Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB) by Plantronics
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Our Price: $129.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $49.99 (click here) Category: CE See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB)
Digital camera Review: Good for gaming, durable
Summary: 5 Stars
I do a lot of gaming, so use a mic'd headset for Ventrilo just about every day. Previous headsets that I have used have broken down fairly quickly, because I have to wrap up the wires and put the headset in a drawer when I am done with it, otherwise the cats will chew it up. This frequent wrapping and unwrapping of the wires has done in other headsets in a matter of months...even more expensive headsets. I bought this one about two years ago because it was cheaper and I figured it'd be less costly to replace it later, and it only just now broke down. It LOOKS fragile, but it definitely is not. I will be buying the exact same item to replace the one that finally broke down.
Sound is also great, both input and output, and the headset is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The earphones are not noise-cancelling, but for me that's a bonus, because I like to have the game sound and music come out of my regular speakers (and sometimes have the TV on too), and I can easily hear both the game/music (or TV) sounds and the chat on Ventrilo through my headphones at the same time.
I agree with others that the cord is way too long, but I prefer that over a cord that is way too short, which is more frequently the case.
I love this headset. SRSLY
Digital camera Review: Good headset for Skype and Teamspeak gaming
Summary: 5 Stars
An absolutely great headset for online voice applications such as Skype and Teamspeak gaming. Incoming and outgoing audio are very clear for voice/chat applications. I have not used it for music and doubt I would.
POSITIVES:
I. The headset is very comfortable. I've purchased and returned a few other types of headsets for a variety of reasons; i.e., too much pressure on my ears, too heavy, makes my ears too hot, etc. The Plantronics 470 is very lightweight, doesn't press hard against my ears, and can be worn for hours very comfortably. Also, the over-the-head design allows me to attach a TrackClip Pro for TrackIR head-tracking in flight simulators.
II. The USB connection. While it has the two mini-plugs for the old mic and headset connections, the included USB converter allows you to convert these plugs into a connection for a USB port. The USB connection acts as its own "sound card" separate from the other main computer audio. Therefore, I can have Skype audio in the headset-only while simultaneously playing music and/or normal system sounds through my normal computer sound card and speakers. For gaming purposes, I can designate the headset to only transmit/receive voice communications while the game's audio is played through my normal sound card and large computer speakers for full effect.
POTENTIAL NEGATIVES:
1. A potential positive/negative depending on your perspective: this headset does not isolate sound. The headphones sit lightly against your ears instead of covering them, so I wouldn't use this if you are bothered by talking in a consistently noisy environment. However, I specifically bought this headset because I wanted to still be able to hear other sounds in the room. Specifically, this works great in terms of using the headset for Teamspeak comms for gaming while still being able to hear my normal computer speakers very well.
2. Long cord, especially when marketed as a headset "optimized for laptop use." I have at least 3 feet or cord I keep coiled and bound together with a twist-tie near the USB connection. However, I use this headset with a desktop PC and plug it into a USB port on my keyboard. If I had to plug it into a USB port on my main computer chassis, the long cord would be a bonus. Personally, I believe what has been "optimized" for "laptop use" with this headset is the clip on the cord that controls headset volume and allows you to mute the mic. It is very small and lightweight compared to the larger bulky looking in-line controller on the Plantronics 400 foldable headset.
Overall, great headset. Great price with free super saver shipping. I highly recommend this product.
Digital camera Review: Good quality, cheap make.
Summary: 2 Stars
My headset only made it about 4 months. To be fair, I used a laptop and moved around quite a bit. While moving my laptop, the USB adapater bent about 15 degrees when going around a corner. After the headset didn't work, I realized how flexible this adapter was, and how easy it was to break the circuit board inside.
I was very happy with the headset, the quality and mute/volume on the cord was great.
Just a warning to others (Quite expensive to replace as well)
Digital camera Review: Good sound and easy to use
Summary: 4 Stars
I picked up this headset for use on my MacBook Pro with Rosetta Stone. They worked right out of the box. No software to install, no drivers...just plug and play. They deliver pretty good sound and so far my only complaint is that the cable is really long - so long that it tends to get tangled up on stuff. I don't really benefit from being able to walk 15' away from my computer with the headset on, but I suppose someone might.Digital camera Review: Good sound and microphone quality
Summary: 4 Stars
I have owned this microphone headset for a couple of months and used it for speech recognition and to watch movies/listen to music. The sound is better than I expected. I have had no issues with speech recognition either. It seems to perform pretty well.
The headset is very lightweight, which is good, but I am a little concerned with the plastic it is made from. It appears to be brittle, which could be a concern in cold temperatures. It folds up nice, but I would recommend being very careful where you store it. It could get damaged if stored, let's say, in the front pocket of your laptop case. Mine has held up fine, but I rated it 4 stars just for the reason above.