Bluetooth Headsets used to be expensive, but now they are now more affordable than ever.  Just to make sure we are all on the right page....people typically use wired headsets with their phone when they want to talk for extended periods of time without holding their phone up to their ear.  A bluetooth headset is pretty much the same idea, but without the wires.  Of course, in order to use a Bluetooth headset, you need to have a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.  When looking at a Bluetooth headset, we examine things such as voice clarity, the physical design, and how easy it is to setup and use. 

Today, we will be reviewing the Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset.

Design

When looking at the product in its box, you will immediately notice

the cool look and design of the product which looks different than

most Bluetooth headsets, but seems to look like something that

conforms more to the traditional elements of a headset: it has a loop

that wraps around your ear, and has a microphone that extends toward

the mouth.

It took a day or two to get used to the way this headset is put on the

ear because you have to stretch it open to fit it onto your ear. 

After getting used to it, it will be easy putting it on or off.

The headset has one main button at the center of the earpiece to

answer calls.  The remaining buttons are located at the back of the

earpiece.  There is an up and down arrow used to mainly control the

volume.  And there is also a smaller power button used to turn the

headset on and off or put the headset in pairing mode.

Overall, the design of this headset is fairly intuitive, but there are

 some people who may not like the design.  For example, this headset

may be slightly difficult to put on if your hair gets in the way. 

And if hair covers the headset, you may have

trouble accessing the buttons at the back of the earpiece.

The headset includes three different sized earpieces to attach to the

headset.  Choosing which one will depend on the size of your ear. 

Each earpiece is a foam-covered to keep it comfortable in your ear.

Performance

This Bluetooth headset was superb in voice quality.  When switching to

this Bluetooth headset and calling my friend, they thought I was using

my phone normally.  On the other hand, don't expect this headset to

amplify your voice in any way.  You will still need to talk at the

same level or more in order to be heard by the other person on the

line.  The foam-tipped microphone does a good job of minimizing, but

not completely eliminating wind noise.  While walking around and

talking to my friend on a windy day, they could still hear the wind,

but it was minimal and did not interrupt the conversation.

Because this device employs Bluetooth technology, you can use this

headset while away from your phone.  You can comfortably use it in the

same room.  Any further, and it will depend on the environment you are

in.

With up to 6 hours talk time and up to 100 hours standby, you can

charge this once or twice or week.  The average phone doesn't even last that long, so even with a diminished battery, this Bluetooth will definitely last for those who intend on using this product for a while.

In order to charge the device, you use the provided charger and just

attach the connector to the hole at the bottom of the headset.  This

is a proprietary connector, so try not to lose the charger.  It took

about 4-5 hours to completely charge the device.  When the headset is

charging, the red LED will blink.  And when it is done, the LED will

solidly stay lit.

Conclusion

The Plantronics Voyager 510 is an excellent Bluetooth headset that has

decent voice quality.  At a retail price of $99, it may be expensive

at first thought, but you can easily find it for half the price if you

manage to catch it on sale.  The design of this headset is overall

quite unique and professional.  If you frequently like to put your

headset on or off, this product might be slightly more difficult to use, but it will take practice to be able to do it easily.