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Booms
If you favor the traditional headset look with a microphone that arches toward your mouth, a model with a boom might be the best fit. Most models use a standard ear clip, but others clamp on in alternative ways. Just be warned you may wind up looking like a pop star in concert on a good day and a professional telemarketer on a bad day. All headsets paired with each of the phones used in our tests.
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OUR FAVORITE:
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Comfortable; impressive volume and clarity; large buttons.
Downside: Interesting design; two-piece charger set.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: No
You wind up looking a bit like a cyborg while wearing the Jabra, but this headset is a winner. The high volume and clarity makes it easy to forget you're even using it, while the unique, behind-the-ear design and rotating earpiece create a comfortable fit.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Great microphone; excellent volume control; secure, comfortable fit.
Downside: Big and not too stylish; bulky charger setup.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: No
Logitech continues its reputation for creating practical products with panache. Overall sound quality is good, and since you don't have to contort your arm or ear to get it on your head (it fits behind your ear), it's one of the easiest headsets to put on. Just be wary of its large size and rather geeky look.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Easy to use; stylish, comfortable design; good volume; uses the same charger as Motorola phones.
Downside: A bit loose on the ear; some audio static.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: No
While overall audio quality was a bit patchy, we give the Motorola major points for design. It's stylish and small, with a slick oval shape and a large indicator light. It folds up to an even tinier size for easy transport. An especially nice touch is the folding boom microphone, which acts as the on/off switch.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Can connect simultaneously to two phones; lightweight, decent audio quality.
Downside: Tight fit; unattractive.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: Yes
We liked that GN Netcom's headset connects automatically to a landline and a cell phone and lets you switch seamlessly between calls. But to get the headset out of the recharging cradle and pick up a call, you have to press a fragile Release button. Also, the large, round disk resembles half an earmuff. Audio quality was good, however, with clear reception.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Great performance; changeable faceplates.
Downside: Huge, inflexible ear loop; unappealing design; tiny buttons.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: No
The Halo's battery kept going and going after many calls, but there's a real trade-off in terms of style and design. All the power resides in a large, unsightly battery that sits uncomfortably behind your ear, and the headset's black-and-white coloring made it all the more conspicuous to onlookers.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Comfortable fit; changeable faceplates; decent volume.
Downside: Somewhat ugly; tiny buttons; mixed audio quality.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: No
Though this lightweight headset has a snug fit, its angular, uninspired design won't wow the hipster set. And while the volume is loud enough, its overall audio quality isn't the best. Callers said we sounded far away, while their voices were a bit robotic-sounding on our end.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Comfortable design; can work with landline phones and Bluetooth-enabled mobiles.
Downside: Big and conspicuous; volume a bit low.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: Yes
Though it comes with a stylish charging base, the B100 has an over-the-head design that may not appeal to everyone. Both big and cumbersome, it's fine for indoor use, but it's not very portable, and you'll look pretty conspicuous walking down the street. On the other hand, the controls are simple and few, and setting up the B100 to work with a landline or a cell phone is supereasy. Sound quality in both situations was good, but while callers reported that they could hear us clearly, we'd like the volume to be a bit louder.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Comfortable design; can work with landline phones and Bluetooth-enabled handsets; long battery life.
Downside: So-so call quality; some dropped connections.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: Yes
As an improvement to the GN Netcom GN6110, the 6210 has a form factor that's more comfortable and more stylish than its predecessor's. In fact, it's directly reminiscent of the well-received Jabra FreeSpeak BT250. While we liked the form factor and the user-friendly controls, we weren't impressed with its uneven performance. Pairing was trouble-free, but the headset lost the connection on a few occasions, though not when we were on a call. Also, while audio quality was good on our end, callers said they weren't as enthusiastic with reports of an echoing sound. Like its older sibling, the GN 6210 can be used simultaneously with a Bluetooth mobile or a landline phone.
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What's your vote? |
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Upside: Comfortable fit; decent sound quality.
Downside: Volume a bit low.
Compatibility: Bluetooth 1.1
Included adapter: No
Compared to its sibling, this new Logitech headset sports a smaller, sharper form factor that won't make you look like an operator. Styled in basic black and employing a short boom mic, the headset has a light, secure fit, and we enjoyed the padded, flexible earpiece and the user-friendly controls. We had no trouble pairing the headset, and we enjoyed good sound quality with clear conversations. Our only complaint was that volume could have been louder.
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