Digital Trends

Plantronics .Audio 550 DSP March 5th, 2007 | by Justin Whitaker

Out of the Box Setup and Software Usage

Removing of the headset from the box and plugging it into the USB port are the only two steps needed to get the 550 up and running. Windows XP Home SP2 recognizes the new hardware device immediately and the hardware installation is truly a plug-and-play experience. To install the included software, you must first visit the Plantronics website to download the Persono software. Once the 5MB software download is completed, the entire installation takes only a few minutes.

The Persono software is a fairly basic tool that gives you the ability to adjust balance, bass and treble levels as well as set the microphone volume and EQ presets. The EQ presets allow you to choose from R&B, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Games and Voice. While the software is a nice touch to the overall headset package, it does not offer anything special that isn’t found in other music playback programs such as WinAmp or iTunes. I did find it convenient to have all of the headset controls in one place, rather than having to use multiple programs to adjust the microphone settings and the headphone settings.

Persono Software Screenshot

Performance Testing

Running the .Audio 550 DSP through the paces was done using two computers – a desktop PC and a laptop. MP3 listening of both 128kbps and 320kbps was done on both sources, as well as listening to music CDs. I listened to a wide selection of classical, rock, alternative and hip-hop music in the evaluation. Also, to evaluate the gaming capabilities of the headset, I played several hours of Quake 4 and F.E.A.R. To test the microphone, I used Skype exclusively.

Starting off with the music listening, the .Audio 550 DSP proves to be quite capable of handling the various genres of music that are thrown at it. While listening to alternative and classical tracks, the headset produces clear separation of the instruments and manages different vocalists very well. The voices are smooth and not over-pronounced in comparison to the instrumentation in the songs. Mid-range sounds are also clear and well separated, and they do not get jumbled or mixed with the other frequency ranges. While listening to rock and hip-hop music I found that the bass extension was adequate, but not overly impressive. The 40mm drivers provide bass that is on par with other headphones in the $100 price range, but if you are really looking for deep, gut-wrenching bass from your headphones you will need to look elsewhere.

During gaming sessions the .Audio 550 DSP performs well and delivers accurate sound effects. In-game sounds while playing Quake 4 and F.E.A.R., such as enemy footsteps and machine gun fire, are produced clearly and allow you to pin point the location of enemies. The ability to place sound effects is crucial to any gamer and the .Audio 550 DSP does an excellent job in this regard.

Testing of the microphone reveals that voices are picked up extremely accurately. While making phone calls with Skype, the other people I spoke with on Skype reported no trouble at all hearing my voice and understanding my speech. Even with other people in the same room and considerable activity going on in the same room, the microphone did not pick up and transmit any background noise – a major plus for this headset. The microphone is also easy to adjust up or down and only requires one hand for adjustment. Once it is adjusted, it also stays in place while moving around during calls. The microphone performance is definitely a strong point of the .Audio 550 DSP and it provides outstanding results for use with VoIP applications.

A Picture of one of the Ear Cups

Plantronics .AUDIO 550 DSP Microphone

Plantronics .AUDIO 550 DSP In-line Control