Plantronics Voyager 520 Bluetooth Headset Review

Aug 7 2007, 12:00am CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Bluetooth headsets are as prolific these days at cellular phones that can use them. The catch is that not all Bluetooth headsets are created equal. Today we are going to have a look at a new Bluetooth headset from Plantronics called the Voyager 520. Plantronics aims this headset at the business user, but it will work well for anyone. Read on to find out how well the Plantronics Voyager 520 performs.

Gallery

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Benchmarks

Features & Specifications
I was a bit surprised to see when I received the new Plantronics Voyager 520 that it is rather large compared to some of Plantronics older Bluetooth headsets like the Discovery series.

The Plantronics Voyager 520 does stuff lots of features into the relatively small headset though including noise canceling filters for background noise and wind noise. One control operates all the functions of the Plantronics Voyager 520 so you don’t have to fumble about with multiple control locations.

The headset is very lightweight, making it comfortable for all day wear. Unlike the Discover 665, the Plantronics Voyager 520 does require the use of an ear loop to keep it in place. Battery life is good with up to eight hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby.

One nice feature the Plantronics Voyager 520 has is the ability to pair with two Bluetooth phones and switch seamlessly between the two. The headset also uses QuickPair to make pairing easily. Controls include Volume, mute, call answer/end, voice-activated dialing, and last number redial. Bluetooth range is quoted as 33 feet and charging of the included Lithium Polymer battery is done via an AC adapter and desktop cradle.

My first experience with a Bluetooth headset was a Plantronics discovery 665; I loved the way it would stay in my ear without needing an ear loop. Unfortunately with all the noise reduction tech crammed into the Plantronics Voyager 520 an ear loop is required. The ear loop swivels so you can wear it on your right or left ear.

Voyager 520 in Use
Pairing with my phone was a snap all I had to do was put my phone in search mode and enter the four digit code and it was ready to work. Call quality is top notch, the noise reduction works very well and allows you to hear and be heard in winds that would make other Bluetooth headsets near worthless.

Battery life is very good, I used the Plantronics Voyager 520 all day left it sitting overnight and still had battery power the next day. The desktop cradle is nice and helps keep things tidy looking while charging. Picking up calls is easy to do and voice activated calling works very well if your phone is compatible.

Visually the Plantronics Voyager 520 looks very nice with shiny black plastic, faux carbon fiber looking print on the body surrounded by chrome. The control button is also chrome and the ear loop starts as a black plastic near the earpiece and turns to an opaque plastic to blend in more during wear.

Verdict

Conclusion

Pros

Comfortable for extended wear
Pairs easily
Can switch between two phones

Cons

Larger and heavier than other Plantronics headsets

Verdict
The Plantronics Voyager 520 is larger than many Bluetooth headsets on the market, but the fantastic sound quality will more than make up for the girth for most users. Battery life is great as well making the Plantronics Voyager 520 a great choice for business users or your average Joe.

8.0

where to buy

Buy from Amazon

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Shane McGlaun
Leading our review center, Shane knows technology inside out. His extensive experience in testing computer hardware and consumer electronics enable him to effectively qualify new products and trends. If you want us review your product, please contact Shane.
Shane can be contacted directly at shane@i4u.com.