Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB)
by Plantronics
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Our Price: $129.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB)
Customer Review: Insturctions needed
Summary: 3 Stars
I purchased these to use with our Asus mini netbook. They came with no explanation of how to use them and no mention that you need another $30 switch to use this with your home computer without a hassle. I did a test run with my pc using the provided USB part and had trouble unplugging them and using the external speakers to listen to music afterwards. You have to turn off the computer and turn it back on after you use the headset. Yesterday I tried again, using the two plugs without the USB. This time when I unplugged, the speakers worked and I was happy....untill I tried to make another call and now there's mic. This may be a great product for people who are tech savy, but not for those of us who find it a mystery.
The headset worked great. I could hear very clearly the person on the other side. Mom was amazed that I was talking on the computer, she said "it's better than your old phone."
Bottom line, I won't be using them with the netbook. Who knows what it will do when the headset gets unplugged.
Customer Review: Good voice quality, while it worked; physically, a disaster
Summary: 2 Stars
Perhaps because of the DSP chip in the dongle, this worked perfectly with Dragon. Unfortunately, the cheap flimsy plastic used for the headband snapped fairly quickly just below the pivot for folding. Attempts to repair it failed utterly, so I used it for a while with the broken plastic digging into the right side of my head and the right earpiece dangling. Eventually, I gave up and just cut the wire to the dangling earpiece.
Now, after a few months of use, suddenly the microphone stopped working. The dongle has also gotten somewhat loose. Also, like some of the other reviewers,I never understood why I needed 10 feet of cord, and even after I tied part of it up it was a nuisance.
I finally gave up on it and decided to go with a wireless headset. My first try was the [[B001SEQN3U:Plantronics Audio 995 Wireless Stereo Headset]]; it was not a success -- see my review.
I'm dictating this with a [[B001W1VDHU:Travelite HS-1000W USB Wireless Headset]]that arrived today, but it's already far superior.
Customer Review: Great Quality for the Price - for any price
Summary: 5 Stars
Having gone through 2 other headsets, and returning them both because of either poor fit or poor sound quality, I turned to the ever-reliable Amazon products reviews to aid in my search for a quality headset at a great price. I don't do audio recording or anything like that - my primary uses for the headset are Skype and listening to iTunes. The voice and sound quality are more than adequate for these purposes. In addition, I wear the headset for long periods of time, so comfort is key. The light-weight feel of the headset is great, and the ear pieces cover just enough to drown out excess office noise w/o making me completely unaware of my surroundings. Finally, several reviewers commented on the folding mechanism and size. Yes, they could be more compact once folded, but it does the trick, and they fit just fine in my laptop case. When unfolded, they hold their shape just fine. The only thing that would be of great improvement would be a carrying case. In any case, this is a great purchase for the quality and price.Customer Review: I love these!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had these for a few months now. I've been told that it's better to store the headphones on a hook, rather than in a drawer, so I hang them up on the chair in front of my computer. My son uses them too and I love how easily they adjust to our very different size heads (his is so big that usually he can't find headphones that fit!).
I use Dragon 9 (a speech to text technology) and I went from store to store trying to find a cheap headphone that would work better than the ones that came with the program. Some only worked if my computer was running on battery, others didn't work at all. After a lot of wasted time and gasoline, I ordered these through Amazon, they came quickly, and they work! I haven't had any problems with them. I'm sure if I bought the $100+ headphone through Dragon as well as Dragon 10, it would probably be even better, but the more I train Dragon with these headphones, the better they work. All in all, I am more than pleased with these, especially with the great price I got!
Customer Review: Good but bulky
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a great product that functions as advertised. I use them with Skype primarily, although they work great as headphones as well. The sound quality is good and those who I speak with through Skype have told me I sound great - just like I was on a normal land line.
My complaints -
1. The wire is way too long; I had not considered this factor when purchasing. Because I use this exclusively on my laptop, I only need about 3 feet of wire at the most, but the wire is probably around 8 feet long.
2. I use this on the road, so I have to pack it up and carry it every day. The headphones do collapse, but with the 8 feet of wire and the collapsed size they are still fairly bulky. Even when collapsed they are a fairly rigid unit, making it difficult to stow and also making me concerned about them breaking in transit.
I would recommend this to anyone who does not have to move the headset very often. Otherwise you might want to find something a little more compact.