Product Review – Plantronics Voyager 855

Technorati Tags: Motorola HT820,Plantronics,Voyager 855,Bluetooth,TEN naviPlay

I am personally really enamored with the idea of a good Bluetooth headset that I can pair with both my iPod and my cell phone, providing crystal-clear call quality, thumping stereo music, and the ability to switch back and forth between the two devices with the press of a button. I first realized that such devices were purported to exist when I was walking through DFW airport during September 2007, and I saw this huge robotic Motorola vending machine. Lacking impulse control, I couldn’t resist purchasing the Motorola HT820 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones.

Unfortunately, once I got them home and got everything setup, I was very disappointed with the sound clarity and volume that the headphones provided. Additionally, a little online research revealed that they were available from any of several reputable online retailers for substantially less than the MSRP I had paid at DFW. So, I returned them for a refund and decided to do some more research.

It was at this time that I discovered the the Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth headset, which I eventually purchased from Amazon.com (again, for substantially less than MSRP). Following is my review of this product:

The Good:

1. Call quality is decent (when the earpiece stays in the ear).
2. Music doesn’t suffer from the popping and distortion that I noticed with the Motorola HT820’s.
3. Pairing with both my phone and my iPod was quick and easy.
4. For a stereo headset, this device is much more understated than most of the alternatives that I’m aware of. (In other words, they make you look like less of a tool).

The Bad:

1. My biggest complaint is that the pairing with my TEN Technology naviPlay Bluetooth Stereo Adapter for iPod is fragile. The headset works fine with either the phone or the iPod but doesn’t handle switching between the two very well. Almost invariably, if a call comes in while I’m listening to music, after the call has finished and the headset switched back over to the iPod, the music starts skipping and requires that one of the devices be rebooted. This basically defeats one of the product’s main selling-points, which is the ability to switch seamlessly between both devices.
2. I have found the main earpiece to have a maddening habit of getting loose from my ear, even when I’m using one of the over-ear extensions. Combined with an overall poor level of volume, this means that I sometimes have to hold the earpiece in my ear if I want to hear the other end of the conversation.
3. The maximum volume when listening to music is weak, at best. For someone who likes to really crank it up, these will frustrate.
4. The cord that goes behind your head connecting the two earpieces frequently gets caught, especially if you are wearing a shirt with a collar, causing one or the other earpiece to get pulled out of the ear.
5. The Bluetooth connection to the phone is a little unstable and sometimes the headset needs to be turned off and turned back on in order to reestablish a connection. This is infrequent, but irritating.

Conclusion: Sadly, like the Motorola HT820, the Plantronics Voyager 855 is mostly just a big let-down. Although it sounds great in theory, the reality is that it is a highly unsatisfactory stereo music-listening device, which leaves it a serviceable, but over-priced and underwhelming Bluetooth earpiece. Many of these limitations may have more to do with the underlying Bluetooth technology than the individual products, but having had high hopes for this sort of Bluetooth headset, and having now tried 2 different models, I’m still waiting for someone to manufacture a truly satisfactory solution.

My Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars

PS – If you’re curious how I managed to pair Bluetooth headphones with a Classic iPod (iPods not normally being devices that support Bluetooth), stay tuned for my review of the TEN Technology naviPlay Bluetooth Stereo Adapter for iPod.