Plantronics Voyager Pro Plus+ Bluetooth Headset: Impressive Audio, Embarrassing Size [Review]

If you’re ready to make the leap to hands-free talking, or are looking to upgrade from an older bluetooth headset, the Plantronics Voyager Pro+ ($99) is one of the best headsets on the market and is worthy of your dollars. But beware, its voluminous size may leave some sheepish, wishing for a more discreet unit.

The Good:

If you’re looking to travel to the land of high quality sound, get your bags packed my friend; the Pro+ delivered some of the best audio I’ve experienced in a bluetooth headset. Its little speaker delivered crisp sound with a nice bit of low end, and though I wouldn’t use it to listen to music, it works very well for voices. I even used it to listen to podcasts.

The Pro+ also boasts a very good noise canceling microphone. People I spoke to reported the nuances of my angelic voice came in crystal clear, and even while doing dishes (by hand!), callers usually heard little or no background noise. The Pro+ excelled at delivering my voice, sans background noise, to my callers.

I was also pleased with Voyager Pro+’s ease of use. Setup was a breeze: pairing with my iPhone 4S was finished in about 15 seconds. I also noticed it connects to my iPhone far more quickly than previous Voyager models. Turn it on, and in about a second it’s connected and ready to use. An easy-to-access volume rocker also made for a nice touch.

Finally worth noting is the Pro+’s much-better-than-average battery life. Whereas some headsets need to be charged once (or even twice) a day, with average use (an hour or so a day for me), the Pro+ goes two, three, even four days without needing to be plugged in. You mileage may vary, but I was charging the Pro+ about every 2-3 days.

The Bad:

There’s no hiding it: the Pro+ is a very big downright nerdy-looking headset. And though I’m a Star Trek fan, the Lt. Uhura look isn’t one I care to emulate. As you can see from the photos, the unfolded Pro+ is just about as long as my iPhone. While wearing it, it will protrude from your ear like a cellular tower, letting everyone who passes know you’re that guy, walking around with a bluetooth headset on. And while I’m sure the robust size contributes to the long-lasting battery life the Pro+ boasts, the extra juice comes at the cost of at least some of your self esteem.

Another less obvious peccadillo: Occasionally, my listener would complain that I sounded garbled, like I was underwater or in a tunnel. The only remedy to fix the issue was a quick hang up and call back. This is the same strange audio problem I experienced on two previous Plantronics Voyager models. The issue arose far less on the Pro+ than it had on the previous models, but it’s still around.

Verdict:

If you’re looking to go hands-free, the Plantronics Voyager Pro+ is one of the best Bluetooth headsets on the market. It boasts class-leading battery life, high quality audio, and a very comfortable fit. As long as you don’t mind its size outing you as an über-geek, what more could you ask for?

Rating:

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