I need a new bluetooth headset for work

May 22, 2019 5:00 PM

Starting a new job, and I need a new bluetooth headset for work. My current one (which they are making me hand back) is the Plantronics Voyager UC, which is great. But I'm not sure if I can get something equivalent for cheaper as it's an expensive headset - any idea Mefi? Must be stereo (ie a speaker for each ear) and wireless, as I spend a lot of time in teleconferences,would prefer something over-ear, rather than in-ear.
posted by smoke to Shopping (4 answers total)

Looks like you are referring to the Voyager _Focus_ UC which looks kind of like headphones (as opposed to a one-ear headset)? I'm seeing prices range on that from $140-299.

Anyway, my experience with bluetooth headsets for the last few years is that the only ones worth using for professional purposes like you need are $100+. So if the version of that set that you like is around $150, I would just get it. If it's the $300... well I hope you get some great suggestions!
posted by jander03 at 5:28 PM on May 22, 2019

Wirecutter recommends the Jabra Evolve 75. My office just bought a ton of them based on this and our own research. They are not cheap. They have caused us nothing but problems, but I'm not sure if it's the headset's fault or our video conferencing software (Zoom)... but if that's your combo, do not recommend.

Half the time i just use my personal Airpods, which have their own problems (mainly pairing with the mac) but they generally suck less.
posted by cgg at 6:05 PM on May 22, 2019 [1 favorite]

I also use a Plantronics Voyager Focus UC - as chosen via search a Wirecutter review. It is a great headset if you can afford it - but one note about Bluetooth: my experience is that using the provided USB dongle - rather than Bluetooth - as a connection mechanism - gives *much* better audio connection quality under circumstances where there are competing devices using Bluetooth. In my case I have a Thinkpad laptop and the headset also connects to my iPhone - I have Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse using Bluetooth. The particular problem I was having with Bluetooth related to outgoing audio quality: I could heard people but they could not hear me properly. I believe that Plantronics provide this second mechanism because of this kind of call quality issue - and also because many work PCs have Bluetooth locked out.

I mention all this because you may decide that you want a headset that connects only via a dongle - rather than Bluetooth - then it may open the way to some cheaper options.
posted by rongorongo at 3:04 AM on May 23, 2019

Response by poster: For anyone following along, Plantronics recently released a slightly cheaper model the 4220 - the main difference from the voyager focus is some minor form factor stuff, and it doesn't have the (quite paissez) active noise canceling. I didn't care about that, so snapped this up and I'm relatively happy with it.
posted by smoke at 6:32 PM on June 22, 2019