Digital Trends

Plantronics Voyager 520 August 10th, 2007 | by Jason Tomczak

Setup and Use

Setting up the Voyager 520 was pretty easy. Pairing the headset to my RAZR, RIZR and WING phones took about 20 seconds each. One of the reasons pairing is so quick and easy is Plantronics' "QuickPair" technology which, on a firmware level, preps the 520 to pair with most Bluetooth enabled phones on the market.

The only trouble I had with getting the 520 set up was the charging base. For some reason Plantronics ships the charging unit unassembled. It was a pain in the rear to put the pieces together, but once it was set up, the charger looked nice and worked as well as any other mini desktop charger. If Plantronics had shot for perfection, they would have supplied consumers with a pre-built charging base and a separate (possibly USB) travel charging cord.

Back to the positive, I particularly like the one-button design of the Voyager 520. It gives a simplified, fumble-free way to control the headset. On/off, volume up/down, dial/end and pairing are all done on one control.

One of my primary complaints about Bluetooth headsets is the fact that they become quite uncomfortable after minutes or hours of use. Too many earbud and wrap-around headsets seem to fit poorly, making my ears sore. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of comfort I experienced while using the Voyager 520; the critical first hour of wearing the headset passed by without any soreness. Subsequent hours of wearing the headset proved pleasant. Its light weight body and non-invasive earbud felt good enough that I began to forget the 520 was on my ear. If you pick up the 520 for yourself, I certainly hope you have the same experience.

Conclusion

The Plantronics Voyager 520 is a great Bluetooth headset for all types of situations. It's sleek and professional enough for business use, and it's cool enough for home/college/wherever use. The battery life is exceptional, Bluetooth signal strength is fantastic, sound quality is clean and free of interference, and the overall package is very satisfying.

The $99 USD price tag is very fair for such a comfortable and high-quality Bluetooth headset. There are some cheaper alternatives on the market, but saving $10 or $20 on a budget headset could cost you more upset, frustration and discomfort in the long run.

I give the Voyager 520 two thumbs up. I recommend it, but would urge individual users, especially picky ones, to find a Voyager 520 in a store and try it on for size and comfort. Chances are you'll be very happy.



Pros:

• Very lightweight & comfortable
• Excellent wireless range
• Excellent sound quality
• Works well with VoIP programs on PC and Mac

Cons:

• Unassembled charging base
• Different sized earpieces not a feature