Motorola H700 Bluetooth headset (Silver)

Summary: Only days after misplacing my last Motorola BT headset, the HS850, I missed it so much that I almost went right out to buy a new one -- that is until I heard about the impending release of the new H700. All signs indicated that this new version of the popular flip-out boom mic design would greatly improve upon the HS850, giving it a welcomed reduction in bulk as well as some styling improvments. Motorola even touted the new echo and noise cancellation technology boasting "world class audio quality". I drooled along with all the other HS850 owners and decided to hold out until I could get my hands on one. Now that I have one I am so disappointed I could just cry -- not because it wasn't what I expected, but because it IS what I expected and more, but with the exception of a major flaw that utterly ruins what could have and should have been a masterpiece! After charging my H700 for the first time and pairing it with my V710 I was giddy as a schoolgirl as I made my first call, which was to a good friend of mine. The H700 felt light weight and extremely comfortable. The volume was great -- the first BT headset I've used which I've been able to turn the volume up to a level that actually seemed a bit loud. Sound quality form me was great. My friend's voice came through crystal clear, and I was all but ready to give it my thumbs up. Then came the words that made my heart sink: "Hey what's the deal? I can barely understand what you're saying." At first I thought it might be a poor connection, but my friend told me that it didn't sound like that. Instead, she told me I sounded muffled -- like my mouth was stuffed full of cotton. I tried moving the mic around in different positions, and we were finally able to determin that the muffled sound only occurred when the mike was resting against my cheek. As soon as I pulled the mike away from my cheek, even just a hair, my friend told me I was clear as a bell. But the second I'd let go of the mic the muffled sound was back. I called other people I knew in an effort to verify this problem. Everyone I spoke with noted a major difference in sound when the mic was resting against my cheek, to the point they couldn't even understand me, yet when I pulled the mike away they all said I sounded quite clear. I'm not fat, and I don't think I have a particularly odd shaped face, but I still had others try using the headset to make sure it wasn't just me. Everyone had the same problem. Upon examination of the mic it is no surprise why this problem exists. On the cheek side of the boom there is a small rubber protrusion on the side of which can be found a tiny hole. It is not difficult to see how this hole can be easily obstructed, at least partially. It makes sense to have a protrusion to hold the boom away from the face a bit, but the location of the mic seems to defeat the purpose of such a feature. I'm just sitting here scratching my head as I contemplate returning my H700 to the store. The thought makes me ill, but then I have to ask myself, what good is a hands-free headset that I have to hold away from my face?