each of the additional ones that came with the unit, settling back to the original. These are easily replaceable, and if you own any of the older ones, keep them. In my case the Medium Eartips for Voyager Pro were the perfect fit, but your findings may be different. I wear my Bluetooth headsets on the left side, and found it simple to change in seconds by rotating the boom microphone. This boom mike has a dedicated button that you can use for voice commands... just touch it. This same button can also be used to control the mute on/off while you're on a call. Can't even explain how much of an improvement this is over the old PRO-series, where one had to press both of the volume control keys to control the mute. During a call, you can mute the microphone by tapping the mute button. You'll hear a "mute on" confirmation, and an alert repeats every 15 minutes to remind you that it's muted. ◆ Use in the Field: Decided to give this Voyager Legend a good trial run in some congested areas where there would be plenty of noise, and where I could test not just the reception but the noise cancellation qualities as well, and what better to test it than a busy New York City street on a moderately windy early fall day. As I found from previous experiences with the original Voyager PRO, the people with whom I was talking had no problem hearing me, nor did I have any difficulty hearing them... except when an ambulance came by with its sirens going. The sound quality and noise suppression is better than my older Voyager PRO+, as I tried it in a loose "A-B" test, and was surprised. I "wore" this headset for a little over eight hours straight, made a few calls, but most of this was in standby mode. Found it to be extremely comfortable, and for the most part wasn't even aware that it was there. Again, it's worth noting that it didn't interfere with wearing glasses at all, a strong plus for this user. As far as the range goes, the manual says that the operating distance is "Up to 33 feet." Personally I've found that clear reception with my BlackBerry Curve is more like 25 feet before it gets a little wonky, but it hasn't dropped any calls. For normal movement around a room or office, it's been fine. It's actually better in range than my older Voyager PRO+, so I have no complaints. ◆ Regular Use: The Voyager Legend is an item that I use daily. It's been on my ear as I've been writing this, and it's good to be able to say "answer" when your hands are busy on the keyboard. It's far more comfortable and ergonomic than the photos might indicate, which is something that one can only find by actual extended use. Have worn mine for 12+ hours a day at a time, and it's been quite easy to adapt to over extended periods of time, with no discomfort whatsoever. I ride a mountain bike some distances over suburban streets and wooded trails on a fairly regular basis, and the first thing that callers notice is that the sound quality is excellent. Dealing with wind noise was OK with my older Voyager PRO+, but this new one is far better. For heavy-duty users, the Plantronics Voyager Legend Charge Case or the Plantronics Voyager Legend Desktop Charge Stand might be worth considering. Tried the Charge Case locally for a brief time, and it seems decent, but have yet to get one. ◆ Summary: Have subjected this new Plantronics Voyager Legend to more use than the average product that I might review here. Compared to my original Voyager PRO and later Voyager PRO+, it's easy to see the generational improvements that have been made with each one. You can still find these older one being sold here, but improvements and new convenience features make this one a true best of breed when compared to the older Voyager PRO series. Obviously I recommend it as an excellent 5-star product, and for me it's proof that product evolution can be a very good thing. 10/4/2012