Barring few exceptions, Bluetooth headsets have been split into two main categories. You have the common single-ear receivers which look like hearing aids and you have stereo headsets which resemble earphones minus an MP3 player. The Plantronics Voyager takes a different approach. Used alone, it looks like the former. Attach the included secondary earpiece, and this Bluetooth device starts streaming music from your handheld. But does this Bluetooth peripheral represent the best of both worlds or an unfortunate hybrid which does neither duties well?
Design
The main unit looks like any ordinary Bluetooth headset, the difference being that it has a sliding boom which also pulls duty as a call switch. Although this design makes talking to the device psychologically easier, we were a little disappointed that the slider was not spring-loaded. This may result in unintentional activation should the boom open up in your pocket.
The stereo portion is an ear loop with a secondary earpiece attached. We found the length of the wire sufficiently long such that sudden movements will not dislodge the device from your ears. However, because the earpiece on the main unit is angled forward while the secondary part fits in straight, you might find that both do not fit equally well. Fortunately, three different sizes of silicon ear plugs and an extra foam-type plug are included in the box to suit different ears. Also in the bundle are two different ear loops and a pouch to complete the set.
Features
The Plantronics Voyager 855 includes common features present in mono and stereo headsets. It works with both headset and hands-free profiles along with the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) standard for music streaming. It also has Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP), which allows you to control multimedia playback on compatible handhelds.
There are two buttons and a rocker volume control switch on the main unit. The latter also lets you skip or return music tracks. The call button can be used to pick up conversations without having to slide the boom, while the mute microphone key can also be used to play and pause music. Like a proper Bluetooth headset, you can also dial via voice as well as activate the last number redial function.
Performance and Battery Life
The Voyager 855 is a Bluetooth 2.0 device theoretically capable of a 10m range. However, we found that the signal gets distorted beyond half that distance, which is on par with most other headsets. We paired the unit with an HTC TyTN II and found conversations to be generally clear on both ends, though distance and obstruction between the Voyager and phone did affect performance. When used as a stereo music earpiece, however, we found the tracks lacked bass and the playback was tinny.
Overall, we find it hard to recommend the AU$199 Voyager 855 for music unless your handheld has an equaliser to boost the audio quality. On the other hand, the A2DP profile works even without the secondary earpiece, a helpful feature for those who just want to watch a quick video clip wirelessly. The Bluetooth headset rated seven hours of talk time, six hours for music streaming and 160 hours on standby. These numbers are not impressive, but reasonable for a device this size.
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dee32181
16/06/2008, 03:24 AM
rating
10/10
Great music quality with lg glimmer exceptional sound quality, great battery life, best looking bluetooth set available
Pros: see above
Cons: on the expensive side, they should include more foam tips
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