The 9 Best Plantronics Headsets
Editor's Notes
January 06, 2021:
One thing to be aware of with industry leader Plantronics is that they periodically release minor refreshes of their already highly effective headsets. The Voyager Focus B825 is one such example, and continues to be one of the best stereo models on the market.
Meanwhile, the Explorer 50 is no longer easily available, but the Explorer 80 actually offers some minor improvements, yet has the same highly affordable price. We want to specifically recommend the Blackwire 3200 Series and its various, moderately priced versions for PC USB use, and for day-to-day phone calls, it's awfully hard to beat the Voyager Legend.
August 08, 2019:
Plantronics, Jabra, and to some extent Sennheiser basically have the market cornered on high-quality headsets. The Legend, M180, and Explorer 50 are excellent choices for everyday use when you're out and about, in contrast to the Savi line and the Focus B825, which are great options for busy professionals who spend a lot of time in the office. The Blackwire family is useful for people who spend long hours in call centers thanks to their light weight and generally comfortable padding, while the Voyager 8200 is an excellent blend of productivity-enhancing features and entertainment-worthy sound quality.
Keep in mind when making your decision what kind of connectivity you need. Most wired options connect using a USB plug, and some of those USB models let you remove their in-line controllers to expose a typical 4-pole mini plug. If you're going wireless, Bluetooth is almost the only way to go, aside from the DECT technology used by the Savi products. Also note that the Savi devices can connect to PCs and phones using Bluetooth, but it's actually the base unit, not the headset itself, that does this initial wireless connection. The base then uses the proprietary DECT functionality to offer range, consistency, and audio quality that significantly surpasses Bluetooth, so they're ideal for those who spend a lot of time on the phone and demand the best signal possible.